SUSCEPTIBILITY OF HUMAN RETINAL-PIGMENT EPITHELIAL-CELLS TO DIFFERENTVIRUSES

Background: Different viruses have been reported to be involved in ret inal diseases in animal systems. In humans, herpes simplex virus and c ytomegalovirus have been found to cause retinal disease. Most of the s tudied viruses are neurotropic. In this study, the in vitro susceptibi lity of human retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPEC) to representativ e members of different groups of human pathogenic viruses was investig ated. Methods: Early cultures of RPE C - after two or three passages - were infected with the following viruses: herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomeg alovirus (CMV), adenovirus types I and 7, measles virus, parainfluenza virus and coxsackie virus B3. Results: Cultures of RPE C could be inf ected with neurotropic viruses like HSV or measles virus as well as wi th typical respiratory viruses like parainfluenza or adenoviruses. Cox sackievirus, an enterovirus, replicated as well as human CMV, whereas EBV and HHV-6, two lymphotropic viruses, failed to infect RPE. Conclus ion: These findings suggest that a variety of viruses, including those causing rather common illnesses, might be capable of inducing retinal lesions under certain circumstances due to haematogenous spread durin g the course of viraemia.