Interferon production by cells infected with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) virus or measles virus.

BACKGROUND

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare progressive neurodegenerative encephalitis caused by some variants of measles virus (MV). The structure of SSPE virus in the brains of SSPE patients is different from that of MV. The difference in interferon (IFN) production between cells infected with SSPE virus and those infected with MV remains unclear.

METHODS

We measured the concentrations of IFN-α, β, γ, and λ1 (interleukin (IL)-29) from MV- or SSPE virus-infected B95a cells (a marmoset B-lymphoblastoid cell line).

RESULTS

SSPE virus-infected B95a cells produced significantly higher levels of IFN-α and λ1 than did MV-infected or mock-infected cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that SSPE virus and MV induce different IFN production profiles.