title: Alpha/beta interferons increase host resistance to murine AIDS.
abstract: Murine AIDS (MAIDS) is caused by a defective retrovirus present in the LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus mixture. Strains of inbred mice differ in resistance to MAIDS development; some are susceptible (e.g., C57BL/6), while others are resistant (e.g., CBA and B10.BR). As an early block to viral replication in resistant mice has been demonstrated previously by PCR studies, we postulated that alpha/beta interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) may be involved in resistance to MAIDS. Susceptible C57BL/6 mice infected with LP-BM5 were treated with IFN-alpha/beta or Newcastle disease virus. Newcastle disease virus induces high endogenous IFN-alpha/beta production in mice. Both treatments delayed the development of MAIDS, as assessed by splenomegaly and T- and B-cell proliferation. In addition, an IFN-alpha/beta response was detected by reverse transcription-PCR and dot blotting 3, 6, and 9 h after LP-BM5 infection in resistant mice but not in susceptible mice. These results suggest that the ability to produce IFN-alpha/beta in response to LP-BM5 infection may contribute to host resistance to MAIDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, University of Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beilharz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016183:Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta