The effect of human cytomegalovirus on the formation of CFU-MK in vitro.

To investigate the mechanism and the suppressive effect of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) on colony forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-MK), semi-solid culture system was used to observe the effect of HCMV AD169 strain on CFU-MK's growth of 18 cord blood samples. HCMV DNA and immediate early (IE) protein mRNA in CFU-MK was detected by PCR and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our results showed that HCMV AD169 significantly suppressed the formation of CFU-MK in vitro. Compared with the mock group, the CFU-MK colonies decreased by 21.6%, 33.8% and 46.3%, respectively, in all the 3 infected groups (P<0.05), suggesting the suppression and the titer of the virus was dose-dependent. Both HCMV DNA and the expression of HCMV IE protein mRNA were positively detected in the colony cells of viral infected group. It is concluded that HCMV AD169 strain could inhibit the differentiation and proliferation of CFU-MK by directly infecting their progenitors. There was early transcription of HCMV IE protein in CFU-MK infected by virus.