Early Steps of Replication of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus in Resting Lymphocytes

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 262; no. 2; pp. 408 - 415
• Main Authors: Piéroni, L., Bouillé, P., Auclair, C., Guillosson, J.J., Nafziger, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 30.09.1999
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Transport - drug effects; cell cycle; Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell Nucleus - drug effects; Cell Nucleus - virology; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; DNA, Viral - analysis; DNA, Viral - biosynthesis; DNA, Viral - genetics; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Genome, Viral; Lymphocytes - cytology; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Lymphocytes - virology; Male; Mice; Moloney leukemia virus; Moloney murine leukemia virus - drug effects; Moloney murine leukemia virus - genetics; Moloney murine leukemia virus - physiology; Moloney virus; Murine leukemia virus; Nucleosides - metabolism; Nucleosides - pharmacology; oncoviruses; reverse transcription; RNA, Viral - analysis; RNA, Viral - biosynthesis; RNA, Viral - genetics; Time Factors; Transcription, Genetic - drug effects; Virus Replication - drug effects; Virus Replication - genetics; cell cycle; reverse transcription; oncoviruses
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1006/viro.1999.9919

We explored the role of cell type in the early steps of replication of Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MLV) by comparing viral entry and reverse transcription in physiologically quiescent peripheral blood B and T lymphocytes. Virus entry was identical in both cell types. In contrast to previous results, full-length viral DNA was synthesized in resting B lymphocytes, but in agreement with earlier reports, reverse transcription was abortive in resting T lymphocytes. The addition of exogenous nucleosides in the culture medium of resting T lymphocytes allowed reverse transcription to proceed in these cells, without inducing cell cycling. These data suggest that the difference in the ability of quiescent T and B lymphocytes to sustain reverse transcription of Mo-MLV can be explained by a difference in the dNTP pool sizes of these two populations of quiescent cells.