The Action of Normal Mouse Serum on Influenza Virus

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Abstract
Normal mouse serum contains a hemagglutination inhibitor and a neutralizing factor for influenza virus which are heat-labile, can be destroyed by a crude filtrate of Vibrio cholerae and are much more active towards unadapted virus than towards mouse-adapted virus. The inhibitor enters into stable combination with the virus in the presence of Ca ions. It is adsorbed by a large amt. of unadapted virus, even after the hemagglutinin of the latter has been destroyed by heating. Two strains of unadapted influenza A virus were grown in eggs in the presence of normal mouse serum, and 2 variants resistant to the neutralizing action of mouse serum were produced. It appears that this type of variation also occurs when an unadapted virus is passed in mice. The theoretical implication of this type of variation in response to a normal host component and its relationship to the mouse-pathogenicity of influenza virus are discussed.