DIFFERENTIAL EFFECT OF PHOSPHONOACETIC ACID ON EARLY ANTIGEN SYNTHESIS IN 2 EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS PRODUCER CELL LINES

The effect of phosphonoacetic acid (PAA) on the expression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-determined antigens in producer (P3HR-1 and B95-8) lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) and iododeoxyuridine (IUDR)-treated nonproducer cell lines (Raji and F137) was investigated. PAA effectively inhibited spontaneous early antigen (EA) synthesis in the P3HR-1 LCL only, while it had no effect on EA production in the B95-8 cell line nor on the IUDR-induced EA in nonproducer LCLs. The inhibition of spontaneous EA in P3HR-1 cell was dose and time dependant, and removal of PAA from cultures and subsequent propagation of these cells in PAA-free medium did not restore spontaneous EA production. The data reported show that EA is synthesized by at least two mechanisms in P3HR-1 cells, one of which is sensitive to PAA, thus suggesting that viral DNA synthesis is required for spontaneous EA synthesis only in the P3HR-1 cells; however, in these same cells, viral DNA synthesis would not be required for the IUDR-induced EA production. © 1979.