Growth kinetics of SARS-coronavirus in Vero E6 cells.
Vero E6 cells are commonly used for in vitro studies of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and for antiviral evaluation purposes. A better understanding of the SARS-CoV growth kinetics in Vero E6 cells is crucial to help elucidate the mechanism of antiviral activity of selective antiviral agents. In this study, the growth kinetics of SARS-CoV in Vero E6 cells were studied by quantitation of intra- and extracellular viral RNA load as well as extracellular virus yield at different time points post-infection. At 12h post-infection, the intracellular viral RNA load was 3x10(2)-fold higher than at the time of infection, and the extracellular viral RNA load was increased with a factor of 2 x 10(3). Intracellular viral RNA levels started to rise at 6h post-infection. One hour later (at 7h post-infection), the levels of extracellular SARS-CoV RNA also began to rise. This was corroborated by the fact that infectious progeny SARS-CoV also first appeared in the supernatant between 6 and 7h post-infection. At 12h post-infection, SARS-CoV reached titers in the supernatant of 5.2 x 10(3) CCID(50)/ml.
Keyaerts
Els
E
Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Vijgen
Leen
L
Maes
Piet
P
Neyts
Johan
J
Van Ranst
Marc
M
D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D014709:Vero Cells / Q000821:virology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
D012367:RNA, Viral