Behavioral effects of infection with interferon-gamma adenovector

Anxiety and depression of unknown etiology are frequent complications of the systemic autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus (SLE). To elucidate key pathogenic factors we study the "autoimmunity-associated behavioral syndrome" (AABS) in lupus-prone MRL-lpr mice. Based on the evidence that serum levels of the neuroactive cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) are increased both in human and murine forms of SLE, the present study examines whether …