title: Potential screening assay for undetectable viruses on the basis of their capacity to induce alpha interferon production.
abstract: High interferon production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC) was unexpectedly noted after their coculture with CD4(+) cells from a healthy donor whose cells subsequently showed human herpesvirus type 6 and 7 infections. This release of interferon was not observed with uninfected normal CD4(+) cells. Induction of PDC interferon production could help screen for covert virus infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA 94143-1270, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ashlock
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neipel
authors.forename: Jay A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha