Coxsackievirus-B4E2 can infect monocytes and macrophages in vitro and in vivo

Viral RNA (vRNA) is found in mice inoculated with coxsackievirus-B4E2 (CV-B4E2). The CV-B4E2 infection of murine spleen cells in vitro is enhanced with CV-B4E2-infected mouse serum. It has been investigated whether monocyte/macrophages were targets of CV-B4E2 in mice. vRNA has been detected in spleen and bone marrow of infected animals. The levels of vRNA were higher in CD14+ cells than in CD14- spleen cells and in F4/80- cells than in F4/80+ spleen cells. Meanwhile, CD14+ cells and F4/80- cells were more permissive to CV-B4E2 in vitro and the infection was enhanced when the virus was mixed with immune serum. While CV-B4E2 infected BMDM cultures (98% F4/80+); however, the immune serum did not enhance the infection. In conclusion, CV-B4E2 infects monocytes (CD14+, F4/80-) and macrophages (CD14+, F4/80+) in vivo and immune serum can enhance the in vitro infection of these cells arising out of the spleen.