Susceptibility of W/WV mice to murine cytomegalovirus infection.
The susceptibility of congenitally anemic W/WV mice to infection with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) was examined. W/WV mice showed a higher mortality rate and shorter survival time after MCMV infection than did their +/+ littermate mice. In addition, W/WV mice showed a lower plaque-forming unit (PFU) per 50% lethal dose (LD50) and produced higher titers of infectious virus in various organs. The mortality rate and survival time of W/WV mice which received a bone marrow graft 4 weeks before infection was completely restored to the level for +/+ mice, suggesting the importance of the cells of myeloid origin. Although natural killer (NK) activity of W/WV mice was comparable to that of +/+ mice before infection, marked reduction was observed after MCMV infection. Furthermore, OK-432 treatment failed to enhance NK activity of W/WV mice. Impaired NK response was also completely restored by bone marrow grafting 4 weeks before infection. The level of serum interferon (IFN) of infected or uninfected W/WV mice was comparable to that of +/+ mice. Therefore, impaired NK inducibility seems to be responsible, at least in part, for the high susceptibility of W/WV mice to MCMV infection.
Ohashi
T
T
Department of Microbiology, Miyazaki Medical College, Japan.
Nawa
Y
Y
Minamishima
Y
Y
Owhashi
M
M
D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007372:Interferons / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010844:Picibanil / Q000494:pharmacology
D010844:Picibanil; D007372:Interferons