title: SARS-CoV replicates in primary human alveolar type II cell cultures but not in type I-like cells.
abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a disease characterized by diffuse alveolar damage. We isolated human alveolar type II cells and maintained them in a highly differentiated state. Type II cell cultures supported SARS-CoV replication as evidenced by RT-PCR detection of viral subgenomic RNA and an increase in virus titer. Virus titers were maximal by 24 h and peaked at approximately 10(5) pfu/mL. Two cell types within the cultures were infected. One cell type was type II cells, which were positive for SP-A, SP-C, cytokeratin, a type II cell-specific monoclonal antibody, and Ep-CAM. The other cell type was composed of spindle-shaped cells that were positive for vimentin and collagen III and likely fibroblasts. Viral replication was not detected in type I-like cells or macrophages. Hence, differentiated adult human alveolar type II cells were infectible but alveolar type I-like cells and alveolar macrophages did not support productive infection.
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Eric_Mossel@merck.com
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Mossel
authors.forename: Jieru
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeffers
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Edeen
authors.forename: Shuanglin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gregory P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Cosgrove
authors.forename: C Joel
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: Rizwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manzer
authors.forename: Tanya A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Leonard D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Kathryn V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004848:Epithelium / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral