Premium
Interferon response in the guinea pig infected with Junín virus
Author(s) -
Dejean Cristina B.,
Ayerra Bethy L.,
Teyssié Angélica R.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890230110
Subject(s) - guinea pig , biology , virus , spleen , virology , interferon , seroconversion , in vivo , lymph , virulence , antigen , immunology , pathology , medicine , endocrinology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , gene
The “in vivo” interferon (IFN) induction capacity of two Junín virus strains—the attenuated XJCI, and the intermediate virulent MC 2 —was studied in the guinea pig experimental model. Three different doses of XJCI 3 strain—2,000, 10,000, and 50,000 TCID 50 —and a single dose of 10,000 TCID 50 of MC 2 were assayed. Animals were bled from day 0 to day 14 postinjection (pi) XJCl 3 groups showed a constant serum IFN response. MC 2 infection showed that 16% of the animals failed to develop interferonemia. The IFN activity was alpha type in most cases. The IFN serum levels induced by the MC 2 strain were always lower than those attained after XJCl 3 infection. The response to the positive control assayed, Newcastle disease virus, was higher and earlier than that obtained for Junín virus strains. The highest IFN individual value, which induced 160 guinea pig IFN U/ml, was detected at day 2 following XJCl 3 infection, and corresponded to the highest XJCl 3 dose assayed. Average values ranged from 23 to 65 guinea pig IFN U/ml, for XJCl 3 groups and 15 guinea pig IFN U/ml for the MC 2 group, measured at the day of maximal response. IFN presence was studied in homogenates from brain, spleen, and lymph nodes; it was detected in organs from guinea pigs infected with XJCI 3 but not in organs from MC 2 infected animals. IFN levels in sera or in organs failed to correlate with the histological findings. Demonstration of viral antigens in organs of infected animals, and seroconversion of Junín virus (JV) confirmed the evolution of the disease. A significant weight loss was observed just after serum IFN disappearance. Infection with different viral doses produced different mortality rates, although no correlation could be established between death and previous IFN level. We demonstrated low IFN levels in JV infection of the guniea pig, which were in direct relation to the viral dose employed. The MC 2 strain exhibited a lower capacity of IFN induction than XJCl 3 .