THE EFFECTS OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION ON POLAR LIPIDS AND NEUTRAL LIPIDS IN CULTURED HUMAN-CELLS

The effects of infection by the human cytomegaloviruses Ad-169 on the incorporation of [C-14]acetate into the polar and neutral lipids of hu man embryonic lung cells and human saphenous vein smooth muscle cells were compared to [C-14]acetate incorporation in mock-infected control cells. Cytomegalovirus infection caused a shift in the relative amount s of polar and neutral lipids, with infected cells having lower amount s of polar lipids and higher amounts of neutral lipids than mock-infec ted controls. When neutral lipids were separated into diglyceride (DG) , cholesterol (C), fatty acid, triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol ester (CE) components, Ad-169-infected cells had lower levels of incorporat ion of label into CE, TG, and DG fractions, and higher levels of label incorporation into C than mock-infected cells.