Differential induction of cytokines by primary and persistent measles virus infections in human glial cells.

The effect of measles virus (MV) infection on mRNA expression and protein synthesis of cytokines in human malignant glioma cell lines (D-54 and U-251) was investigated. Primary MV infections led in both cell lines to the induction of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-beta (IFN-beta), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). In contrast, persistently infected astrocytoma lines continually produced IL-6 (two out of 12 lines high levels) and IFN-beta, whereas only 1 out of 12 lines synthesized TNF-alpha and none IL-1 beta. The pathways for induction of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha expression were not suppressed by the persistent MV infection, since IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha could be induced by external stimuli like diacylglycerol analog plus calcium ionophore. Interestingly, persistently infected astrocytoma cells synthesized considerably higher levels of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha than uninfected cells after additional external induction. These results suggest that in the central nervous system (CNS) of SSPE patients a percentage of persistently infected astrocytes may continually synthesize IL-6 and IFN-beta, and in the presence of additional external stimuli, as possibly provided by activated lymphocytes, might overexpress the inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha. This may be of pathogenetic significance in CNS diseases associated with persistent MV infections.