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Biomedical subjects

R F Garry

Publications and source records attributed to R F Garry.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

A general model for the surface glycoproteins of HIV and other retroviruses.

A hypothetical model of the surface (SU) glycoproteins of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other retroviruses is proposed. The model is based on repetition of a limited number of sequence motifs conserved within the virus family; similarities in biological, immunological, or genetic properties; as well as the tendency for regions of dissimilar sequence to share protein structures predicted by computer algorithms. It is proposed that the protein consists of three structural and functional domains interspersed by relatively conserved interdomain regions. For each retrovirus, these amino-terminal, central, and carboxy-terminal domains may play different roles in binding, postbinding events, and the immune response to viral infection.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Evidence for a retroviral trigger in Graves' disease.

An apparently high frequency of Graves' disease encountered in New Orleans, Louisiana, prompted an investigation for a possible infectious agent that might be triggering the disease in genetically susceptible individuals. We studied 40 patients with Graves' disease, and compared them to the following groups of controls: age and gender matched healthy subjects; patients with multinodular goiter (non-autoimmune thyroid controls); patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (autoimmune thyroid disease controls) and additional organ or tissue specific autoimmune controls exclusive of thyroid autoimmunity, including patients with Type I diabetes and other endocrine autoimmune complex disorders. Serum antibodies against a prototypic strain of a human intracisternal A-type retroviral particle type 1 (HIAP-1) were detected by a sensitive and specific immunoblotting assay. In 87.5% (35/40) of the Graves' disease patients there was a positive reaction against several HIAP-1-associated proteins, predominantly 97 Kd and 80 Kd, with only 5 showing no reactivity to any. In contrast, 2% (2/105) of sera from normal controls showed positive reactivity. Furthermore, only 10% (1/10) of sera from multinodular goiter control patients and 10% (1/10) of Hashimoto's patients showed reactivity (p < 0.0005). Sera from 3 of 20 (15%) of Type I diabetic patients none of whom had Graves' disease, showed reactivity but there was no reactivity in 9 other patients with one or more of the endocrine autoimmune complex disorders, including Addison's disease, vitiligo, myasthenia gravis and pernicious anemia. In addition we studied two individuals with Graves' disease from each of two families residing outside Louisiana, all of whom were positive for these antibodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of DNA fragmentation and color thresholding for objective quantitation of apoptotic cells.

Apoptosis is a process of cell death characterized by distinctive morphological changes and fragmentation of cellular DNA. Using video imaging and color thresholding techniques, we objectively quantitated the number of cultured CD4+ T-lymphoblastoid cells (HUT78 cells, RH9 subclone) displaying morphological signs of apoptosis before and after exposure to gamma-irradiation. The numbers of apoptotic cells measured by objective video imaging techniques were compared to numbers of apoptotic cells measured in the same samples by sensitive apoptotic assays that quantitate DNA fragmentation. DNA fragmentation assays gave consistently higher values compared with the video imaging assays that measured morphological changes associated with apoptosis. These results suggest that substantial DNA fragmentation can precede or occur in the absence of the morphological changes which are associated with apoptosis in gamma-irradiated RH9 cells.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1995

Serum antinuclear antibodies in women with silicone breast implants.

OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence suggests that immunologic abnormalities are not uncommon in individuals with silicone breast implants. The purpose of our study was to evaluate in a consecutive manner, the prevalence of autoimmunity as assessed by the presence of antinuclear antibodies in a larger number of patients with silicone breast implants. METHODS: Antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing using an indirect immunofluorescence technique was performed on 813 individuals with silicone breast implants. All subjects except for 3 transsexual males, were female. The overwhelming majority, over 99%, were white. The average age of the subjects was 46.2, with a range of 17 to 72 years. RESULTS: ANA positivity was found in 244 of 813 individuals (30%) using a mouse kidney substrate; and in 470 of 813 (57.8%) using a HEp-2 cell line. The most common immunofluorescent pattern found using HEp-2 was speckled, present in 341 (72.5%) individuals, followed by homogeneous pattern in 113 (24%), nucleolar in 63 (13.4%), and 5 (1.06%) were anticentromere. Anti-dsDNA antibodies measured by an ELISA assay were found in 6 of 71 patients (8%). Rheumatoid factor and C-reactive protein were found above healthy controls in less than 10% of cases studied. The high prevalence of ANA found in patients with silicone breast implants agrees with similar observations by others. The finding of anticentromere and nucleolar patterns has great interest and relevance. These fairly distinct ANA patterns are most commonly seen in the idiopathic form of scleroderma and related conditions. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that ANA positivity is relatively common in individuals with silicone breast implants, and may support the existence of autoimmune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the clinical manifestations seen in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Membrane alterations linked to early interactions of HIV with the cell surface.

Ultrastructural studies suggest that cell surface alterations occur early during the course of HIV-1 infection of CD4+T-lymphoblastoid cells. Attachment and penetration of HIV resulted in formation of membrane discontinuities and pores and "ballooning." Distention of the endoplasmic reticulum occurred in some cells within the first hour after HIV infection, and this correlated with the numbers of virions bound at the cell surface. These results suggest that HIV virion components may directly damage the cell membrane.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1991

Detection of p24 in HIV-1 infected cells embedded in LR White and Lowicryl K4M.

In this study we present a postembedding on-grid immunogold labelling procedure for the ultrastructural localization of the HIV-1 core protein p24. HIV-1 infected cells were fixed in 0.1% glutaraldehyde, incompletely dehydrated and embedded in LR White or in Lowicryl K4M. Antigenic sites were detected by incubation of ultrathin sections with primary mouse monoclonal antibody anti-HIV-1 p24, followed by the secondary antibody goat anti-mouse IgG coupled to 10nm gold particles. Antigenicity of p24 was found to withstand the applied fixation and was shown to be preserved in LR White as well as in Lowicryl. The described procedure permits the uncomplicated and easy detection of p24 in HIV-1 infected cells and tissues.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed1991

A structural correlation between lentivirus transmembrane proteins and natural cytolytic peptides.

Although oncoviruses and lentiviruses replicate by similar mechanisms, they differ fundamentally in the usual fate of the infected host cell during productive natural infections. Oncoviruses typically establish persistent nonlytic infections in natural host cells, while lentivirus infections characteristically result in a variety of cytopathic effects ultimately leading to death of the target cell. Described here is a unique structural motif consisting of a strongly amphipathic and arginine-rich helical peptide segment in the carboxyl end of lentivirus TM proteins that is structurally similar to the family of cytolytic peptides produced as defensive agents by certain insects and amphibians. Also demonstrated is the lytic nature of synthetic peptides constructed from the transmembrane (TM) protein of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV). Thus, it appears that the cytopathic properties of lentiviruses may be in part attributed to the presence of lytic peptides within the TM protein, designated lentivirus lytic peptide (LLP) and that variations in this segment could account for some of the differences observed in the cytopathicity among variants of a particular lentivirus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Detection of a human intracisternal A-type retroviral particle antigenically related to HIV.

Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by dryness of the mouth and eyes. The loss of salivary and lacrimal gland function is accompanied by lymphocytic infiltration. Because similar symptoms and glandular pathology are observed in certain persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a search was initiated for a possible retroviral etiology in this syndrome. A human intracisternal A-type retroviral particle that is antigenically related to HIV was detected in lymphoblastoid cells exposed to homogenates of salivary tissue from patients with Sjögren's syndrome. Comparison of this retroviral particle to HIV indicates that they are distinguishable by several ultrastructural, physical, and enzymatic criteria.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗
PubMed1990

Detection of serum antibodies to retroviral proteins in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (autoimmune exocrinopathy).

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is considered a benign autoimmune disease; it is characterized by lymphoid infiltration of salivary and lacrimal glands, often accompanied by the presence of serum autoantibodies, particularly anti-Ro (SS-A) and anti-La (SS-B). There are important immunologic similarities between primary SS and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. To investigate for a possible immune response to retroviral proteins in primary SS, we performed immunoblotting against human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) proteins using sera from 47 patients with primary SS. Moderate-to-strong reactivity, suggesting the presence of serum antibodies, was found in 14 patients (30%). Of 120 normal subjects, only 1 showed moderate positivity. All 14 positive SS sera reacted against p24 (gag) but failed to react against gp41 or gp120 (env). This response did not reflect hypergammaglobulinemia since immunoglobulin concentrations among the 29 SS patients studied were the same in sera that contained and sera that did not contain anti-gag reactivity. Two sera also reacted against p17 gag. Four reacted against HIV-2 core proteins, but none reacted with core proteins of human T lymphotropic virus-I. Only 1 of the 14 sera reacted against Ro (SS-A), and 1 other reacted against La (SS-B). These results identify a subset of SS patients characterized by 1) the presence of serum antibodies to HIV-1 group-specific, but not type-specific, proteins, and 2) the relative absence of anti-Ro (SS-A) and anti-La (SS-B) autoantibodies. In this latter respect, these SS patients constitute a subpopulation that resembles patients with HIV-induced SS-like disease.

Adult↗