Susceptibility of lymphoblastoid cells to infection with human cytomegalovirus

Human lymphoblastoid cells of B- and T-cell origin were examined for their in vitro susceptibility to infection with human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Results of infectious-center assays, at virus to cell ratios of 10, indicated that in each of the lymphoblastoid cell lines tested less than 1% of the cells produced infectious virus. Under these conditions, CMV specific antigens were undetectable. Infection of lymphoblastoid cells with CMV resulted in atypical virus growth curves similar to those obtained with persistently infected human embryonic kidney cells. Although some variation existed in the relative sensitivity of lymphoblasts, cells of B (Raji, P3J-HR-1, RPMI 8226) and T (CCRF-CEM) origin were susceptible to infection with CMV. Variation in the sensitivity of lymphoblasts to CMV infection did not correlate with differences in virus adsorption or the presence of Epstein-Barr virus deoxyribonucleic acid. These studies suggest that human lymphoblastoid cells could serve as a model to examine persistent CMV infection in lymphoid cells of various origin.