Screening of drugs inhibiting Epstein-Barr virus replication

At the present moment, drugs which can inhibit Epstein-Barr virus replication are very rare, and their effects are not satisfactory. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new drugs to obtain a better treatment. Forty-one synthetic chemical compounds including purine analogs and nucleoside analogs were collected. These compounds were serially diluted and added to Akata cells, an EBV-containing cell line derived from Burkitt's lymphoma. The cells were immediately added with anti-human IgG to activate EBV replication within the cells. After one day of incubation, reduction of EBV protein synthesis was determined by indirect immunofluorescence assay and Western blotting. Inhibition of viral DNA replication was assayed by slot blot hybridization. The results showed that nucleoside analogs 2-methyl-5, 6-dichloro-1-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl) benzimidazole and 2-ethyl-5, 6-dichloro-1-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl) benzimidazole appeared to be the best drugs analyzed.