Herpes simplex virus infection causes the accumulation of a heat‐shock protein

A monoclonal antibody, produced from mice immunized with a herpes simplex virus (HSV)‐infected cell extract, reacts with a molecule which is present in uninfected cells and which accumulates in large amounts during HSV 2 infection. In uninfected cells this molecule is growth regulated, in that exponentially growing cells have intense nuclear immunofluorescence, whereas confluent quiescent cells have little. It has a mol. wt. of 57 000 (p57) in exponential cells, and one of 61 000 (p61) in quiescent cells. In HSV 2‐infected cells, p57 accumulates and nuclear and cytoplasmic immunofluorescence increases. In uninfected cells, p57 also accumulates during heat‐shock treatment, and this is associated with a new immunofluorescence throughout the cytoplasm. We suggest that HSV 2 infection induces a cellular stress response which is involved in the shut‐off of host cell polypeptide synthesis.