Continuous Cell Strains Derived from Human Atheromatous Lesions and their Viral Susceptibility.

Abstract

Summary Of 60 biopsies of atheromatous lesions, 40 were grown in tissue culture, and 11 were successfully transferred for 6 or more passages. Four of the aorta or A cell strains were carried for about 30 passages over a period of about 6 months. After this they become senescent and degenerate like the Wistar fibroblast strains. However, the A cell strains may be revived from the large stocks of cells being maintained in a liquid nitrogen depository. The cultures appear to consist of a mixture of fibroblastic and endothelioid cells. The cells have a high susceptibility to DNA viruses (pox-, herpes- and adenovirus groups) and to RNA viruses (myxo-, reo-, and picor-navirus groups). They seem to be particularly susceptible to some of the rhinoviruses which have a limited host cell range.