Thymolytic and Adrenal Cortical Responses to the LDH-Elevating Virus

Following infection of intact mice with the LDH-virus, a significant thymus involution was observed. Since there was no thymus involution in adrenalectomized mice infected with the virus, a virus-induced adrenal cortical hormone increase or activation is postulated. The observation of an increase in spleen and lymph node weight in both intact and adrenalectomized LDH-virus infected mice may result from a virus-induced proliferation of thymus-independent lymphatic tissue, which is unaffected by the adrenal cortical hormones.