Abortive infection with human cytomegalovirus induces an alteration of growth pattern: morphological changes with cytocidal effect in rabbit kidney epithelial cells. Brief report.

Rabbit kidney epithelial cells (RK13) exhibited a cytopathic effect (CPE) characterized by cell rounding after infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Although HCMV-specific immediate early and early antigens were detected by indirect immunofluorescence techniques, neither late antigens nor infectious progeny virus could be observed in virus-infected RK13 cells. HCMV-infected RK13 cells showed a prolonged doubling time and a decreased saturation density in cell growth compared to uninfected control cells. Moreover, colony forming ability (CFA) of virus-infected cells decreased by approximately 70 per cent compared to that of uninfected cells during the first 24 hours after infection. These results indicate that an abortive infection of RK13 cells with HCMV induces an alteration of growth pattern including morphological changes with cytocidal effect.