Analysis of virus-infected cells by flow cytometry

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Cell Biology
• Immunology

Background:

• Flow cytometry is a well-established technique for analyzing cells.
• Its application in studying virus-cell interactions has expanded significantly.
• Detecting virus-infected cells and evaluating antiviral efficacy are crucial in virology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the applications of flow cytometry in studying virus-cell interactions.
• To highlight the use of flow cytometry in antiviral drug screening and susceptibility testing.
• To summarize the role of flow cytometry in investigating viral pathogenesis and cellular responses.

Main Methods:

• Review of published literature on flow cytometry applications in virology.
• Analysis of studies utilizing flow cytometry for direct detection of virus-infected cells in clinical and cultured samples.
• Examination of studies employing reporter genes (e.g., GFP) with flow cytometry for viral detection and drug screening.

Main Results:

• Flow cytometry enables direct detection of virus-infected cells in various sample types.
• It is effective for screening antiviral drugs against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex viruses (HSV).
• Reporter gene assays combined with flow cytometry facilitate drug susceptibility testing and pathogenesis studies.

Conclusions:

• Flow cytometry offers significant potential for advancing the understanding of virus-cell interactions.
• The technique is valuable for drug discovery, susceptibility testing, and studying viral effects on cellular processes like apoptosis and the cell cycle.
• This review underscores the versatility and impact of flow cytometry in modern virological research.