Influenza virus H1N1 induced apoptosis of mouse astrocytes and the effect on protein expression

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of influenza A virus H1N1 infection on the proliferation and apoptosis of mouse astrocytes cells and its protein expression.@*METHODS@#After mouse astrocytes was infected with purified influenza A virus H1N1 in vitro, viral integration and replication status of the cells were detected by RT-PCR assay, cell proliferation and apoptosis was determined by MTT method and flow cytometry, respectively. Associated protein expression was detected by Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#Agarose gel electrophoresis showed H1N1 virus can infect astrocytes and can be copied. MTT staining showed H1N1 virus infection can inhibit the proliferation of mouse astrocytes, which makes cell viability decreased significantly. Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of Annein V staining positive vascular endothelial cells in the influenza A virus group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Western blot analysis showed after 24 h and 32 h of infection, there were cells caspase-3 protein and the expression of its active form (lysed caspase-3 protein) increased. The proportion of Bax/Bcl-2 also increased.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Influenza A virus can infect human vascular endothelial cells and proliferation and it can induce apoptosis of endothelial cells.