Inhibition of Expression of Natural UAG Suppressor Glutamine tRNA in HIV-Infected Human H9 Cells In Vitro by Avarol

HTLV-IIIB-infected H9 cells are shown to contain a high level of the natural UAG suppressor glutamine tRNA(UmUG Gln); this tRNA has been demonstrated to be required for the synthesis of Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MuLV)-encoded protease. After cultivation of HTLV-IIIB-infected H9 cells with Avarol at a concentration (1 microgram/ml), previously found to protect the cells against the cytopathic effects of HTLV-III, an almost complete inhibition of the synthesis of the tRNA(UmUG Gln) was observed. Moreover, we obtained some evidence that the processing of the HTLV-III precursor protein p53 to p24 is inhibited by Avarol in infected cells, suggesting that the compound interferes with the expression of the viral protease gene.