Virus

About: Virus is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 136914 publications have been published within this topic receiving 5209107 citations. The topic is also known as: infectious agent & viruses.

Surface markers on human B and T lymphocytes. II. Presence of Epstein-Barr virus receptors on B lymphocytes.

Abstract: Human peripheral lymphocytes were investigated for receptors binding Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) because of the regular association of this virus with infectious mononucleosis and Burkitt's lymphoma. This was done by a cytoadherence technique where virus-producing cells, displaying fresh viral determinants in their cytoplasmatic membrane, were mixed with lymphocytes. Unfractionated lymphocytes were found to adhere to these cells in contrast to column-purified T lymphocytes. The specificity of the binding was confirmed by blocking experiments that showed that sera containing high titers of antibodies directed against the virus could partially inhibit the adherence in contrast to low-titer sera. It is concluded that B lymphocytes, in contrast to T lymphocytes, have receptors for EBV. In a second line of experiments it was found that established human lymphoblastoid lines that carry the EBV genome had receptors characteristic for B lymphocytes and did not form T-lymphocyte rosettes. In contrast, a line of known T-lymphocyte origin that did not carry the EBV genome had receptors characteristic for T lymphocytes. EBV-transformed simian lymphoblastoid lines had surface markers indicating a B-lymphocyte origin in contrast to HVS-transformed simian lines that lacked surface immunoglobulin but carried receptors for sheep red blood cells.

Prevention of HIV-1 infection in chimpanzees by gp120 V3 domain-specific monoclonal antibody.

Abstract: THE acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the late-stage clinical manifestation of long-term persistent infection with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Immune responses directed against the virus and against virus-infected cells during the persistent infection fail to mediate resolution of the infection. As a result, a successful AIDS vaccine must elicit an immune state that will prevent the establishment of the persistent infection following introduction of the virus into the host. The third hyper-variable (V3) domain of the HIV-1 gp120 envelope glycoprotein is a disulphide-linked closed loop of about 30 amino acids which binds and elicits anti-HIV-1 type-specific virus-neutralizing antibodies1–7. The in vitro characteristics of anti-V3 domain antibody suggest that this antibody could by itself prevent HIV-1 infection in vivo8,9, an idea supported by chimpanzee challenge studies in which protection against the HIV-1 persistent infection seemed to correlate with the presence of anti-V3 domain antibody10–12. Here we directly demonstrate the protective efficacy of anti-V3 domain antibody in vivo and propose that this antibody is potentially useful as both a pre- and post-exposure prophylactic agent.

IFN-stimulated gene 15 functions as a critical antiviral molecule against influenza, herpes, and Sindbis viruses.

Abstract: Type I interferons (IFNs) play an essential role in the host response to viral infection through the induction of numerous IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), including important antiviral molecules such as PKR, RNase L, Mx, and iNOS. Yet, additional antiviral ISGs likely exist. IFN-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is a ubiquitin homolog that is rapidly up-regulated after viral infection, and it conjugates to a wide array of host proteins. Although it has been hypothesized that ISG15 functions as an antiviral molecule, the initial evaluation of ISG15-deficient mice revealed no defects in their responses to vesicular stomatitis virus or lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, leaving open the important question of whether ISG15 is an antiviral molecule in vivo. Here we demonstrate that ISG15 is critical for the host response to viral infection. ISG15−/− mice are more susceptible to influenza A/WSN/33 and influenza B/Lee/40 virus infections. ISG15−/− mice also exhibited increased susceptibility to both herpes simplex virus type 1 and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 infection and to Sindbis virus infection. The increased susceptibility of ISG15−/− mice to Sindbis virus infection was rescued by expressing wild-type ISG15, but not a mutant form of ISG15 that cannot form conjugates, from the Sindbis virus genome. The demonstration of ISG15 as a novel antiviral molecule with activity against both RNA and DNA viruses provides a target for the development of therapies against important human pathogens.

Two small RNAs encoded by Epstein-Barr virus and complexed with protein are precipitated by antibodies from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Abstract: Primate cells harboring the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome synthesize large amounts of two small RNAs:EBER 1 and EBER 2 (EBV-encoded RNA). These RNAs are approximately 180 nucleotides long, possess 5' pppA termini, and lack poly(A). They have different T1 and pancreatic RNase digestion fingerprints. They are not found in normal B lymphocytes, in transformed B lymphocytes that lack EBV DNA, in T lymphocytes transformed by Herpesvirus ateles, or in a variety of other nonlymphoid mammalian cells. Hybridization analyses indicate that EBER 1 and EBER 2 are encoded by the EcoRI-J fragment of EBV (B95-8) DNA. In vivo both RNAs are associated with protein(s), allowing their specific precipitation by the systemic lupus erythematosus-associated antibody anti-La. The La antigen in uninfected mammalian cells consists of a heterogeneous class of small ribonucleoprotein particles, some of whose RNA components exhibit sequence homology with a highly repetitive, interspersed class of human DNA designated the Alu family. Possible functions for EBER 1 and EBER 2 in infection and cell transformation by EBV and their potential relationship to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus are discussed.

Human Cytomegalovirus UL131-128 Genes Are Indispensable for Virus Growth in Endothelial Cells and Virus Transfer to Leukocytes

Abstract: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a ubiquitous human pathogen, is the leading cause of birth defects and morbidity in immunocompromised patients and a potential trigger for vascular disease. HCMV replicates in vascular endothelial cells and drives leukocyte-mediated viral dissemination through close endothelium- leukocyte interaction. However, the genetic basis of HCMV growth in endothelial cells and transfer to leukocytes is unknown. We show here that the UL131-128 gene locus of HCMV is indispensable for both productive infection of endothelial cells and transmission to leukocytes. The experimental evidence for this is based on both the loss-of-function phenotype in knockout mutants and natural variants and the gain-of-function phenotype by trans-complementation with individual UL131, UL130, and UL128 genes. Our findings suggest that a common mechanism of virus transfer may be involved in both endothelial cell tropism and leukocyte transfer and shed light on a crucial step in the pathogenesis of HCMV infection.