Protein synthesis-dependent and -independent induction of p69 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase by interferon-alpha.

The 2'-5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetases are a family of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) inducible enzymes that block viral replication by activating a latent endonuclease during viral infections. In Ramos cells, induction of mRNAs for the intermediate isoform of 2-5A synthetase (p69) requires five-fold higher IFN-alpha than is required for induction of the small isoform (p40). The p40 and p69 isoforms are similarly induced between 1 and 24 h with maximal induction at 8 h. At 48 h, however, p69 is more strongly induced than p40. Induction of p69 and p40 between 1 and 24 h is protein synthesis independent whereas at 48 h, p69 induction becomes dependent on protein synthesis. Initial induction of both isoforms requires tyrosine kinase activation and is enhanced by activation of a separate signalling pathway by the tumour promoter, 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). These data suggest that induction of the p40 is predominantly protein synthesis independent, whereas p69 induction occurs in two phases, an initial protein synthesis independent phase and a delayed protein synthesis dependent phase.