Effect of dextran sulfate on fusion of Sendai virus with human erythrocyte ghosts.

The effect of dextran sulfate on the fusion of Sendai virus and erythrocyte ghosts was studied as a function of dextran sulfate concentration and pH of cell suspension solutions. In order to examine the interaction of dextran sulfate with Sendai virion and erythrocyte ghost surfaces, the turbidity of cell suspensions was also measured with respect to the same parameters as above. It was found that dextran sulfate inhibited the fusion of Sendai virus with erythrocyte ghosts. The lower the pH of the suspension solution was, the more effective was dextran sulfate in suppressing virion erythrocyte ghost fusion. Dextran sulfate of a higher molecular weight was slightly more effective in suppressing fusion than that of a lower molecular weight. From turbidity measurements of Sendai virus and erythrocyte ghost suspensions, it is likely that dextran sulfate interacts preferentially with Sendai virion surfaces and inhibits interaction between Sendai virions and erythrocyte ghosts.