The Th1/Th2 balance does not account for the difference of susceptibility of mouse strains to Theiler's virus persistent infection.
Theiler's virus causes a persistent infection with demyelination that is studied as a model for multiple sclerosis. Inbred strains of mice differ in their susceptibility to viral persistence due to both H-2 and non-H-2 genes. A locus with a major effect on persistence has been mapped on chromosome 10, close to the Ifng locus, using a cross between susceptible SJL/J and resistant B10.S mice. We now confirm the existence of this locus using two lines of congenic mice bearing the B10.S Ifng locus on an SJL/J background, and we describe a deletion in the promoter of the Ifng gene of the SJL/J mouse. We studied the expression of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-10, and IL-12 in the brains of SJL/J mice, B10.S mice, and the two lines of congenic mice during the first 2 wk following inoculation. We found a greater expression of IFN-gamma and IL-2 mRNA in the brains of B10.S mice compared with those of SJL/J mice. Also, the ratio of IL-12 to IL-10 mRNA levels was higher in B10.S mice. However, the cytokine profiles were the same for the two lines of resistant congenic mice and for susceptible SJL/J mice. Therefore, the difference of Th1/Th2 balance between the B10.S and SJL/J mice is not due to the Ifng locus and does not account for the difference of susceptibility of these mice to persistent infection.
Monteyne
P
P
Unité des Virus Lents, Unité de Recherche Associée 1930, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Bihl
F
F
Levillayer
F
F
Brahic
M
M
Bureau
J F
JF
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018188:Cardiovirus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D005796:Genes / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D017945:Theilovirus / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma