Jeana D. Levinthal

Immunofluorescence of Human Adenovirus Type 12 in Various Cell Types.

Summary By means of immunofluorescence, the sequence of accumulation of antigenic components of the adenovirus cycle was studied in a variety of cells of primate and non-primate origin after infection with adenovirus type 12 (A-12). Structural viral antigens were seen only in primate cells, and most clearly in human fetal kidney, following the appearance of the early antigens. Structural viral antigen was found in a smaller proportion of monkey cells than human cells, even though a high proportion of monkey cells elaborated large amounts of the early antigens. In non-primate cells, rabbit, hamster, rat and mouse cells readily produced early antigens after infection with A-12, but few cells with early antigen were demonstrable in chick cells, and none in Earle L cells. Among A-12 transformed cell lines, and A-12 induced hamster tumor lines in culture, considerable variation in the continuous elaboration of early antigens was found, with a rabbit transformed line and some hamster tumors producing moderate amounts of early antigens, other hamster tumor lines less, and none at all demonstrable in the 3 rat transformed lines studied. It was concluded that the adenovirus type CPE is probably associated with early events in the viral cycle, since it appeared in cells incapable of producing structural viral antigens, and that the viral-induced events leading to transformation may similarly be those occurring early in the viral cycle. Production of early antigens is not a prerequisite for maintenance of the abnormal morphology and growth properties of the A-12 transformed cell, but if present is merely a marker of residual viral information.

Polyoma disease and tumors in mice: the distribution of viral antigen detected by immunofluorescence.

Abstract Polyoma disease and polyoma-induced tumors in AK/Z mice were studied by means of fluorescein-labeled mouse antibody. Mice with acute fatal polyoma disease showed polyoma viral antigen in the kidney in focal areas consisting of renal tubule cells undergoing nuclear swelling and lysis. The antigen was also noted in thyroid and salivary glands. In tumor-bearing mice, polyoma viral antigen was found in malignant cells showing nonspecific degenerative changes similar to those seen in nonmalignant cells being destroyed by polyoma virus. These cells were usually isolated, but sometimes in groups. Tumor-bearing mice showed persistent virus-productive lesions in kidney, thyroid, and salivary glands. The viral antigen in both malignant and nonmalignant cells was primarily found in the nucleus, but it was also found in the cytoplasm of damaged cells. The number of cells showing viral antigen in any given tumor was not related to the type of tumor.

Morphology and distribution of SV40-infected cells in human, simian and hamster renal cell cultures as detected by immunofluorescence.

Conclusions In SV40 infected grivet monkey, rhesus monkey, primary fetal human, SV40 transformed fetal human and primary newborn Syrian hamster kidney tissue cultures viral antigen is found in the nucleus. Because of aggregation of antigen around what appears to be altered nucleoli in all 4 tissues it is suggested that viral synthesis and assembly may occur in the nucleolus. In the 4 tissues studied there is an inverse correlation between proportion of cells exhibiting specific nuclear fluorescence, brilliance of fluorescence and ease of induction of transformation in vitro. No specific nuclear fluorescence was observed in SV40 transformed Syrian hamster renal cultures even when superinfected with SV40 virus.