ABORTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE INFECTIONS OF HUMAN MONONUCLEAR PHAGOCYTES BY TYPE 1 HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 91  (1) , 119-+
Abstract
The ability of Type I herpes simplex (HSV) to replicate in normal human mononuclear phagocytes was investigated. Mononuclear leukocytes were obtained from the peripheral blood of patients by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation, and the monocytes were isolated by allowing the cells to adhere to tissue culture dishes. The monocytes (105.0 cells) were infected (107.0 PFU [plaque forming units] HSV) either immediately after isolation or were cultured in vitro for varying numbers of days and were then infected. Inoculation of freshly isolated monocytes resulted primarily in an abortive infection. HSV antigens were produced by the cells, as determined by an indirect fluorescent antibody technique, and empty herpes capsid structures were detected by EM of the inoculated monocytes; however, no increase in virus titer was noted in the cultures. Inoculation of viable cells that had been maintained for 7 days in culture resulted in a productive infection. An increase in titer was noted 24 h after inoculation, and normal virus maturation was documented by ultrastructural study of the infected cells. The interaction of HSV with human mononuclear phagocytes is complex, and whether or not the cell replicates infectious virus may depend on the functional activity of the cell.