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Effects of interferon on the lymphocyte subset in the blood and lymphoid organs in mice
The effects of mouse interferon-alpha/beta (MuIFN) or poly(I):poly(C) injection on the lymphocytes in the blood, thymus, and spleen of C3H/HeN mice were examined. A single injection of MuIFN (2 X 10(6) to 2 X 10(7) IU/kg of MuIFN) or poly(I):poly(C) (0.12-1.2 mg/kg) caused a significant lymphocytopenia without any evidence of direct cytotoxic effects on lymphocytes in the blood or lymphoid organs, a significant decrease in the number of T cells both in the thymus and spleen along with a significant increase in the number of non-T cells in the splenic white pulp, and a differential decrease in the number of blood T-cell subsets ("suppressor/cytotoxic" subset was decreased continuously whereas "helper" subset only transiently). The differential effect on T-cell subsets could explain the complicated effects of IFN on the cell-mediated immune response.
The effects of mouse interferon-alpha/beta (MuIFN) or poly(I):poly(C) injection on the lymphocytes in the blood, thymus, and spleen of C3H/HeN mice were examined. A single injection of MuIFN (2 X 10(6) to 2 X 10(7) IU/kg of MuIFN) or poly(I):poly(C) (0.12-1.2 mg/kg) caused a significant lymphocytopenia without any evidence of direct cytotoxic effects on lymphocytes in the blood or lymphoid organs, a significant decrease in the number of T cells both in the thymus and spleen along with a significant increase in the number of non-T cells in the splenic white pulp, and a differential decrease in the number of blood T-cell subsets ("suppressor/cytotoxic" subset was decreased continuously whereas "helper" subset only transiently). The differential effect on T-cell subsets could explain the complicated effects of IFN on the cell-mediated immune response.