Abstract
The possibility for new interferon therapy was investigated using the effect of endogenous human interferon-β (HuIFN-β) on various culture cell lines. Cell lines were exposed to superinduction agents (poly I: poly C, cycloheximide, and actinomycin D) and the production of endogenous interferon analyzed. Quantitative determination of HuIFN-β and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) showed HuIFN-β was induced in all of five glioma cell lines, one of two melanoma cell lines, and all of three lung carcinoma cell lines as well as fibroblasts. Northern blot analysis showed HuIFN-β mRNA induced in glioma cells was identical to that from fibroblasts. Endogenous HuIFN-β induced from glioma cells had a cytostatic or cytocidal effect against various human glioma cell lines, even those resistant to fibroblast-derived HuIFN-β. These results show it may be possible to use the induction of excess endogenous cytotoxic HuIFN-β in human glioma tissue itself.
