The quantitative production of interferon by mitogen-stimulated mouse lymphocytes as a function of age and its effect on the lymphocytes proliferative response.

Interferon production by mitogen-stimulated mouse spleen cells increases as the age of the cell donor increases and also varies with with the strain of the cell donor. Exogenous interferon added to mouse spleen cell cultures at dose levels known to be produced by the cells causes a reduction in the proliferative response of T cells to mitogen stimulation. Since the spleen cells from old mice respond poorly to mitogen stimulation, it may be possible that the interferon elaborated by these cells is adversely affecting the mitogen assay.