Antiviral effect of antileukemic drugs N4‐Behenoyl‐1‐β‐D‐Arabinofuranosylcytosine (BH‐AC) and 2,2′‐Anhydro‐1‐β‐D‐Arabinofuranosylcytosine (Cyclo‐C) Against Human Cytomegalovirus

The antiviral activities of antileukemic drugs 1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Cytarabine; Ara-C), 2,2′-anhydro-1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ancitabine; Cyclo-C), and N4-behenoyl-1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Enocitabine; BH-AC) were evaluated in vitro against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in comparison with those of five other antiviral drugs. Both Ara-C and Cyclo-C showed the strongest inhibitory effect to HCMV. BH-AC inhibited the replication of HCMV and depicted almost as the same dose-response curve as Ganciclovir (DHPG). In the presence of Ara-C, Cyclo-C, or BH-AC, triphosphate forms of the nucleoside analogs were detected in the HCMV-infected cells, and synthesis of HCMV DNA was strongly suppressed. Thus, Ara-C, Cyclo-C, and BH-AC were not only antileukemic, but also antiviral in vitro. However, Ara-C and Cyclo-C may not be suitable as anti-HCMV agents, because they are cytotoxic or excreted rapidly in the urine in vivo [Van Voris, 1984; Hirayama et al., 1974]. Because of lower toxicity and longer retention in vivo, BH-AC may be expected as an anti-HCMV agent in patients with leukemia, in addition to serving as an antileukemic drug.