Effect of statolon-induced interferon on antibody formation.

The effect of statolon-induced interferon on immune response was investigated. Young adult Swiss albino mice were immunized with chicken red blood cells or infectious mengovirus. The red blood cells were injected three times and the virus twice at 2-week intervals, with or without treatment with statolon 24 hr before the inoculations. The effect of interferon on antibody formation was measured by determinations of hemagglutinating, hemolytic, and virus-neutralizing antibodies in the sera of treated and nontreated groups. The hemagglutinin and hemolysin titers after each successive inoculation were equal in both groups, indicating that interferon had no effect on their production. A decrease in the primary response to the viral antigen was associated with interferon induction; the booster response was unaffected. The possible use of interferon inducers as attenuants for immunization with live virulent viruses is discussed.