Spontaneous production of interleukin-2 and interleukin-3 by spleen cells from mice infected with mouse hepatitis virus type 4.

Spleen cells from mice, 4 to 60 days after infection with mouse hepatitis virus type 4, produced interleukin-2, as well as interleukin-3, in the absence of exogenous stimulants in vitro. This unique lymphokine production by mouse hepatitis virus type 4 infection was controlled by host genes.