T-cell activation is required for efficient replication of human herpesvirus 6.
We have investigated whether T-cell activation is required for the replication of the T-lymphotropic human herpesvirus 6. The virus did not replicate in quiescent peripheral blood lymphocytes but replicated efficiently following exposure of the cells to the polyclonal mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA). When purified T cells were treated with PHA in the absence of accessory cells, no virus replication was observed unless exogenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) was added to the medium, promoting cell division. Incubation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the absence of PHA but in the presence of IL-2 resulted in delayed cell blastogenesis and virus replication. Cell blastogenesis and virus replication did not occur in the purified T-cell cultures incubated with IL-2 alone. Taken together, the results show that human herpesvirus 6 replication requires full progression of the cell cycle. This finding might have implications for the pathogenicity of the virus in the human host.
Frenkel
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Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/Twinbrook, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Schirmer
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EC
Katsafanas
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June
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CH
D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004261:DNA Replication; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014779:Virus Replication
D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins