Long-term culture of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells enhances the replication of human influenza A viruses

• Published in: Journal of general virology Vol. 100; no. 10; pp. 1345 - 1349
• Main Authors: Ujie, Michiko, Takada, Kosuke, Kiso, Maki, Sakai-Tagawa, Yuko, Ito, Mutsumi, Nakamura, Kazuya, Watanabe, Shinji, Imai, Masaki, Kawaoka, Yoshihiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Microbiology Society 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Short Communication; replication; long-term culture; A549 cells; Human influenza A viruses
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001314

Long-term culture of the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 promotes the differentiation of these cells toward an alveolar type II cell phenotype. Here, we evaluated the susceptibility of long-term cultured A549 cells to human influenza viruses. A549 cells were cultured continuously for 25 days (D25-A549) or 1 day (D1-A549) in Ham’s F12K medium. Six human influenza A viruses grew much faster in D25-A549 cells than in D1-A549 cells; however, two influenza B viruses replicated poorly in both cell types. Two avian influenza viruses replicated efficiently in both cell types, with similar titres. Expression levels of human virus receptors were higher in D25-A549 cells than in D1-A549 cells. D25-A549 cells thus more efficiently support the replication of human influenza A viruses compared with D1-A549 cells. Our data suggest that long-term cultured A549 cells will be useful for influenza A virus research.