Inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus multiplication in Vero cells by 2-deoxy-D-glucose.

2-Deoxy-D-glucose (DOG) effectively inhibited vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) multiplication in Vero cells when pyruvate-containing medium was used as an energy source. The effectiveness of the antimetabolite was markedly reduced by substituting glucose for pyruvate in the maintenance medium. Addition of DOG at intervals during the viral growth cycle caused a notable decrease in viral yields. This inhibiting effect was reversed by mannose and to a lesser extent by glucose. VSV-RNA synthesis was greatly reduced, thereby eventually resulting in decreased levels of virus proteins. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of purified VSV grown in medium containing pyruvate and DOG revealed the presence of two peaks in the region of the virus G protein. Possibly, DOG induces the synthesis of aberrant viral proteins which become incorporated into the viral membrane, resulting in noninfectious particles.