ADOPTIVE TRANSFER OF RESISTANCE TO MURINE RETROVIRUS-INDUCED IMMUNE SUPPRESSION

Infection of certain strains of mice, such as C57BL/6 and C57BL/10 [B1 0], with LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) rapidly causes a profound and lethal immune suppression. The H2(d) congenic strain of B10, B10. D2, is resistant to disease, but B10 X B10.D2 F-1 mice are susceptible , indicating that disease sensitivity is dominant. To determine whethe r disease resistance could be adoptively transferred to a sensitive ho st, radiation chimeras (B10.D2 --> B10 X B10.D2 F-1 and F-1 --> F-1) w ere challenged with LP-BM5 virus. Infected B10.D2 --> F-1 chimeras sho wed no loss of immune function, whereas F-1 --> F-1 chimeras infected with LP-BM5 MuLV developed MAIDS and became completely immune suppress ed. These results, coupled with previous studies, indicate resistance or sensitivity to disease is an inherent property of the hematopoietic system that can be transferred by bone marrow grafts. (C) 1996 Academ ic Press, Inc.