Association of cytokines in hepatitis E with pregnancy outcome

AimsThe aim of this study was to evaluate tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) in hepatitis E infection during pregnancy and its relation with pregnancy outcome.MethodsA total of 272 pregnant and 219 non-pregnant women with hepatitis and 262 age and gestational age matched healthy pregnant women and 208 age matched, healthy non-pregnant women were evaluated on the basis of history, clinical examination, liver function profile. Serological tests of hepatitis A, B, C and E and cytokines using commercially available (ELISA) kits. The patients with hepatitis E were further evaluated for viral load by Real Time PCR. All these were followed till delivery for pregnancy outcome.ResultsHEV viral load in acute viral hepatitis (AVH) and fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) of pregnant women were comparatively higher than non-pregnant women. Significantly higher levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ and TGF-β1 were present in HEV infected pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women and controls. TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-γ had significant positive correlation with viral load, serum bilirubin and prothrombin time in pregnant women. Higher levels of all four cytokines were found in pregnant women with HEV infection having adverse pregnancy outcome compared to that of pregnant women with non-HEV infection and controls.ConclusionIn conclusion, severity of HEV infection and associated adverse pregnancy outcome might be mediated by cytokine in pregnancy.     

Prevalence of hepatitis C Virus infection among hemophiliacs in Central Brazil

In order to investigate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevalence and risk factors in hemophiliacs in Central Brazil, 90 patients were interviewed and serum samples tested for HCV RNA and anti-HCV antibodies. An overall prevalence of 63.3% (CI 95%: 53.0-72.7) was found. Multivariate analysis of risk factors showed that number of blood transfusions was significantly associated with this infection. Most hemophiliacs received locally produced cryoprecipitate. All infected patients were transfused before the screening of blood units for anti-HCV. However, hemophiliacs who received exclusively screened cryoprecipitate were HCV negative. It confirms the expected decline in transfusion-acquired hepatitis C.     

Implication of protein kinase R Gene quantification in hepatitis C Virus Genotype 4 induced Hepatocarcinogenesis

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Protein kinase RNA (PKR-regulated) is a double-stranded RNA activated protein kinase whose expression is induced by interferon. The role of PKR in cell growth regulation is controversial, with some studies supporting a tumour suppressor function and others suggesting a growth-promoting role. However, it is possible that the function of PKR varies with the type of cancer in question. METHODS: We report here a detailed study to evaluate the function of PKR in hepatitis C virus genotype 4 (HCV-4) infected patients. PKR gene was quantitated in HCV related malignant and non-malignant liver tissue by RT-PCR technique and the association of HCV core and PKR was assessed. RESULTS: If PKR functions as a tumour suppressor in this system, its expression would be higher in chronic hepatitis tissues. On the contrary our study demonstrated the specific association of HCV-4 with PKR expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, leading to an increased gene expression of the kinase in comparison to chronic hepatitis tissues. This calls into question its role as a tumour suppressor and suggests a positive regulatory role of PKR in growth control of liver cancer cells. One limitation of most of other studies is that they measure the levels rather than the quantitation of PKR gene. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that PKR exerts a positive role in cell growth control of HCV-4 related HCC, obtaining a cut-off value for PKR expression in liver tissue provides the first evidence for existence of a viral activator of PKR. Virtual Slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1267826959682402.     

Functional interaction of hepatitis C Virus NS5B with Nucleolin GAR domain

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) non-structural proteins are major components of replication complex that is modulated by several host factors. We previously reported that nucleolin, a representative nucleolar marker, interacts with the NS5B through two separated sequences, amino acids (aa) 208-214 and 500-506, and that W208 in the former stretch is essential for both nucleolin-binding and HCV replication. Here we evaluated the role of the latter stretch aa 500-506 of WRHRARS in nucleolin-binding and HCV replication scanned by alanine-substituted clustered mutant (cm) or point mutant (pm). One tryptophan and three arginine residues in the sequence were found to be essential both for nucleolin-binding in vivo and HCV replication detected with a HCV subgenomic replicon transfected into Huh7 cells. NS5B-binding of nucleolin was further delineated by truncation and clustered mutants of nucleolin. Arginine-glycine-glycine (RGG) repeat in the Glycine arginine rich (GAR) domain were defined to be indispensable for NS5B-binding immunologically detected in in vivo and in vitro although short internal-truncations of RGG repeat are tolerable for NS5B-binding. These results indicate that nucleolin is a critical host factor for HCV replication through the direct interaction between W208 and several residues at the sequence, aa 500-505, of NS5B, and the long-turn motif including RGG repeat at nucleolin C-terminal.     

YVDD mutation of hepatitis B Virus, a dominant Lamivudine-resistant type in Guangzhou, South China

The epidemiological effects of native and mutated YMDD motif in the HBV genome under the selective pressure of lamivudine were investigated. YMDD wild and mutation motif in HBV genome were detected by flow through reverse dot blots (FT-RDB) with KaiPuTM DNA HybriMax Rapid Hybridization Machine based on the principle of "Flow-through hybridization" and by the traditional Reverse Dot Blot assay. Sera from 1021 suspected lamivudine-resistant chronic HBV carders after more than 8 months of lamivudine therapy and the corresponding archived sera were collected and assayed. We found 35.94% were single type infections with 8.03% YMDD, 7.93% YIDD and 19.98% YVDD. It was also found that 64.06% were mixed infections including 1.96% YMDD and YIDD, 51.62% YMDD and YVDD, 1.96% YIDD and YVDD, 8.52% YMDD, YIDD and YVDD. The levels of infections containing YVDD motif reached 82.08%. The pretreatment infectious status were: YMDD single infection was 36.93%; YIDD single infection was 6.07%; YVDD single infection was 17.04%; YMDD and YIDD mixed infection was 0.97%; YMDD and YVDD mixed infection was33.99%; YIDD and YVDD mixed infection was 0.98%; YMDD, YIDD and YVDD mixed infection was 4.02%. Infections containing YVDD motif were only 56.03%. The 34.32% mutation rate of YMDD motif to YVDD was significantly higher than the 10.97% of YMDD to YIDD (U=10.98, P<0.05), as estimated by Mann-Whitney U-test for non-parametric data. HBV containing YVDD motif might have an evolutionary ascendancy and become the dominant type under the selective pressure of lamivudine.     

Virus of Pekin ducks with structural and biological relatedness to human hepatitis B virus.

A virus found in the sera of Pekin ducks appears to be a new member of the human hepatitis B-like family of viruses. This virus had a diameter of 40 nm and an appearance in the electron microscope similar to that of human hepatitis B virus. The DNA genome of the virus was circular and partially single stranded, and an endogenous DNA polymerase associated with the virus was capable of converting the genome to a double-stranded circle with a size of ca. 3,000 base pairs. An analysis for viral DNA in the organs of infected birds indicated preferential localization in the liver, implicating this organ as the site of virus replication. In all of these aspects, the virus bears a striking resemblance to human hepatitis B virus and appears to be a new member of this family, which also includes ground squirrel hepatitis virus and woodchuck hepatitis virus.     

Virus Replication in Enucleate Cells: Vesicular Stomatitis Virus and Influenza Virus

The requirement of the presence of a nucleus for the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus and influenza virus has been examined by following the growth and development of these viruses in enucleate BS-C-1 cells. Vesicular stomatitis virus replicates normally in enucleate cells with the rate of production of infectious virus, the amount of virus-specific protein synthesis, and the type of proteins produced being essentially the same in nucleate and enucleate cells. Influenza virus does not replicate in enucleate cells, no virus gene products can be detected, and there is no inhibition of cellular protein synthesis.     

以合成多肽为抗原的戊肝抗体检测试剂的研制

用戊肝病毒（ＨＥＶ）基因组编码氨基酸序列１－９０１－９１４／２－５１５－５３０、３－９１－１２３、２－６１３－６５４相应的三段合成多肽为抗原、研制出一种检测抗－ＨＥＶＩｇＧ的ＥＬＩＳＡ试剂。以该试剂检测中国、缅甸、印度和前苏联肠道传播非乙型肝炎（ＥＴ－ＮＡＮＢＨ）病人血清１０５份,仅３份中国病人血清阴性,阳性率为９７．１％;检查实验感染ＨＥＶＬ赤猩猩血清,感染前阴性,感染后阳性;检查正常人血清９９     

Iron inactivates the RNA polymerase NS5B and suppresses subgenomic replication of hepatitis C Virus

Clinical data suggest that iron is a negative factor in chronic hepatitis C; however, the molecular mechanisms by which iron modulates the infectious cycle of hepatitis C virus (HCV) remain elusive. To explore this, we utilized cells expressing a HCV replicon as a well-established model for viral replication. We demonstrate that iron administration dramatically inhibits the expression of viral proteins and RNA, without significantly affecting its translation or stability. Experiments with purified recombinant HCV RNA polymerase (NS5B) revealed that iron binds specifically and with high affinity (apparent Kd: 6 and 60 microM for Fe2+ and Fe3+, respectively) to the protein's Mg2+-binding pocket, thereby inhibiting its enzymatic activity. We propose that iron impairs HCV replication by inactivating NS5B and that its negative effects in chronic hepatitis C may be primarily due to attenuation of antiviral immune responses. Our data provide a direct molecular link between iron and HCV replication.     

Screening for hepatitis B during pregnancy. Awareness of current recommendations among Washington hospitals.

Acute care hospitals in Washington State that reported births (n = 77) were surveyed regarding their awareness of and compliance with the Centers for Disease Control recommendations for hepatitis B screening of pregnant women. Of these, 62 hospitals (81%) were aware of the recommendations and 39 (51%) routinely screened pregnant women who did not have a history of prenatal care at the time of delivery. In all, 68 hospitals (88%) had hepatitis B vaccine and 54 (70%) had hepatitis B immune globulin available on site. Despite awareness of the current recommendations for hepatitis B screening, barriers exist that prevent many hospitals from fully implementing them.     

EB病毒相关胃癌中病毒分型的研究

收集236例胃癌组织标本及135份健康人群咽漱液(throat washings,TWs)标本,采用原位杂交、PCR-Southern blot筛选出17例EB病毒相关胃癌(EBVaGC)(7.2%)和33例EBV阳性的TWs标本(24.4%);应用PCR-RFLP、巢式PCR及DNA测序等方法,检测EBV阳性标本病毒1/2分型、F/f分型、I/i分型及LMP1XhoI(+)/(-)等四种基因变异。EBVaGC及健康对照均为F型变异,未检测到f型变异。EBVaGC中1/2型、I/i型及LMP1XhoI(+)/(-)型的例数及比例分别为:17(100%)/0(0)、1(5.9%)/16(94.1%)及0(0)/15(88.2%);而TWs中上述分型的相应数据为25(75.8%)/8(24.2%)、11(33.3%)/19(57.6%)及12(36.4%)/18(54.5%),各位点两种基因型在EBVaGC和健康人中的分布不同(1/2:P=0.047;I/i:P=0.048;XhoI(+)/(-):P=0.012)。综合分析表明在3种基因多态性均能确定的标本中,EBVaGC均为1/i/XhoI(-)亚型(15/1...