Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol enhances release of herpes simplex virus type 2

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of micromolar concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9-THC) on herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) replication in vitro. Virus-infected Vero cells pretreated for 24 h with 10(-5) M- or 10(-6) M-Delta-9-THC yielded 100-fold increases in infectious extracellular virus. Transmission electron microscopy of drug-treated cells revealed plasma membrane dissolution, distension of the smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the appearance of macrovacuoles in the cytoplasm containing aggregates of virus. These results suggest that Delta-9-THC enhances the release of HSV-2 by perturbing cellular membranes in virus-infected cells.