DEVELOPMENT OF A MODEL FOR CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION OF OLIGODENDROCYTES

The well-characterized human oligodendroglioma (HOG) cell line, cells of which resemble immature oligodendrocytes, was used to investigate t he level of permissiveness to human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. E xpression of CMV genes was incomplete following exposure of HOG cells to CMV, in contrast with results observed with the astroglioma cell li ne U373-MG (used as a positive control). However, treatment with phorb ol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or with dibutryl cAMP (dbcAMP) plus t he phosphatase inhibitor 1-isobutyl-3,3-methyl xanthine (IBMX) rendere d the HOG cells fully permissive to CMV; down-regulation of HLA class I and production of virions were only observed under these conditions, In contrast to the findings seen with the HOG cell line, treatment of U373-MG cells with dbcAMP/IBMX or PMA did not interfere with CMV-indu ced down-regulation of HLA class I. However, these chemical stimulator s reduced virus production in U373-MG cells by 30 and 70%, respectivel y.