Effects of pyrimidine derivatives on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of mengovirus-infected Fogh and Lund (FL) cells.

Two newly synthesized pyrimidine derivatives were found to possess antiviral activity against Mengovirus in Fogh and Lund (FL) cells and in a cell-free system. The inhibitory effect on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Mengovirus-infected FL cells was assayed using 14C-UTP as precursor. Addition of 50 or 100 muM of the inhibitors in a cell-free system of crude enzyme and nucleoside triphosphate medium for 60 min incubation at 37 degrees C resulted in about 40 to 60% lower counting rates for drug-treated reaction mixtures. The analysis of the polymerase synthesis product (virus RNA extracted from the cell-free reaction mixture and deproteinized by the phenol-SDS method) was carried out by means of agarose-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The main finding was a reduction of single-stranded Mengovirus RNA (RNase-sensitive and LiCl-precipitable). The rates of synthesis of the replicative intermediate (LiCl-precipitable) and the replicative form of RNA (LiCl-soluble) were not significantly influenced.