Lymphoid cell killing by human cytomegalovirus.

The interaction of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) with two replicating lymphoid cell lines, Ra-1 and MOLT-4F was studied. It was determined that while the cells exhibited viral receptors, the production of viral antigen and fully infectious virus could not be documented. Instead, cell death proportionate to the quantity of virus inoculated was seen. Neutralization of cell killing was effected with CMV-specific antiserum. In addition it was ascertained that cell death appeared to require a viral genomic function. This conclusion was based on the observation that UV irradiation of virus stocks reduced the cell killing capacity of the preparation. Infectivity of virus preparations was more sensitive to UV than the cell killing property. When compared on the basis of infectivity for fibroblasts and lymphoid cell killing capacity, pools of CMV with high infectivity had relatively less cell-killing capacity than low titered preparations.