Effect of Ribavirin on Hela Cells Expressing E. coli Xanthine-Guanine Phosphoribosyl Transferase

HeLa cells expressing the E. coli gene Ecogpt and cultured with xanthine were extremely resistant to antiproliferation by mycophenolic acid, but were only partially resistant to the effects of ribavirin. Nucleotide analyses of these transfected cells, and the parental HeLa cells, demonstrated an association between the GTP/ribavirin triphosphate ratio and virus yield reductions.