[Effect of in vitro infection with dengue virus (DEN-2) on various cellular immune response functions in the mouse]

When Dengue type 2 virus (DEN-2) is put in contact with spleen cells from DBA/2 mice that had been stimulated with Concanavalin A, it was found a decrease in the incorporation of (3H) Thymidine. Furthermore it was observed that the number of Antibody forming cells (Plaque forming cells) against SRBC was decreased, when lymphocytes from DBA/2 mice spleen in culture, had been stimulated with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in vitro and then infected with DEN-2 virus and the interleukin-1 (IL-1) biosynthesis was quantified in the thymocyte system it was shown that macrophages produced high levels of IL-1 compared with non-infected cells, and that this increased levels could be similar to that produced when macrophages are stimulated with lipopolysaccharide form E. Coli (LPS). The above mentioned results suggest that DEN-2 virus is able of altering some functions of the immune response concerning T and B lymphocytes. Furthermore, the infection of P388D1 cells induce in the first 24 hours an over production of IL-1 that could be the reason why in the natural infection in humans, patients run a fever in the beginning of the viremia caused by DEN-2 virus related with the property of IL-1 reported as endogenous pyrogen.