Presumptive identification of common adenovirus serotypes by the development of differential cytopathic effects in the human lung carcinoma (A549) cell culture

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters 1993-10, Vol.113 (2), p.175-182
• Main Authors: Lipson, Steven M., Poshni, Iqbal A., Ashley, Rhoda L., Grady, Leo J., Ciamician, Zarui, Teichberg, Saul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A549 cell cultures; adenovirus; Adenoviruses; Adenoviruses, Human - classification; Adenoviruses, Human - ultrastructure; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Cytopathic effect; Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Microbiology; Microscopy, Electron; Serotyping; Techniques used in virology; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Virology
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1993.tb06510.x

The neutralization test is commonly used in clinical virology laboratories for the identification by serotype of adenovirus isolates. In an effort to conserve reagents and reduce the amount of time in the performance of this assay, we evaluated the significance of differential cytopathic effects for the presumptive identification of lower‐numbered adenovirus serotypes that are commonly encountered in the clinical setting. Utilizing the human lung carcinoma (A549) cell culture as our indicator system, two viral induced monolayer degenerations (i.e., cytopathic effects or CPEs) were recognized. Among our wild and the laboratory adapted (i.e., ATCC) adenovirus isolates tested in this study, serotypes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 19, 21, 27, and 31 were expectedly characterized by the typically enlarged, rounded, and refractile cells, which eventually aggregated into irregular ‘grape‐like’ clusters. Adenovirus types 3 and 7, however, were characterized by the development of distinct intranuclear inclusions, a flattening and then a web or net‐like monolayer degeneration. Differences in the intensity of intranuclear granulation were related by electron microscopy to differences in the quantity of viral crstalline aggregates within the host cell nucleus. A presumptive identification of the commonly encountered adenovirus serotypes 3 and 7 prior to the performance of the neutralization test would result in a conservation of type‐specific antiserum, a decreased use of cell cultures and medium, and lastly, reduced medical technologist workload.