Diminished T cell surveillance function in old mice infected with lymphocyte choriomeningitis virus

The cell-mediated immune response resulting from infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) was compared in old (18--20 month) and young (4--6 month) random-bred ICR mice. Three separate assay systems were used: the level of virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell activity measured in vitro, time of onset of fatal cell-mediated immunopathology in vivo and adoptive transfer of inflammatory process to immunosuppressed, virus-infected recipients. The capacity of old mice to generate virus-immune effector T cells was, by all of these criteria, greatly diminished. It is suggested that the LCMV-specific T-cell response may prove a useful standard system for determining integrity of immunological surveillance function.