D. Vonlaer et al., HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IMMEDIATE-EARLY AND LATE TRANSCRIPTS ARE EXPRESSED IN ALL MAJOR LEUKOCYTE POPULATIONS IN-VIVO, The Journal of infectious diseases, 172(2), 1995, pp. 365-370
Leukocyte populations were purified by fluorescence-activated cell sor
ter and analyzed for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA and mRNA using p
olymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cDNA PCR, respectively, Twenty-two
blood samples from 17 patients with active HCMV infection were studied
. HCMV DNA was detected most frequently in granulocytes and monocytes
but was also found in CD4(+), CD8(+), and CD19(+) lymphocytes. Viral i
mmediate early and late mRNA was found in ficoll-enriched mononuclear
cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In 11 samples from 9 patients
with active HCMV infection, immediate early mRNA was detected in 8 lym
phocyte, 6 monocyte, and 8 granulocyte fractions. Late mRNA was detect
ed in 7 lymphocyte, 7 monocyte, and 9 granulocyte fractions. The prese
nce of viral late mRNA provides strong evidence for infection of these
leukocyte populations with HCMV in vivo.