Correlation between Polyion Effect on Cell Susceptibility to in vitro Infection with Murine C-Type Viruses and Polyion Effect on Some Membrane-Related Functions

Abstract

Polyions were tested for effects on some membrane-related functions. Both polycations investigated reduced the negative surface charge of assay cells and enhanced in vitro infectivity of murine C-type viruses, but had no influence on leukemia-virus-induced XC cell syncytia formation. Three polyanions increased the net outer cell charge, while only one of four inhibited infectivity and two of three impeded syncytia formation. Polyions had a slight, probably toxic, effect on the transmembrane potential, independent of their charge. Cells treated with fluorescent DEAE-dextran showed diffuse staining, which 4 h later had been modified into a granular fluorescence with unstained areas now present. This change correlated with a loss of enhancement of viral infectivity. The only polyanion which inhibited viral infectivity had a strong antihyaluronidase activity, and hyaluronidase and Ca++ both increased viral infectivity. It is suggested, therefore, that polyions may in part work on virus-cell membrane interactions by influencing membrane enzymes and not necessarily by simply changing the net outer cell surface charge.

Effect of polybrene on the infectivity of infectious haemopoietic necrosis virus in tissue culture

“…Although the mechanism of action of polybrene in enhancing IHNV infection was not investigated in this report, studies with other viruses are probably applicable in explaining the enhancement of IHNV. Polycations do reduce the negative surface charge of cells (Hesse, Ebbesin & Kristensen 1978). This reduction is usually cited as the reason for increased attachment of virus to the cell (Rossi 1971;Rossi & Watrach 1970) and enhanced viral infeetivity.…”

“…The reversion of a polyeation effeet by subsequent applieation of a polyanion supports this hypothesis (Toyoshima & Vogt 1969;Pagano, McCutchan & Vaheri 1967). More recent studies indicate that the polycation effect may result from a modification of membrane enzymes (Hesse et al 1978) and increased pinoeytosis.…”

Enhancement of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV‐1) Infection via Increased Membrane Fluidity by a Cationic Polymer

“…Incidentally, since cationic polymers such as polybrene have been reported to promote viral infection, especially by retroviruses (7,22), we assessed the promoting effect of cationic polymer PEI on HIV-1 infection. The number of HIV-1 antigen-positive cells, the amount of p24 antigen in the culture supernatant (Fig.…”

Effect of ionenes on ion permeability of erythrocyte membranes

“…Numerous polycations, both natural and synthetic, possess high biological activity [2,10,12,14]. However, the mechanisms underlying this property remain poorly understood.…”

“…In this context, studies on the correlation between the structure and activity of polymers are of great interest and will probably help optimize the search for new medical preparations. Ionenes are a group of polycations with high biological activity [4,[10][11][12]. They represent linear polymers positively charged due to quaternary nitrogen atoms in the macrochain backbone [8].…”