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.