Efficient isolation of human metapneumovirus using MNT ‐1, a human malignant melanoma cell line exhibiting early and distinct cytopathic effect

ABSTRACT
Isolation of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) from clinical specimens is currently inefficient due to the lack of a cell culture system exhibiting a distinct cytopathic effect (CPE). The cell lines LLC‐MK2, Vero, and Vero E6 are used for isolation of HMPV; however, the CPE in these cell lines is subtle and usually requires a long observation period and sometimes blind passages. Thus, a cell line that exhibits an early and distinct CPE following HMPV inoculation is highly desired by clinical virology laboratories. We demonstrate that the human malignant melanoma cell line MNT‐1 shows obvious syncytium formation shortly after inoculation with HMPV‐positive clinical specimens. In addition, the growth and isolation efficiency of HMPV was higher using MNT‐1 than any other conventional cell line. Addition of this cell line to our routine viral isolation system for clinical specimens markedly enhanced isolation frequency, allowing isolation‐based surveillance. MNT‐1 has the potential to facilitate clinical and epidemiological studies of HMPV.

Source: Microbiology and Immunology - September 1, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ko Sato, Oshi Watanabe, Suguru Ohmiya, Fumiko Chiba, Akira Suzuki, Michiko Okamoto, Jiang Younghuang, Akihiro Hata, Hiroyuki Nonaka, Setsuko Kitaoka, Yukio Nagai, Kazuhisa Kawamura, Masahiro Hayashi, Satoru Kumaki, Tamio Suzuki, Kazuyoshi Kawakami, Hideka Tags: Original Article Source Type: research