Effects of oral ciclosporin on acute and chronic murine cytomegalovirus infection.
Mice fed a basal diet which contained 0.018% ciclosporin (CsA) achieved immunosuppressive blood levels of 1,400-2,200 ng/ml. Observations for 84 days of mice placed on this diet and infected at the same time with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) showed elevated virus titers and more widespread infection of various organs. An enhancing effect on acute MCMV infection measured by virus titers in the spleen 5 days after infection was evident only after 14 days of prior CsA ingestion. In groups of mice which were already infected with virus for 14 or 21 days, 14 days of CsA ingestion was needed before enhanced MCMV titers were noted in organs tested. Pretreatment with CsA of donor mice, which provided MCMV-specific immune spleen cells in passive protective experiments, eliminated the protective effect of transferred cells for recipient mice challenged with MCMV. These results suggest that CsA enhanced virus titers and helped maintain chronic persistent infection in certain organs by affecting the development or function of immune cells. Regardless of whether CsA was given before or after virus infection, about 2 weeks of CsA administration was required before elevation of virus titer was observed.
Zhang
X Q
XQ
Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pa. 15261.
Zhang
J T
JT
Ho
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D003524:Cyclosporins