[Superoxide generation and human cytomegalovirus infection].

Reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) such as superoxide (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radicals (.OH) are involved in the pathogenicity of various diseases. There is also evidence that superoxide is involved in disease progression following infection by influenza virus, HIV-1 and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Healthy donor-derived peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages, which seem to be the major reservoir for HCMV in vivo, showed significantly higher generation of O2- after HCMV infection. The importance of O2- in cytomegalovirus pneumonitis was also supported in a mouse model system using mouse cytomegalovirus. In addition, the importance of HCMV-induced ROI was also shown in the restenosis and atherosclerosis of smooth muscle cells. This review highlights the relationship between HCMV infection and ROI.