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At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources

Effects of limiting homology at the site of intermolecular recombinogenic template switching during Moloney murine leukemia virus replication.

A Moloney murine leukemia virus-based single-replication-cycle assay was developed to study the effects of limiting the extent of template and primer strand complementarity on recombinogenic template switching. This system mimicked forced copy choice recombination in which nascent DNA transfers from the end of a donor template to an acceptor position on the other copackaged RNA. When acceptor target regions with different extents of complementarity to the transferring DNA were tested, efficient recombination occurred with as few as 14 complementary nucleotides. The frequencies of correct targeting, transfer-associated errors, mismatch extension, and transfer before reaching the end of the donor template were determined. All four molecular events occurred, with their proportions varying depending on the nature of acceptor/transferring DNA complementarity. When complementarity was severely limited, recombination was inefficient and most products resulted from aberrant second-strand transfer rather than from forced template switching between RNAs. Other classes of reverse transcription products, including some that resulted from template switching between virus and host sequences, were also observed when homology between the acceptor and donor was limited.

3T3 Cells↗

NS3.4A protease as a target for interfering with hepatitis C virus replication.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic represents a significant unmet medical need. Current treatment is arduous and less than 50% effective. Indeed, interferon-alpha treatment is so unpleasant that asymptomatic patients will often stop treatment. Heartened by the success of HIV protease inhibitors, researchers have considered inhibition of the HCV NS3 serine protease an attractive mode of intervention. This account discusses the structure and function of NS3 4A and the prospects of its success as a therapeutic target. The review includes a detailed discussion of the role of the NS4A co-factor, requirements for inhibition and some recent examples of peptidomimetic and small-molecule inhibitors.

Journal Article↗

Hepatitis delta virus replication in vitro is not affected by interferon-alpha or -gamma despite intact cellular responses to interferon and dsRNA.

The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) genome consists of circular ssRNA which has extensive intramolecular complementarity and can form a dsRNA rod-like structure. If such RNA species were to exist in an unmasked form in cells, they would be expected to induce interferon (IFN) expression and activate two IFN-inducible dsRNA-dependent enzymes with anti-viral activity, namely the dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and 2',5' oligoadenylate (2',5' A) synthetase. Since the virus replicates to high copy number for prolonged periods in infected cells it is apparently able to evade these antiviral mechanisms. The RNA genome may be masked and fail to induce or activate the antiviral response, or the virus may inhibit such a response. Treatment of a hepatoma cell line, Huh7, and a fibrosarcoma cell line, HT1080, stably transfected with a trimeric HDV cDNA construct, with IFN-alpha or IFN-gamma for up to seven days failed to influence the level of expression of genomic or antigenomic HDV RNA, or delta antigen (Ag). This is consistent with either failure of activation or inhibition of the IFN response. However the induction of several IFN-responsive genes, including PKR, 2',5' A synthetase and class I MHC is normal and cotransfection of a construct expressing delta Ag did not affect expression from an IFN-inducible chloramphenicol acetyltransferase construct. In addition, the activation of PKR is not inhibited in HDV-expressing cells and antiviral assays suggest that the ability of these cells to mount an antiviral response to at least two cytopathic viruses is unaffected. IFN-beta is inducible normally by dsRNA in cells transfected with the delta cDNA trimer. We conclude that HDV replication is not inhibited by IFN-alpha or IFN-gamma, even though the responses of cells expressing HDV RNA and antigen to IFN and dsRNA are intact.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase↗

Azathioprine inhibits vaccinia virus replication in both BSC-40 and RAG cell lines acting on different stages of virus cycle.

In the present study we demonstrate that azathioprine (AZA) inhibits vaccinia virus (VV) replication in both BSC-40 and RAG cell lines, acting on different stages of virus cycle. In BSC-40 cells, early protein synthesis was not significantly affected, but late gene expression was severely impaired. In RAG cells all stages of gene expression were completed during synchronous infection in the presence of the drug. The onset of DNA replication was not affected in RAG cells, but a severe inhibition was observed in BSC-40 cells. Electron microscopic analysis of VV-infected RAG cells treated with AZA revealed brick-shaped particles presenting abnormal definition of the internal structure. Purified virions from AZA-treated RAG cells presented several modifications of the protein content, a lesser amount of DNA, and a lower PFU:particle ratio. Our results suggest that in VV-infected RAG cells AZA interfered with virus morphogenesis, whereas in BSC-40 cells the replicative cycle was inhibited at the DNA replication stage.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Inhibition of Sendai virus replication by delta 12-prostaglandin J2: induction of heat shock protein synthesis and alteration of protein glycosylation.

delta 12-Prostaglandin J2 (delta 12-PGJ2), a natural dehydration product of prostaglandin D2 present in human body fluids, was shown to suppress Sendai virus replication in monkey kidney cells, at doses non-toxic to uninfected cells. Dramatic inhibition of virus production could be obtained at doses of delta 12-PGJ2 which did not inhibit cellular or viral protein synthesis, suggesting an effect on virus assembly and/or maturation. At the active concentration, delta 12-PGJ2 caused a decrease in glucosamine incorporation into the virus glycoproteins HN and F, and in at least one host cell polypeptide, while it did not affect most cellular glycoproteins and it induced the glycosylation of a 47-kDa cellular polypeptide. These effects were accompanied by the induction of heat shock protein synthesis, which was found to differ in its specificity and kinetics from induction by prostaglandin A1.

Animals↗

Quantitative analysis of the hepatitis C virus replication complex.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) encodes a large polyprotein; therefore, all viral proteins are produced in equimolar amounts regardless of their function. The aim of our study was to determine the ratio of nonstructural proteins to RNA that is required for HCV RNA replication. We analyzed Huh-7 cells harboring full-length HCV genomes or subgenomic replicons and found in all cases a >1,000-fold excess of HCV proteins over positive- and negative-strand RNA. To examine whether all nonstructural protein copies are involved in RNA synthesis, we isolated active HCV replication complexes from replicon cells and examined them for their content of viral RNA and proteins before and after treatment with protease and/or nuclease. In vitro replicase activity, as well as almost the entire negative- and positive-strand RNA, was resistant to nuclease treatment, whereas <5% of the nonstructural proteins were protected from protease digest but accounted for the full in vitro replicase activity. In consequence, only a minor fraction of the HCV nonstructural proteins was actively involved in RNA synthesis at a given time point but, due to the high amounts present in replicon cells, still representing a huge excess compared to the viral RNA. Based on the comparison of nuclease-resistant viral RNA to protease-resistant viral proteins, we estimate that an active HCV replicase complex consists of one negative-strand RNA, two to ten positive-strand RNAs, and several hundred nonstructural protein copies, which might be required as structural components of the vesicular compartments that are the site of HCV replication.

Blotting, Northern↗

Cutting edge: Inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication by activated NK T cells does not require inflammatory cell recruitment to the liver.

We have previously reported that intrahepatic NK T cells activated by alpha-galactosylceramide inhibit hepatitis B virus replication noncytopathically in the liver of transgenic mice. This effect is mediated by antiviral cytokines directly produced by activated NK T cells and/or by other cytokine-producing inflammatory cells that are recruited into the liver. In this study, we demonstrated that IFN-gamma produced by activated NK T cells induced parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells of the liver to produce high levels of CXC chemokine ligands 9 and 10, which mediated the intrahepatic recruitment of lymphomononuclear inflammatory cells. Recruitment of these cells was not necessary for the antiviral activity, indicating that direct activation of the intrahepatic resident NK T cell is sufficient to control viral replication in this model.

Animals↗

Expression of human complement regulatory protein CD46 restricts measles virus replication in mouse macrophages.

Measles virus (MV) can infect mouse macrophages to cause a prolonged non-cytopathic infection that produces low levels of infectious virus for days. We have generated RAW264.7 mouse macrophages expressing human CD46, a cell surface complement regulatory protein that serves as a receptor for laboratory-adapted strains of MV. Laboratory-adapted MV strains efficiently enter the CD46-positive mouse macrophages to cause a cytopathic infection with extensive multinucleated cells and pseudopodia-like extensions. However, MV infection of mouse macrophages through CD46 is self-limiting. Both viral protein synthesis and infectious virus production are abruptly terminated after the second day of infection. This novel virus-cell interaction is seen only in mouse macrophages but not in mouse or hamster fibroblasts expressing human CD46. The possible role of CD46 in macrophage antiviral response restricting MV replication is discussed.

Animals↗

Isolated anti-HBV core phenotype in anti-HCV-positive patients is associated with hepatitis C virus replication.

Recovery from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with the presence of antibodies against HBV surface (HBs) antigen and HBV core (HBc) antigen. However, anti-HBs antibodies are lost in many cases, and only anti-HBc antibodies persist. A higher frequency of the anti-HBc-alone pattern has been demonstrated for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients. In this report, 1126 anti-HCV-positive/anti-HBc-positive patients were studied, and the role of HCV replication in influencing the presence or absence of anti-HBs antibodies was investigated. The anti-HBc-alone phenotype was significantly more frequent in HCV-viraemic than in HCV-recovered patients. This finding represents new information regarding the immunopathogenesis of chronic HCV infection and supports previous data indicating impaired humoral immune responses in HCV infection.

Hepacivirus↗

HIV-1 Vpr transactivates LTR-directed expression through sequences present within -278 to -176 and increases virus replication in vitro.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpr, a 14-kDa virion-associated protein, plays an important role in the viral life cycle. Using a panel of truncated HIV-1 LTR-CAT constructs and Vpr expression plasmid, we have identified sequences from nucleotide -278 to -176 in LTR as Vpr-mediated transactivation domain. This region includes the glucocorticoid response element (GRE) in HIV-1 LTR. Transactivation by Vpr was noted with the HIV-1 LTR reporter constructs containing CAT or luciferase. A similar effect was also observed with a construct in which the GRE motif was linked to CAT. Studies involving Vpr mutants identified that helical domains I and III, and amino acid residues at G75 and C76, are responsible for GRE-mediated LTR transactivation. The transactivation function of Vpr is independent of its cell cycle arrest activity. Further, viral replication studies indicated that Vpr-mediated increase in viral replication is directly correlated with the ability of Vpr to transactivate HIV-1 LTR. The results presented here demonstrate that Vpr activates HIV-1 LTR through the host GR pathway and suggest that an intact GRE in the LTR is critical for Vpr activity.

Gene Products, vpr↗

Inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus replication by antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides.

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides targeted against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) genomic RNA inhibited RSV replication in cell culture by an apparent antisense mechanism. HEp-2 cells were infected with RSV strain A2 and incubated in the presence of oligonucleotides. Virus replication was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), virus yield assay, or production of specific RSV mRNAs. Using ELISA, 50% effective concentration (EC50) values were about 0.5-1 microM for an antisense oligonucleotide targeted to the start of the NS2 gene. All oligonucleotides inhibited virus antigen production as measured by ELISA. In all assays, this antisense oligonucleotide was more potent than: (1) a control oligonucleotide containing the reverse sequence; (2) oligonucleotides targeted at RSV mRNA; (3) a random sequence oligonucleotide; and (4) ribavirin. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PT-PCR) showed sequence specific depletion of the genomic RNA target following treatment of cells with the antisense oligonucleotide. Specific cleavage of the genomic target RNA has been detected at the antisense oligonucleotide binding site, suggesting that cellular Rnase H participates in the reaction. These results indicate that antisense oligonucleotides targeted against RSV genomic RNA can effectively inhibit RSV replication and may have therapeutic value.

Antigens, Viral↗

BHRF1 of Epstein-Barr virus, which is homologous to human proto-oncogene bcl2, is not essential for transformation of B cells or for virus replication in vitro.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome contains an open reading frame, BHRF1, that encodes a presumptive membrane protein with sequence similarity to the proto-oncogene bcl2, which is linked to human B-cell follicular lymphoma. Potential roles for BHRF1 in EBV's ability to growth transform human B cells and to replicate in B cells in culture were investigated by generating EBV mutants that lack most of the open reading frame. This was accomplished by recombination of plasmids carrying mutations in BHRF1 with the transformation-defective EBV strain P3HR1. Because BHRF1 resides close to the deletion in P3HR1 that renders this strain transformation defective, B-cell transformation could be used to select for recombination events in the region. B-cell clones were established by recombinants which lacked most of the BHRF1 open reading frame, although most of these initial B-cell transformants also carried nonrecombinant (BHRF1+) P3HR1 genomes, at levels ranging from a fraction of a copy to four copies per cell. Secondary B-cell transformants that lacked BHRF1+ EBV at detectable levels were found to release transforming, BHRF1-deficient EBV at levels that were within the normal range for EBV-immortalized B-cell clones. These studies demonstrate that BHRF1 is nonessential for growth transformation of B cells and for virus replication and release from these cells in culture.

B-Lymphocytes↗

[Function of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nef gene product in virus replication].

We comparatively analyzed the replication kinetics of wild-type (wt) and nef mutant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in several CD4-positive cell lines, in order to clarify the molecular function of Nef protein. The delayed growth of nef mutant virus was observed at the initial stage of replication in all cell lines examined. This phenomenon was greatly amplified in the absence of vpu gene. In order to determine the infection stage in viral replication cycle which is specifically affected on virus replication rate in the presence of the Nef protein, we first examined the difference between wt and nef mutant viruses in the virus production rate from transfected cells, and found that the both viruses were produced with equal efficiency. This result showed that Nef protein could be dispensable for virion production. Therefore, early infection stages were focused by single-round infection assay, and the nef mutant virus was found to be much less infectious than wt virus. This indicated that the effect of Nef protein was exhibited in the early phase of a virus replication cycle, during viral adsorption to integration. By entry assay using wt and nef mutant virions, it was revealed that the Nef protein was required for efficient viral entry. These data suggest that the Nef protein might play a role in efficient incorporation of the Env protein into the virions, leading to enhanced viral infectivity.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗

Localization of a herpes simplex virus neurovirulence gene dissociated from high-titer virus replication in the brain.

Previous studies with the herpes simplex virus type 1 X type 2 intertypic recombinant RS6 suggested that the genomic region from 0.11 to 0.14 map units is involved in neurovirulence (R. T. Javier, R. L. Thompson, and J. G. Stevens, J. Virol. 61:1978-1984, 1987). To study this further, we isolated an RS6-derived herpes simplex virus intertypic recombinant (R13-1) which has a genetic defect within this area. After inoculation into mouse brains, R13-1 was found to be approximately 10,000-fold less neurovirulent than either the wild-type type 1 or type 2 parental virus. However, R13-1 replicated in the mouse brain to titers resembling those of the wild-type parents. Further comparisons with wild-type counterparts indicated that R13-1 expressed equivalent levels of the enzyme thymidine kinase and replicated to intermediate levels in primary mouse embryo fibroblasts maintained at the normal body temperature for mice. Using marker rescue techniques combined with in vivo selection, we found that recombination between unit-length R13-1 DNA and a cloned type 1 DNA fragment spanning the region from 0.11 to 0.14 map units (EcoRI-d, 0.079 to 0.192 map units) generated viruses with a wild-type neurovirulence phenotype. To further refine the genomic region of interest, we performed marker rescue experiments using two EcoRI-d subclones, EcoRI/BamHI dc (0.079 to 0.143 map units) and BamHI/EcoRI and (0.143 to 0.192 map units), representing the left and right halves of the EcoRI d fragment, respectively. In these experiments the EcoRI/BamHI dc clone, but not the BamHI/EcoRI ad clone, yielded recombinant viruses exhibiting wild-type neurovirulence. These results show that at least one herpes simplex virus gene function associated with neurovirulence is located within a 9.1-kilobase region at 0.079 to 0.143 map units of the viral genome. Perhaps more significantly, the results indicate that this neurovirulence property functions independently of high-titer virus replication in the brain.

Animals↗

A second target for the peptoid Tat/transactivation response element inhibitor CGP64222: inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus replication by blocking CXC-chemokine receptor 4-mediated virus entry.

The peptoid CGP64222 has been previously demonstrated to inhibit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Tat/transactivation response element complex formation. It has previously been shown that CGP64222 selectively inhibits HIV-1 long terminal repeat-driven gene expression and HIV-1(LAV) replication in lymphocytes. Here, we show that CGP64222 inhibits the replication of a wide range of laboratory strains of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in MT-4 cells. However, CGP64222 proved inactive in MT-4 cells against HIV-1 strains that are resistant to the bicyclams. The bicyclams are known to specifically interact with CXC-chemokine receptor 4, the main coreceptor used by T-tropic HIV strains to enter the cells. Mechanism of action studies revealed that CGP64222 can inhibit the HIV replicative cycle, also through a selective interaction with the CXC-chemokine receptor 4 coreceptor.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

Lack of N1L gene expression results in a significant decrease of vaccinia virus replication in mouse brain.

Vaccinia virus encodes secretory proteins termed virokines. One of the major virokines encoded by the N1L open reading frame is the 13.8 kDa protein. A recombinant virus, termed vGK5, lacking this protein when injected intracranially into mice, has one of the highest levels of in vivo attenuation achieved by deletion of any single open reading frame of vaccinia virus. Here we show that the 13.8 kDa protein significantly enhances viral replication within brain tissue; however, analysis of histology, neutrophil infiltrate, and nitric oxide synthase activity of brain tissue shows no significant differences between wild-type vaccinia virus and vGK5. Since there is poor growth of vGK5 virus in the brain, the possibility of postvaccinial encephalitis is significantly diminished. Mice injected with vGK5 became resistant to the lethal effects of vaccinia virus, indicating that vGK5 is immunogenic in the brain without being virulent and therefore is a vaccine candidate. This suggests that should vGK5 reach the brain it will not replicate efficiently but still serve as a live vaccine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Antiviral effect of short hyperthermic treatment at specific stages of vesicular stomatitis virus replication cycle.

Starting from the observation that the antiviral activity of cyclopentenone prostaglandins is associated with the synthesis of a 70K heat shock protein (HSP70), we have analysed the effect of short hyperthermic treatment (HT) on HSP70 induction and virus production in monkey epithelial cells during the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The heat shock response, as determined by HSP70 synthesis, appeared to be unaltered in VSV-infected cells in the first 4 h following virus infection, after which time it started to decline. No induction of HSP70 synthesis was observed when HT was applied 8 h after VSV infection. A 20 min HT at 45 degrees C was effective in suppressing VSV multiplication by more than 90% when applied at specific stages of the virus replication cycle. Synthesis of virus proteins was not affected by HT, indicating that the target for the treatment is a post-translational event. The HT-induced block of virus replication appeared to be associated with inhibition of VSV G protein maturation and HSP70 induction.

Animals↗