Effect of Concanavalin A on the Early Events of Rabies Virus Infection of CER Cells

The effect of concanavalin A on rabies virus infection of CER cells was investigated. Pretreatment of CER cells with concanavalin A inhibited cellular susceptibility to rabies virus infection. The lectin also was found to be inhibitory when applied after the viral binding step. Moreover, the lectin had a direct inhibitory effect on the infectivity of the virion. These lectin-mediated inhibitions could be reversed by α-D-methyl-mannopyranoside. These complex effects are discussed with regard to the mechanism of rabies virus entry into CER cells.