Reactivation of UV and γ-inactivated herpes virus in BHK cells

Abstract

The DNA-repair capabilities of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells were investigated by comparing the reactivation of irradiated herpes simplex virus type I (HSV1) in BHK cells with its reactivation in mouse fibroblasts and in normal and repairdeficient human diploid fibroblasts. BHK cells were found to have an intermediate ability to reactive UV-irradiated HSV1 (the viral D o was 14 J/m 2) relative to normal human fibroblasts (viral D o = 19 J/m 2) and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) group A cells (viral D o = 4.5 J/m 2). With mouse L929 cells as the host, the response of the UV-irradiated virus was biphasic with D os of 4.6 and 30 J/m 2 for the low- and high-dose components respectively. In contrast to the response following UV radiation, γ-irradiated HSV1 was similarly reactivated by BHK and normal human cells (the D os for the irradiated virus in BHK and CRl 1106 were 55 and 51 krad, respectively, whereas xeroderma pigmentosum cells were slightly less efficient in the repair of γ-irradiated virus (D o = 45 krad). UV irradiation of BHK host cells 0–48 h prior to infection enhanced the reactivation of UV-irradiated HSV.