The effect of
chlordane on the susceptibility of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells and African Green monkey kidney cells to
infection with
influenza type A/PR/8/34 (HON1) virus and
herpes simplex type 1 virus was determined. Exposure of both cell lines to various concentrations of
chlordane for 24 h at 37 degrees C (acute exposure) effected a marked reduction in the efficiency of
influenza type A
virus infection, except at a dose of 0.025 ppm. Acute exposure of the monkey cells did not alter their susceptibility to
herpes simplex virus infection. Viral adsorption studies at 4 and 37 degrees C revealed a marked reduction in the attachment of
influenza type A virus to both cell lines following acute exposure to 10 ppm
chlordane. Viral inactivation studies carried out at 4 and 37 degrees C failed to reveal differences in the level of
influenza type A virus inactivation in the presence or absence of
chlordane. Madin-Darby canine kidney cells exposed to 10 ppm
chlordane for 60 d (chronic exposure) manifested a decrease in the efficiency of
influenza type A
virus infection, whereas cells chronically exposed to 0.025 ppm
chlordane manifested an increase in the efficiency of
influenza type A
virus infection relative to mock-treated control cells. When chronically exposed cells were passaged six times in the absence of
chlordane, these effects were reversed. Viral adsorption studies carried out at 4 and 37 degrees C on cells chronically exposed to 10 ppm
chlordane revealed a decrease in the adsorption of
influenza type A virus. Quantitation of the levels of cell-surface
sialic acid, the essential terminal
sugar on the receptor for
influenza type A virus, indicated that the reduced adsorption of
influenza type A virus to Madin-Darby canine kidney cells was not due to a loss of cell-surface
sialic acid. Our findings indicate that
chlordane alters the susceptibility of cells to
infection with
influenza type A virus but not to
herpes simplex type 1 virus.