Adult human heart microvascular endothelial cells are permissive for non-lytic infection by human cytomegalovirus

Objective: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been linked to chronic heart disease. The mechanism of CMV dissemination to the heart remains unk nown. CMV antigens and nucleic acid sequences have been detected in endothe lial cells (ECs) in vivo, and ECs are fully permissive hosts to CMV replica tion in vitro. This report examines the characteristics of CMV replication in primary cultures of human heart microvascular ECs (HHMECs). Methods: Cap illary ECs were isolated from heart tissue biopsies of six patients at the time of heart surgery. HHMECs were infected with CMV and Viral antigens wer e detected by immunofluorescence assay using monoclonal antibodies as speci fic reagents. Cytokine and chemokine release in the supernatant of sham- an d CMV-infected cells was quantitated by ELISA. Reverse transcriptase-polyme rase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyse expression of mRNA for adh esion molecules. Results: CMV was found to productively infect HHMECs witho ut cytolytic effects. Infected cultures released high levels of pro-inflamm atory chemokines and enhanced their adhesion molecule expression. Conclusio ns: Our data provide new insights into the mechanism of CMV dissemination t o the heart, signalling the need for further investigation of the pathogene tic role of this virus in cardiac disorders. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.