Varicella-zoster virus infection of a human CD4-positive T-cell line

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a human alpha-herpesvirus that causes varic ella (chickenpox) at primary infection and may reactivate as herpes tester. VN is a T-lymphotropic virus in vivo. To investigate the T-cell tropism of VN, we constructed a recombinant virus expressing green fluorescent protei n (VZV-GFP) under the CMV IE promoter. Coculture of VZV-GFP-infected fibrob lasts with II-23 cells, a CD4-positive human T-cell hybridoma, resulted in transfer of virus to II-23 cells. II-23 cells are susceptible to VZV-GFP in fection as demonstrated by expression of immediate/early (IE62), early (ORF 4), and late (gE) genes. Recovery of infectious virus was limited, with onl y 1 to 3 in 10(6) calls releasing infectious virus by plaque assay, indicat ing that transfer of virus results in a limited productive infection. in vi tro infection of II-23 cells will be useful for further analysis of VN trop ism for T-lymphocytes. (C) 2000 Academic Press.