[Polyvalent hyperimmune immunoglobulins prevent the infection of monocytic type cells by human cytomegalovirus]

Monocyte/macrophage cell types can be infected with Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) could be a reservoir and a vehicle for virus spread in infected patients. We developed a model to study the effects of antiviral molecules on these cells. The monocytic-like cell line THP-1 and the human diploïd cells MRC-5 were used. THP-1 cells were cultivated with a phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24h prior to the infection. We studied infection of these cells with reference strain (AD-169). A cell free virus suspension of HCMV was preincubated with hyperimmune polyvalent immunoglobulins. The infection of the cells was studied on the basis of immune detection of viral immediate early antigens (IEA) in nucleus 24h after culture. Our results showed that hyperimmune polyvalent immunoglobulins have been able to neutralize fibroblasts and THP-1 cells infection, whereas control antibodies did not inhibit the infection of the cells. This is the first report of the use of monocytic-like cells for testing the efficiency of anti-CMV molecules.