Abstract
Genistein and prunetin, inhibitors of protein-tyrosine kinase, inhibited the replication of herpes simplex virus typt 1 (HSV-1) at concentrations of more than 25μM, where as the related compounds, daidzein and genistin, which do not inhibit protein-tyrosine kinase, did not affect the replication of HSV-1. In the presence of genistein, the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in specific viral proteins, including ICP 19 and 25, was markedly reduced, but the effect of genistein on HSV-1 protein synthesis was marginal. These results indicate that the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in viral proteins may be essential for the replication of HSV-1.
