54] Assay of effect of interferon on viruses that bud from plasma membrane

Abstract

This chapter studies the effect of low doses of IF (3-30 units/ml) on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection of L cells. It is observed that a marked inhibition in glycoprotein (G) and membrane protein (M) of VSV released from IF-treated cells. Evidence supporting the selective deficiency of glycoprotein in VSV released from IF-treated cells is also derived from electron microscopy studies. These results suggested that VSV-particles released from IF-treated cells are low in infectivity. The results in many respects resemble those that were previously reported in IF-treated cells infected with murine leukemia viruses (MLV). It is concluded that such findings on the action of interferon are not limited to murine RNA tumor virus systems; and perhaps the inhibition of some membrane associated viruses (such as VSV) by treatment with relatively moderate concentrations of IF may be widespread phenomenon that is closely related to functional abnormalities in the proteins incorporated into noninfectious virions produced by such cells. The effect of IF on membrane-associated virus, are presented. The classes listed may involve successively less severe degrees of alteration in viral proteins; these alterations could result in inhibition of virus assembly or infectivity at later stages in the replication cycle.