Murine cytomegalovirus: detection of latent infection by nucleic acid hybridization technique.
The technique of nucleic acid hybridization was used to detect the presence of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV)-specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in cell cultures and salivary gland tissues. The presence of approximately 4.5 and 0.2 genome equivalents per cell of MCMV-specific DNA was identified in cultures of salivary (ISG2) and prostate gland (IP) cells, respectively. These cells, derived from animals with experimentally induced latent infections, were negative for virus-specific antigens by immunofluorescence and on electron microscopy revealed no visible evidence of the presence of herpesviruses. A cell line derived from the salivary gland of an uninoculated animal (NSG2) was also found to possess MCMV-specific DNA (0.2 genome equivalents per cell). For this reason, salivary gland tissues from uninoculated animals supplied as "specific pathogen-free" mice by three commercial sources were tested upon arrival for the presence of MCMC-specific DNA. MCMV-specific DNA was detectable in pooled salivary gland extracts from uninoculated animals derived from two commercial sources. All of these animals were seronegative and virus negative by conventional infectivity assays.
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002460:Cell Line; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011467:Prostate; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000032:analysis*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral