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Adherence of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) to the endothelial lining of blood vessels is an essential component of the inflammatory response. In this study the effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection on the adherence of PMNs has been examined using an in vitro model system. Human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) were grown on fibronectin-coated plastics. CMV infection of HUVEC resulted in the appearance of viral antigens in a small percentage of the cells. At 24 h post-infection when no virus-induced cytopathic effect could be observed in the cell monolayers, the adherence of PMNs was significantly increased. The virus-induced adherence effect was cell bound and could not be induced by soluble components in the medium of the virus-infected cells. The augmentation of the PMN adherence to CMV-infected endothelium was sensitive to tunicamycin suggesting that the virus infection induces the expression of glycoproteins on the HUVEC membranes which are responsible for the PMN adherence. Thus CMV infection of the endothelium results in an increased adherence of PMNs. In the in vivo situation systemic viral infection can potentially lead to infection of blood vessel endothelium and thus can induce a damage of endothelium. This phenomenon could play a role in the atherogenesis process.
Span et al. (1989) studied this question.