INHIBITION OF CONTACT SENSITIVITY BY INTERFERON IN MICE INFECTED WITH LACTIC-DEHYDROGENASE VIRUS

The effect of acute lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) infection was studied with respect to contact sensitivity (CS) to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). CS reaction was severely inhibited in the acute phase but not in the chronic phase of infection. The role of interferon (IFN) was studied to understand further the inhibition of CS during LDV infection. IFN in the blood was detected only in the acute phase, but not in the chronic phase of infection. When anti-IFN(α/β) was administered to infected mice, no inhibition of CS was seen. CS was inhibited in uninfected mice treated with IFN(α/β). These results suggest that IFN production in the blood may be responsible, at least in part, for inhibition of CS observed in the acute phase of LDV infection. © 1991, Academic Press Limited. All rights reserved.