Summary
The growth of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in cultures of human brain (HB) and human ganglion (HG) cells was compared to VZV growth in human fibroblasts. Infected cultures were monitored by histologic, electron microscopic (EM), and virologic techniques. Two to three days after VZV infection of all cell cultures at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1, a multifocal cytopathic effect (CPE) developed. CPE was characterized by multinucleated cells and virus-specific intranuclear inclusions as determined by immunofluorescence and EM. In VZV-infected HB and HG cells only, large vacuoles were also seen in the cytoplasm of dying cells. Some vacuoles were almost devoid of structures. Within and at the limiting membranes of other vacuoles, aggregates of VZV particles (measuring 210–230 nm) were seen enveloped in osmiophilic material. VZV infection of HB and HG cultures was strongly cell-associated. Clarified tissue culture medium removed at maximum CPE failed to infect homologous HB or HG cells. When an inoculum of VZV-infected HB or HG cells was transferred to homologous uninfected cultures for 10–15 passages, the incubation period for CPE remained constant, and the titer of VZV in cells sampled randomly corresponded to the amount of virus that was used for original infection.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Achong, B. G., Meurisse, E. V.: Observations on the fine structure and replication of varicella virus in cultivated human amnion cells. J. gen. Virol.3, 305–308 (1968).
Baringer, J. R.: Tubular aggregates in endoplasmic reticulum in herpes simplex encephalitis. New Eng. J. Med.185, 943–945 (1971).
Brunell, P. A.: Separation of infectious varicella-zoster virus from human embryonic lung fibroblasts. Virology31, 732–734 (1967).
Caunt, A. E.: Growth of varicella-zoster virus in human thyroid tissue cultures. Lancet2, 982–983 (1963).
Cook, M. L., Bastone, V. B., Stevens, J. G.: Evidence that neurons harbor latent herpes simplex virus. Infect. Immun.9, 946–951 (1974).
Cook, M. L., Stevens, J. G.: Labile coat: reason for non-infectious cell-free varicella-zoster virus in culture. J. Virol.2, 1458–1464 (1968).
Esiri, M. M., Tomlinson, A. H.: Herpes zoster. Demonstration of virus in trigeminal nerve and ganglion by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. J. neurol. Sci.15, 35–48 (1972).
Fioretti, A., Iwasaki, Y., Furukawa, T., Plotkin, S. A.: The growth of varicella-zoster virus in guinea pig embryo cells. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med.144, 340–344 (1973).
Gershon, A., Cosio, L., Brunell, P. A.: Observations on the growth of varicella-zoster virus in human diploid cells. J. gen. Virol.18, 21–31 (1973).
Ghatak, N. R., Zimmerman, H. M.: Spinal ganglion in herpes zoster. Arch. Pathol.95, 411–415 (1973).
Gilden, D. H., Devlin, M., Wroblewska, Z., Friedman, H., Rorke, L. B., Santoli, D., Koprowski, H.: Human brain in tissue culture. I. Acquisition, initial processing, and establishment of brain cell cultures. J. comp. Neurol.161, 295–306 (1975).
Gilden, D. H., Wroblewska, Z., Eng, L. F., Rorke, L. B.: Human brain in tissue culture. Part 5. Identification of glial cells by immunofluorescence. J. neurol. Sci.29, 177–184 (1976).
Goldman, M.: Fluorescent antibody methods. New York: Academic Press. 1968.
Hasegawa, T.: Further electron microscopic observation of herpes zoster virus. Arch. Dermatol.103, 45–49 (1971).
Head, H., Campbell, A. W.: The pathology of herpes zoster and its bearing on sensory localization. Brain23, 70–76 (1900).
Hogan, E. L., Krigman, M. R.: Herpes zoster myelitis. Evidence for viral invasion of spinal cord. Arch. Neurol.29, 309–313 (1973).
Hope-Simpson, E. R.: The nature of herpes zoster: A long-term study and a new hypothesis. Proc. Roy. Soc. Med.58, 9–20 (1965).
Karnofsky, M. J.: A formaldehyde-gluteraldehyde fixative of high osmolality for use in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol.27, 137 A (1965).
Kimura, A., Tosaka, K., Nakao, T.: An electron microscopic study of varicella skin lesions. Arch. ges. Virusforsch.36, 1–12 (1972).
McCormick, W. F., Rodnitzky, R. L., Schochet, S. S., McKee, A. P.: Varicella-zoster encephalomyelitis. Arch. Neurol.21, 559–570 (1969).
Nagashima, K., Nakazawa, M., Endo, H.: Pathology of the human spinal ganglia in varicella-zoster virus infection. Acta neuropathol.33, 105–117 (1975).
Rajčáni, J., Čiampor, F., Sabó, A., Libíková, H., Rosenbergová, M.: Activation of latent herpesvirus hominis in explants of rabbit trigeminal ganglia: the influence of immune serum. Arch. Virol.53, 55–69 (1977).
Rorke, L. B., Gilden, D. H., Wroblewska, Z., Santoli, D.: Human brain in tissue culture. IV. Morphological characteristics. J. comp. Neurol.161, 329–339 (1975).
Shibuta, H. H., Ishikawa, T., Hondo, R., Aoyama, Y., Kurata, K., Matsumoto, M.: Varicella virus isolation from spinal ganglion. Brief report. Arch. ges. Virusforsch.45, 382–385 (1974).
Taylor-Robinson, D., Caunt, A. E.: Varicella virus. Virology monographs 12. Wien-New York: Springer 1972.
Tournier, P., Cathala, F., Bernhard, W.: Ultrastructure et développement intracellulaire du virus de la varicelle observé au microscope électronique. Presse Médicale65, 1229–1234 (1957).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
With 8 Figures
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gilden, D.H., Wroblewska, Z., Kindt, V. et al. Varicella-zoster virus infection of human brain cells and ganglion cells in tissue culture. Archives of Virology 56, 105–117 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01317286
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01317286