We studied the effects of the chloride channel blockers, 5-nitro-2-(phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB), dihydro-4,4' diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS), and phloretin on H2O2-induced primary culture cardiomyocyte apoptosis and activity of intracellular chloride channels obtained from rat heart mitochondrial and lysosomal vesicles. The chloride channel blockers (100 micromol/l) inhibited the H2O2-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis. We characterized the effect of the blockers on single channel properties of the chloride channels derived from the mitochondrial and lysosomal vesicles incorporated into a bilayer lipid membrane. The single chloride channel currents were measured in 250:50 mmol/l KCl cis/trans solutions. NPPB, DIDS, and phloretin inhibited the chloride channels by decreasing the channel open probability in a concentration-dependent manner with EC50 values of 42, 7, and 20 micromol/l, respectively. NPPB and phloretin inhibited the channel's conductance and open dwell time, indicating that they could affect the chloride selective filter, pore permeability, and gating mechanism of the chloride channels. DIDS and NPPB inhibited the channels from the other side than bongkrekic acid and carboxyatractyloside. The results may contribute to understand a possible involvement of intracellular chloride channels in apoptosis and cardioprotection.

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Viruses, as obligate intracellular parasites, do not have their own metabolism and thus are completely dependent on the metabolic machinery of the host cell. They require biosynthetic building blocks for generation of viral prog

Summary. -Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) attracts significant attention both as an important experimental model system to study acute and persistent viral infections, and as a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance. This review focuses on the basic aspects and recent advances in the molecular and cell biology of LCMV, the outcome of LCMV infection on its natural host with an emphasis on persistent infection and the outcome of LCMV infection in humans. Lastly, we summarize our contribution to current knowledge on LCM virus.Keywords: lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; LCMV infection; persistent infection; MX strain * Corresponding author. E-mail: jana.tomaskova@savba.sk; phone: +421-2-50932439. Abbreviations: agRNA = antigenome RNA; α-DG = alpha-dystroglycan; DIP = defective interfering particles; ESCRT = endosomal sorting complex required for transport; GP = glycoprotein; GPC = glycoprotein precursor; IGR = intergenic region; IL-10 = interleukin 10; K1 = keratin 1; LAG-3 = lymphocyte-activation protein 3; LCMV = lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; MHC = major histocompatibility complex; NP = nucleoprotein; PD-1 = programmed death-1; RNP = ribonucleoprotein; SSP = stable signal peptide; TIM-3 = T cell Ig-and mucin-domain-containing molecule 3; VHF = viral hemorrhagic fever