Experimental murine hepatitis and inducible suppressor cell function.

We have investigated the changes in inducible suppressor activity in spleen cells of young BALB/c mice infected with A-59 strain of murine hepatitis virus. The peak histological and biochemical damage occurred four days after intraperitoneal inoculation of the virus. Before that, on day 2, there was a transient loss of suppressor activity inducible in splenic cells by in vitro incubation with the mitogen Con A. Sequential changes in the proliferative response of spleen cells to Con A also occurred, but did not account for the loss of inducible suppressor activity. This variation in activity of Con A-stimulated suppressor cells suggests an immunoregulatory role for these cells during experimental viral hepatitis.