title: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Infection and Cytotoxicity in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) infective capability and cytotoxicity in ARPE-19 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  BCG inoculum was dispensed at a MOI 100:1 for 3 h in 90% confluent ARPE-19 cells. Infection rates at different time points were determined by colony forming units (CFU) count and, in parallel, by the number of microscopically infected cells. WST-1 reagent was used for cytotoxicity assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 67-year-old man previously treated with intravesical BCG for bladder carcinoma presented with chronic, refractory, bilateral uveitis with macular edema. Quiescence was achieved only after commencing antituberculous treatment. BCG infection rate by two methods peaked at 48 h (16 ± 5.7% by CFU count and 40 ± 7.7% by microscopy; p = 0.058). BCG adhesion, phagocytosis, intracellular proliferation and cytolysis was observed. Cytotoxicity was minimal and did not differ from uninfected cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BCG can infect at low rates and proliferate in ARPE-19 cells without toxicity in the surrounding monolayer.
authors.affiliation: a Clínic Institute of Ophthalmology (ICOF), Hospital Clínic of Barcelona.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Llorenç
authors.affiliation: a Clínic Institute of Ophthalmology (ICOF), Hospital Clínic of Barcelona.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mesquida
authors.affiliation: b Biomedical Research Institute August Pi I Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Molins
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical Microbiology & Parasitology (CDB-ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic of Barcelona , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González-Martín
authors.affiliation: a Clínic Institute of Ophthalmology (ICOF), Hospital Clínic of Barcelona.
authors.forename: Maite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sainz de la Maza
authors.affiliation: a Clínic Institute of Ophthalmology (ICOF), Hospital Clínic of Barcelona.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adán
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015867:Uveitis, Intermediate / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine
keywords: ARPE-19; BCG; RPE; bacillus Calmette–Guérin; infection; retinal pigment epithelium; tuberculosis; uveitis