INDUCTION OF HYPOGLYCEMIA IN JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS-VIRUS INFECTION - THE ROLE OF T-LYMPHOCYTES

We report here development of hypoglycaemia in the convalescent phase of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection in mice by the inductio n of antigen-specific Ly1(-)2(+) T cells in the spleen which mediate h ypoglycaemia through the generation of soluble T cell hypoglycaemic fa ctor (TCHF), The TCHF acted in a dose-dependent manner and was found t o be trypsin-sensitive and thermolabile. It was purified on Superose-1 2 high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) gel filtration column and purified protein migrated as a similar to 25-kD band on SDS-PAGE, The JEV-induced hypoglycaemia coincided with an increased circulating glucagon level, without any alterations in blood insulin and growth ho rmone concentrations. These effects were mimicked by TCHF. These resul ts indicate that JEV-primed T lymphocytes mediate hypoglycaemia throug h the production of a soluble hypoglycaemic factor.