Open AccessEffect of pyrimidinone treatment on lethal and immunosuppressive murine cytomegalovirus infection
Author(s) -
Roger J. Brideau,
J A Wolcott
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.28.4.485
Subject(s) - immunosuppression , weanling , concanavalin a , cytomegalovirus , immunology , medicine , azathioprine , virology , pharmacology , in vitro , virus , biology , herpesviridae , viral disease , biochemistry , disease
The 2-amino-5-halo-pyrimidinones, which are potent interferon inducers and antiviral agents, were found to be protective against lethal cytomegalovirus (CMV) challenge in weanling or neonatal mice when administered before virus challenge. This protection was dependent upon the dosage of pyrimidinone administered. Weanling mice infected with a sublethal challenge of CMV exhibited moderate to severe immunosuppression as measured by reduced splenic cell blastogenic responses in vitro to the mitogen concanavalin A. Treatment of mice with pyrimidinones during the course of CMV immunosuppression resulted in substantial augmentation of splenic cell blastogenic responses. The degree of augmentation appeared to be dependent on the severity of CMV-induced immunosuppression.