An X-linked locus influences the amount of circulating interferon induced in the mouse by herpes simplex virus type 1

Production of circulating interferon (IFN) was measured in inbred mouse strains following intravenous injection of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). IFN titres reached maximal levels 2 to 3 h after injection of virus and a 10-fold difference was found between C57BL/6 mice and BALB/c, as high and low producers respectively. Mendelian analysis revealed that HSV-induced IFN production is governed by several loci, one of which is X-linked. The strain distribution pattern obtained from results in recombinant inbred lines and the results obtained in the congenic B6-C-H-28c-If-1(1) strain furthermore indicated an absence of close linkage to If-1. It is concluded that the levels of HSV-induced early IFN production are influenced by several autosomal loci and one X-linked locus.