Immune specific induction of interferon production in cultures of human blood lymphocytes.

Human blood lymphocytes stimulated with nonviral antigens in vitro produce an antiviral substance with the biological and biochemical characteristics of interferon. The induced response was specific for cells obtained from immune donors. Cells from nonimmune donors did not produce interferon on exposure to these substances. The quantity of interferon produced by antigen stimulation was related to concentration of antigen over a relatively narrow range; with higher concentrations induction was decreased. Interferon production was maximum during days 4 to 7 in culture. In contrast, phytohemagglutinin-induced interferon was primarily produced during the first 4 days in culture.