COCAINE INCREASES SENDAI VIRUS-REPLICATION IN CULTURED EPITHELIAL-CELLS - CRITICAL ROLE OF THE INTRACELLULAR REDOX STATUS

Cocaine was found to increase parainfluenza-1 Sendai virus (SV) replic ation in Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Its effect was maxima l when it was added before SV infection, while practically no effect w as observed when cocaine was added at the time of or after infection. Enhanced SV replication was associated with increased viral protein ex pression. Cocaine also greatly reduced the intracellular level of glut athione (GSH), namely the most abundant cell thiol with antioxidant fu nctions, recently proposed as an important factor influencing viral in fection. Support for this view was provided in the present study by th e reversal of cocaine-induced enhancement of SV replication when the i ntracellular content of GSH was restored by addition of exogenous GSH. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.