title: Inhibiting effect of (RS)-9-[4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)butyl]guanine on varicella-zoster virus replication in cell culture.
abstract: The activity and mode of action of the new nucleoside analog (RS)-9-[4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)butyl]guanine (2HM-HBG) against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were determined. In cell culture, replication of different strains of VZV was inhibited to 50% by 0.4 to 0.7 microM 2HM-HBG, while 685 microM was required to inhibit 50% of the DNA synthesis in uninfected human lung fibroblasts. A thymidine kinase-negative VZV strain was not inhibited by 100 microM 2HM-HBG. Inhibition of VZV replication was not reversible after 7 to 14 days of incubation, depending on the multiplicity of VZV. 2HM-HBG was shown to be selectively phosphorylated by purified VZV thymidine kinase, with an inhibition constant of 32.5 microM. The antiviral activity of 2HM-HBG in cell culture was decreased by the addition of deoxythymidine and deoxycytidine but not by other ribo- or deoxyribonucleosides.
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C051755:9-(4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)butyl)guanine; D006147:Guanine; D013937:Thymidine Kinase