Biopolymers and cell. 1996; 12 (2): 74 - 83

Aromatic thiosemicarbazones, their antiviral action and interferon. 1. The decreasing of adenovirus type 1 resistance against interferon by methisazone in vitro

Yuriy V. Patskovsky, Emma N. Negrebetskaya, Alexandra A. Chernomaz, Tamara P. Voloshchuk, Eugeniy L. Rubashevsky, Oleg E. Kitam, Mikhail I. Tereshchenko, Lidiya N. Nosach, Anatoliy I. Potopalsky

The mechanism of N-mvthyl-izatin-thiocarbazone (methisazone, MelBT) antiviral activity has been studied on Ad 1-infected HEp2 and HeLa cells. MelBT did not induce interferon and did not directly inhibit viraland cell translation. T/ie adenoviral infection was not affected by recombinani human interferon a2 (rlFN). MelBT showed antiviral effect in Adl-infected HEp2 or HeLa cells when rlFN had added to HeLa cells or in the period of interferon induction during virus infection (in HEp2 cells). In the presence of this compound, the El A transcription was unchanged in infected cells as compared to untreated control, while early transcription was decreased, the beginning of viral replication being retarded. Futhermore, the VA1 RNA synthesis was also greatly suppressed. These effects vere independent on interferon treatment and disappeared when MelBT had been added during the late phase of virus growth cycle. A ctually, MelBT can induce the delay of VAJ RNA transcription promoting interferon antiviral effect.