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Heterogeneous morphologic features of plaques induced by five strains of human cytomegalovirus
Abstract:
Five strains of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) were examined in three human fibroblastic cultural systems with respect to plaque size and morphologic features. Plaques produced in cultures of fibroblastic cells from thyroid, and to a lesser extent in those from human embryonic skin-muscle tissue, had strain-associated morphologic differences that were stable on repetitive examination. The variations in morphologic characteristics of plaques appeared to reflect cytopathic changes, and the five strains could be separated on the basis of morphologic characteristics into two polar groups. Comparison of the sensitivities of three human fibroblastic cell lines for the detection of CMV revealed that one line was consistently inferior.
Insights
Five human cytomegalovirus (CMV) strains showed stable, strain-associated differences in plaque morphology across different cell cultures. These variations in cytopathic effects allowed for distinct strain grouping, highlighting cell line sensitivity differences.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common pathogen with diverse strains.
- Understanding CMV strain variation is crucial for diagnostics and therapeutics.
- Cell culture systems are vital for studying viral properties and host interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the plaque size and morphologic features of five human cytomegalovirus (CMV) strains.
- To assess the stability of observed morphologic differences across different human fibroblastic cell lines.
- To compare the sensitivity of various human fibroblastic cell lines for CMV detection.
Main Methods:
- Cultivation of five CMV strains in three distinct human fibroblastic cell lines.
- Microscopic examination of plaque morphology and size.
- Repetitive examination to confirm the stability of observed features.
- Comparative analysis of cell line sensitivity for CMV detection.
Main Results:
- Strain-associated morphologic differences in plaques were observed, particularly in thyroid and skin-muscle fibroblastic cultures.
- These morphologic variations were stable upon repetitive examination.
- CMV strains could be categorized into two distinct groups based on plaque morphology.
- One human fibroblastic cell line demonstrated consistently inferior sensitivity for CMV detection.
Conclusions:
- Morphologic characteristics of CMV plaques in specific cell lines can serve as stable markers for strain differentiation.
- Cytopathic effects observed in plaque morphology correlate with CMV strain properties.
- Selection of appropriate human fibroblastic cell lines is critical for sensitive CMV detection and characterization.