Roles of apoptosis and autophagy in natural rabies infections

The aim of this study was to investigate the activity apoptosis and autophagy in animals (cows, horses, donkeys, dogs cats) naturally infected with rabies by using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, qPCR. mRNA transcript levels caspase-3, Bax, Bcl2 LC3B were determined Caspase-3 AIF immunopositivity not observed immunohistochemical immunofluorescence staining, whereas intensively compared control groups. detected cytoplasm Purkinje cells cerebellum cows, horses also neurons cornu ammonis cats. While expression caspase-3 Bax downregulated, up-regulated uninfected animals. In addition, found be significantly higher To best our knowledge, work represents first report neuronal death central nervous system autophagy, rather than caspase-dependent or AIF-containing caspase-independent apoptosis.