Immunodeficiency and chronic myelogenous leukemia-like syndrome in mice with a targeted mutation of the ICSBP gene

Interferon consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP)-mutant mice were analyzed to determine the role of ICSBP in the antiviral responses of the immune system and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). ICSBP mutants exhibited normal antiviral responses to vesicular stomatitis virus indicating that the interferon, B and T lymphocytic system was not altered by ICSBP- deficiency. However, the mutant mice died after being infected with the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Furthermore, the mutants exhibited hematologic neoplasia that is characteristic of CML.