Growth of rubella virus into SIRC (rabbit cornea cell line) using various culture media

ABSTRACT

The present study evaluated the efficacy of various culture media for performing the isolation and growth of the rubella virus inoculated into SIRC cells. Rubella virus RA-27/3 strain and RVi/São Paulo/BRA99 wild type strain (Gen Bank number DQ458965) were inoculated into SIRC cell line and cultivated in 199, DMEM, MEM and RPMI media. The inoculated cells when examined on phase contrast microscopy showed the characteristic rounded and multipolar cells. The CPE was observed at the first 48 hours cultivation in the respective tested media. The curve of the infectivity increase was higher in the cultures maintained in DMEM and RPMI media. Hence, the SIRC cellular lineage cultivated in DMEM or RPMI media is an excellent substratum for performing the rubella virus isolation. These findings are relevant since the SIRC has been one of the few cell lines described in the literature which presents a cytopathic effect, and on that account it can be useful for carrying out the virus isolation from clinical specimens.