Effect of Nu/Nu gene on genetically determined resistance to murine cytomegalovirus.
Adult athymic Nu/Nu mice showed increased susceptibility to lethal infection with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) when compared to their heterozygous T cell-competent Nu/+ littermates. However, the extent of this increase in susceptibility varied dramatically depending on the genetic background of the mice carrying the Nu/Nu gene. Genetically susceptible Balb/c (H-2d) mice showed a greater than 316-fold difference between the LD50 of Nu/Nu and Nu/+ littermates. In marked contrast, the genetically resistant CBA (H-2K) strain was characterized by only a 16-fold difference in resistance between Nu/Nu and Nu/+ mice, and furthermore, the athymic CBA Nu/Nu mice were no susceptible than the T cell-competent Balb/c Nu/+ strain. These results together with previous observations strongly suggest that the (H-2k)-associated resistance of the CBA strain is mediated by non-T cell-dependent early defence mechanisms.
D000818:Animals; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*