A gammaherpesvirus establishes persistent infection in neuroblastoma cells

• Published in: Molecules and cells 2014, 37(7), , pp.518-525
• Main Authors: Cho, Hye-Jeong, Song, Moon Jung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - pathology; Brain - virology; Butyric Acid - pharmacology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Gammaherpesvirinae - drug effects; Gammaherpesvirinae - physiology; Ganciclovir - pharmacology; Genetic Vectors; Herpesviridae Infections - drug therapy; Herpesviridae Infections - physiopathology; Humans; Mice; Neuroblastoma - drug therapy; Neuroblastoma - pathology; Neuroblastoma - virology; Pyridines - pharmacology; Virus Latency - drug effects; Virus Replication - drug effects; 생물학
• ISSN: 1016-8478; 0219-1032
• DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2014.0024

Gammaherpesvirus (γHV) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) has been implicated in diverse neurological diseases, and murine γHV-68 (MHV-68) is known to persist in the brain after cerebral infection. The underlying molecular mechanisms of persistency of virus in the brain are poorly understood. Here, we characterized a unique pattern of MHV-68 persistent infection in neuroblastoma cells. On infection with MHV-68, both murine and human neuroblastoma cells expressed viral lytic proteins and produced virions. However, the infected cells survived productive infection and could be cultured for multiple passages without affecting their cellular growth. Latent infection as well as productive replication was established in these prolonged cultures, and lytic replication was further increased by treatment with lytic inducers. Our results provide a novel system to study persistent infection of γHVs in vitro following de novo infection and suggest application of MHV-68 as a potential gene transfer vector to the brain.