A GENETIC-ANALYSIS OF MACROPHAGE ACTIVATION AND SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES IN RELATION TO THE RESISTANCE OF HETEROGENEOUS MOUSE-POPULATIONS TO MHV3 INFECTION

The genetically selected high antibody responder mice (H-III) are susc eptible and the low antibody responder mice (L(III)) are resistant to the experimental infection with Mouse Hepatitis Virus 3 (MHV3). The mo rtality rates of the F-1 hybrids and of the F-2 segregants showed the codominance of the susceptible and resistant characters. The direct in dividual intrapopulation correlation between the induction of antivira l state in macrophages activated by IFN gamma and the resistance to th e virus infection, showed that an antiviral state could be induced in resistant mouse macrophages, whereas in susceptible mouse macrophages no restriction of virus replication could be observed. A direct inter- and intrapopulation correlation of pre-existing antibody titres again st MHV3 with the mortality and a direct interpopulation correlation of those titres with the mean survival time of susceptible animals was s hown. The data indicate, among the mechanisms of resistance against th e virus infection, a role of IFN gamma macrophage-activation and of an tibodies against MHV3 which may delay the mean survival time in suscep tible animals.