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. 1980 Jan;27(1):54–60. doi: 10.1128/iai.27.1.54-60.1980

Immunosuppressive effect of murine cytomegalovirus.

L Loh, J B Hudson
PMCID: PMC550721  PMID: 6244228

Abstract

Murine cytomegalovirus suppressed the ability of spleen cells to respond to mitogens in vitro. The degree of suppression was proportional to the multiplicity of infection. This effect could not be explained by cytolysis of lymphocytes, an alteration in the kinetics of the response to mitogen, or a direct competition between virions and mitogen molecules for cell-surface receptors. Nor was it due to simple contact between cell and virus, since ultraviolet-inactivated murine cytomegalovirus failed to suppress the response to mitogens. Reconstitution experiments were performed which involved mixing various combinations of infected and uninfected macrophages and lymphocytes. Under these conditions, it was found that the infected macrophages and lymphocytes. Under these conditions, it was found that the infected macrophages had an impaired capacity to mediate the response ot T lymphocytes to concanavalin A. This suggests that murine cytomegalovirus may cause immunosuppression indirectly by interfering with macrophage function.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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