[Susceptibility of immunocompetent cells to animal viruses]

The infection of several cell lines of the immune system by animal viruses has been studied. In general, those cell lines derived either from the myeloid or from the lymphoid differentiation pathways were poorly affected by these viruses. Only Semliki Forest Virus (SFV) and poliovirus were able to replicate in most of the cell lines assayed, inhibiting the cellular protein synthesis. However, this inhibition was not accompanied by a significant expression of viral proteins. These effects were not observed with UV irradiated virus suggesting that intact viral particles were required to interfere with the host macromolecular synthesis.