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Biomedical subjects

R Raghavan

Publications and source records attributed to R Raghavan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Texture analysis of cerebral white matter in SIV-infected macaque monkeys.

Image texture analysis is used in a wide variety of applications in medical research. Neurovirulent simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in monkeys is considered a good model for HIV-1 infection in humans and causes neuropathological changes in white matter which can include diffuse myelin pallor, subtle white matter astrocytosis, perivascular macrophage infiltrates, and microglial nodules with multinucleated giant cells. The ability of image texture analysis to quantify these changes was evaluated. Sections of thionin-stained brain tissue from eight male rhesus macaques ranging in age from 42-59 months were used. Four animals served as controls and four animals were infected with neurovirulent SIVmac239/17E-R71 by bone marrow inoculation. Images of cerebral white matter were captured and analyzed by calculating 13 textural features based on statistical analysis of spatial co-occurrence matrices. Statistical analysis of the results included multiple comparisons using the Newman-Keuls multiple range test. The effect of variation in background illumination used at image acquisition was also evaluated. Ten of the 13 textural features used in this study successfully discriminated between tissue from control and SIV-infected animals and were consistent with independent neuropathological assessment. Three textural features were highly sensitive to variation in background illumination and found not useful in this application.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Characterization of the pathogenic KU-SHIV model of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in macaques.

By animal-to-animal passage in macaques we derived a pathogenic chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) that caused CD4+ T cell loss and AIDS in pigtail macaques and used it to inoculate 20 rhesus and pigtail macaques by the intravaginal and intravenous routes. On the basis of the outcome of infection and patterns of CD4+ T cell loss and viral load, disease was classified into four patterns: acute, subacute, chronic, and nonprogressive infection. During the study period, 15 of the 20 animals developed fatal disease, including AIDS, encephalitis, pneumonia, and severe anemia. Opportunistic pathogens identified in these animals included Pneumocystis, cytomegalovirus, Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, and Candida. No single parameter by itself predicted outcome, although a combination of low CD4+ T cell counts in blood, high plasma virus levels, and presence of autoantibodies to red blood cells reliably predicted a fatal outcome. Five animals (25%) died within 3 months of inoculation and constituted the group with acute disease, whereas the nine animals (45%) with subacute disease died between 3 and 8 months postinoculation. This 70% mortality within 8 months is significantly shorter than in HIV-1-infected human beings, of whom 70% develop fatal disease a decade after infection. SHIV infection in macaques provides a useful model with which to evaluate antiviral strategies, combining all the advantages of the SIVmac system, yet using a virus bearing the envelope gene of HIV-1.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections

A cell-free stock of simian-human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS in pig-tailed macaques has a limited number of amino acid substitutions in both SIVmac and HIV-1 regions of the genome and has offered cytotropism.

We have examined both the sequence changes in the LTR, gag, vif, vpr, vpx, tat, rev, vpu, env, and nef genes and the cell tropism of a cell-free stock of chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a pig-tailed macaque (PNb) that developed AIDS. This virus (SHIVKU-1) is highly pathogenic when inoculated into other macaques. DNA sequence analysis of PCR-amplified products revealed a total of 5 nucleotide changes in the LTR while vif had 2 consensus amino acid changes. The gag, vif, and vpx had no consensus amino acid substitutions, whereas vpr had 1 consensus substitution. The tat and rev genes of the HXB2 region of SHIVKU-1 had 2 and 1 consensus amino acid changes, respectively. The vpu gene of the HXB2 region of SHIV, which originally had an ACG at the beginning of the gene, reverted to an initiation ATG codon and in addition contained a consensus amino acid substitution at position 69 of this protein. As expected, the majority of the nucleotide substitutions were found in the env and nef genes. Thirteen and 5 amino acid changes were predicted for the corresponding Env and Nef proteins, respectively. In addition, one-third of the env gene clones isolated from the SHIVKU-1 stock had a 5-amino-acid deletion in the V4 region. Using three independent assays, we determined that the changes in the SHIVKU-1 were associated with an increase in the efficiency of replication in macrophages. The strikingly few consensus changes in the virus suggest that conversion of this virus to one capable of causing AIDS in pig-tailed macaques was associated with relatively few changes in the viral envelope and/or accessory genes. These results will provide the basis for the development of a pathogenic, molecular clone of SHIV capable of causing AIDS in pig-tailed macaques.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Early treatment with 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine reduces virus burdens for a prolonged period in SIV-infected rhesus macaques.

We evaluated the effects of a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA), on simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Four macaques were given PMEA (20 mg/kg) subcutaneously on days 1 and 2 and inoculated with virus on day 2. Drug treatment was continued for 30 consecutive days, after which the virus burdens and course of infection were monitored for a further 6 months. Four control animals that did not receive PMEA all developed high virus burdens and two of the four developed clinical disease. In contrast, virus burdens remained low in three of the four macaques treated with PMEA and all four remained healthy. Our results show that suppression of virus replication early in infection can result in reduced virus burdens for a much longer period.

Adenine

Multiple brain atlas database and atlas-based neuroimaging system.

For the purpose of developing multiple, complementary, fully labeled electronic brain atlases and an atlas-based neuroimaging system for analysis, quantification, and real-time manipulation of cerebral structures in two and three dimensions, we have digitized, enhanced, segmented, and labeled the following print brain atlases: Co-Planar Stereotaxic Atlas of the Human Brain by Talairach and Tournoux, Atlas for Stereotaxy of the Human Brain by Schaltenbrand and Wahren, Referentially Oriented Cerebral MRI Anatomy by Talairach and Tournoux, and Atlas of the Cerebral Sulci by Ono, Kubik, and Abernathey. Three-dimensional extensions of these atlases have been developed as well. All two- and three-dimensional atlases are mutually preregistered and may be interactively registered with an actual patient's data. An atlas-based neuroimaging system has been developed that provides support for reformatting, registration, visualization, navigation, image processing, and quantification of clinical data. The anatomical index contains about 1,000 structures and over 400 sulcal patterns. Several new applications of the brain atlas database also have been developed, supported by various technologies such as virtual reality, the Internet, and electronic publishing. Fusion of information from multiple atlases assists the user in comprehensively understanding brain structures and identifying and quantifying anatomical regions in clinical data. The multiple brain atlas database and atlas-based neuroimaging system have substantial potential impact in stereotactic neurosurgery and radiotherapy by assisting in visualization and real-time manipulation in three dimensions of anatomical structures, in quantitative neuroradiology by allowing interactive analysis of clinical data, in three-dimensional neuroeducation, and in brain function studies.

Anatomy, Artistic

Neuropathogenesis of chimeric simian/human immunodeficiency virus infection in pig-tailed and rhesus macaques.

We recently reported that a chimeric simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIVKU-1) developed in our laboratory caused progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes and AIDS within 6 months of inoculation into pig-tailed macaques (M. nemestrina). None of the pig-tailed macaques showed productive SHIV infection in the central nervous system (CNS). In this report, we show that by further passage of the pathogenic virus in rhesus macaques [M. mulatta], we have derived a new strain of SHIV (SHIVKU-2) that has caused AIDS and productive CNS infection in 3 of 5 rhesus macaques infected with the virus. Productive replication of SHIV in the CNS was clearly shown by high infectivity titers and p27 protein levels in brain homogenates, and in 2 of the 3 rhesus macaques this was associated with disseminated, nodular, demyelinating lesions, including focal multinucleated giant cell reaction, largely confined to the white matter. These findings were reminiscent of HIV-1 associated neurological disease, and our immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization data indicated that the neuropathological lesions were associated with the presence of SHIV-specific viral antigens and nucleic acid respectively. However, the concomitant reactivation of opportunistic infections in these macaques suggested that such pathogens may have influenced the replication of SHIV in the CNS, or modified the neuropathological sequelae of SHIV infection in the rhesus species, but not in pig-tailed macaques. Our findings in the two species of macaques highlight the complexities of lentiviral neuropathogenesis, the precise mechanisms of which are still elusive.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Animal model of mucosally transmitted human immunodeficiency virus type 1 disease: intravaginal and oral deposition of simian/human immunodeficiency virus in macaques results in systemic infection, elimination of CD4+ T cells, and AIDS.

Chimeric simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) consists of the env, vpu, tat, and rev genes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) on a background of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). We derived a SHIV that caused CD4+ cell loss and AIDS in pig-tailed macaques (S. V. Joag, Z. Li, L. Foresman, E. B. Stephens, L. J. Zhao, I. Adany, D. M. Pinson, H. M. McClure, and O. Narayan, J. Virol. 70:3189-3197, 1996) and used a cell-free stock of this virus (SHIV(KU-1)) to inoculate macaques by the intravaginal route. Macaques developed high virus burdens and severe loss of CD4+ cells within 1 month, even when inoculated with only a single animal infectious dose of the virus by the intravaginal route. The infection was characterized by a burst of virus replication that peaked during the first week following intravenous inoculation and a week later in the intravaginally inoculated animals. Intravaginally inoculated animals died within 6 months, with CD4+ counts of <30/microl in peripheral blood, anemia, weight loss, and opportunistic infections (malaria, toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis, and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia). To evaluate the kinetics of virus spread, we inoculated macaques intravaginally and euthanized them after 2, 4, 7, and 15 days postinoculation. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry revealed cells expressing viral RNA and protein in the vagina, uterus, and pelvic and mesenteric lymph nodes in the macaque euthanized on day 2. By day 4, virus-infected cells had disseminated to the spleen and thymus, and by day 15, global elimination of CD4+ T cells was in full progress. Kinetics of viral replication and CD4+ loss were similar in an animal inoculated with pathogenic SHIV orally. This provides a sexual-transmission model of human AIDS that can be used to study the pathogenesis of mucosal infection and to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines and drugs directed against HIV-1.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Prevalence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis in southern India.

The authors describe a serological survey on the prevalence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) among cattle and buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in three southern states of India. A local isolate of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) from an outbreak of the respiratory form of IBR was used as a source of virus antigen in avidin-biotin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall prevalence of antibodies to BHV-1 in cattle was 50.9%, and in buffalo was 52.5%. Among breeding bulls, 114/120 samples from Tamil Nadu (95%) and 41/99 samples from Karnataka (41.4%) were seropositive. The possible association of IBR with bovine abortions was recorded in 31/56 samples (55.4%) from aborted crossbred cows. However, virus isolation was not performed on these animals. The authors also highlight the economic importance of IBR to the rapidly developing livestock industry in India.

Abortion, Veterinary

In vivo and in vitro studies on the neurotoxic potential of 6-hydroxydopamine analogs.

In an attempt to determine which physical and biological properties could best be correlated with neurotoxic potential, seven analogs of 1-(2,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-2-aminoethane (1), better known as 6-hydroxydopamine, were synthesized and compared to 1 in a variety of ways both in vivo and in vitro. The analogs, in combination with the standard 1, include all eight of the 2,4,5-trisubstituted-phenyl derivatives of phenethylamine and alpha-methylphenethylamine in which the substitution is of the trihydroxy or aminodihydroxy form. Low (60 nmol) and high (300 nmol) intracerebroventricular doses of all analogs produced long-term (7 day) reduction of mouse whole brain norepinephrine (NE) and lesser depletions of dopamine (DA), and effects on serotonin were varied. The analog 1-(5-amino-2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane (8) was both more complete and more selective than the standard 1 in depleting NE. Using a histofluorometric glyoxylic acid method and Fink-Heimer silver degeneration stain, it was determined that overt neural degeneration was produced by 8. In vitro, the ease of oxidation of the eight analogs was found to be represented by a formal potential range of -130 to -212 mV vs SCE. However, there was no obvious relationship between ease of oxidation and the extent of monoamine depletion from mouse brain. Using kinetic analysis of synaptosomal accumulation of [3H]NE and [3H]DA, it was found that the standard 1 is more potent in its interaction with the DA uptake site (Ki = 12 +/- 0 microM) than the NE uptake site (Ki = 51 +/- 1 microM). A correlation analysis was used to determine that differences in NE and DA depletion by each analog could not be explained by differences in potency for in vitro uptake blockade. However, there was a correlation between the Ki for [3H]NE uptake blockade and the EC50 for synaptosomal release of preloaded [3H]NE for the eight analogs (R2 = 0.96; for log:log plot, R2 = 0.54), indicating that the results for these two in vitro tests both reflect interaction with the same NE neuronal membrane transport site. A similar correlation between Ki and EC50 was shown for all eight analogs using [3H]DA (R2 = 0.92; for log:log plot, R2 = 0.52), indicating interaction with the same DA neuronal membrane transport site. These findings demonstrate that there is no single property that can account for selectivity of action and/or potency of catecholamine neurotoxins related to 6-hydroxydopamine.

Animals

Rapid cycling bipolar affective disorder and familial learning disability associated with temporal lobe (occipitotemporal gyrus) cortical dysplasia.

This case report describes a hitherto unreported association between temporal cortical dysplasia and rapid cycling bipolar affective disorder in a learning disabled young man with a family history of rapid cycling bipolar affective disorder in two dysmorphic and learning disabled maternal uncles, and probably learning disability in the mother and grandmother. An identical family with similar findings could not be located in the English literature.

Adult

Apolipoprotein E epsilon 2 allele promotes longevity and protects patients with Down's syndrome from dementia.

Although individuals with Down's syndrome nearly always develop the clinical and pathological features of Alzheimer's disease, some clearly do not become demented despite living into their sixth and seventh decades. Genetic variation at the apolipoprotein E locus has recently been shown to be an important determinant of Alzheimer's disease, with the epsilon 4 allele having been shown to be associated with the disease and, at least in some cases, the epsilon 2 allele being negatively associated with the disease. Here we show, in a series of clinically assessed individuals with Down's syndrome, that the epsilon 2 allele of ApoE is associated with both longevity and the absence of clinical evidence of dementia. These data show that the clinical phenotype of Down's syndrome can be modulated by genes on chromosomes other than chromosome 21. The importance of this observation to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, both in Down's syndrome and in general, is discussed.

Age of Onset

Senile dementia of the Lewy body type has an apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele frequency intermediate between controls and Alzheimer's disease.

We have examined the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) allele distributions in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, senile dementia of the Lewy body type and neurologically normal controls. We have confirmed the strong genetic association between the epsilon 4 allele and Alzheimer's disease, shown that there is no association between the epsilon 4 allele and Parkinson's disease and shown that senile dementia of the Lewy body type has an epsilon 4 allele distribution intermediate between Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. On this basis, we suggest that senile dementia of the Lewy body type represents the co-occurrence of two syndromes.

Aged

Gender differences in the phenotypic expression of Alzheimer's disease in Down's syndrome (trisomy 21).

Twenty-eight individuals with typical Down's syndrome (DS) phenotype (17 males and 11 females; age range: 10-74 years) were investigated for gender differences in the phenotypic expression of Alzheimer-type pathology (ATP). Quantitative neuropathology was performed in the 4 neocortical lobes of the right hemisphere, by counting senile plaques (SP), and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). ATP was present in 25 middle-aged (> 40 years) individuals (16 males and 9 females). Females had significantly higher (p = 0.03) mean neocortical NFT densities (36.6 per mm2; s.e.m. +/- 6.6) than males (17.9 per mm2; s.e.m. +/- 4.7). None of the females had NFT densities below 10 per mm2, compared with 6 males in whom NFT were either absent or seen in very low densities (< 4 per mm2). Assessment of SP densities in the same cortical regions showed non-significant differences in females (42.4 per mm2; s.e.m. +/- 5.1) compared with males (33.6 per mm2; s.e.m. +/- 2.1). There was clinical evidence of dementia in all the female (8/8) individuals who were prospectively assessed, compared with only 54% (7/13) of males. The male individuals without clinical dementia had absent or low neocortical NFT densities regardless of high SP densities. Female DS cases (mean age: 48.8 years; s.e.m. +/- 1.9) had an earlier onset of dementia than males (mean age: 53.6 years; s.e.m. +/- 1.3; p = 0.05). Female middle-aged DS individuals have an earlier onset, and a more severe form of AD which correlates with higher neocortical NFT rather than SP density.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Craniofacial pattern of parents of children having cleft lip and/or cleft palate anomaly.

The craniofacial patterns of 38 sets of parents who had children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate anomalies (experimental group) were compared with the 24 sets of parents of healthy (noncleft) children (control group). Using a computerized program, 248 cephalograms (124 lateral and 124 frontal) were digitized and analyzed. The parents in the experimental group exhibited a distinct craniofacial morphology, including a significant decrease in upper anterior facial height (N-Ans) and total anterior face height (V-Gn). Anterior nasal spine (Ans) and maxillary alveolar process (A) were positioned more anteriorly and superiorly in the experimental group, which contributed to a significant increase in the length of the palate (Ans-Pns) and an anterosuperior rotation of the palatal plane. The cranial base angle in the experimental group was significantly obtuse and the articular angle was smaller than that of the controls. The counterclockwise rotation of the mandible was mitigated by a significant increase in the gonial angle. Parents in the experimental group also tended to have faces which were smaller in both transverse and vertical dimensions.

Adult