Release of immunosuppressive substances from tissue culture cells infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus.

Bovine fetal lung tissue culture cells were infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus. The cells released substances into the supernatant fluid that suppressed the proliferative response of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells which had been stimulated with concanavalin A. Activity could be found in low molecular weight fractions (less than or equal to 2,000 daltons). During the assay, these fractions were required to inhibit the response of leukocytes to concanavalin A. Addition of indomethacin to the infected tissue culture cells inhibited generation of immunosuppressive supernatants; addition of indomethacin to the suppressive supernatants did not block their activity. The possible involvement of prostaglandins in this immunosuppressive activity is discussed.