ヒトヘルペスウイルス感染細胞の走査型電子顕微鏡による観察

A few reports have so far been presented on the scanning electron microscopy of herpesviruses. This study attempted to reveal first, whether herpesvirus particles could be detected on the cell surface of infected cells by scanning electron microscopy; second, the morphology and the dynamic aspect of the particles if they were seen; third, the ultrastructural changes of cell surface membranes after infection with the viruses; and fourth, the differences in morphological appearances among various herpesviruses. In vitro cultured cells infected with five human herpesviruses were examined by scanning electron microscopy and the following observations were made: 1) Particles 170-200 nm in diameter were detected on the surface of cells infected with type 1 and type 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and -2), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and varicella-zostervirus (VZV), but not on EB virus (EBV) associated lymphoblastoid cell lines. 2) FL cells infected with HSV-1 and HSV-2 at an MOI of 10-20 were observed time sequentially. Particles of 170-200 nm began to appear at 6 hr and increased in number thereafter. At and after 24 hr the entire surface of most infected cells was covered with the particles. These observations were confirmed by transmission electron microscopic (TEM) examination of similar samples. 3) On the surface of HSV-2 infected cells, a group of projections resembling a cauliflower was occasionally observed. 4) Besides 170-200 nm particles, larger particles of variable size were found on the surface of human embryonal fibroblasts infected with HCMV, while smaller particles were seen on that of Vero cells infected with VZV. TEM observation of cells infected with both viruses revealed that larger particles of HCMV corresponded to dense bodies and smaller particles of VZV to aberrant forms devoid of capsids.