Abstract
Recently, the depressed cell mediated immunity in human chronic viral hepatitis has been recognized by many investigators. In this study the experimental murine hepatitis by MHV-ll was investigated to determine the influence of antithymocyte serum (ATS) and antiplasmocyte serum (APS) infusions on the process of hepatitis. Murine fulminant hepatitis inoculated with a high titer of the virus apparently reduced the severity of hepatitis and was delayed in its course of reconvalescence by the treatment of ATS. The severity of hepatitis was also reduced by the treatment of APS although less than by that of ATS. Morphologically, Kupffer cell mobilization in hepatic lobule and mononuclear round cell infiltration in the portal area were more dominant in ATS treated hepatitis mice than with controls (hepatitis mice treated with normal rabbit serum or saline). These facts may suggest that in an acute stage of murine viral hepatitis, cell mediated immunity plays a main role in the course of hepatitis and depressed cellular immunity is involved in the reduction of hepatic cell destruction in hepatitis and in the chronicity of viral hepatitis.
