Cytomegalovirus Infection of Human Umbilical Cord Endothelial Cells
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cytomegalovirus Infection of Human Umbilical Cord Endothelial Cells
IRAS ID
99064
Contact name
Gavin W G Wilkinson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University(Research and Innovation Services)
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
14350, UKCRN ID
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is related to the herpes virus that causes cold sores. Like herpes, HCMV is carried for life and can reactivate at any time to cause disease. Most people world-wide are infected with HCMV, yet are unaware. However, in hospitals, HCMV is a well-known and major problem. HCMV can cause severe disease affecting multiple organs in patients whose immune system has been weakened by infection (eg HIV AIDS), drugs (for bone marrow, heart or kidney transplant) and, most distressingly, following infection of the foetus in the womb.
Much of what we know about how this virus infects our cells has been worked out by treating human skin cells (known as fibroblasts) with virus in the laboratory. However, fibroblasts may not be the best cells to work with since they are a key target for this virus. It would be much better to work with the specialist cells that line our blood vessels (known as endothelial cells) as HCMV hides from the immune system inside these cells during infection. Umbilical cords are a useful source and readily available source of human tissue such as endothelial cells.
HCMV is by far the most complex of any human virus with greater than 180 genes. By collecting human umbilical cord endothelial cells and treating them with virus, we can begin to understand what all these genes are up to. This may help in developing future anti-viral drugs or a vaccine against HCMV.
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
14/WA/1042
Date of REC Opinion
10 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion