Cytotoxicity of adenovirus-antibody aggregates: sensitivity to different cell strains, and inhibition by hexon antiserum and by complement.

Adenovirus-antibody aggregates under defined conditions are cytotoxic in vitro. All members of adenovirus groups I, II, and III caused toxicity upon aggregation. The toxicity of the clusters is exerted by the virions. Toxicity is temperature dependent and may be caused by a mechanism similar to that used in viral penetration. Cells permitting direct viral penetration were all sensitive to the toxic aggregates. The toxicity seems to be related to hexon antigens on the surface of the virions since antihexon sera neutralized the toxicity. No evidence was obtained showing that pentons are required for this kind of cytotoxicity. Adenovirus types 3, 5, and 9 were used in the experiment. Cytotoxicity was estimated by the (51)Cr release assay. Complement factors could be excluded as mediators of the cytolytic reactions. Instead, complement was shown to prevent the formation of toxic aggregates or to neutralize the toxicity of preformed ones.