DEMONSTRATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL ANOMALIES IN MOUSE FETUSES BY TRANSFEROF MURINE CYTOMEGALOVIRUS DNA-INJECTED EGGS TO SURROGATE MOTHERS

To study the potential consequences of sperm-mediated sexual cytomegal ovirus (CMV) transmission, an in vitro model of microinjection of muri ne CMV (MCMV) DNA into uninfected fertilized murine ova was used. Afte r microinjected ova were cultured to blastocysts and transferred to ps eudopregnant mice, the effect of the DNA on implantation and developme nt was analyzed. At various times, the sites of implantation in the en dometrium were examined. Reductions in litter size, fetal growth retar dation, resorption of embryos, and fetal maldevelopment, which often i nvolved the central nervous system, were observed. The presence of MCM V DNA sequences in DNA derived from fetuses was detected by the polyme rase chain reaction followed by oligonucleotide hybridization. By in s itu DNA-DNA cytohybridization and indirect immunofluorescence assays t he viral sequences and antigens were localized primarily to the brain, salivary gland, and skin of maldeveloped fetuses. These results estab lish the potential consequences of sperm-mediated CMV transmission and induction of fetal anomalies.