ROLE OF INTERFERON IN PATHOGENESIS OF VIRAL DISEASES OF MICE AS DEMONSTRATED BY USE OF ANTI-INTERFERON SERUM .5. PROTECTIVE ROLE IN MOUSE HEPATITIS VIRUS TYPE-3 INFECTION OF SUSCEPTIBLE AND RESISTANT STRAINS OF MICE

Abstract

Potent sheep anti-mouse interferon globulin was used to determine the role of virus-induced interferon in mouse hepatitis virus type 3[MHV-3]-infected susceptible (C57BL/6), semiresistant (C3H/He) and resistant (A/J) strains of mice. Injection of anti-interferon globulin accelerated the onset of death in C57BL/6 mice, induced almost 100% mortality in C3H/He mice that usually do not die of acute disease and caused death in 4 and 6-week-old A/J mice, but not in older mice. Interferon is probably an important host defense factor in the initial response of different strains of mice to MHV-3 infection. Other factors, however, such as the capacity of macrophages to restrict viral multiplication probably underlie the genetically determined susceptibility or resistance of mice to MHV-3 infection.