Vol. 4, Issue 12, Part B (2018)
A comprehensive analysis of retinal pericytes and cytomegalovirus infectivity: (HCMV-induced congenital ocular disease)
A comprehensive analysis of retinal pericytes and cytomegalovirus infectivity: (HCMV-induced congenital ocular disease)
Author(s)
Dr. Amitabha Kar and Aparajita Kar
Abstract
Together with animal cytomegalovirus, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), also referred to in recent literature as human herpes virus 5 (HHV-5), belongs to the Herpesviridae family, subfamily Betaherpesviridae, genus Cytomegalovirus. Like all herpesviruses, HCMV is sensitive to low pH, lipid-dissolving agents, and heat. HCMV has a half-life of approximately 60 min at 37 °C and is relatively unstable at −20 °C. It needs to be stored at at least −70 °C in order to maintain its infectivity. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading infectious cause of vision loss among congenitally infected children. Retinal pericytes play an essential role in maintaining retinal vascular and endothelial cell proliferation. Retinal pericytes expressed the biomarker neuron-glial antigen 2. Antigenic expression profiles for several cytoskeletal, cell adhesion and inflammatory proteins were shared by both retinal and brain pericytes. Infected pericytes showed cytomegalic cytopathology and expressed mRNAs for the major immediate protein (MIE) and HCMV phosphorylated envelop protein 65. qRT-PCR analysis showed full lytic replication of HCMV in retinal pericytes. Pericytes exposed to SBCMV for 9 days expressed higher levels of vascular endothelial cell growth factor mRNA compared to controls. Luminex analysis of supernatants from SBCMV-infected retinal pericytes had increased levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, beta-2 microglobulin (B2-m), matrix metalloproteinase-3 and -9 (MMP3/9), and lower levels of IL-6 and IL-8 compared to controls. At 24 hours post infection, pericytes expressed higher levels of IL-8, TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1), and RANTES (regulated upon activation normal T cell-expressed and presumably secreted) but lower levels of MMP9. Time course analysis showed that both brain and retinal pericytes were more permissive for HCMV infection than other cellular components of the BBB (blood-brain barrier) and IBRB. It is important to note that, in retinal pericytes, HCMV induces proinflammatory and angiogenic cytokines. In the IBRB, pericytes likely serve as an amplification reservoir which contributes to retinal inflammation and angiogenesis.
How to cite this article:
Dr. Amitabha Kar, Aparajita Kar. A comprehensive analysis of retinal pericytes and cytomegalovirus infectivity: (HCMV-induced congenital ocular disease). Int J Appl Res 2018;4(12):91-97.