Interferon Inhibits Cardiac Cell Function in Vitro

Interferon which has been shown to exert important effects on cellular function was utilized to investigate its effect on cardiac cell beating in vitro. When steadily pulsating rat cardiac cultures were continuously exposed to rat interferon for 24 hr, a decrease in the beating rate was observed. Mouse interferon which also exerted antiviral activity on rat heart nonmuscle cells also decreased the beating rate of rat cardiac cultures. Human leukocyte interferon when tested at the same dose at which rat interferon was active, exhibited no antiviral activity in rat heart nonmuscle cells and did not exert beating rate effects. When mouse interferon was incubated with antiserum prepared against mouse interferon both antiviral and beating activity were neutralized to the same extent. None of the interferons used produced morphological effects on the heart cells and with rat interferon the beating rate effect was reversible. This finding, that interferon affects cardiac cell function in vitro, may have relevance to clinical application.