Induction of autophagy has been shown to be beneficial for the replication of poliovirus, a phenomenon that might also apply for other picornaviruses. We demonstrate that de novo synthesis of human rhinovirus type 2 (HRV2), an HRV of the minor receptor group, is unaffected by tamoxifen, rapamycin, and 3-methyladenine (3-MA), drugs either stimulating (tamoxifen and rapamycin) or inhibiting (3-MA) autophagic processes. Furthermore, LC3-positive vesicles (i.e., autophagosomes) are not induced upon infection. Therefore, multiplication of this particular picornavirus is not dependent on autophagy.Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are responsible for roughly 50% of respiratory tract infections. As picornaviruses, they are nonenveloped, with a positive-sense RNA genome (12). Of the 99 HRV serotypes, 12 (the minor group) use members of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family and 87 (the major group) use intercellular adhesion molecule 1 for cell entry (13). The prototype minor-group virus HRV2 is internalized and routed to late endosomes, where RNA uncoating occurs (2, 9). Subsequently, viral protein synthesis is initiated and followed by RNA replication. Finally, infective viruses are assembled and released from the host cell. Replication has been most extensively studied for the closely related poliovirus, and Schlegel and coworkers found double-membraned vesicles in infected cells. These compartments could be immunoisolated with an antibody against viral protein 2C and contained markers of the secretory pathway and lysosomal membrane protein 1 (LAMP-1), indicative of an autophagic origin (11). Furthermore, induction of autophagy by tamoxifen and rapamycin increased poliovirus yield (6). Based on immunofluorescence colocalization of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-microtubule-associated protein light chain kinase 3 (LC3) (an autophagosome marker) and LAMP-1 as well as staining with monodansylcadaverine (MDC), autophagosomes were also observed after infection with HRV2 and the major-group virus HRV14. Focusing on HRV2, we therefore investigated whether replication of this rhinovirus is also affected by modulators of autophagy.Autophagosomes are induced by treatment with tamoxifen in cells expressing the estrogen receptor. In accordance with Bursch et al. (3), 1 M tamoxifen was sufficient to induce autophagy in all HeLa-H1 cells after 48 h. MDC and LAMP-2