Mathematical model of antiviral immune response regulation. I. Conceptual description of the modelled processes

The report covers the initial steps in construction of a mathematical model, namely a conceptual description of antiviral immune response regulation. The model describes cellular and molecular levels of the basic mechanisms: interaction of virus with a sensitive cell; action and activation of nonspecific resistance factors (phagocytosis, antiviral action of interferon, humoral inhibitors, and natural killer cells in the course of the immune response; humoral and cellular immune response induction and the specific antiviral defence mechanisms. Two helper cell subpopulations are considered explicitly: cellular immune response T helper cells, also named inflammatory cells (TH1) and humoral immune response T helper cells (TH2). Regulation of interleukin 1-, 2- and 4-induced lymphocyte progression through cell cycle phases is described.