Interferon enhances the expression of Fc gamma receptors

Murine T2D4 cells derived from a T cell hybrid line were incubated with partially purified or electrophoretically pure mouse interferon and tested for the expression of Fc gamma R as assessed by a) counting the number of cells forming rosettes with IgG-sensitized sheep erythrocytes, and b) incubating the cells with heat-aggregated rabbit IgG and then determining either the number of cells stained with fluorescein conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG or the extent of labeling by using radioactive iodinated staphylococcus protein A. Although interferon induced a rapid increase in Fc gamma R expression on the Fc gamma R-positive T2D4 cells, it did not induce either Fc gamma R on the Fc gamma R negative BW5147 cells or Fc gamma R on either cell line. Human leukocyte interferon enhanced the expression of Fc gamma R on human Burkitt cells (Daudi) but did not affect the expression of Fc gamma R on mouse cells. We suggest that interferon may influence several effector functions of the immune system by modulating Fc receptor expression.