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Biomedical subjects

V Satchidanandam

Publications and source records attributed to V Satchidanandam.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Phylogenetic analysis of Japanese encephalitis virus: envelope gene based analysis reveals a fifth genotype, geographic clustering, and multiple introductions of the virus into the Indian subcontinent.

We report the analysis of the complete nucleotide sequence for the Indian isolate (P20778; Genbank Accession number AF080251) of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). The phylogenetic tree topology obtained using thirteen complete genome sequences of JEV was reproduced with the envelope, NS1, NS3, and NS5 genes and revealed extensive divergence between the two Indian strains included. A more exhaustive analysis of JEV evolution using 107 envelope sequences available for isolates from different geographic locations worldwide revealed five distinct genotypes of JEV, displaying a minimum nucleotide divergence of 7% with high bootstrap support values. The tree also revealed overall clustering of strains based on geographic location, as well as multiple introductions of JEV into the Indian subcontinent. Nonsynonymous nucleotide divergence rates of the envelope gene estimated that the ancestor common to all JEV genotypes arose within the last three hundred years.

Aedes↗
PubMed2000

Ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethylether)tetraacetate as a blood anticoagulant: preservation of antigen-presenting cell function and antigen-specific proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from stored blood.

We examined the progressive and irreversible loss of antigen-specific lymphoproliferative responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from blood exposed for prolonged periods to EDTA as an anticoagulant. The responses of these lymphocytes to interleukin-2 or to concanavalin A were, however, unaffected. The observed loss was not due to depletion of metal ions by EDTA, since the addition of several divalent cations to whole blood during storage in EDTA or to lymphocytes from EDTA-stored blood during antigen stimulation in vitro did not alleviate the defect. Reconstitution of antigen-specific T-cell lines or Percoll-purified T cells with adherent antigen-presenting cells in antigen stimulation assays revealed that the presenting cells and not the effector T-cells were the targets of EDTA-mediated damage. The anticoagulant heparin helped to circumvent this problem. Surprisingly, EGTA, another metal ion chelator, could successfully replace EDTA, with a marginal loss in antigen-specific responses. Lymphoproliferative responses to antigens of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were both significantly preserved in EGTA. JEV antigen-specific responses of PBMC obtained from the blood of convalescent JEV patients and stored in EGTA for as long as 24 h (n = 20) were comparable to those of fresh PBMC (n = 10), while PBMC from blood stored in EDTA (n = 17) for 16 h or longer failed to respond. We recommend that EGTA be used as the anticoagulant of choice for applications that require the lymphocyte proliferation assay, especially when on-site testing facilities are not available.

Antigen Presentation↗
PubMed1997

Availability of a second upstream AUG can completely overcome inhibition of protein synthesis initiation engendered by mRNA secondary structure encompassing the start codon.

Secondary structure analysis of the mRNA from a nonproductive construct carrying the nonstructural gene 3 (NS3) of Japanese Encephalitis Virus revealed the presence of a potential 28 nucleotide long stem and loop beginning with the guanine of the initiation codon AUG that had a calculated stabilization energy of -13 kcal/mol (delta Gfzero). Provision of an additional AUG along with three codons upstream resulted in complete relief of inhibition. N-terminal amino acid sequence of the recombinant protein was consistent with initiation of protein synthesis having occurred from the upstream AUG. Similar levels of NS3 specific RNA in E. coli cells carrying the expressing and nonexpressing constructs and restoration of recombinant protein expression following deletion of segments beginning with the stem and loop confirmed the role of this structure in blocking expression at the level of translation initiation. Our approach exploits the ability of a ribosome in motion to open up downstream secondary structural elements of considerable stability and represents a novel and widely applicable strategy to overcome a block in translation initiation caused by mRNA secondary structure around the translation start site.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Differential immunogenicity of novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens derived from live and dead bacilli.

Mouse serum raised against killed antigen preparations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis failed to recognize most of the recombinant antigens of M. tuberculosis that were originally identified by reactivity to tuberculosis (TB) patient sera. Similar results were obtained with serum from guinea pigs immunized with live and killed mycobacteria. Antibodies raised against seven random TB patient serum-reactive antigens detected each of these antigens in the sonicate preparation. The nucleotide sequences of the genes for these seven antigens revealed that all represented hitherto unreported genes of M. tuberculosis. Our results suggest differential presentation to the host immune system of the same antigens derived from live and killed mycobacteria.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Analysis of a genomic DNA expression library of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using tuberculosis patient sera: evidence for modulation of host immune response.

DNA obtained from a human sputum isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, NTI-64719, which showed extensive dissemination in the guinea pig model resulting in a high score for virulence was used to construct an expression library in the lambda ZAP vector. The size of DNA inserts in the library ranged from 1 to 3 kb, and recombinants represented 60% of the total plaques obtained. When probed with pooled serum from chronically infected tuberculosis patients, the library yielded 176 recombinants with a range of signal intensities. Among these, 93 recombinants were classified into 12 groups on the basis of DNA hybridization experiments. The polypeptides synthesized by the recombinants were predominantly LacZ fusion proteins. Serum obtained from patients who were clinically diagnosed to be in the early phase of M. tuberculosis infection was used to probe the 176 recombinants obtained. Interestingly, some recombinants that gave very strong signals in the original screen did not react with early-phase serum; conversely, other whose signals were extremely weak in the original screen gave very intense signals with serum from recently infected patients. This indicates the differential nature of either the expression of these antigens or the immune response elicited by them as a function of disease progression.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1995

Expression of the Japanese encephalitis virus NS3 and NS2b proteins as glutathione S-transferase fusions.

Flaviviruses generate their structural and nonstructural proteins by proteolytic processing of a single large polyprotein precursor. These proteolytic events are brought about both by host cell signalase and a virally encoded protease. The virally encoded proteolytic activity has been shown to reside within the nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) and requires the product of the nonstructural 2b (NS2b) gene. In order to obtain sufficient quantities of pure NS2b and NS3 proteins for kinetic analysis, we have expressed both these proteins in recombinant systems as fusions to glutathione S-transferase (GST). The fusion constructs were driven by the strong bacteriophage T7 promoter. Transfection of these constructs into the African green monkey kidney cell line CV-1 previously infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the T7 RNA polymerase resulted in synthesis of the fusion proteins. Both the fusion proteins could be purified to homogeneity in a single step using a glutathione agarose affinity matrix.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Studies using a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium berghei.

A recombinant vaccinia virus was constructed which expressed the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium berghei. Four different strains of mice belonging to different haplotypes were immunized with the recombinant virus. The antibody response to the circumsporozoite protein as well as to vaccinia virus varied among the strains, independently of each other. The anti-circumsporozoite protein titers were comparable to that obtained on immunization with irradiated sporozoites. Spleen cells from H2d mice immunized with P. berghei sporozoites showed a significant proliferative response when cultured in vitro with a low multiplicity of the recombinant vaccinia virus. A weak cytotoxic T lymphocyte response specifically targeting the circumsporozoite protein could be identified in spleens of BALB/c (H2d) mice immunized with vaccinia virus when BALB 3T3 cells transformed with a plasmid expressing the circumsporozoite protein under control of the simian virus 40 promoter were used as target cells in the cytotoxic T lymphocyte assay. However, none of the recombinant virus-immunized animals could be protected from a challenge of sporozoites even at the lowest dose of parasite used.

Animals↗