Variations in the Interferogenic Responses of Two Strains of Mice

Abstract

Summary

Marked quantitative differences have been observed in the interferogenic responses of two murine strains. Inbred C₅₇B1 mice exhibited a higher interferogenic response when induced with NDV or bacterial endotoxin than did random-bred Swiss mice, although the kinetics of interferon induction were essentially the same in both strains. When induced with tilorone hydrochloride, divinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer, or Statolon, random-bred Swiss mice consistently responded with greater interferon production than did C₅₇B1 mice. While the studies reported here do not allow discrimination among several hypotheses that can be envisaged to account for these strain-related differences in the interferogenic responses, it is apparent that the magnitude of the interferon response is not only related to the genetic composition of the test animal, but is also tempered by the nature of the interferogen.