Pyrimidinone (bropirimine) mediated alteration of T lymphocyte subsets during murine cytomegalovirus infection.

Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection of mice resulted in suppression of mitogen induced proliferation and interleukin 2 (IL-2) responses of splenic cells. This suppression was also evident as a reduction in the number of cells expressing Thy-1 or L3T4 and a reduction in the ratio of T helper/T suppressor cells. The pyrimidinone compound, bropirimine, when administered to MCMV infected mice was able to restore mitogen-induced proliferative and IL-2 responses of splenic cells, to increase the number of cells expressing Thy-1 or L3T4, to restore the ratio of T helper/T suppressor cells and to increase the number of cells inducible for expression of IL-2 receptors.