HUMAN HERPESVIRUS-6 INDUCES IL-8 GENE-EXPRESSION IN HUMAN HEPATOMA-CELL LINE, HEP G2

The infectivity of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in a human hepatoma cel l line, Hep G2 cells, and the effect of HHV-6 on production of inflamm atory cytokines in these cells were examined to analyze pathogenesis o f HHV-6 in the liver. We demonstrated that Hep G2 cells were susceptib le to infection with HHV-6, and produced infectious virus. Moreover, i nfection of Hep G2 cells by HHV-6 induced the expression of IL-8 mRNA, but not IL-1 beta. The effect on induction of IL-8 gene expression wa s observed only in Hep G2 cells infected with infectious virus, wherea s both heat-inactivated HHV-6 and UV-irradiated HHV-6 did not change t he IL-8 mRNA level in these cells. These data suggest that HHV-6 may i nduce the cytokine-mediated inflammatory response by infecting liver c ells, which could result in liver dysfunction in vivo. (C) 1995 Wiley- Liss, Inc.