Peculiarities of the virus-host cell relationship in a calf kidney cell line persistently infected with measles virus.
Persistent infection with measles virus established in a calf kidney cell line differed in some features from other measles virus carrier systems. After a variable life span, ranging from 50 to 1100 days, six of the chronically infected cell lines showed an evolution towards lytic infection. Only one of these lines, the K-2 cell line, exhibited marked morphological, growth and chromosomal alterations suggesting in vitro cellular transformation. The transformed K-2 cells released infectious measles virus with several modified biological parameters. Persistent infection was not due to the accumulation of thermosensitive mutants or defective particles. The role of the host-cell factor and of the selection of the virus population during its passage in RV cells are discussed.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D007621:Karyotyping; D007668:Kidney; D008459:Measles virus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology