The Interferons: Biologic Basis for Their Role in Viral Infections

Abstract

Evidence indicates that inter ferons are non-viral proteins produced by virus-infected cells but not by normal cells. They inhibit virus reproduction by their action on cells, not by attacking the invading virus directly. There is circumstantial evidence to suggest that interferon synthesis is directly controlled by cellular nucleic acid and that the virus merely acts as an inducing agent or irritant. It seems likely that most cells know how to make interferon but do so only in response to viral infection; proof of this would lend credence to the proposition that interferon production is a specific cellular mechanism for defense against intrusion of foreign viral nucleic acid into the economy of the cell.