Human nasal epithelial cell culture system: evaluation of response to human interferons.

This report describes the response of human nasal epithelial cells to exogenously applied human interferon (IF). To measure the response, a system developed to study human nasal epithelial cells in vitro was used. Nasal epithelial cells responded equally to both leukocyte and fibroblast IF, with development of resistance to virus replication that was time and dose dependent. Cells required contact with 1,000 U of IF (400 69/19 reference units) for 4 h to produce consistently a significant reduction in virus yield. This in vitro cell cultured system may be useful in predicting the in vivo response of human IF in respiratory viral infections.