Establishment of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Persistence in Cell Lines: Association with Defective Interfering Particles

Vol. 46, No. 3, 2003

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Short Communication

Establishment of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Persistence in Cell Lines: Association with Defective Interfering Particles
Mirza Romero Valdovinos, Beatríz Gómez

Departmento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina Universidad Nactional Autónoma de México, México, México

Address of Corresponding Author

Intervirology 2003;46:190-198 (DOI: 10.1159/000071461)

Key Words

Respiratory syncytial virus
Persistence
Defective interfering particles

Abstract

Defective interfering particles (DIP) have frequently been advanced to explain the persistence of virus in vitro. However, DIP involvement in the establishment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) persistence in cell lines has not been documented. We report establishment of RSV persistence in human epithelial larynx (HEp-2) and lung (H358) cell lines by infection with RSV enriched with DIP. Viral persistence in HEp-2 and H358 has been stably maintained for >3 years without apparent cytopathic effect or periodic crises. Persistent cultures resisted superinfection with the original virus and no cyclic variations in infectious virus and DIP yields were observed. During passages, low levels of infectious RSV and defined species of DIP were produced. Moreover, 80-90% of the cells exhibited viral antigen. Persistence in H358 cells was established with a buoyant density band containing DIP and infectious virus obtained from a H358 persistently infected culture. Thus, DIP are required for establishment of RSV persistence cultures in human epithelial cell lines; however, DIP per se are not able to establish persistence.

Author Contacts

Dr. Beatríz Gómez
Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
04510 México, D.F. (México)
Tel. +52 55 5623 2469, Fax +52 55 5623 2382, E-Mail begomez@servidor.unam.mx

Article Information

Received: August 7, 2002
Accepted after revison: January 17, 2003
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 5, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 27

Medline Abstract (ID 12867758)

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