Programmed cell death (apoptosis) in human monocytes infected by influenza A virus.
Although infection of monocytes by influenza A virus primes for a high cytokine release, it also leads to cell death within 20-30 hours. In this brief report, we demonstrate that influenza A virus-induced monocyte killing was due to programmed cell death (apoptosis) and not to necrosis. Morphologically, chromatin condensation and margination occurred and biochemically, an apoptosis-specific internucleosomal DNA fragmentation into multimers of 180 bp ("DNA ladder") was found. Induction of apoptosis and not necrosis in influenza A virus-infected monocytes may serve three purposes: 1. Virus replication is limited, 2. a priming for a high cytokine response is initiated and 3. damaging and inflammation-inducing lysosomal enzymes are held back from monocytes undergoing controlled cell death.
Fesq
H
H
Institute of Immunology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
Bacher
M
M
Nain
M
M
Gemsa
D
D
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D009336:Necrosis / Q000473:pathology