The viral range in vitro of a malignant, human epithelial cell (strain HeLa, Gey). IV. The cytopathogenicity of C viruses.

Summary Strains representative of 16 antigenically distinct types of Coxsackie virus were studied to observe the effect of each upon a stable strain of human epithelial cells (HeLa, Gey). Four types proved cytopathogenic for HeLa cells with result in from 1 to 4 days in rapid total destruction of the cells. Cytopathologic effects were observed for the B-1 Conn-5 strain, six B-3 strains, the B-4 Texas-13 strain and the Texas-14 virus. The destructive effects in HeLa cells were indistinguishable from those of the three poliomyelitis virus types. The high titer of infectivity maintained by the four cytopathogenic C viruses after repeated transfers in HeLa cell cultures, despite cumulative dilution beyond the extinction level of the inoculum, provided unequivocal evidence for the propagation of each virus. The majority of the types showed decreased infectivity for infant mice after many passages in cell culture. Growth patterns, for 3 of the cytopathogenic types determined by assay of culture fluid, revealed rapid replication of each virus. In contrast, the titer in the liquid phase of the non-cytopathogenic B-2 strain diminished rapidly. The identity of each virus isolated from the final cell culture passage was established with homotypic monkey antisera. The cytopathologic effects of the C viruses were not inhibited by antisera to the three types of poliomyelitis virus nor was the converse true. The results of this study suggest that HeLa cell cultures might be valuable for the laboratory diagnosis and epidemiologic study of epidemic pleurodynia, or other human illness.