[The effect of phenolic polymers on retroviruses]

Phenolic polymers synthesized by enzymatic oxidation of coffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and gentisinic acid were found to strongly inhibit RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (revertase) of retroviruses. Except of two type C retroviruses inhibition became reversible by the addition of bovine serum albumin to the exogenous revertase test. The phenolic polymers tested did not influence the propagation of retroviruses in the cell culture. The replication of Rauscher leukemia virus in mice was diminished by a short-time preincubation of virus suspension with coffeic acid polymer (KOP). In contrast, the preincubation of a virus-containing serum with KOP increased the leukemogenic effect of the virus. KOP given to mice at a high dose subsequently to virus inoculation resulted in high revertase activities and in an elevation of spleen weights too.