Phospholipids prelabelled with [(14)C]acetate, [(32)P]phosphate, [(3)H]- or [(14)C]-choline or [(3)H]inositol are not significantly degraded during fusion of Lettrée cells mediated by Sendai virus, nor are carbohydrates prelabelled with [(3)H]fucose, [(14)C]galactose or [(3)H]glucosamine. Less than 1nmol of lysophosphatidylcholine/10(7) cells is formed during fusion. Diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate, which inhibits phospholipase A by more than 95% has no effect on fusion. It is concluded that none of the events leading to cell fusion is accompanied by significant turnover of phospholipids or other membrane components. 2. Intracellular K(+) leaks out during virally mediated cell fusion; the loss is not as extensive as that of intracellularly accumulated choline or deoxyglucose. Movement of Ca(2+) into or out of cells could not be detected. 3. At concentrations of Lettrée cells insufficient to be agglutinated by virus, intracellularly accumulated choline and deoxyglucose leak out. Agglutination caused by concanavalin A does not result in leakage of intracellular metabolites. 4. P815Y cells, which agglutinate but do not fuse in the presence of virus, show leakage of intracellularly accumulated metabolites. The extent of leakage does not alter during the G(1) and S periods of the cell cycle. 5. Leakage is inhibited by Ca(2+), but is unaffected by EDTA. 6. It is concluded that the interaction of Sendai virus with mammalian cells causes a weakening of membrane integrity so that intracellular metabolites leak out. Such destabilization may facilitate viral entry and is therefore an interesting system for further biochemical studies.
