Lactic dehydrogenase virus infection inhibits allergic eosinophil reaction and IL-5 gene expression in vivo.

The effects of lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) infection on allergic eosinophil reaction and IL-5 gene expression were studied. LDV infection suppressed antigen-induced eosinophil recruitment into the peritoneal cavity in sensitized mice. The elevation of IL-5 gene expression in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes 6 h after ovalbumin challenge was significantly suppressed in LDV-infected mice compared with uninfected (control) mice. The expression of the interferon-gamma and IL-2 genes in the spleen, but not in mesenteric lymph nodes, was significantly suppressed in LDV-infected mice compared with control mice. The present results suggest, that suppression of IL-5 gene expression by LDV infection may not be mediated by a mutual inhibitory mechanism between Th1 and Th2 cells.