Persistent paramyxovirus infections and behaviour of beta-adrenergic receptors in C-6 rat glioma cells.

This paper describes the influence of persistent infections of C-6 rat glioma cells by paramyxoviruses [virus of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and canine distemper (CDV)] on the cellular beta-adrenergic membrane receptors. The number and binding properties of the beta-adrenergic receptors of the paramyxovirus-infected cells were measured by 3H-dihydroalprenolol binding studies and compared with those of the uninfected C-6 cells. In the case of SSPE virus neither changes in number nor binding properties of beta-adrenergic receptors could be observed, whereas in the case of CDV persistence the number of beta-adrenergic receptors was reduced to about 50%, without an apparent influence on the binding constant for the ligand to the receptors.