Antibody-induced modulation of Friend virus cell surface antigens decreases virus production by persistent erythroleukemia cells: influence of the Rfv-3 gene.

The Rfv-3 gene was found to influence the level of Friend leukemia virus production in spleens of leukemic mice later than 30 days after virus inoculation. Rfv-3r/s mice [(B10.A X A)F1 and (B10.A X A.BY)F1] had decreased spleen virus levels 30-90 days after virus inoculation compared to Rfv-3s/s mice [A.BY, A, BALB.B, and (BALB/c X A)F1)]. In (B10.A X A)F1 X A backcross mice the spleen virus titer segregated with the level of viremia. The Rfv-3 gene appeared to act by controlling anti-Friend virus antibody production. The interaction of antiviral antibody with infected cells led to a decrease in release of infectious virus by late leukemic spleen cells in Rfv-3r/s mice to 1/300th that in Rfv-3s/s mice. This decrease in virus release appeared to be due to interference with the virus budding process due to antibody-mediated modulation of virus-induced cell surface antigens.