A chimeric gene containing IFN-beta 2 DNA from -1180 to +13 linked to the CAT gene was inducible approximately 10-fold by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), followed, in decreasing order, by pseudorabies and Sendai viruses (7- to 11-fold each); serum (6- to 9-fold); the cytokines tumor necrosis factor, IL-1, and epidermal growth factor (3- to 5-fold each); the cAMP agonists BrcAMP and forskolin and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (2- to 6-fold each); poly(I).poly(C) (2- to 4-fold); 1,2-diacylglycerol and the calcium ionophore A23187 (1.5- to 2-fold each).