Induction of class II molecules by cytomegalovirus in rat heart endothelial cells is inhibited by ganciclovir |
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Authors: | J. Ustinov,T. Lahtinen,C. Bruggeman,P. Hä yry,I. Lautenschlager,J. Ustinov,T. Lahtinen,P. Hä yry,I. Lautenschlager |
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Affiliation: | Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | Abstract Cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been demonstrated to induce class II antigen expression in endothelial cells. To study whether ganciclovir (DHPG) has an effect on CMV-induced class II expression, cultured rat heart endothelial cells were infected with rat CMV (RCMV) and treated with different DHPG concentrations. Class II antigens in endothelial cells were detected by a monoclonal antibody and immunoperoxidase technique. Control cells did not express class II antigen, but during RCMV infection 92% of cells were class II-positive. DHPG treatment (1, 10, 100 and 1000 μg/ml) decreased RCMV-induced class II expression from 73% to 59%, 6% and 0%, respectively. As DHPG inhibits CMV DNA polymerase, our present results suggest that DHPG affects RCMV-induced class II expression via the inhibition of RCMV DNA replication. |
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Keywords: | Cytomegalovirus Ganciclovir Endothelial cells Class II antigens |
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