Production of B cell stimulatory factor-2 and interferon gamma in the central nervous system during viral meningitis and encephalitis. Evaluation in a murine model infection and in patients.
Synthesis of B cell-stimulating factor-2 (BSF-2) and IFN-gamma was shown in cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) collected from mice with experimental viral meningitis. In the CSF, the level of BSF-2 started to increase 24 h after intracerebral infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) with rapid increase after day 4. IFN-gamma was not detected in the CSF before day 5 or 6 after infection, but increased sharply thereafter. In athymic nude mice, LCMV infection did not result in meningitis, and both BSF-2 and IFN-gamma levels were only slightly and transiently elevated. These findings suggest that activated mature T cells are required for development of disease and production of both BSF-2 and IFN-gamma. As observed in mice, BSF-2 was also detected in 16 out of 19 CSF samples collected from patients with acute viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS). Intrathecal production of BSF-2 and IFN-gamma may be instrumental in local production of antiviral antibodies by B lymphocytes/plasma cells invading the CNS during viral CNS disease.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D007700:Kinetics; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude
D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D007371:Interferon-gamma