Demonstration of developmental anomalies in mouse fetuses by transfer of murine cytomegalovirus DNA-injected eggs to surrogate mothers.

To study the potential consequences of sperm-mediated sexual cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission, an in vitro model of microinjection of murine CMV (MCMV) DNA into uninfected fertilized murine ova was used. After microinjected ova were cultured to blastocysts and transferred to pseudopregnant mice, the effect of the DNA on implantation and development was analyzed. At various times, the sites of implantation in the endometrium were examined. Reductions in litter size, fetal growth retardation, resorption of embryos, and fetal maldevelopment, which often involved the central nervous system, were observed. The presence of MCMV DNA sequences in DNA derived from fetuses was detected by the polymerase chain reaction followed by oligonucleotide hybridization. By in situ DNA-DNA cytohybridization and indirect immunofluorescence assays the viral sequences and antigens were localized primarily to the brain, salivary gland, and skin of maldeveloped fetuses. These results establish the potential consequences of sperm-mediated CMV transmission and induction of fetal anomalies.