Thymidine Kinase Activity in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Rabbits with Herpesvirus hominis Encephalitis

Abstract

Extractdivloid fibroblast (W1-38 cells) and the virus was identified as HVH type 1 (HVH-1) by D;. AndrB J. Nahmias of Emory The rabbit model of Herpesvirus horninis (HVH) encepha-University. litis was utilized to determine whether thymidine (TdR) kinase (EC. 2.7.1.2.1), an early enzyme in the HVH replicative cycle, CELL CULTUREis present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rabbits with HVH encephalitis. The mean TdR kinase activity in CSF from W1-38 human diploid fibroblasts were maintained in Eagles infected rabbits was 2.30 f 1.69 pmol product/l20 min/100 pl minimum essential medium (Eagle's MEM) which contained CSF, while the mean TdR kinase activity of uninfected CSF 2% fetal calf serum, NaHC03 30 mEq/liter, penicillin 250 was 0.34 + 0.25. The enzyme appeared to be cell associated units/ml, streptomycin 200 pg/ml, polymyxin 12.5 units/ml, since the TdR kinase activity in the sedimented cell suspension and chlortetracycline 25 pg/ml.