INFECTIBILITY OF SEPARATED PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS (PBMC) SUBPOPULATIONS WITH CELL-FREE VARICELLA-ZOSTER VIRUS (VZV)

*Koenig, A. & Wolff , M.H.
Institute of Microbiology and Virology, University of Witten / Herdecke Stockumer Str. 10, D-58448 Witten, Germany.

During viremic stage Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA can be detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by PCR and in situ hybridization. Other researchers report in earlier works a tropism for T-lymphocytes in an animal model system, but the cell type(s) carrying the virus in the natural host is still not clear.
To check the susceptibility of the subtypes of PBMC for viral infection, we isolated primary human T- and B-lymphocytes as well as monocytes from tonsils and whole blood and infected them with cell-free VZV. In lymphocytes, transcriptional activity was shown by detection of IE 63 and L 67 (gI) as well as L 68 (gE) mRNA by RT-PCR, expression of viral glycoproteins gE and gI was proved by immunofluorescence microscopy. Equivalent work concerning monocytes are in progress.
Infected cells show after a certain period of cultivation an altered morphology and signs of cell death. Experiments to clear whether cells undergo apoptosis or cell death is caused by lytic replication of virus are object of future experiments.

Corresponding Author: M.H. Wolff, Dr., Professor of Microbiology and Virology, Institute of Microbiology and Virology, University of Witten / Herdecke, Stockumer Str. 10, D-58448 Witten, Germany