A study of temporal and quantitative characteristics of inhibition of replication of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus, strain TC-83, in Vero and CPE on PK cells showed purified polyclonal rabbit antibodies to human recombinant laminin-binding protein (LBP) to be able to block completely the development of cytopathic effect (CPE) in such cells, when infected with 10(7) CPE60. The extent of VEE infection inhibition in Vero was in direct proportion to a concentration of specific antibodies within a range of 0.44-3 microg/100 microl. When antibodies were added to Vero cells after they were infected, there was a gradual attenuation of the inhibition effect, which stopped almost completely 9 hours after the antibodies were placed. Inhibition was effective at 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C. A lack of synthesis of viral glycoprotein E2 in Vero cells infected in the presence of antibodies to LBP is an extra argument proving that the VEE replication is inhibited at early infection stages. The data obtained demonstrated the general LBP significance for the penetration of VEE into mammalian cells and the related importance of designing new antiviral drugs against alpha-viral infection, which are based on blocking the mechanism of receptor penetration of the virus into the cell.