A. Ladogana et al., MODIFICATION OF TRITIATED GAMMA-AMINO-N-BUTYRIC ACID TRANSPORT IN RABIES VIRUS-INFECTED PRIMARY CORTICAL CULTURES, Journal of General Virology, 75, 1994, pp. 623-627
The role of brain neurotransmitter transport processes in rabies virus
infection of neurons was examined. The uptake and release of gamma-am
ino-n-butyric acid (GABA) in rabies virus-infected embryonic rat corti
cal neurons was assayed using tritiated ligands. A 45% reduction of [H
-3]GABA uptake was observed 3 days post-infection, when a maximum leve
l of infectious particle release occurs. At this time, kinetic analysi
s revealed significant changes in V-max, whereas no changes were found
in K-m values in comparison with the control values. K+ and veratridi
ne-induced [H-3]GABA release was increased in infected cultures (98% a
nd 35%, respectively) as compared with control values. The results obt
ained from rabies virus-infected cultures provide some preliminary evi
dence of the involvement of GABA in the pathogenesis of rabies.