Open AccessAction of spontaneously produced beta interferon in differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells through an autoinduction mechanism.
Author(s) -
Pierre Belhumeur,
Joël Lanoix,
Yves Blais,
Diane Forget,
Alain Steyaert,
Daniel Skup
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.13.5.2846
Subject(s) - biology , interferon , rna silencing , cellular differentiation , cell culture , embryonal carcinoma , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody , mode of action , rna , biochemistry , virology , immunology , rna interference , genetics , gene
In the current study, we have addressed the role of interferons (IFNs) in controlling the differentiation of pluripotent P19 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. Blocking IFN activity in the culture medium of differentiating cells with antibodies leads to a strong decrease in the degree of differentiation. The antibodies are active for a relatively short time. During this time, IFN-beta mRNA can be detected in the differentiating cells, as can increases of IFN stimulation response element-binding activity and NF-KB. The timing of IFN action also coincides with the accumulation of cytoplasmic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and with a drop in dsRNA unwindase-modificase activity. A model for the involvement of autoinduction of IFN by intracellular dsRNA in the control of differentiation in this system is presented.