Open AccessCytotoxic T Lymphocyte Control of Acute Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection: Interferon , but Not Tumour Necrosis Factor , Displays Antiviral Activity in vivo
Author(s) -
Linda Klavinskis,
Robert Geckeler,
Michael B. A. Oldstone
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of general virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.55
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1465-2099
pISSN - 0022-1317
DOI - 10.1099/0022-1317-70-12-3317
Subject(s) - lymphocytic choriomeningitis , virology , biology , cytotoxic t cell , interferon , in vivo , virus , immunology , in vitro , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
Virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) mediate their antiviral activity either by direct lysis of infected cells, or by the release of soluble lymphokines, or by a combination of the two. We have examined the role played by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF alpha) in virus clearance. In vitro the amount of IFN-gamma synthesized by some lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-specific H-2-restricted CTL clones was quantitatively too small to correlate with a direct antiviral activity in vivo. However, treatment of mice with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody to IFN-gamma significantly inhibited the clearance of virus from the spleens of acutely infected mice given adoptive transfers of immune spleen cells. Additionally, mice treated with exogenous recombinant murine IFN-gamma 24 h before or at the same time as virus inoculation showed reduced virus titres in their spleens. Hence, IFN-gamma displayed a direct antiviral effect in vivo. In contrast, treatment of mice with recombinant TNF alpha had no effect on virus clearance and thus TNF alpha is unlikely to play a significant role in this acute viral infection.