T-LYMPHOCYTE-MEDIATED ANTIVIRAL IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN MICE ARE DIMINISHED BY TREATMENT WITH MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY DIRECTED AGAINST THE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR

Blocking the interleukin-2 receptor's alpha-chain in lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-infected mice by treatment with monoclonal antibodies diminished the increase of numbers of CD8(+) T lymphocytes in spleens and prevented CD8(+) T lymphocyte-mediated virus clearance from organs as well as generation of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Also, the CD8(+) T cell-mediated early phase of the delayed-type hypersensitivity footpad swelling reaction was decreased. The same treatment had no effect on the number of CD4(+) spleen T lymphocytes, which, however, did not enlarge during infection, but these cells' heightened DNA synthesis and cytokine production were reduced by antibody treatment; yet the generation of antiviral antibodies remained unaffected, and the CD4(+) T lymphocyte-mediated second part of the footpad reaction was somewhat augmented. We conclude that blocking of the interleukin-2 receptor by antibody in lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-infected mice diminishes both CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cell-mediated antiviral immune responses, the former more than the latter.