Reactivation of Nedd-2, a developmentally down-regulated apoptotic gene, in apoptosis induced by a street strain of rabies virus.
A laboratory strain of rabies virus has been reported to induce apoptosis in experimental animals. The present study demonstrated that a bat strain and a primary canine rabies virus isolate also induced apoptosis in vivo. This death process involved reactivation of the caspase gene, Nedd-2, a developmentally down-regulated apoptotic gene. Expression of Nedd-2 was significantly up-regulated in infected adult and suckling mice. Reactivation of Nedd-2 in infected adult mice started at around day 3 and was prominent on day 5. The level of expression was constantly high up to the time that mice showed signs of illness. Expression of Nedd-2 correlated with the appearance of apoptotic nuclei within the infected brain, suggesting that reactivation of a developmentally down-regulated gene, Nedd-2, may be required for apoptotic elimination of cells damaged by infection.
Ubol
Sukathida
S
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, Thailand.
Kasisith
Jitra
J
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, Thailand.
D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D053143:Caspase 2; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics*; D002685:Chiroptera; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004285:Dogs; D015536:Down-Regulation; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D051379:Mice; D011818:Rabies / Q000473:pathology*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
D053143:Caspase 2; D020169:Caspases