Effect of 9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine on viral-specific polypeptide synthesis in human cytomegalovirus-infected cells.

Plaque-forming assay resulted in a 50 percent inhibitory dose by 9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine (acyclovir) against Towne strain human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) of approximately 98 mumol. At the drug concentration of 200 mumol, we did not detect any significant inhibition of viral DNA synthesis by cRNA-DNA hybridization. However, at this drug concentration, the synthesis of at least two viral-specific late polypeptides (150K and 67K) was significantly retarded up to 48 hours after infection, but resumed at 72 hours. These data suggest that acyclovir or its in vivo transformed derivative had a transient effect on viral-specific polypeptide synthesis in HCMV-infected human fibroblasts at a high drug concentration.