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Antiviral effect of interferon in vivo may be mediated by the host

Nature volume 278, page 742 (1979)Cite this article

Abstract

INTERFERON has antiviral effects both in vivo and in vitro. Viral replication is inhibited in interferon-treated cells in vitro because the reproductive cycle of the virus is inhibited at the transcriptional or translational level, depending on the virus–cell system studied1. This direct inhibition of viral replication has been assumed to also be the mechanism by which interferon exerts its antiviral effect in vivo. We report here results that indicate protection by interferon against viral infection in vivo without inhibition of the viral replication of the same virus in vitro.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Virology, Erasmus University, PO Box 1738, Rotterdam

    H. SCHELLEKENS

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    W. WEIMAR

  3. State Serum Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, Helsinki, Finland

    K. CANTELL

  4. Primate Center TNO, Virology Section, 151, Lange Kleiweg, 2280 HV, Rijswijk, The Netherlands

    L. STITZ

Authors
  1. H. SCHELLEKENS
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  2. W. WEIMAR
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  3. K. CANTELL
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  4. L. STITZ
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SCHELLEKENS, H., WEIMAR, W., CANTELL, K. et al. Antiviral effect of interferon in vivo may be mediated by the host. Nature 278, 742 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/278742a0

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