Abstract
Summary
HeLa cells infected with herpes simplex virus produced more organic acids than uninfected control cultures when glucose was the principal substrate. The organic acids which accumulated in growth fluids were separated by celite chromatography and further identified by ascending paper chromatography. Infected cells grown with cortisone formed as much lactic acid as infected cells grown in absence of cortisone, but in addition, the former cells produced large amounts of acetate, pyruvate and another compound tentatively identified as succinate. Glucose utilization was stimulated by virus and cortisone in the HeLa cell system resulting in accumulation of Krebs cycle intermediates. Concomitant with marked acid production definite cytopathogenicity and marked increases in virus titers occurred in the virus-infected cultures. It may be concluded that the herpes virus-cortisone association alters carbohydrate metabolism of HeLa cells in a striking pattern.
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