Production of interferon-beta in a culture of fibroblast cells on some polymeric films.

Normal human skin (NB1-RGB) cells were cultured in the presenceof polyinosinic and polycytidylic acids, diethylaminoethyldextran, cycloheximide and actinomycin D, which induced humaninterferon-beta. The simplest induction method, that requiredonly polyinosinic and polycytidylic acids and diethylaminoethyldextran was found to give the highest production ofinterferon-beta by the cells. The cell growth and productionof interferon-beta were investigated for NB1-RGB cellscultured on silk fibroin, poly(gamma-methyl-L-glutamate),poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) and collagen films prepared bythe Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) and casting methods. The cell densityof NB1-RGB cells cultured on the LB films was found to be higherthan that on the cast films made of the same polymer. Thisindicates that not only the chemical structure of the polymersused for the preparation of the films but the preparationmethods of the films, i.e., casting and LB methods, are also astrong factor affecting the cell growth. The production ofinterferon-beta per unit number of cells was found to behigher on the cast films than that on the LB films made of thesame polymer. This is explained by the fact that the optimalsuppressed growth of NB1-RGB cells on the cast films leads tothe enhanced production of interferon-beta on the cast filmscompared to those on the LB films prepared by the same polymer.