Viruses and Mammalian Chromosomes: VI. Comparative Karyologic and Immunofluorescent Studies on Syrian Hamster and Human Amnion Cells Infected with Human Adenovirus Type 12¹

Comparative karyologic and immunofluorescent studies were made of the effects of human adenovirus Type 12 on 2 cell systems, which differed in their capacity to support virus synthesis.

In primary cultures of cells of newborn Syrian hamsters inoculated with adenovirus-12, intranuclear and cytoplasmic viral associated antigens, presumably adenovirus-12 “T” antigens, were demonstrated by fluorescein-labeled antibodies obtained from adenovirus-12 tumor-bearing Syrian hamsters. These antigens were produced even though the hamster cells did not support synthesis of infectious virus or of viral structural antigens. A high incidence of chromosome aberrations, including chromatid and isochromatid breaks, fragmentation, endoreduplication, and “pulverization,” was observed in hamster cultures 24 and 48 hr after virus inoculation.

The human amnion cell line (AV-3) supported the synthesis of the viral associated “T” antigens, all necessary viral structural antigens, and the formation of mature infectious virus in the nucleus. No significant increase of chromosome aberrations was evident in infected AV-3 cultures, although different changes in interphase nuclei, such as chromosome condensation and formation of micronuclei, occurred. These nuclear changes were not seen in Syrian hamster cells and appear, therefore, to be associated with the effects of virus synthesis.