Rz. Mendonca et Ca. Pereira, RELATIONSHIP OF INTERFERON SYNTHESIS AND THE RESISTANCE OF MICE INFECTED WITH STREET RABIES VIRUS, Brazilian journal of medical and biological research, 27(3), 1994, pp. 691-695
Genetically homogeneous and heterogeneous mouse populations were teste
d for resistance to experimental street rabies virus infection and the
ir ability to synthesize interferon (IFN) during the infection. The ge
netically heterogenous H-1 mouse population was highly resistant (12%
mortality), and the genetically homogeneous BALB/c and C3H mice as wel
l as the genetically heterogeneous Sw and L(1) mouse populations were
susceptible (60 to 71% mortality). The genetically homogeneous A/J mic
e were highly susceptible (85% mortality) to experimental street rabie
s infection. The ability of these mice to synthesize IFN as measured i
n serum 4 days after the infection was directly related to the degree
of resistance, with the highly resistant H-1 mice showing large amount
s of IFN (850 U/ml), and the susceptible mice showing low amounts of I
FN (50 to 280 U/ml). IFN induced within the central nervous system and
measured in brain homogenates during infection was not correlated wit
h resistance. The present data suggest that high levels of IFN occurri
ng in serum early during infection with street rabies virus contribute
to the resistance of these mice.