Chronic production of interferon in carrier mice congenitally infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

Abstract

Congenital infection of mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus leads to a lifelong virus carrier state. Here we provide evidence for the presence and action of interferon in such mice. The level of circulating interferon in adult carrier mice is 8–16 NIH units/ml of plasma. This interferon is acid stable and is capable of inducing 2–5A synthetase in mouse L 929 cells but not in human HeLa cells. Control, noinfected mice show less than 1 NIH unit/ml of plasma. In accord with these results, adult carrier mice have higher levels of the interferon-mediated pppA(2′p5′A) n synthetase (2–5A synthetase) in their liver and spleen than normal mice. Congenitally infected newborn mice also have higher levels of 2–5A synthetase in their liver in contrast to newborn control mice. These results in congenitally infected newborn and adult mice suggest that interferon may play a role, at least in part, in the pathogenesis of infection.