Effect of heat on viral protein production and budding in cultured mammalian cells.

The life cycle of enveloped viruses is intimately associated with, and influenced by, host cell membrane organization, which is altered by hyperthermia. Hyperthermia-modified Moloney murine leukaemia virus (M-MuLV) release, protein production and intracellular protein processing in a chronically infected cultured murine cell line, C9CL98 (C9). Both 44 degrees C/45 min and 42.8 degrees C/135 min substantially decreased cell-free viral env protein 8-48 h postheating, but virus release and cellular viral protein content increased following 42.8 degrees C/25 min. Proteolytic processing of viral Pr65 gag precursor to p30 gag protein, normally observed within unheated C9 cells, was blocked for at least 8 h after 44 degrees C/45 min. Virus released from heated C9 cells was as infectious to NIH/3T3 cells as was virus from control cells. Cells surviving exposure to 42.8 degrees C/135 min became thermotolerant to decreased virus release from a second heating if delivered 10-48 h after the initial heating. The mechanism by which virus release is blocked after hyperthermia remains to be elucidated.