Influence of the measles virus on the proliferation and protein synthesis of aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells.

To clarify whether some viruses could influence the different functions and membrane permeability of the aortic cells, we have examined in a model experiment the in vitro effect of the measles virus on the aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells. The aortic cells infected with the virus failed to reveal gross cytopathic effect. Occasionally, however, syncytium formation and nuclear inclusions were observed. In infected endothelial cells lysosome containing viral nucleocapsids were seen. The early phase of measles virus replication inhibited the proliferation of endothelial cells of all species tested, while uniformly stimulated the replication of the smooth muscle cells relative to the control. In bovine aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells the protein synthesis had been suppressed by the 4th to 6th hours postinfection. The results indicate that measles virus infection may be among the risk factors of atherosclerosis. It may damage endothelial cells by altering the cell membrane permeability and could induce proliferation of aortic smooth muscle cells.