Enhancement of adenovirus infection in WI-38 and AGMK cells by pretreatment of cells with 5-iododeoxyuridine.

Adenovirus replicates inefficiently in WI-38 and AGMK cells. Treatment of these cells with 5-iododeoxyuridine (IdU) prior to infection enhances the yield of adenovirus by 10- to 1000-fold. IdU-pretreated cultures demonstrate an increased percentage of adenovirus T-antigen-positive cells in comparison to untreated controls. IdU treatment has no effect on virus adsorption, and in AGMK cells IdU enhancement is additive to SV40 enhancement of adenovirus yield. Thus, IdU treatment relieves a restriction to virus growth that occurs prior to T-antigen synthesis. IdU pretreatment has no effect on virus growth in HEK, a permissive cell type. Incorporation of IdU into cellular DNA is required for enhancement.