Characteristics of Serially Propagated Monkey Kidney Cell Cultures with Persistent Rubella Infection

Abstract

MAASSAB, H. F. (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor), AND J. A. VERONELLI. Characteristics of serially propagated monkey kidney cell cultures with persistent rubella infection. J. Bacteriol. 91:436-441. 1966.-A persistent infection of LLC-MK2 cells with rubella virus has been established and maintained for over 3 years. This "carrier culture," designated as LLC-MK2-RAL, possesses distinct morphological and biological characteristics when compared with the original uninfected LLC-MK2 line. The mechanism of viral persistence has not been entirely elucidated, but available data suggest a regulated infection with transmission of the virus directly from cell to cell or through cell division. Interferon was isolated from RAL (rubella-associated line) culture, which explains partly the wide spectrum of resistance to superinfecting viruses. Amantadine, although inhibiting cultures of LLC-MK2 cells infected with rubella virus, failed to cure the "carrier culture." 100 TCID5o per milliliter of echovirus 11 was added in

Role of Interferon in Six Cell Lines Persistently Infected with Rubella Virus

“…Although it has been suggested that interferon may play a role in maintaining the persistent infection of cells by rubella virus in vitro (6,12,29), there are several reports of rubella viral persistence in the absence of detectable interferon (8,14,19,20). Our data indicated that neither the initiation nor maintenance of rubella viral persistence was due to the presence of interferon.…”

“…Persistent infections with rubella virus have been reported previously for several cell lines (11,12,14,23,24,29). Because of experimental variations among laboratories, many of the data are either inconclusive or contradictory regarding the function of interferon in rubella viral persistence and interference against superinfection with heterologous viruses.…”

Abnormalities of in Vitro Lymphocyte Responses During Rubella Virus Infections

“…Even the impairment induced by live virus could be prevented if the virus and its neutralizing antibody were added simultaneously to the lymphocytes (13). However, lymphocytes have been shown to allow replication of virus within the cell and to transmit the virus to daughter cells during cell division without the virus going through a surface transmission (6,53). Such daughter cells also appeared unresponsive to PHA stimulation.…”

Rubella Virus Carrier Cultures Derived From Congenitally Infected Infants

“…Rubella virus carrier cultures have been induced in stable cell lines (37)(38)(39). Cell strains derived from certain tissues (skin and pharyngeal mucosa) of human embryos were also found to survive in a carrier state when experimentally infected with rubella virus (40).…”