Concanavalin A-mediated agglutination of 3T3 cells after exposure to UV-irradiated herpes simplex virus.

Studies were made to determine the effect of UV-irradiation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) on Concanavalin A (Con-A)-mediated agglutination of 3T3 cells. There were three different phases of agglutination by Con-A of cells infected with HSV. The agglutinability began to increase from 3 or 4 hr, or 72 hr after exposure of cells to HSV. The early-appearing agglutinability was further divided into two phases, based on its sensitivity to metabolic inhibitors. These were tentatively called "Early 1 or inhibitor sensitive", "Early 2 or inhibitor insensitive" and "Late" agglutinability. "Early 1" agglutination, detected from 3 hr post infection (pi), was induced by treating cells with HSV, either active or UV-irradiated for less than 5 min and was inhibited when actinomycin D (1 microgram/ml) or cycloheximide (50 microgram/ml) was added to the cultures. "Early 2" agglutination began to increase from 4 hr pi when cells were inoculated with HSV irradiated for 7 to 20 min and was not affected by either inhibitor. HSV irradiated for 6 min failed to induce either agglutinability. "Late" agglutination, observed 72 hr pi, was detected in cultures which had been treated with HSV irradiated for 4 to 15 min. Among those, virus irradiated for 6 to 8 min was most efficient. HSV-transformed cells were also agglutinated without exception by low concentrations of Con-A.