Production of interferon and serum hyporeactivity factor in mice infected with murine cytomegalovirus.

Mice injected intraperitoneally with murine cytomegalovirus produced as many as 1,000 U of serum interferon. The response appeared biphasic, with maximum titers in the first phase detectable from 2 through 4 days after infection. A second phase peaked 10 days after infection. By carboxyhexyl-Sepharose affinity chromatography, the serum interferon behaved like lymphocyte interferon. The infected mice also produced substantial quantities of serum hyporeactivity factor (D.A. Stringfellow, E.R. Kern, D.K. Kelsey, and L.A. Glasgow, J. Infect. Dis. 135:540-551, 1977), although always in the presence of interferon. This factor was separated from the serum interferon by concanavalin A-Sepharose affinity chromatography.