Lytic cytomegalovirus replication and the hormones of human pregnancy

Abstract

The frequency of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) excretion during pregnancy denoting active infection has been demonstrated to increase as gestation advances and at term involves a significant percentage of women. This increase enhances the risk of congenital infection of the fetus. Thus it appears that some factor(s) unique to the condition of pregnancy favors susceptibility to maternal CMV infection. We designed our studies to investigate the possible association of the continuously rising levels of selected hormones and this increased susceptibility. Progesterone, 17 beta-estradiol, and cortisol were added to tissue culture media in final concentrations to match those occurring in term pregnancy serum. Two strains of human foreskin cells, one neonatal and the other fetal, were treated with either single or paired combinations of hormone-containing media. Lytic CMV replication in neonatal foreskin cells was enhanced by a maximum of 5.7-fold when these cells were treated with cortisol. Such enhancement did not occur in the fetal cells. No synergistic effects were seen when cortisol was used in combination with other hormones nor when neonatal foreskin cells were replicated for at least three generations in either single or paired combinations of hormones prior to use. Differential hormonal enhancement of CMV replication in vitro suggests a possible mechanism for the increased incidence of CMV infection observed during human pregnancy.

Restriction to human cytomegalovirus replication in vitro removed by physiological levels of cortisol

“…Attempts to address this problem have shown that treatment of cells with iododeoxyuridine [ St. Jeor and Rapp, 19731 and repeated subculture of primary cells (ci 1989 ALAN R. LISS, INC. [Rosenthal et al, 19811 can increase lytic virus yield by as yet unknown mechanisms. We have established a system I Koment, 1985 I that has demonstrated the ability of the hormone cortisol to enhance differentially virus susceptibility in vitro, dependent upon cell type and time of hormone exposure. Because this hormone is present at varying concentrations during a variety of human physiological changes, it is considered that investigation of this system invites a more direct comparison to circumstances occurring in vivo.…”

A steroid hormone response unit in the late leader of the noncoding control region of the human polyomavirus BK confers enhanced host cell permissivity

“…Previous studies with other human viruses have illustrated a stimulating or inhibiting role of steroid hormones on viral replication (herpes simplex virus type 2 [4], vaccinia virus [4], herpes simplex virus type 1 [64], Epstein-Barr virus [6], human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [56], human cytomegalovirus [46,79,80], and adenovirus [41]). In other human viruses, a GRE has been identified.…”

Association of Increased Prenatal Estrogen With Risk Factors for Schizophrenia

“…29 One study of human tissue found reactivation of cytomegalovirus occurred after cortisol exposure but was not further enhanced by 17 beta-estradiol. 30…”