Protease activity on the surface of HSV-infected cells.

Monolayers of primary rabbit kidney cells infected with HSV type I bound lymphoblastoid (Raji) cells, to which the third component (C3) of the complement system had been attached (Raji-C3). This induction of cell contact did not occur on non-infected monolayers and was dependent on C3. The interaction could be suppressed by the presence of protease inhibitors (1 mM-TLCK or-PMSF). The results are interpreted as indicating de novo expression of protease activity on the surface of HSV-infected cells. This protease is characterized by its potential to activate C3 and its inhibition by TLCK.