Flow cytometry analysis of early DNA content changes in human and monkey cells following infection with Simian Virus 40.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) is capable of inducing cellular DNA synthesis in permissive and nonpermissive cells. Utilizing flow cytometry, we analyzed the DNA content changes in two diploid human cell strains and two monkey cell lines. The osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) human skin fibroblasts were induced into DNA synthesis, and within one to two cell generations, a polyploid cell population was produced. With WI-38 phase II cells, a similar pattern of increased cycling of cells into DNA synthesis was observed; however, the majority (approximately 60%) of the cells were blocked in the G2 + M phase of the cell cycle. At later time intervals, an increase in the G1 population was demonstrated. The two monkey cell lines responded to SV40 virus with an accumulation of cells in the G2 + M phase of the cell cycle. Thus, two diploid human cell strains exhibited different cell cycle kinetics early after infection with SV40 virus. The one strain (WI-38) behaved similarly to the two monkey cell lines studied. The other strain (OI) responded similarly to nonpermissive (transforming) cells infected with SV40 virus.