Human cytomegalovirus infection causes premature and abnormal differentiation of human neural progenitor cells.

ABSTRACT: Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a leading cause of birth defects, largely manifested as central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The principal site of manifestations in the mouse model is the fetal brain's neural progenitor cell (NPC)-rich subventricular zone. Our previous human NPC studies found these cells to be fully permissive for HCMV and a useful in vitro model system. In continuing work, we observed that under culture conditions favoring maintenance of multipotency, infection caused NPCs to quickly and abnormally differentiate. This phenotypic change required active viral transcription. Whole-genome expression analysis found rapid downregulation of genes that maintain multipotency and establish NPCs' neural identity. Quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunofluo

SUBMITTER: Luo MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2838134 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature