Properties of a 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA)-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 virus mutant.

After repeated passages of herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) KOS virus in the presence of 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA) a mutant denoted PMEAr HSV-1 was isolated which grew well in the presence of 50-100 micrograms.ml-1 of the drug. PMEAr HSV-1 was still sensitive to the related phosphonate analogue (S)-9-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)adenine (HPMPA). In fact, it was more susceptible to the action of HPMPA than the original virus. PMEAr HSV-1 also retained sensitivity to 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine and other, viral thymidine kinase-dependent substances such as (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine. However, PMEAr HSV-1 was much less sensitive to acyclovir, 1-(beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)cytosine and 1-(beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)thymine than the parental KOS virus.