Studies on the mechanism of action of interferon

Abstract

In the presence of interferon chick embryo cells showed an increased aerobic glycolysis, increased uptake of oxygen, decreased uptake of inorganic phosphate, and decreased oxidation of glucose via the pentose cycle. In these respects interferon resembled dinitrophenol, which is known to uncouple oxidative phosphorylation. Interferon was ten times more active in inhibiting the growth of Sendai than of Newcastle disease virus. Four uncoupling agents, dinitrophenol, sodium azide, dicoumarol, and Janus green, were three times more effective with Sendai than with Newcastle disease virus. The four uncoupling agents all inhibited production of interferon by ultraviolet-irradiated virus at doses that inhibited virus multiplication; interferon at virus-inhibitory concentrations did not inhibit production of interferon. The hypothesis was presented that interferon acts by uncoupling nuclear oxidative phosphorylation.