Multiplication of Listeria monocytogenes in a murine hepatocyte cell line.

Listeria monocytogenes was shown to invade and multiply in a murine hepatocyte cell line (ATCC TIB73). Hemolytic and nonhemolytic L. monocytogenes strains exhibited similar abilities to invade hepatocytes, but only hemolytic L. monocytogenes multiplied within this cell line. Microscopic evaluation of monolayers stained with Wright stain demonstrated focal necrosis (plaques) in the hepatocyte monolayers, with large numbers of intracellular listeriae visible within the hepatocytes that lined the margins of these plaques. Murine recombinant interleukin-1 alpha, human recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha, and murine recombinant gamma interferon did not affect the multiplication of L. monocytogenes in the hepatocytes. These data confirm in vivo observations of the intracellular multiplication of L. monocytogenes in hepatic lesions in infected mice.