TY - JOUR
T1 - Ultrastructural observations of viral particles within hepatitis C virus-infected human B lymphoblastoid cell line
AU - Serafino, Annalucia
AU - Valli, M. B.
AU - Alessandrini, A.
AU - Ponzetto, A.
AU - Carloni, G.
AU - Bertolini, L.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected TOFE cells, a human bone marrow-derived B-cell line, were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We reported the presence of virus-like particles, (VLPs) having a diameter of 45 nm on average, within the cytoplasm of HCV-infected cells and their absence in uninfected cells. The VLPs were mostly seen in dilated cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and consisted of an electron-dense core and a membrane envelope with surface projections. In the HCV-infected TOFE cells, examination by TEM revealed tubular structures similar to those observed in liver cells of chimpanzees and humans infected by the virus. In some instances, the outer membrane of the particles was connected to the ER membrane, indicating possible virus budding into the cisternae. Rarely, coated vesicles containing a particle were seen. In most of the infected cells, enlarged cytoplasmic vacuoles filled with degenerative amorphous material were observed. The data suggest a flavivirus-like pattern of HCV morphogenesis in infected non-hepatic cells and identify lymphoblastoid TOFE cells as a valuable system for the study of the sequential steps of the infection process and the morphological effects produced by HCV infection.
AB - Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected TOFE cells, a human bone marrow-derived B-cell line, were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We reported the presence of virus-like particles, (VLPs) having a diameter of 45 nm on average, within the cytoplasm of HCV-infected cells and their absence in uninfected cells. The VLPs were mostly seen in dilated cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and consisted of an electron-dense core and a membrane envelope with surface projections. In the HCV-infected TOFE cells, examination by TEM revealed tubular structures similar to those observed in liver cells of chimpanzees and humans infected by the virus. In some instances, the outer membrane of the particles was connected to the ER membrane, indicating possible virus budding into the cisternae. Rarely, coated vesicles containing a particle were seen. In most of the infected cells, enlarged cytoplasmic vacuoles filled with degenerative amorphous material were observed. The data suggest a flavivirus-like pattern of HCV morphogenesis in infected non-hepatic cells and identify lymphoblastoid TOFE cells as a valuable system for the study of the sequential steps of the infection process and the morphological effects produced by HCV infection.
KW - HCV
KW - TOFE cell line
KW - ultrastructural changes
KW - virus-like particle
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U2 - 10.1016/S0923-2516(97)89902-5
DO - 10.1016/S0923-2516(97)89902-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 9108618
AN - SCOPUS:0030891535
VL - 148
SP - 153
EP - 159
JO - Research in Virology
JF - Research in Virology
SN - 0923-2516
IS - 2
ER -