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Printable Version| Translations available in Spanish. |  | | Fusion of Measles Virus Infected Cells | | | Resource Type: Visual: Image | | | Publication Date: Prior to 1/1/2002 | | | | | Authors | | | Linda Fisher | | Associate Professor of Biology and Microbiology | | University of Michigan-Dearborn | | Dearborn, Michigan | | USA | | Email: Deceased | | | Measles virus (MV) is a cytopathic virus belonging to family
Paramyxoviridae, genus Morbillivirus. Measles virus continues to be
an important human pathogen. Although it is largely controlled by
immunization in developed countries, it causes significant morbidity
and mortality in developing countries.
MV particles, of approximately 200 nm diameter, are composed of a
helical nucleocapsid enclosed in an envelope that is derived from
the host cell plasma membrane, and is studded with virus-coded
glycoproteins. MV infects a variety of cell types. The resulting
interaction may cause either persistent or lytic infection.
In lytic infection, cells may die as a result of virus-induced
necrosis or as a result of activation of cellular apoptosis. In
vitro, the characteristic cytopathic effect is the formation of
multinucleated cells (syncytia) as a result of the interaction between
the virus fusion (F) glycoprotein or MV-infected cells, and the host
cell plasma membrane. The photographs show cell fusion occurring
2 hours (Figure 1) and 5 hours (Figure 2) after infection of an AV3
(human amnion) cell line with a high input (MOI about 10). Cell
nuclei become pyknotic, and by 5 hours, small syncytia fuse into
giant ones which show beginning evidence of vacuolation. These
syncytia will eventually die and detach from the cell monolayer,
leaving behind a visible plaque.
These images may be used to help students visualize syncytia.
References:
Barrett, T. et al. 1991. The Molecular Biology of the
Morbilliviruses in D. W. Kingsbury (ed.) The Paramyxoviruses. Plenum
Press, New York.
Johnston, I.C.D. et al. 1999. A recombinant measles vaccine
varis expressing wild type glycoproteins: Consequences for viral
spread. J. Virol. 73:6903-6915.
Lamb, R.A. and D. Kolakofsky. 1996. Paramyxoviridae: The
viruses and their replication in B.N. Fields, D.M. Knipe, and P.M.
Howley (eds-in-chief). Fundamental Virology, 3rd. edition,
Lippincot-Raven, Philadelphia.
Vidalain, P-O. et al. 2000 Measles virus induces functional
TRAIL production by human dendritic cells. J. Virol. 74:556-559.
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