The effect of mengovirus infection on lipid synthesis in cultured Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

The concept of generally increased lipid synthesis during the initial 2/3 of picornaviral infectious cycles, held by several authors, needs differentiation. In mengovirus-infected Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, an increase in the rate of synthesis of phosphatidylcholine could be confirmed, but for phosphatidylethanolamine constant to decreasing rates of synthesis were found. Moreover, phosphatidylinositol was increasingly synthesized in the midst of the infectious cycle. The changes observed might have their functional expression in the proliferation of smooth cytoplasmic membrane systems that provide the structural framework for the replication of picornaviral RNA and virus assembly. The alterations in the labeling patterns of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol late in virus infection point to increased turnover of these compounds, possibly mediated by phospholipase D. The formation of lysophosphatidylcholine (cytolytic effect) and bis(monoacylglyceryl)phosphate in the final phase of the infectious cycle might be correlated with the liberation of lysosomal enzymes and the development of the cytopathic effect.