Suppression of fibronectin synthesis by an early function(s) of human cytomegalovirus.

Labelling of fibronectin with [3H]leucine and its isolation by immunoprecipitation followed by electrophoresis on gels showed that fibronectin synthesis was specifically suppressed in human embryonic cells infected with human cytomegalovirus. Degradation or release of pre-existing fibronectin into the medium was not affected. The inhibition of fibronectin synthesis was also observed when cells were infected with a DNA-minus temperature-sensitive mutant at the non-permissive temperature but not observed in infection with u.v. -irradiated virus, suggesting the involvement of the expression of an early virus function(s). This capacity of the virus may be implicated in the virus-induced early cell rounding.