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Biomedical subjects

M P Busch

Publications and source records attributed to M P Busch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Allogeneic leukocytes but not therapeutic blood elements induce reactivation and dissemination of latent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection: implications for transfusion support of infected patients.

Various immunologic stimuli and heterologous viral regulatory elements have been shown to increase susceptibility to, and replication of, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in lymphocytes and monocytes in vitro. Transfusion of allogeneic blood components from heterologous donors constitutes a profound immunologic stimulus to the recipient, in addition to being a potential route of transmission of lymphotropic viral infections. To investigate the hypothesis that transfusions, and particularly those containing leukocytes, activate HIV-1 replication in infected recipient cells, we cocultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from three anti-HIV-1-positive individuals with allogeneic donor PBMC, as well as partially purified populations of donor lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, platelets, and red blood cells (RBC) and allogeneic cell-free plasma. Allogeneic PBMC induced a dose-related activation of HIV-1 expression in in vivo infected cells, followed by dissemination of HIV-1 to previously uninfected patient cells. Activation of HIV-1 replication was observed with donor lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes, whereas no effect was seen with leukocyte-depleted RBC, platelets, or plasma (ie, therapeutic blood constituents). Allogeneic donor PBMC were also shown to upregulate HIV-1 expression in a "latently" infected cell line, and to increase susceptibility of heterologous donor PBMC to acute HIV-1 infection. Studies should be performed to evaluate whether transfusions of leukocyte-containing blood components accelerate HIV-1 dissemination and disease progression in vivo. If so, HIV-1-infected patients should be transfused as infrequently as possible and leukocyte-depleted (filtered) blood components should be used to avoid this complication.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

False-negative results by polymerase chain reaction due to contamination by glove powder.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique has become an important, widely employed method for the detection and quantitation of the nucleic acid sequences used in the diagnosis and monitoring of genetic and infectious diseases. Much attention has been directed at the problem of false-positive PCR results, which are generally attributed to low-level laboratory contamination of amplified sequences ("carryover"). In contrast, few investigators have commented on the somewhat less frequent, but equally problematic, false-negative PCR results. Investigation of the source of sporadic false-negative PCR reactions found that glove powder, inadvertently introduced into tubes when gloves are changed in an effort to reduce false-positive results, can nonspecifically inhibit each of the major steps in the PCR detection process. Methodologic precautions are recommended to minimize this problem.

Drug Contamination

Comparative evaluation of supplemental hepatitis C virus antibody test systems.

Implementation of routine blood donor screening using anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) has resulted in an urgent need for well-characterized supplemental assays to confirm the presence of HCV antibodies. A comparative study of four commercially available supplemental assays is reported here: first- and second-generation versions of a strip recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-1 and RIBA-2), an HCV neutralization EIA, and HCV neutralization plus synthetic peptide EIA. Three hundred sixty-seven blood donor specimens that were repeatedly reactive on HCV EIA were studied. Most specimens (93%) were also evaluated by radioimmunoassay (RIA) with a six-antigen panel, and 60 selected specimens were tested for HCV RNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RIBA-1 and RIBA-2 gave concordant results with 86 percent of specimens, while an additional 13 percent were correctly classified by RIBA-2 but not RIBA-1. Neutralization EIA alone correctly identified 94 percent of the study group, while the remaining 6 percent required the peptide EIA or the combined neutralization-peptide assay system for correct classification. The RIBA-2 and neutralization-peptide assay system for correct classification. The RIBA-2 and neutralization-peptide assay systems yielded identical results for 86 percent of specimens, and these results were supported by RIA and selected PCR testing. Only 2 specimens (0.5%) were frankly discrepant, while 51 specimens were indeterminate on either (47) or both (4) assays. When either the RIBA-2 or neutralization-peptide assay yielded an indeterminate interpretation, the other system correctly classified the specimen (based on concordance with RIA and PCR data) in a high proportion (92%) of cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Viral

Impact of specimen handling and storage on detection of hepatitis C virus RNA.

Direct detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in serum or plasma is useful for validating the performance of anti-HCV assays and for the discrimination of persons with persistent HCV infections from those with resolved infections. Quantitation of HCV RNA may also be useful for disease prognosis and therapeutic monitoring. Previous studies have reported detection of HCV RNA in 50 to 70 percent of blood donors who were positive on anti-HCV supplemental tests. There is concern that specimen processing and storage conditions might influence the stability, and hence the detectability, of HCV RNA. To address this concern, the rate of detection of HCV RNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using donor pilot tube sera (PTS) previously subjected to routine donor screening and supplemental testing was compared with HCV PCR results obtained with fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) derived from the same donations. All 16 anti-HCV supplemental test-positive donations evaluated were HCV RNA positive with FFP, whereas only 10 (62.5%) were positive with PTS (p = 0.024). None of 11 FFP or PTS samples from HCV enzyme immunoassay-reactive donations not confirmed by supplemental anti-HCV assays tested positive for HCV RNA. Direct comparison of sample type (serum vs. plasma) and various storage conditions using specimens from two seropositive donors showed that room-temperature storage results in marked reduction in HCV RNA signal, while replicate freezing and thawing caused a moderate reduction. These data indicate that well-controlled sample processing and storage conditions are critical to the sensitive and potentially quantitative analysis of HCV RNA.

Blood Preservation

Poor sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of detection of HIV-1 DNA in serum by polymerase chain reaction. The Transfusion Safety Study Group.

A series of recent studies have reported detection by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of cell-free human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA (as opposed to virion RNA) in serum from both seropositive and seronegative persons. To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of PCR detection of cell-free HIV-1 DNA, we distributed coded panels containing 98 serum specimens obtained from well-characterized, infected individuals and control blood donors to the two laboratories with reported experience with this technique. Positive results were reported with HIV-1 gag primers (SK38/39) for 48 of 188 separate PCR determinations on DNA extracts from 44 serum samples from seropositive patients (25.5% sensitivity). HIV-1 gag signal was also reported for 28 of 151 PCR determinations on 34 samples from noninfected blood donors (18.5% false-positive rate). PCR for HIV-1 env DNA performed in one laboratory was negative on all specimens from seropositive and seronegative patients. Results for cell-free HIV-1 gag and human genomic (beta-globin or HLA DQ-alpha) DNA were inconsistent on replicate and serial specimens evaluated within each laboratory and between laboratories. These results indicate that current techniques for detecting cell-free HIV-1 DNA in serum lack adequate sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility for widespread clinical applications.

Base Sequence

Analysis of DNA restriction fragments and polymerase chain reaction products towards detection of the AIDS (HIV-1) virus in blood.

A high-performance capillary electrophoresis system with a polysiloxane-coated capillary and polymeric buffer additives was investigated for the analysis of DNA restriction fragments and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. Mobility data and Ferguson plots of the DNA fragments at different polymer (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) concentrations indicated that effective molecular sieving was obtained consistent with existing data of conventional gel electrophoresis and with recent HPCE data. The precision and peak efficiency were excellent and the system was applied to the analysis of specific co-amplified DNA sequences (HIV-1 and HLA-DQ-alpha). After PCR, ultrafiltration was used in the sample preparation step to desalt the sample and to remove superfluous PCR reaction products. Electrokinetic injection was used for sample introduction into the capillary. The addition of ethidium bromide to the buffer resulted in longer migration times of DNA fragments and better peak resolution. During HPCE, an artifact associated with dilute DNA solutions leading to the appearance of extra peaks in the electropherogram was found.

Blood

Evaluation of screened blood donations for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection by culture and DNA amplification of pooled cells.

BACKGROUND: Reports of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from transfusions of screened blood and reports of silent, antibody-negative HIV-1 infections in persons at high risk continue to foster concern about the safety of the blood supply. Previous estimates of the risk of HIV-1 range from 1 in 38,000 to 1 in 300,000 per unit of blood but are based on either epidemiologic models or the demonstration of seroconversion in recipients. METHODS: We isolated peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from blood that was fully screened and found to be seronegative, combined them into pools of cells from 50 donors, and tested them for HIV-1 by viral culture and the polymerase chain reaction, using protocols specifically adapted for this analysis. RESULTS: The 1530 pools of mononuclear cells were prepared from 76,500 blood donations made in San Francisco between November 1987 and December 1989. Of these pools, 1436 (representing 71,800 donations) were cultured successfully; 873 (43,650 donations) were evaluated by the polymerase chain reaction. Only one pool was confirmed as HIV-1--infected by both methods. After adjustment for sample-based estimates of the sensitivity of the detection systems using culture and the polymerase chain reaction, the probability that a screened donor will be positive for HIV-1 was estimated as 1 in 61,171 (95 percent upper confidence bound, 1 in 10,695). CONCLUSIONS: Silent HIV-1 infections are exceedingly rare among screened blood donors, so the current risk of HIV-1 transmission from blood transfusions, even in high-prevalence metropolitan areas, is extremely low.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Rapid simultaneous detection of multiple retroviral DNA sequences using the polymerase chain reaction and capillary DNA chromatography.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique is a powerful new tool for amplifying target DNA, thus allowing for sensitive detection of specific nucleic acid sequences. One important potential use of PCR involves screening the donated blood supply for transfusion-transmitted viruses. Realization of this goal has been limited by (1) the requirement for multiple, discrete PCR reactions to amplify and detect target sequences of more than one virus, and (2) the lack of a rapid, nonhazardous means for specific detection of one or more PCR-amplified products. We report the simultaneous amplification of three distinct target sequences without discernable loss in sensitivity toward any single target sequence. We also demonstrate very rapid separation and detection of PCR-amplified viral DNA through the use of automated capillary DNA chromatography. Amplified DNA peaks were initially identified by scanning the capillary effluent at ultraviolet wavelengths, while discrimination of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and human T-cell leukemic virus type I PCR-amplified DNA was accomplished through use of virus-specific, fluorescently labeled primers and probes. These results indicate progress toward an automated system for screening the blood supply for nucleic acid sequences of multiple pathogens.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission by blood transfusions before the implementation of HIV-1 antibody screening. The Transfusion Safety Study Group.

Little information is available regarding the risk of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection for patients transfused before routine anti-HIV-1 screening of blood donors was instituted in March 1985. A model was developed for estimating both the proportion and the number of transfusion recipients in the San Francisco Bay area who were infected by HIV-1 during each of the 7 years preceding routine donor screening for anti-HIV-1. The model is based on analysis of 1) donation histories of HIV-1-infected donors identified at the regional blood center; 2) HIV-1 seroprevalence estimates for homosexual and bisexual men in San Francisco; and 3) HIV-1 infection and survival rates for recipients traced by the Transfusion Safety Study and Irwin Memorial Blood Centers' Look Back Program. The incidence of transfusion-associated HIV-1 infection is estimated to have risen rapidly from the first occurrence in 1978 to a peak in late 1982 of approximately 1.1 percent per transfused unit. The decrease after 1982 coincided with the implementation of high-risk donor deferral measures. It is estimated that, overall, approximately 2135 transfusion recipients were infected with HIV-1 in the San Francisco region alone. This number suggests a higher prevalence of transfusion-associated HIV-1 infection than has been generally recognized and indicates the need for continued tracing of potentially exposed recipients. The data also strongly support the effectiveness of early donor education and self-exclusion measures and emphasize the importance of continued research and development in this area.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Reliable confirmation and quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antibody using a recombinant-antigen immunoblot assay.

The recombinant DNA-derived, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigen-based immunoblot assay (RIBA-HIV216) is a new supplemental (confirmatory) test developed to detect antibodies to HIV-1. The assay employs four recombinant viral antigens, corresponding to HIV-1 p24, p31, p41 and gp120 proteins, in an immunoblot format. With this assay, HIV-1 antigen reactivity was detected in all 683 infected patient serum or plasma specimens evaluated; 665 (97.6%) of these sera met the criteria for a positive interpretation, and 18 (2.6%) were classified as indeterminate. All 683 samples reacted with the recombinant gp41-equivalent protein. The first sequential enzyme immunoassay (EIA)-reactive samples collected from 33 seroconverting homosexual men reacted on RIBA-HIV216. Eleven (1.1%) of 999 EIA-negative blood donor sera reacted weakly with a single recombinant antigen (p24 or p31), whereas 13 to 48 percent had indeterminate reactions on viral lysate Western blots. One (1.5%) of 66 EIA-positive, Western blot-negative blood donor samples and 19 (29%) of 66 EIA-positive, Western blot-indeterminate blood donor samples scored indeterminate on RIBA-HIV216. Nonspecific reactivity was seen with only 1 (0.8%) of 114 patient sera containing possible interfering antibodies, whereas 33 percent of these samples had indeterminate reactions on Western blot and 35 percent had equivocal reactions on immunofluorescence assay (IFA). We conclude that the RIBA-HIV216 is approximately as sensitive as and significantly more specific than virus-derived Western blot and IFA. The RIBA-HIV216 also allows for semiquantitation of specific antibodies that may be of value in clinical staging and therapeutic monitoring.

Blotting, Western

Safety of blood donations following a natural disaster.

To evaluate the relative safety of blood donations given in response to a major disaster, donor demographics and infectious disease test results were compared for donations made during the 10 days following the October 17, 1989, San Francisco Bay Area earthquake and those made during the preceding 6 months. These comparisons were made for donations given to the regional blood center in the area that was immediately affected by the disaster (Irwin Memorial Blood Centers) and for those given in an unaffected region (Los Angeles/Orange Counties Region, American Red Cross Blood Services). The rate of donation increased more than 200 percent during the 5 days following the earthquake in both the disaster-affected and unaffected regions. Both the disaster-affected and unaffected regions observed significant increases in the proportions of donations by first-time donors, by persons aged 20 to 39 years, and by women. The rates of confirmed positivity for infectious disease markers for post-earthquake donations did not differ significantly from rates for homologous donations given during the preceding 6 months, particularly when the rates were adjusted for the increased representation of first-time donors. Approximately 39 percent of post-earthquake first-time donors gave blood again within the following 6-month period. It is concluded that donations given after major disasters are essentially as safe as routine donations and that active efforts to recruit these donors again can be undertaken without reservation.

Blood Banks

Quantitative assessment of HIV-1 DNA load by coamplification of HIV-1 gag and HLA-DQ-alpha genes.

We developed an assay for simultaneous amplification, detection and quantitation of HIV-1 gag gene and the DQ-alpha locus of the histocompatibility (HLA) region of the human genome by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Crude cell lysates from control cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV-1-infected and control individuals were coamplified using optimized concentrations of primers directed at both loci, followed by simultaneous hybridization with radioactively labeled HIV-1-gag and HLA-DQ-alpha probes. Simultaneous quantitation of the 242-base-pair HLA and 115-base-pair HIV products was accomplished by both end-point dilution analysis and image analysis of autoradiographs relative to standard curves derived from infected cell lines. We observed good agreement between input cell counts on fresh samples and the HLA-DQ-alpha target copy number values determined by both end-point dilution analysis and comparison of band intensities with standard curves. HIV-1 proviral load in symptomatic patients ranged from 200 to 4000 HIV-PCR-units per 1 x 10(6) PBMC (mean of 1245 copies), whereas asymptomatic patients had levels ranging from two to 1000 HIV-PCR-units per 1 x 10(6) PBMC (mean of 213 copies). This HIV/HLA coamplification approach should be particularly useful for analysis of frozen repository samples from natural history studies, and may facilitate wider application of quantitative PCR analysis.

Base Sequence

Absence of HIV-1 DNA in high-risk seronegative individuals using high-input polymerase chain reaction.

Evidence of frequent HIV-1 infections in antibody-negative, high-risk individuals (so-called 'silent' infections) remains controversial. To evaluate whether these discrepant results may be the consequence of intermittent detection of rare infected cells (low viral load) preceding seroconversion, we developed a modification of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique which enabled analysis of 10-fold greater amounts of cellular DNA per reaction than standard PCR (2 x 10(6) rather than 0.2 x 10(6) input cells). This technique allowed consistent detection of HIV-1 provirus in two seropositive individuals who had repeatedly tested negative by standard-input PCR. However, results were negative when high-input PCR was applied to 51 specimens from 39 selected high-risk seronegative individuals. These results suggest that variations in viral load preceding or in the absence of seroconversion probably do not explain discrepant evidence regarding silent HIV-1 infection.

Cohort Studies

Separation and detection of DNA polynucleotides using capillary electrophoresis. Application to detection of polymerase chain reaction-amplified human immunodeficiency virus and HLA DNA.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a technique for rapid amplification of target DNA sequences. During the past several years, a large number of research applications of PCR have appeared, many of which may prove to be useful clinically. We report the use of capillary electrophoresis, a fully automated technique, as an alternative to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for the detection of PCR-amplified viral and cellular DNA. We describe conditions for rapid separation, detection, and discrimination of PCR products from the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag gene and the HLA-DQ-alpha gene amplified from the human immunodeficiency virus provirus-containing U1.1 cell line. The sensitivity achieved with the use of capillary electrophoresis analysis was roughly equivalent to that of ethidium bromide staining of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels. Further refinement of capillary electrophoresis for automated detection and quantitation of PCR-amplified products should expedite more widespread application of PCR analysis in the clinical laboratory.

DNA

A multicenter proficiency trial of gene amplification (PCR) for the detection of HIV-1.

The sensitivity and specificity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of HIV-1 proviral DNA was determined in five laboratories with extensive experience in PCR testing. Five panels consisting of 105 HIV-1-seronegative specimens from regularly repeating blood donors with no risk factors for HIV infection and 99 HIV-1-seropositive and culture-positive specimens from a cohort of homosexual/bisexual men were sent under code to each laboratory. Amplification procedures and testing algorithms by which specimens were judged positive, negative, or indeterminate varied between laboratories. The average sensitivity for the five laboratories was 99.0%, with two laboratories achieving 100%. The average specificity was 94.7%, varying between 90.5 and 100%. The overall false-positive rate was 1.8%, the false-negative rate was 0.8%, and the indeterminate rate was 1.9%. Of 1,005 determinations made by the five laboratories, 32 (3.2%) were misclassifications. Most of the classification errors occurred in specimens from uninfected individuals and were distributed among the laboratories in such a way as to indicate laboratory error rather than the inherent reactivity of some samples. This emphasizes the need for standardization of PCR testing and caution in interpreting positive PCR reactions in HIV-1-seronegative persons.

DNA, Viral