The Measurement of NK Cells Activity and Interferon Titers in Murine Coxsackievirus B_3 Induced Myocarditis / 第二军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

The level of interferon (IFN) in serum and homogenized cardiac tissue, and the activity of natural killer cells in Coxsackievirus B3 induced myocarditis in BALB/c mice were determined. NK cell cytolytic activity and IFN titers peaked on day 3~ 7 postinoculation (p.i.) and then declined. Virus titers in heart tissue reached a maximum on day 7 p.i. and then declined. These results suggest that the increase of NK cell activity and IFN titers provides some protection against Cox B, induced myocarditis by limiting virus replication in heart tissue.