Inhibition of hepatitis B virus specific DNA polymerase by intercalating agents

Med Microbiol Immunol. 1980 Feb;168(1):25-34. doi: 10.1007/BF02121649.

Abstract

Intercalating agents, some of them in clinical use, were tested for their ability to inhibit the hepatitis B virus specific DNA polymerase reaction. Ethidium bromide was shown to be the strongest inhibitor among the compounds tested. Compounds in clinical use inhibited the DNA polymerase test only at high concentrations. The inhibitory activity of all compounds tested was increased when the MgCl2 content in the reaction mixture was lowered. UV absorption studies presented no evidence that this effect was due to complex formation of magnesium and the individual compounds. The therapeutic significance of these findings is not certain and needs further work.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Carrier State / immunology
  • Chloroquine / pharmacology
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / blood
  • Ethidium / pharmacology
  • Hepatitis B / enzymology
  • Hepatitis B / immunology
  • Hepatitis B Antigens / isolation & purification
  • Hepatitis B virus / enzymology*
  • Humans
  • Intercalating Agents / pharmacology*
  • Magnesium / pharmacology
  • Methylene Blue / pharmacology
  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors*
  • Primaquine / pharmacology
  • Quinacrine / pharmacology
  • Quinine / pharmacology

Substances

  • Hepatitis B Antigens
  • Intercalating Agents
  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors
  • Chloroquine
  • Quinine
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
  • Ethidium
  • Quinacrine
  • Magnesium
  • Primaquine
  • Methylene Blue