Indomethacin inhibits viral RNA and protein synthesis in cells infected with vesicular stomatitis virus

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Treatment of HEp-2 cells with 10 −3 M indomethacin prior to infection with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) blocked synthesis of viral RNA species and proteins. Host cell macromolecular synthesis was also inhibited by this antagonist of prostaglandin metabolism. The reversibility of this drug-mediated inhibition was a time-dependent process that could be prevented after removal of indomethacin if cells were exposed to low concentrations of cycloheximide which do not normally interfere with VSV replication. That indomethacin exerts its inhibitory effect at an early stage of infection is suggested by the finding that this drug can compromise viral transcription either in vitro or in vivo.