Induction of apoptosis in vitro and in vivo by H-1 parvovirus infection

Apoptosis induced by H-1 parvovirus infection was investigated in C6 rat gl ioblastoma cells and in newborn rats. Apoptotic changes, such as chromatin condensation, the appearance of apoptotic nuclear bodies and oligonucleosom al DNA ladders, were observed in infected C6 cells 2 days after infection. Inhibitor assay results suggest that a caspase-3-dependent apoptosis activa tion pathway is induced by H-1 virus infection in C6 cells. Observations ma de in vivo revealed that the number of apoptotic cells increased in the inf ected cerebellum, coinciding with known virus infection sites.