Human Cytomegalovirus Isolates Differ in Multiplication and Induction of IL-8 in Epithelial Cells

Epithelial cells are major targets of permissive infection by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in vivo during acute infection, but little is known about the viral factors that influence the permissiveness of epithelial cells for HCMV. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interleukin-8 (IL-8)-inducing capacities of HCMV clinical isolates of different origins by comparison of the replication in A549 epithelial cells. The IL-8-inducing capacities of the HCMV isolates differed in A549 cells; the IE antigen expression and the virus yield proved to be dependent on the amount of IL-8 produced. Exogenous IL-8 increased the number of IE antigenproducing cells in a dose-dependent manner. Our observations indicate that certain HCMV strains induce high levels of IL-8 and augment their replication in the epithelial cells, and suggest that in vivo the replication of the others can be facilitated if IL-8 is provided by different sources.