title: Activation and antiviral effect of acyclovir in cells infected with a varicella-like simian virus.
abstract: Acyclovir inhibited the replication of a varicella-like simian virus (DHV-1) in cell culture (Vero cells) with an ED50 of 38 +/- 2 microM. The activation of acyclovir in this cell culture system was compared with that in the cell system with human varicella zoster virus (VZV). Extracts of cells infected with DHV-1 catalyzed the phosphorylation of acyclovir. The phosphorylation was inhibited by dThd, suggesting the catalyst was a dThd kinase. Electrophoresis of cytosol fractions on polyacrylamide gels corroborated the existence of a virus-associated dThd kinase. This enzyme copurified with an acyclovir-phosphorylating activity. The enzyme catalyzed the phosphorylation of acyclovir at a greater relative rate than that with the VZV enzyme, but with a higher apparent Km value for acyclovir. The relative efficiencies for the two enzymes with acyclovir were similar. Anabolic studies with cells infected with DHV-1 and incubated with [14C]acyclovir indicated that triphosphate of acyclovir did accumulate. The results indicate that acyclovir is activated in cells infected with DHV-1 in a manner similar to that in cells infected with VZV.
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000187:drug effects; D007700:Kinetics; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006147:Guanine; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D000212:Acyclovir