Inhibition of rabies virus infection in cultured rat cortical neurons by an N-methyl-D-aspartate noncompetitive antagonist, MK-801

Abstract

A noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, MK-801 (0.5 to 2.0 mM), inhibits rabies virus infection in rat primary cortical neurons, whereas the competitive NMDA antagonist AP5 has no effect. The results suggest that MK-801-mediated inhibition of rabies virus replication, although selective, is not operating through the high-affinity binding site mechanism.