Although a few immunocompetent animal models to study the immune response against human adenoviruses (HAdV) are available, such as Syrian hamsters and cotton rats, HAdV replication is several logs lower compared to human control cells. We have identified a non-transformed mouse epithelial cell line (NMuMG) where HAdV-2 gene expression and progeny formation was as efficient as in the highly permissive human A549 cells. HAdV from species, D and E (HAdV-37 and HAdV-4, respectively) also caused a rapid cytopathic effect in NMuMG cells, while HAdV from species A, B1, B2 and F (HAdV-12, HAdV-3, HAdV-11 and HAdV-41, respectively) failed to do so. NMuMG cells might therefore be useful in virotherapy research and the analysis of antiviral defense mechanisms and the determination of toxicity, biodistribution and specific antitumour activity of oncolytic HAdV vectors.
Highlights
► The mouse cell line NMuMG is fully permissive for adenovirus replication. ► Burst sizes of HAdV-2 measured on NMuMG and A549 cells were nearly identical. ► HAdV of species C, D and E produced a strong CPE in NMuMG cells. ► Possibility to use HAdV infected NMuMG cells in an immunocompetent mouse model.