Effects of lysosomotropic weak bases on infection of BHK-21 cells by Sindbis virus

Abstract

The effects of the lysosomotropic weak bases chloroquine, ammonium chloride, and amantadine as well as dansylcadaverine (an inhibitor of receptor mediated endocytosis) on the replication of Sindbis virus in tissue-cultured cells was examined. Chloroquine had no effect on the expression of virus-induced homologous interference. None of these drugs significantly affected the ability of a complex of a cell and single virion to form an infectious center. Chloroquine and ammonium chloride were found to inhibit the synthesis of virus RNA in established infections when added early in infection. These drugs also inhibited the production of progeny virions when added any time after infection. These results suggest that the antiviral activity of these agents may not be due to an ability to prevent transport of the virus genome into the cell cytoplasm.