[Inhibiting action of adamantane derivatives on chronic influenzal infection in a tissue culture].

Chronic influenza infection was produced by inoculation with influenza A virus, Waybridge strain (Hav1N1), of continuous murine leukemia Rauscher cells transformed by 20-methylcholantrene. The complete duration of the proliferative-destructive cycle of Rauscher/MX culture infected with fowl plague virus was 24 days on the average. The virus was found in the culture fluid virtually in all stages of the cycle, its titre reaching 10(7) EID50/ml at the peak of the destructive stage. By 14-15 days of the cycle in the chronically infected cells active synthesis of all virus-specific polypeptides (P1, P2, P3, HA, NP, M. NS) was observed, their electrophoretic mobility corresponding completely to that of proteins of the original influenza A virus strain. Simultaneously, almost complete inhibition of synthesis of cellular proteins is observed. Treatment of cultures with amantadine (12.5 micrograms/ml for 4 days) and remantadine (6.25 micrograms/ml for 7 days) interrupted the development of the infectious cycle for 2 1/2-3 1/2 months; during this time cellular protein synthesis recovered and no virus-specific polypeptides were formed. Then, the proliferative-destructive cycle reestablished in the infected cultures.