Differences in the Likelihood of Acyclovir Resistance-Associated Mutations in the Thymidine Kinase Genes of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and Varicella-Zoster Virus

• Published in: Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy Vol. 63; no. 5
• Main Authors: Fujii, Hikaru, Harada, Shizuko, Yoshikawa, Tomoki, Yamada, Souichi, Omura, Natsumi, Shibamura, Miho, Inagaki, Takuya, Kato, Hirofumi, Fukushi, Shuetsu, Saijo, Masayuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Microbiology 01.05.2019
• Subjects: Acyclovir; Acyclovir - pharmacology; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Cell Line; Chlorocebus aethiops; Drug Resistance, Viral - genetics; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Herpesvirus 1, Human - drug effects; Herpesvirus 1, Human - genetics; Herpesvirus 3, Human - drug effects; Herpesvirus 3, Human - genetics; Humans; Mutation - genetics; Thymidine Kinase - genetics; Vero Cells; herpes simplex virus 1; varicella-zoster virus; acyclovir; DNA polymerase; thymidine kinase; acyclovir resistant
• ISSN: 0066-4804; 1098-6596; 1098-6596
• DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00017-19

Acyclovir (ACV) resistance-associated mutations in two recombinant herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) clones were compared. Recombinant HSV-1 lacking its thymidine kinase (TK) and expressing varicella-zoster virus (VZV) TK ectopically had no mutations in the VZV TK gene. Acyclovir (ACV) resistance-associated mutations in two recombinant herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) clones were compared. Recombinant HSV-1 lacking its thymidine kinase (TK) and expressing varicella-zoster virus (VZV) TK ectopically had no mutations in the VZV TK gene. In contrast, recombinant HSV-1 expressing HSV-1 TK ectopically harbored mutations in the HSV-1 TK gene. These results suggest that the relatively low frequency of ACV-resistant VZV is a consequence of the characteristics of the TK gene.