Induction of natural killer cells by herpes-simplex virus type 2 in resistant and sensitive inbred mouse strains.

Infection of mice with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV 2) stimulated natural killer (NK) cells in a variety of inbred mouse strains including athymic nude mice. Essentially all mouse strains tested exhibited high NK activity on day four after virus inoculation. Assayed 24 hours after infection, SWR/J, AKR/J, SJL/J and C57B1/10J mice were low or negative for these non-virus-specific cytotoxic responses. Whereas the first two mouse strains were most sensitive to the lethal effects of HSV 2, the latter two were highly resistant. Three lines with intermediate susceptibility and three highly resistant strains were all efficient with regard to early NK-cell.