Inhibition of cellular and viral protein synthesis by 3-methyleneoxindole.

The effect of 3-methyleneoxindole (MO) on mengovirus and L-cell protein synthesis was investigated. MO was found to inhibit mengovirus multiplication and the incorporation of radioactive amino acids into both viral and cellular proteins. These results suggest that the antiviral effect of this compound is not specific but rather stems from its inhibition of the cellular translational machinery upon which mengovirus depends. We have also found that MO inhibits natural messenger ribonucleic acid (mengovirus and globin messenger ribonucleic acid) translation in cell-free extracts from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells but has no significant effect on polyuridylic acid translation. Additional data which suggest that MO inhibits protein synthesis at the level of initiation are shown.