PENETRATION AND ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF COXSACKIEVIRUS B3 (CVB3)-SPECIFIC PHOSPHOROTHIOATE OLIGODEOXYNUCLEOTIDES (PS-ODN)

The antiviral activity of PS-ODNs, complementary to different regions of the CVB3 genome, was investigated under in vitro conditions. Inhibi tion of CVB3 replication was detected only after prolonged pretreatmen t of HeLa cells with antiviral active PS-ODNs, but not when virus and PS-ODN were applicated simultaneously. Results from flow cytometric an alysis indicate that a low cellular uptake of;anti-CVB3 oligonucleotid es into HeLa cells might be a reason for their moderate antiviral acti vity.