Increase by Calcium in Production of Interferon by L929 Cells Induced with Polyriboinosinate-Polyribocytidylate Complex

Abstract

Calcium chloride (5 to 20 mm) potentiated interferon production induced by rI_n:rC_n in L929 mouse fibroblasts up to a thousand-fold. Higher concentrations of calcium (20 to 65 mm) mixed with rI_n:rC_n were associated with increased cytotoxicity and a more acidic medium, but were effective in enhancing interferon production if preparations were adjusted to a uniform pH. Although calcium increased cellular binding of ³H-rC_n:rI_n, only a partial correlation between binding and interferon production was observed.