Phagocytosis of latex beads is defective in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells with persistent rubella virus infection.
Phagocytosis, a secondary function of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells essential to sight, was significantly decreased, when measured with latex beads, during persistent rubella virus (RV) infection of human cultured RPE cells. A target for RV in vivo, RPE cells infected with RV (RPE/RV) ingested fewer fluorescent microspheres (26%) than did uninfected RPE cells (68%) (P < 0.001), as measured by flow cytometry. In RPE/RV cells, with characteristic RPE monolayer appearance and normal growth during subculturing over 6 months, persistent RV infection was shown by specific RV antigen immunofluorescence, by the presence of the RV genome in RPE/RV cell messenger RNA, and by recovery of cell-free RV after cocultivation with Vero cells. The adhesion of latex beads to apical cell surfaces of RPE/RV and uninfected RPE cells appeared similar, as imaged by scanning electron microscopy. Cytoskeletal actin, a component of phagocytosis in RPE, appeared altered in 60 to 75% of RPE/RV cells by antiactin immunofluorescence staining, as previously described in other RV-infected cells, but its role in the disturbed phagocytosis of latex beads was not determined. Persistently RV-infected human RPE is an additional example of RV-associated secondary cellular dysfunction in the absence of cytopathic effects.
Williams
L L
LL
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus.
Lew
H M
HM
Shannon
B T
BT
Singley
C T
CT
Davidorf
F H
FH
Jin
R
R
Wolinsky
J S
JS
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D007840:Latex; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008863:Microspheres; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000235:genetics; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012409:Rubella / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014709:Vero Cells; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000199:Actins; D007840:Latex; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes