EVALUATION OF THE IMMUNE MODULATOR MFBL FOR ANTIVIRAL EFFICACY

THE METHYLFURYLBUTYROLACTONES (MFBL'S) ARE A UNIQUE GROUP OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS THAT COMPRISE A NEW GROUP OF SYNTHETIC IMMUNOMODULATORS. THE COMPOUNDS ARE WATER SOLUBLE, RELATIVELY NON-TOXIC, ECONOMICAL TO PRODUCE IN QUANTITY, AND EFFECTIVE WHEN ADMINISTERED VIA THE INTRAVENOUS, INTRAPERITONEAL OR ORAL ROUTES. THE DRUGS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO POSSESS A WIDE RANGE OF IMMUNOMODIFYING PROPERTIES. MURINE SPLENOCYTES FROM DRUG TREATED ANIMALS ARE: MORE RESPONSIVE TO MITOGENS AND ANTIGENS IN LYMPHOCYTE PROLIFERATION ASSAY, RESPOND TO IN VITRO STIMULATION BY PRODUCING LARGE QUANTITIES OF INTERLEUKIN-2 AND GAMMA INTERFERON AND RESPOND TO T-DEPENDENT ANTIGEN CHALLENGE BY PRODUCING LARGER QUANTITIES OF ANTIBODY FORMING CELLS. THE DRUGS ALSO HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO FUNCTION TO STIMULATE HOST FIRST LINE DEFENSE AGAINST BACTERIA BY ACTIVATING POLYMORPHONUCLEAR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY. A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING MFBL'S AS THERAPEUTIC AND PROPHYLACTIC ANTIVIRAL AGENTS IS DESCRIBED IN THIS PROPOSAL. USING A WELL-DEFINED MODEL SYSTEM, ACUTE AND CHRONIC INFECTION OF MICE WITH LYMPHOCYTIC CHORIOMENINGITIS VIRUS, THE ABILITYOF MFBL TO MODIFY CRITICAL HOST ANTIVIRAL EFFECTOR MECHANISMS WILL BE EVALUATED.