Mechanism of genetically endowed macrophage resistance.

Abstract

An electron microscope study of the interaction of vaccinia virus with various peritoneal macrophage systems was conducted. Normal rabbit peritoneal macrophages allowed first stage uncoating to proceed; viral cores were present within the cellular cytoplasm. Nonna1 mouse peritoneal macrophages did not allow viral core formation and appeared to degrade the virus within phagocytic vacuoles. Thioglycollate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages allowed cytoplasmic core formation. Virus thdt was not uncoated appeared to be undergoing degradation within the phagocytic vacuole within six hours after infection. Results of this study suggest that the state of cellular activation may control the fate of vaccinia. Furthermore, the level of lysosomal enzymes, especially acid phosphatase, seem to be important in determining whether the virus undergoes replication or degradation.