MARBURG VIRUS PENETRATION INTO EUKARYOTIC CELLS

The early stages of infection of Vero-E6 cell culture with Marburg vir us, a member of filovirus family, highly pathogenic for man, were stud ied. Virus multiplication was completely or significantly inhibited by lysosomotropic agents (LTA) of two types: weak base (ammonium chlorid e) and ionophore monensin. The level of the inhibiting effect was prop ortional to LTA concentration and was maximal when the drug was introd uced into the culture medium before virus inoculation. Complete inhibi tion of Marburg virus replication in Vero-E6 cells in the presence of 20 (30) mM ammonium chloride (''lysosomotropic blocking'') was overcom e by a short-time treatment of the cell culture with the virus adsorbe d on it using a medium with a weak-acid pH (4.0-5.0). The results are discussed from the point of view of the mode of this virus penetration into eukaryotic cells.