AN ANTIVIRAL SUBSTANCE FROM PENICILLIUM FUNICULOSUM

Abstract

Helenine is effective in preventing the establishment of passive viral immunity by heterologous antiviral sera when it is administered any time during a period of 6 days, extending from 4 days before to 2 days after injection of the antiviral serum, but it does not prevent the establishment of passive viral immunity by antiviral sera of mouse origin (homologous). Evidence is presented to indicate that the phenomenon of the prevention of the establishment of passive viral immunity by heterologous antiviral sera is not effected directly, but rather is mediated through some substance that helenine induces the injected host to elaborate. Evidence is presented to indicate that the helenine-induced material does not act upon antiviral antibody per se but rather on heterologous foreign protein that happens to be labeled as Semliki Forest virus antibody. This helenine-induced material, whatever its nature, appears to enhance the capacity of the injected host to recognize and dispose of foreign protein. Statolon, a material that like helenine is a known inducer of interferon, is, like helenine, also capable of preventing the establishment of passive viral immunity by heterologous antiviral sera. Experiments designed to determine whether the induced material responsible for the antipassive immunity effect of helenine is interferon have yielded inconclusive answers thus far.