Objective: To investigate the infection of myeloma cell line KM3 by cytomegalovirus (CMV) as well as its effect on IL-6 mRNA in the cells.
Methods: RT-PCR assay was used to detect the mRNA expression of CMV immediate early gene (IE), glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and IL-6 of KM3 cells infected by 100-, 10-, 1-folds of median tissue culture infective dose (TCID(50)) of CMV. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of pp65 antigen. CMV particles were detected with electron microscope.
Results: KM3 cells infected by CMV could express IE mRNA as compared with the uninfected cells. CMV pp65 antigen positive cells were (5.58 +/- 1.55)% and (3.75 +/- 0.85)% respectively when infected by 100 and 10 TCID(50) of CMV, which were significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.05). CMV particles could be seen in the infected cells. Expression of IL-6 mRNA was increased after the infection.
Conclusion: CMV can infect myeloma cell line KM3 and replicate in the cells. CMV can increase the expression of IL-6 mRNA.