LP-BM5 VIRUS CAUSES CHANGES IN LACTIC-DEHYDROGENASE AND OXYGEN RADICAL PRODUCTION IN SPLENOCYTES OF C57BL 6J MICE/

The LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus causes acquired immunodeficiency synd rome in C57BL/6J mice (MAIDS), similar to that of AIDS in humans. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of LP-BM5 viral in fection on cellular activation and membrane integrity of splenocytes. Oxidative burst in splenocytes in response to exposure to PMA (20 mu g /ml) was significantly higher (p<.02) in infected than in control mice at two weeks post-infection using luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence. By 13 weeks post-infection superoxide anion production in infected mi ce was significantly lower when compared to controls coinciding with d ecreased proliferative response to mitogens. The extent of cell membra ne damage as indicated by lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in serum was significantly higher in infected than in control mice (p<.001). T he results from this study suggests that LP-BM5 virus causes an initia l stimulation of cellular activity followed by a decreased cell activa tion characterized by decreased proliferation of splenocytes and decre ased oxygen radical production. Decreased cell membrane integrity indi cated by increased LDH activity may partly be responsible for these ch anges.