title: Establishment of rat brain endothelial cells susceptible to rat cytomegalovirus ALL-03 infection.
abstract: Endothelial cells have been implicated as key cells in promoting the pathogenesis and spread of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. This study describes the isolation and culture of rat brain endothelial cells (RBEC) and further evaluates the infectious potential of a Malaysian rat CMV (RCMV ALL-03) in these cultured cells. Brain tissues were mechanically fragmented, exposed to enzymatic digestion, purified by gradient density centrifugation, and cultured in vitro. Morphological characteristics and expression of von Willebrand factor (factor VIII-related antigen) verified the cells were of endothelial origin. RBEC were found to be permissive to the virus by cytopathic effects with detectable plaques formed within 7 d of infection. This was confirmed by electron microscopy examination which proved the existence of the viral particles in the infected cells. The susceptibility of the virus to these target cells under the experimental conditions described in this report provides a platform for developing a cell-culture-based experimental model for studies of RCMV pathogenesis and allows stimulation of further studies on host cell responses imposed by congenital viral infections.
authors: Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors: Siti-Nazrina
authors: SN
authors: Camalxaman
authors: Nazariah Allaudin
authors: NA
authors: Zeenathul
authors: Yi-Wan
authors: YW
authors: Quah
authors: Hwei-San
authors: HS
authors: Loh
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Zuridah
authors: Homayoun
authors: H
authors: Hani
authors: Abdul Rahman
authors: AR
authors: Sheikh-Omar
authors: Mohd Lila
authors: ML
authors: Mohd-Azmi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D051381:Rats; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014841:von Willebrand Factor