EXPRESSION OF HUMAN-COMPLEMENT REGULATORY PROTEIN CD46 RESTRICTS MEASLES-VIRUS REPLICATION IN MOUSE MACROPHAGES

Measles virus (MV) can infect mouse macrophages to cause a prolonged n on-cytopathic infection that produces low levels of infectious virus f or days. We have generated RAW264.7 mouse macrophages expressing human CD46, a cell surface complement regulatory protein that serves as a r eceptor for laboratory-adapted strains of MV. Laboratory-adapted MV st rains efficiently enter the CD46-positive mouse macrophages to cause a cytopathic infection with extensive multinucleated cells and pseudopo dia-like extensions. However, MV infection of mouse macrophages throug h CD46 is self-limiting. Both viral protein synthesis and infectious v irus production are abruptly terminated after the second day of infect ion. This novel virus-cell interaction is seen only in mouse macrophag es but not in mouse or hamster fibroblasts expressing human CD46. The possible role of CD46 in macrophage antiviral response restricting MV replication is discussed. (C) 1998 Academic Press.