Background: To study the composition and significance of the inclusion bodies of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV).
Methods: Microdissection of inclusion bodies, PCR and Southern blot were adopted to detect DNA, and immunohistochemistry method and catalyzed signal amplification (CSA) were used to detect the different antigens of HCMV.
Results: The inclusion bodies of HCMV were separated from the tissue section of human salivary gland. The fragments amplified by PCR from these dissected inclusion bodies were confirmed to be the DNA of HCMV. With the immunohistochemical method CSA, the immediately early and early antigens of HCMV were detected with monoclonal antibodies DDG9/CCH2, while matrix protein AAC10 was negative in the inclusion bodies.
Conclusion: The ingredient of inclusion bodies of HCMV included the DNA and the antigens expressed in specific stage of the virus.