EFFECT OF TRIIODOTHYRONINE ON CELLS AND ON THEIR RESPONSE TO INFECTION BY POLIOVIRUSES

Abstract

Murphy , W. H. (The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) and Cora Bullis . Effect of triiodothyronine on cells and on their response to infection by polioviruses. J. Bacteriol. 83: 641–648. 1962.—An analysis was made of the effect of triiodothyronine (T3) at physiological (1 μg/ml) and maximal subliminal toxic levels (35 μg/ml) on HeLa-S3, HeLa-Gey, Chang-liver, and Maben cells, and on their response to infection by cytopathic and submoderate (noncytopathic) mutants of type 2 poliovirus. Assays of cell response to T3 alone, or in combination with the mutants of poliovirus, were made by conventional monolayer cell culture techniques, by study of the effect of T3 on plating efficiency of cells, and by study of its influence on colonies of cell variants. Cellular response to liminal doses of T3 was characterized by agglutination of cells and thickening of the cell membrane. Compact colonies of Chang-liver and Maben cells were the most sensitive to maximal subliminal amounts of T3. T3 in combination with cytopathic or submoderate (noncytopathic) mutants of poliovirus slightly increased the rate of destruction of cells susceptible to virus, but did not influence yield of virus from cell cultures. T3 at physiological or subliminal concentrations did not induce cytopathic response of cell cultures latently infected by submoderate poliovirus.