Human herpesvirus 6 infection arrests cord blood mononuclear cells in G(2) phase of the cell cycle

We here report that after infection with human herpesvirus 6A, human cord blood mononuclear cells accumulate in G₂/M phase of the cell cycle. Experiments with foscarnet or ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated virus stocks pointed at an (immediate-)early, newly formed viral protein to be responsible for the arrest. At the molecular level, p53, cyclin B₁, cyclin A and tyrosine¹⁵-phosphorylated cdk1 accumulated after HHV-6A infection, indicating an arrest in G₂. However, no change was observed in the levels of downstream effectors of p53 in establishing a G₂ arrest, i.e. p21 and 14-3-3σ. We thus conclude that the HHV-6A-induced G₂ arrest occurs independently of p53 accumulation.     

Establishment of an ELISA to Detect Kaposi＇s Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus Using Recombinant ORF73

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is causally related to Kaposi's sarcoma (KS),primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and a proportion of cases of multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD). The ORF73 protein was cloned into pQE80L-orf73 and expressed in E.coli and purified. The expressed recombinant ORF73 was identified by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). A protein of about 27 kDa was expressed as expected. Western Blotting showed that the purified recombinant ORF73 reacted with KSHV positive serum. The immunogenicity of the recombinant ORF73 was further analysed by ELISA and the optimal conditions were determined. The ORF73 ELISA was used to compare the KSHV seroprevalence between Hubei and Xinjiang Han people. The Hart people in Xinjiang have significantly higher KSHV seroprevalence than their counterparts in Hubei (6.7% vs 2.9%, P = 0.005).     

Infectious disease surveillance in captive and free-living cheetahs: An integral part of the species survival plan

During the formulative stages of developing the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the cheetah, the impact of infectious disease upon its survival in captivity was of prime consideration, together with genetics, nutrition, physiology, and behavior. This paper summarizes the results of an infectious disease surveillance program, initially designed to monitor the infectious agents associated with clinically normal and clinically ill cheetahs in captivity, but subsequently supplemented with data from free-living cheetahs. The focus was on two viral infections, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and feline rhinotracheitis virus. Results indicated that between 1989 and 1991, there was an increase in the seroprevalence (number antibody-positive animals) of cheetahs to feline coronavirus from 41% to 64% in captivity. During this same time period, there were only two documented cases of FIP in cheetahs in the United States. The results suggest that feline coronavirus (feline enteric coronavirus--feline infectious peritonitis group) or a closely related coronavirus of cheetahs is becoming endemic in the captive cheetah population. Further serologic results from 39 free-living cheetahs demonstrated that there was a high seroprevalence (61%) to feline coronavirus, although serum antibody titers were considerably lower than those encountered in captive cheetahs. The observation of a high percentage of free-living cheetahs, which were seropositive to feline herpesvirus (44%), was unexpected, since it has been generally regarded that this infection is primarily associated with cheetahs in captivity. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Use of isotopically chiral [4′-13C]penciclovir and 13C NMR to determine the specificity and absolute configuration of penciclovir phosphate esters formed in HSV-1- and HSV-2-infected cells and by HSV-1-encoded thymidine kinase

Penciclovir is a potent antiherpesvirus agent which is highly selective due to its phosphorylation only in virus infected cells. Phosphorylation of one of the hydroxymethyl groups of penciclovir (PCV) creates a chiral centre leading to the possible formation of (R)- and (S)-enantiomers. The absolute configuration and stereospecificity of the PCV-phosphates produced in cells infected with herpes simplex viruses types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), as well as by HSV-1-encoded thymidine kinase, were determined using isotopically chiral [4′-¹³C]PCV precursors and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy of the isolated metabolites. The absolute configuration of penciclovir-triphosphate (PCV-TP) produced in HSV-1-infected cells was shown to be S with an enantiomeric purity of greater than 95%. However, in contrast to HSV-1-infected cells in which none of the (R) enantiomer was detected, about 10% of (R)-PCV-TP was produced in HSV-2-infected cells. Phosphorylation of PCV by HSV-1-encoded thymidine kinase was found to give 75% (S)- and 25% (R)-PCV-monophosphate. The proportion of the (S)-isomer appears to be amplified in the subsequent phosphorylations leading to the triphosphate. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

牛疱疹病毒Ⅳ型(DN-599株)DNA的限制性酶切位点图及重复序列分析

牛疱疹病毒Ⅳ型(BHV-4)DNA片段分别被重组到质粒pUC9或pBR322的EcoRI、Hind Ⅲ和BamHⅠ位点中,用光生物素(Photobiotin)标记这些重组质粒作为探针,分别与转移到硝基纤维素膜上的病毒DNA的EcoRⅠ、Hind Ⅲ和BamHⅠ片段进行杂交,根据杂交结果及克隆的BHV-4DNA片段的双酶切分析,画出了病毒DNA的EcoRⅠ、Hind Ⅲ和BamHⅠ位点图,井证明在病毒DNA的两末端含有多聚重复序列,左侧含12个重复单位,右侧含6个重复单位,两侧重复单位的排列方向相同,重复单位的大小为2.35kb。病毒DNA分子无任何异构体.     

Estimating immunoregulatory gene networks in human herpesvirus type 6-infected T cells

The immune response to viral infection involves complex network of dynamic gene and protein interactions. We present here the dynamic gene network of the host immune response during human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) infection in an adult T-cell leukemia cell line. Using a pathway-focused oligonucleotide DNA microarray, we found a possible association between chemokine genes regulating Th1/Th2 balance and genes regulating T-cell proliferation during HHV-6B infection. Gene network analysis using an integrated comprehensive workbench, VoyaGene, revealed that a gene encoding a TEC-family kinase, ITK, might be a putative modulator in the host immune response against HHV-6B infection. We conclude that Th2-dominated inflammatory reaction in host cells may play an important role in HHV-6B-infected T cells, thereby suggesting the possibility that ITK might be a therapeutic target in diseases related to dysregulation of Th1/Th2 balance. This study describes a novel approach to find genes related with the complex host-virus interaction using microarray data employing the Bayesian statistical framework.     

Insights into the viral G protein-coupled receptor encoded by human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8)

HHV-8-GPCR is a chemokine-like receptor encoded by KSHV, the etiologic agent of KS. HHV-8-GPCR is constitutively active. Although it is homologous to mammalian CXCR2, it binds CXC and CC chemokines. Structure-function analysis showed that chemokines bind primarily to the amino terminus whereas signaling occurs in the absence of: the amino terminus, which is, therefore, not a tethered agonist. In in vitro systems, HHV-8-GPCR signals via multiple transduction pathways including, activation of phospholipase C and PKC, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, activation of nuclear factor-κB; activation PI 3-kinase, p42/44 MAPK and Akt/PKB, and activation of JNK/SAPK, p38 MAPK and RAFTK. HHV-8-GPCR is important in the HHV-8 life cycle because HHV-8-GPCR-deficient viruses do not replicate in response to chemokines and exhibit, less efficient reactivation from latency. Although the role of HHV-8-GPCR in the pathogenesis of KS has not been defined, expression of HHV-8-GPCR resulted in the development of angioproliferative, KS-like tumors in transgenic mice. As endothelial cells may be targets of HHV-8 infection, HHV-8-GPCR has been studied in endothelial cells in vitro in which it affects cell adhesion and migration, increases cell survival, and stimulates secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and proangiogenic factors. Based on these findings and the observation that HHV-8-GPCR is expressed in only a few endothelial- like "spindle cells" within KS lesions, we propose that HHV-8-GPCR is involved in KS pathogenesis by stimulating secretion of proinflammatory/proangiogenic factors that act in a paracrine fashion to cause tumorigenesis.     

Epstein-barr virus DNAemia monitoring for the management of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder

Background

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a potentially fatal complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation (detectable DNAemia) predisposes to the development of PTLD.