Effect of Sindbis birus infection on survival of mice in the cold

Mice infected with 10(9) plaque-forming units (PFU) of Sindbis virus 9 h prior to exposure to cold (5 degrees C) died more rapidly after entering the new environment than saline-injected control mice. The early deaths occurred in animals singly housed without bedding and only when food was withheld. Because deaths could be prevented by providing the infected animals with food, it was concluded that metabolic alteractions resulting from the virus infection were responsible for the deaths. As evidence, corticosteroid-inducible hepatic enzymes did not respond to hydrocortisone administration in virus-infected mice housed at 5 degrees C. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) (EC 4.1.1.32) was induced significantly in control mice held at 5 degrees C for 5 h, but failed to induce in infected mice in the cold. Tryptophan oxygenase (TO) (EC 1.13.11.11) activity was also induced in control mice at 5 degrees C, but was too low to be measured in livers of all infected mice including those exposed to cold. The conclusion that Sindbis virus-infected mice were unable to make the metabolic adjustments required for survival at 5 degrees C was further indicated by severe hypoglycemia and rapid drop in rectal temperature that occurred in infected mice after 5 h in the cold.