bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluconazole Susceptibility of Vaginal Isolates Obtained from Women with Complicated
Candida
Vaginitis: Clinical Implications
Authors: Sobel J. D. , Zervos M. , Reed B. D. , Hooton T. , Soper D. , Nyirjesy P. , Heine M. W. , Willems J. , Panzer H.
Published: December 2002

Despite considerable evidence of azole resistance in oral candidiasis due to
Candida
species, little is known about the azole susceptibilities of the genital tract isolates responsible for vaginitis. The fluconazole susceptibilities of vaginal isolates obtained during a multicenter study of 556 women with complicated
Candida
vaginitis were determined by evaluating two fluconazole treatment regimens. Of 393 baseline isolates of
Candida albicans
, 377 (96%) were highly susceptible to fluconazole (MICs, <8 μg/ml) and 14 (3.6%) were resistant (MICs, ≥64 μg/ml). Following fluconazole therapy, one case of in vitro resistance developed during 6 weeks of monitoring. In accordance with the NCCLS definition, in vitro fluconazole resistance correlated poorly with the clinical response, although a trend of a higher mycological failure rate was found (41 versus 19.6% on day 14). By using an alternative breakpoint of 1 μg/ml, based upon the concentrations of fluconazole achievable in vaginal tissue, no significant differences in the clinical and mycological responses were observed when isolates (
n
= 250) for which MICs were ≤1 μg/ml were compared with isolates (
n
= 30) for which MICs were >1 μg/ml, although a trend toward an improved clinical outcome was noted on day 14 (odds ratio, >2.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.91, 8.30). Although clinical failure was uncommon, symptomatic recurrence or mycological relapse almost invariably occurred with highly sensitive strains (MICs, <1.0 μg/ml). In vitro fluconazole resistance developed in 2 of 18 initially susceptible
C. glabrata
isolates following fluconazole exposure. Susceptibility testing for women with complicated
Candida
vaginitis appears to be unjustified.
Penetration of Dihydroartemisinin into Cerebrospinal Fluid after Administration of Intravenous Artesunate in Severe Falciparum Malaria
Authors: Davis Timothy M. E. , Binh Tran Quang , Ilett Kenneth F. , Batty Kevin T. , Phuöng Hoang Lan , Chiswell Gregory M. , Phuong Vu Duong Bich , Agus Cindy
Published: December 2002

Penetration of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by artesunate and DHA was assessed in six adults with cerebral or severe malaria. Lumbar punctures were performed on admission and during convalescence, at 15 min (patient 1), 30 min (patient 2), 45 min (patient 3), 60 min (patient 4), 90 min (patient 5), and 120 min (patient 6) after intravenous administration of 120 mg of artesunate. No artesunate was detectable in CSF. In both studies, DHA levels in CSF increased with time while dihydroartemisinin levels in plasma fell. Dihydroartemisinin might accumulate in CSF during frequent artesunate dosing.
gyrA
Mutations in Ciprofloxacin-Resistant
Bartonella bacilliformis
Strains Obtained In Vitro
Authors: Minnick Michael F. , Wilson Zachary R. , Smitherman Laura S. , Samuels D. Scott
Published: December 2002

We isolated and characterized mutants of
Bartonella bacilliformis
that are resistant to the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin, which targets the A subunit of DNA gyrase. Mutants had single point mutations in the
gyrA
gene that changed either Asp-90 to Gly or Asp-95 to Asn and had 3- or 16-fold higher resistance, respectively, to ciprofloxacin than did wild-type
B. bacilliformis
. Asp-95 is homologous to Asp-87 of
Escherichia coli
GyrA and is a common residue mutated in fluoroquinolone-resistant strains of other bacteria. This is the first report of a mutation at an Asp-90 homologue, which corresponds to Asp-82 in
E. coli
GyrA.
Flow Cytometric Assessment of Susceptibilities of
Streptococcus pyogenes
to Erythromycin and Rokitamycin
Authors: Braga Pier Carlo , Bovio Cinzia , Culici Maria , Dal Sasso Monica
Published: December 2002

The effects of erythromycin (a 14-membered ring macrolide) and rokitamycin (a 16-membered ring macrolide) on the viability of the
Streptococcus pyogenes
M phenotype were studied by means of flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy by using a combination of two fluorochromes (syto 9 and propidium iodide) that stains live bacteria green and dead bacteria red. In order to apply the flow cytometry, a bacterial sonication procedure was expressly set up to separate single cells from the long, intralaced
S. pyogenes
chains of up to 30 to 40 cells that have previously prevented the application of flow cytometry to this type of bacteria. The association of flow cytometry using an appropriate sonication procedure, together with a combination of fluorescent probes, offered the possibility of very quickly investigating the different microbiological effects of rokitamycin at 2 μg/ml, which was active on the
S. pyogenes
M phenotype, and of erythromycin at doses of up to 32 μg/ml, which was not.
In Vitro Bactericidal Activities of Linezolid in Combination with Vancomycin, Gentamicin, Ciprofloxacin, Fusidic Acid, and Rifampin against
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Grohs Patrick , Kitzis Marie-Dominique , Gutmann Laurent
Published: December 2002

The in vitro activities of linezolid were determined alone and in combination with vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, fusidic acid, or rifampin against five methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA) and five methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) strains. Similar responses were obtained against MSSA and MRSA. When combined with fusidic acid, gentamicin, or rifampin, linezolid prevented selection of resistant mutants but showed no synergy. When linezolid was combined with vancomycin and ciprofloxacin, a slight antagonism was observed. While the combination with linezolid may reduce the emergence of mutants resistant to the associated drugs, the absence of synergy, especially in the case of vancomycin and ciprofloxacin, does not argue in favor of such combinations.
Molecular Characterization of Quinolone-Resistant
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
in Hong Kong
Authors: Kam Kai Man , Kam Shirley Sin Yee , Cheung Danny Tze Leung , Tung Viola Wai Na , Au Wai Fun , Cheung May May
Published: December 2002

In Hong Kong, ParC changes among high-level quinolone-resistant
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
(QRNG) isolates at Ser-87→Arg were associated with a higher level of resistance than a Ser-87→Ile alteration. Two previously undescribed mutations in clinical isolates occurring in
gyrA
, conferring Ala-92→Pro and Asp-95→Tyr changes, were detected. Nine different outer membrane lipoprotein (Lip) repeat classes—11 to 19 repeats—were identified, with repeat lengths of 16 and 17 the most common, indicating considerable strain diversity.
Actinomycin D Induces High-Level Resistance to Thymidine Analogs in Replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 by Interfering with Host Cell Thymidine Kinase Expression
Authors: Imamichi Tomozumi , Murphy Michael A. , Adelsberger Joseph W. , Yang Jun , Watkins Catherine M. , Berg Steve C. , Baseler Michael W. , Lempicki Richard A. , Guo Jianhui , Levin Judith G. , Lane H. Clifford
Published: December 2002

Actinomycin D (ActD) is a transcription inhibitor and has been used in the treatment of certain forms of cancer. ActD has been reported to be a potential inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication due to its ability to inhibit reverse transcription. In contrast to what was expected, low concentrations of ActD (1 to 10 nM) upregulated HIV-1 replication 8- to 10-fold in MT-2 cells and had no effect on HIV-2 replication or on HIV-1 replication in MT-4, Jurkat, or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The upregulation of HIV-1 replication was associated with an increase in HIV-1 transcription and a decrease in CD4 and CXCR4 expression. To further evaluate the effects of ActD on emergence of drug resistance in HIV-1 replication, a series of drug resistance assays were performed. Of interest, treatment of MT-2 cells with ActD also led to a high level of resistance to thymidine analogs (>1,000-fold increase in resistance to zidovudine and >250-fold to stavudine) but not to other nucleoside reverse transcriptases (RT), nonnucleoside RT, or protease inhibitors. This resistance appeared to be due to a suppression of host cell thymidine kinase-1 (TK-1) expression. These results indicate that ActD leads to a novel form of thymidine analog resistance by suppressing host cell TK-1 expression. These results suggest that administration of combination drugs to HIV-1-infected patients may induce resistance to antiretroviral compounds via a modification of cellular factors.
Comparing the Ex Vivo Fitness of CCR5-Tropic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolates of Subtypes B and C
Authors: Ball Sarah C. , Abraha Awet , Collins Kalonji R. , Marozsan Andre J. , Baird Heather , Quiñones-Mateu Miguel E. , Penn-Nicholson Adam , Murray Michael , Richard Nathalie , Lobritz Michael , Zimmerman Peter A. , Kawamura Tatsuyoshi , Blauvelt Andrew , Arts Eric J.
Published: December 2002

Continual human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) evolution and expansion within the human population have led to unequal distribution of HIV-1 group M subtypes. In particular, recent outgrowth of subtype C in southern Africa, India, and China has fueled speculation that subtype C isolates may be more fit in vivo. In this study, nine subtype B and six subtype C HIV-1 isolates were added to peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures for a complete pairwise competition experiment. All subtype C HIV-1 isolates were less fit than subtype B isolates (P< 0.0001), but intrasubtype variations in HIV-1 fitness were not significant. Increased fitness of subtype B over subtype C was also observed in primary CD4+T cells and macrophages from different human donors but not in skin-derived human Langerhans cells. Detailed analysis of the retroviral life cycle during several B and C virus competitions indicated that the efficiency of host cell entry may have a significant impact on relative fitness. Furthermore, phyletic analyses of fitness differences suggested that, for a recombined subtype B/C HIV-1 isolate, higher fitness mapped to the subtype Benvgene rather than the subtype Cgagandpolgenes. These results suggest that subtype B and C HIV-1 may be transmitted with equal efficiency (Langerhans cell data) but that subtype C isolates may be less fit following initial infection (T-cell and macrophage data) and may lead to slower disease progression.
Subgroup B and F Fiber Chimeras Eliminate Normal Adenovirus Type 5 Vector Transduction In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Schoggins John W. , Gall Jason G. D. , Falck-Pedersen Erik
Published: December 2002

Altering adenovirus vector (Ad vector) targeting is an important goal for a variety of gene therapy applications and involves eliminating or reducing the normal tropism of a vector and retargeting through a distinct receptor-ligand pathway. The first step of Ad vector infection is high-affinity binding to a target cellular receptor. For the majority of adenoviruses and Ad vectors, the fiber capsid protein serves this purpose, binding to the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) present on a variety of cell types. In this study we have explored a novel approach to altering Ad type 5 (Ad5) vector targeting based on serotypic differences in fiber function. The subgroup B viruses bind to an unidentified receptor that is distinct from CAR. The subgroup F viruses are the only adenoviruses that express two distinct terminal exons encoding fiber open reading frames. We have constructed chimeric fiber adenoviruses that utilize the tandem fiber arrangement of the subgroup F genome configuration. By taking advantage of serotypic differences in fiber expression, fiber shaft length, and fiber binding efficiency, we have developed a tandem fiber vector that has low binding efficiency for the known fiber binding sites, does not rely on an Ad5-based fiber, and can be grown to high titer using conventional cell lines. Importantly, when characterizing these vectors in vivo, we find the subgroup B system and our optimal tandem fiber system demonstrate reduced liver transduction by over 2 logs compared to an Ad5 fiber vector. These attributes make the tandem fiber vector a useful alternative to conventional strategies for fiber manipulation of adenovirus vectors.
Identification of Protective Epitopes on Ebola Virus Glycoprotein at the Single Amino Acid Level by Using Recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Viruses
Authors: Takada Ayato , Feldmann Heinz , Stroeher Ute , Bray Mike , Watanabe Shinji , Ito Hiroshi , McGregor Martha , Kawaoka Yoshihiro
Published: December 2002

Ebola virus
causes lethal hemorrhagic fever in humans, but currently there are no effective vaccines or antiviral compounds for this infectious disease. Passive transfer of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) protects mice from lethal Ebola virus infection (J. A. Wilson, M. Hevey, R. Bakken, S. Guest, M. Bray, A. L. Schmaljohn, and M. K. Hart, Science 287:1664-1666, 2000). However, the epitopes responsible for neutralization have been only partially characterized because some of the MAbs do not recognize the short synthetic peptides used for epitope mapping. To identify the amino acids recognized by neutralizing and protective antibodies, we generated a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) containing the Ebola virus glycoprotein-encoding gene instead of the VSV G protein-encoding gene and used it to select escape variants by growing it in the presence of a MAb (133/3.16 or 226/8.1) that neutralizes the infectivity of the virus. All three variants selected by MAb 133/3.16 contained a single amino acid substitution at amino acid position 549 in the GP2 subunit. By contrast, MAb 226/8.1 selected three different variants containing substitutions at positions 134, 194, and 199 in the GP1 subunit, suggesting that this antibody recognized a conformational epitope. Passive transfer of each of these MAbs completely protected mice from a lethal Ebola virus infection. These data indicate that neutralizing antibody cocktails for passive prophylaxis and therapy of Ebola hemorrhagic fever can reduce the possibility of the emergence of antigenic variants in infected individuals.
Antiviral Effect and Virus-Host Interactions in Response to Alpha Interferon, Gamma Interferon, Poly(I)-Poly(C), Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, and Ribavirin in Hepatitis C Virus Subgenomic Replicons
Authors: Lanford Robert E. , Guerra Bernadette , Lee Helen , Averett Devron R. , Pfeiffer Brad , Chavez Deborah , Notvall Lena , Bigger Catherine
Published: December 2002

The recently developed hepatitis C virus (HCV) subgenomic replicon system was utilized to evaluate the efficacy of several known antiviral agents. Cell lines that persistently maintained a genotype 1b replicon were selected. The replicon resident in each cell line had acquired adaptive mutations in the NS5A region that increased colony-forming efficiency, and some replicons had acquired NS3 mutations that alone did not enhance colony-forming efficiency but were synergistic with NS5A mutations. A replicon constructed from the infectious clone of the HCV-1 strain (genotype 1a) was not capable of inducing colony formation even after the introduction of adaptive mutations identified in the genotype 1b replicon. Alpha interferon (IFN-α), IFN-γ, and ribavirin exhibited antiviral activity, while double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and tumor necrosis factor alpha did not. Analysis of transcript levels for a series of genes stimulated by IFN (ISGs) or dsRNA following treatment with IFN-α, IFN-γ, and dsRNA revealed that both IFNs increased ISG transcript levels, but that some aspect of the dsRNA response pathway was defective in Huh7 cells and replicon cell lines in comparison to primary chimpanzee and tamarin hepatocytes. The colony-forming efficiency of the replicon was reduced or eliminated following replication in the presence of ribavirin, implicating the induction of error-prone replication. The potential role of error-prone replication in the synergy observed between IFN-α and ribavirin in attaining sustained viral clearance is discussed. These studies reveal characteristics of Huh7 cells that may contribute to their unique capacity to support HCV RNA synthesis and demonstrate the utility of the replicon system for mechanistic studies on antiviral agents.
The Adenovirus E3 Promoter Is Sensitive to Activation Signals in Human T Cells
Authors: Mahr Jeffrey A. , Boss Jeremy M. , Gooding Linda R.
Published: December 2002

The group C adenoviruses typically cause acute respiratory disease in young children. In addition, a persistent phase of infection has been observed in which virus may be shed for years without producing overt pathology. Our laboratory recently reported that group C adenovirus DNA can be found in tonsil and adenoid T lymphocytes from the majority of pediatric donors (C. T. Garnett, D. Erdman, W. Xu, and L. R. Gooding, J. Virol. 76:10608-10616, 2002). This finding suggests that immune evasion strategies of human adenoviruses may be directed, in part, toward protection of persistently or latently infected T lymphocytes. Many of the adenoviral gene products implicated in prevention of immune destruction of virus-infected cells are encoded within the E3 transcription unit. In this study, the E3 promoter was evaluated for sensitivity to T-cell activation signals by using a promoter reporter plasmid. Indeed, this promoter is extremely sensitive to T-cell activation, with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) plus ionomycin increasing E3-directed transcription 100-fold. By comparison, in the same cells E1A expression leads to a 5.5-fold increase in transcription from the E3 promoter. In contrast to induction by E1A, activation by PMA plus ionomycin requires the two E3 NF-κB binding sites. Interestingly, expression of E1A inhibits induction of the E3 promoter in response to T-cell activation while increasing E3 promoter activity in unactivated cells. Collectively, these data suggest that the E3 promoter may have evolved the capacity to respond to T-cell activation in the absence of E1A expression and may act to upregulate antiapoptotic gene expression in order to promote survival of persistently infected T lymphocytes.
Reversion of the M184V Mutation in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Reverse Transcriptase Is Selected by Tenofovir, Even in the Presence of Lamivudine
Authors: Murry Jeffrey P. , Higgins Joanne , Matthews Timothy B. , Huang Victoria Y. , Van Rompay Koen K. A. , Pedersen Niels C. , North Thomas W.
Published: December 2002

The methionine-to-valine mutation in codon 184 (M184V) in reverse transcriptase (RT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) confers resistance to (−)-2′-deoxy-3′-thiacytidine (3TC; lamivudine) and increased sensitivity to 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]adenine (PMPA; tenofovir). We have used the SIV model to evaluate the effect of the M184V mutation on the emergence of resistance to the combination of 3TC plus PMPA. A site-directed mutant of SIVmac239 containing M184V (SIVmac239-184V) was used to select for resistance to both 3TC and PMPA by serial passage in the presence of increasing concentrations of both drugs. Under these selection conditions, the M184V mutation reverted in the majority of the selections. Variants resistant to both drugs were found to have the lysine-to-arginine mutation at codon 65 (K65R), which has previously been associated with resistance to PMPA in both SIV and HIV. Similarly, in rhesus macaques infected with SIVmac239-184V for 46 weeks and treated daily with (−)-2′-deoxy-5-fluoro-3′-thiacytidine [(−)-FTC], there was no reversion of M184V, but this mutation reverted to 184 M in all three animals within 24 weeks of treatment with (−)-FTC and PMPA. Although the addition of PMPA to the (−)-FTC therapy induced a decrease in virus loads in plasma, these loads eventually returned to pre-PMPA levels in each case. All animals receiving this combination developed the K65R mutation. These results demonstrate that the combination of PMPA with 3TC or (−)-FTC selects for the K65R mutation and against the M184V mutation in SIV RT.
There Are Two Different Species B Adenovirus Receptors: sBAR, Common to Species B1 and B2 Adenoviruses, and sB2AR, Exclusively Used by Species B2 Adenoviruses
Authors: Segerman Anna , Arnberg Niklas , Erikson Anders , Lindman Kristina , Wadell Göran
Published: December 2002

Unlike most adenovirus (Ad) serotypes, the species B Ads do not use the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor as an attachment receptor. The species B attachment receptor(s) has not yet been identified and is also poorly characterized. Species B Ads can be further divided into species B1 and B2 Ads, and these display different organ tropisms, suggesting a difference in receptor usage. We have studied the receptor interactions of the species B1 serotypes 3p and 7p and the species B2 serotypes 11p and 35 and characterized the properties of the species B receptor(s). Reciprocal blocking experiments using unlabeled Ad11p or Ad3p virions to block the binding to A549 cells of
35
S-labeled 3p, 7p, 11p, and 35 showed that only Ad11p virions efficiently blocked the binding of all the species B Ads studied (≥70%). Thus, there is apparently a common species B Ad receptor (sBAR). However, Ad3p virions only partially (≤30%) blocked the binding of Ad11p and Ad35 to A549 cells. Binding experiments after trypsin treatment of the cells confirmed that the species B2 serotypes address at least two different receptors on A549 and J82 cells, since sBAR is trypsin sensitive but the species B2 Ad receptor (sB2AR) is not. Both receptors are proteins or glycoproteins, since binding of all species B serotypes was abolished after proteinase K or subtilisin treatment of A549 or J82 cells. Furthermore, binding of the species B serotypes to sBAR was abolished with EDTA and restored with Ca
2+
, whereas the binding of Ad11p and Ad35 to SB2AR was independent of divalent cations.
Control of Viremia and Prevention of Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Induced Disease in Rhesus Macaques Immunized with Recombinant Vaccinia Viruses plus Inactivated Simian Immunodeficiency Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Particles
Authors: Willey Ronald L. , Byrum Russ , Piatak Michael , Kim Young B. , Cho Michael W. , Rossio, Jeffrey L. , Bess, Julian , Igarashi Tatsuhiko , Endo Yasuyuki , Arthur Larry O. , Lifson Jeffrey D. , Martin Malcolm A.
Published: December 2002

An effective vaccine against the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) will very likely have to elicit both cellular and humoral immune responses to control HIV-1 strains of diverse geographic and genetic origins. We have utilized a pathogenic chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) rhesus macaque animal model system to evaluate the protective efficacy of a vaccine regimen that uses recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and HIV-1 structural proteins in combination with intact inactivated SIV and HIV-1 particles. Following virus challenge, control animals experienced a rapid and complete loss of CD4
+
T cells, sustained high viral loads, and developed clinical disease by 17 to 21 weeks. Although all of the vaccinated monkeys became infected, they displayed reduced postpeak viremia, had no significant loss of CD4
+
T cells, and have remained healthy for more than 15 months postinfection. CD8
+
T-cell and neutralizing antibody responses in vaccinated animals following challenge were demonstrable. Despite the control of disease, virus was readily isolated from the circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells of all vaccinees at 22 weeks postchallenge, indicating that immunologic control was incomplete. Virus recovered from the animal with the lowest postchallenge viremia generated high virus loads and an irreversible loss of CD4
+
T-cell loss following its inoculation into a naïve animal. These results indicate that despite the protection from SHIV-induced disease, the vaccinated animals still harbored replication-competent and pathogenic virus.
Two Distinct Mechanisms Ensure Transcriptional Polarity in Double-Stranded RNA Bacteriophages
Authors: Yang Hongyan , Makeyev Eugene V. , Butcher Sarah J. , Gaidelytė Aušra , Bamford Dennis H.
Published: December 2002

In most double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses, RNA transcription occurs inside a polymerase (Pol) complex particle, which contains an RNA-dependent RNA Pol subunit as a minor component. Only plus- but not minus-sense copies of genomic segments are produced during this reaction. In the case of φ6, a dsRNA bacteriophage from the
Cystoviridae
family, isolated Pol synthesizes predominantly plus strands using virus-specific dsRNAs in vitro, thus suggesting that Pol template preferences determine the transcriptional polarity. Here, we dissect transcription reactions catalyzed by Pol complexes and Pol subunits of two other cystoviruses, φ8 and φ13. While both Pol complexes synthesize exclusively plus strands over a wide range of conditions, isolated Pol subunits can be stimulated by Mn
2+
to produce minus-sense copies on φ13 dsRNA templates. Importantly, all three Pol subunits become more prone to the native-like plus-strand synthesis when the dsRNA templates (including φ13 dsRNA) are activated by denaturation before the reaction. Based on these and earlier observations, we propose a model of transcriptional polarity in
Cystoviridae
controlled on two independent levels: Pol affinity to plus-strand initiation sites and accessibility of these sites to the Pol in a single-stranded form.
Glycosaminoglycan Binding Properties of Natural Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Isolates
Authors: Wang Eryu , Brault Aaron C. , Powers Ann M. , Kang Wenli , Weaver Scott C.
Published: December 2002

Equine-virulent, epidemic/epizootic strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus (VEEV) arise via mutation of progenitor enzootic strains that replicate poorly in equines. Sequencing studies have implicated positively charged amino acids on the surface of the E2 envelope glycoprotein in the acquisition of equine virulence and viremia potential, suggesting that changes in binding to cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) may mediate VEE emergence. Therefore, we evaluated the binding of natural enzootic and epizootic VEEV isolates to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing normal, high levels of GAGs as well as to mutant CHO cells lacking GAG expression. Binding to GAGs was not consistently associated with the epizootic phenotype, and cell culture passages resulted in increased GAG binding. The low levels of GAG binding exhibited by some low-passage, equine-virulent subtype IC VEEV strains indicate that the positive-charge E2 mutations implicated in VEE subtype IC emergence are not artifacts of laboratory passage and suggest that GAG binding does not play a major role in mediating VEE emergence. The increased GAG binding exhibited by VEEV strain CPA201 from the 1993 Mexican epizootic, when compared to that of closely related enzootic subtype IE strains, was shown to result from a Glu-to-Lys mutation at position 117 of the E2 envelope glycoprotein.
Varicella-Zoster Virus Open Reading Frame 21, Which Is Expressed during Latency, Is Essential for Virus Replication but Dispensable for Establishment of Latency
Authors: Xia Dongxiang , Srinivas Shamala , Sato Hitoshi , Pesnicak Lesley , Straus Stephen E. , Cohen Jeffrey I.
Published: December 2002

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) open reading frame 21 (ORF21) is one of at least five VZV genes expressed in latently infected human and rodent ganglia. To determine whether ORF21 is required for latent and lytic infection, we deleted 99% of ORF21 from the viral genome. The ORF21 deletion mutant virus could be propagated only in a cell line expressing the ORF21 protein. Insertion of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) homolog of VZV ORF21, HSV-1 UL37, into the ORF21 deletion mutant failed to complement the mutant for growth in cell culture. Inoculation of cotton rats with the ORF21 deletion virus resulted in latent infection in numbers of animals similar to those infected after inoculation with the parental virus. The mean numbers of latent VZV genomes were similar in animals infected with parental and ORF21 deletion viruses. Transcription of ORF63, another latency-associated gene, was detected in ganglia from similar numbers of animals infected with the mutant and parental viruses. Thus, ORF21 is the first VZV gene expressed during latency that has been shown to be dispensable for the establishment of latent infection.
Searching for Interferon-Induced Genes That Inhibit Hepatitis B Virus Replication in Transgenic Mouse Hepatocytes
Authors: Wieland Stefan F. , Vega Raquel G. , Müller Rolf , Evans Claire F. , Hilbush Brian , Guidotti Luca G. , Sutcliffe J. Gregor , Schultz Peter G. , Chisari Francis V.
Published: December 2002

We have previously shown that alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) and IFN-γ inhibit hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication noncytopathically in the livers of HBV transgenic mice and in hepatocyte cell lines derived from these mice. The present study was designed to identify transcriptionally controlled hepatocellular genes that are tightly associated with the inhibition of HBV replication and that might, therefore, mediate the antiviral effect of these cytokines. Twenty-nine genes were identified, many of which have known or potential antiviral activity. Notably, multiple components of the immunoproteasome and ubiquitin-like proteins were strongly induced by both IFN-α/β and IFN-γ, as were a number of GTP-binding proteins, including GTPases with known antiviral activity, chemokines, signaling molecules, and miscellaneous genes associated with antigen processing, DNA-binding, or cochaperone activity and several expressed sequence tags. The results suggest that one or more members of this relatively small subset of genes may mediate the antiviral effect of IFN-α/β and IFN-γ against HBV. We have already exploited this information by demonstrating that the antiviral activity of IFN-α/β and IFN-γ is proteasome dependent.
Altered Pathogenesis of Severe Pneumovirus Infection in Response to Combined Antiviral and Specific Immunomodulatory Agents
Authors: Bonville Cynthia A. , Easton Andrew J. , Rosenberg Helene F. , Domachowske Joseph B.
Published: December 2002

We report here the responses of mice with symptomatic pneumovirus infection to combined antiviral and specific immunomodulatory agents. Mice infected with pneumonia virus of mice, a natural mouse pathogen that replicates the signs and symptoms of severe infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), responded to the antiviral agent ribavirin when it was administered in the setting of endogenous (gene deletion) or exogenous (antibody-mediated) blockade of the MIP-1α proinflammatory signaling cascade. Although neither treatment is effective alone, together they offer a dramatic reduction in symptoms and pathology, the most impressive of which is a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality. The findings presented are consistent with the notion of unique and independent contributions of virus replication and ongoing inflammation to the pathogenesis of severe respiratory virus infection, and they provide the impetus for the study of this treatment regimen in RSV-infected humans.
Negative-Strand Tospoviruses and Tenuiviruses Carry a Gene for a Suppressor of Gene Silencing at Analogous Genomic Positions
Authors: Bucher Etienne , Sijen Titia , de Haan Peter , Goldbach Rob , Prins Marcel
Published: December 2002

Posttranscriptional silencing of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgene in
Nicotiana benthamiana
plants was suppressed when these plants were infected with
Tomato spotted wilt virus
(TSWV), a plant-infecting member of the
Bunyaviridae
. Infection with TSWV resulted in complete reactivation of GFP expression, similar to the case for
Potato virus Y
, but distinct from that for
Cucumber mosaic virus
, two viruses known to carry genes encoding silencing suppressor proteins.
Agrobacterium
-based leaf injections with individual TSWV genes identified the NS
S
gene to be responsible for the RNA silencing-suppressing activity displayed by this virus. The absence of short interfering RNAs in NS
S
-expressing leaf sectors suggests that the tospoviral NS
S
protein interferes with the intrinsic RNA silencing present in plants. Suppression of RNA silencing was also observed when the NS3 protein of the
Rice hoja blanca tenuivirus
, a nonenveloped negative-strand virus, was expressed. These results indicate that plant-infecting negative-strand RNA viruses carry a gene for a suppressor of RNA silencing.
Differential N-Linked Glycosylation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Ebola Virus Envelope Glycoproteins Modulates Interactions with DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR
Authors: Lin George , Simmons Graham , Pöhlmann Stefan , Baribaud Frédéric , Ni Houping , Leslie George J. , Haggarty Beth S. , Bates Paul , Weissman Drew , Hoxie James A. , Doms Robert W.
Published: December 2002

The C-type lectins DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR [collectively referred to as DC-SIGN(R)] bind and transmit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus to T cells via the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env). Other viruses containing heavily glycosylated glycoproteins (GPs) fail to interact with DC-SIGN(R), suggesting some degree of specificity in this interaction. We show here that DC-SIGN(R) selectively interact with HIV Env and Ebola virus GPs containing more high-mannose than complex carbohydrate structures. Modulation of
N
-glycans on Env or GP through production of viruses in different primary cells or in the presence of the mannosidase I inhibitor deoxymannojirimycin dramatically affected DC-SIGN(R) infectivity enhancement. Further, murine leukemia virus, which typically does not interact efficiently with DC-SIGN(R), could do so when produced in the presence of deoxymannojirimycin. We predict that other viruses containing GPs with a large proportion of high-mannose
N
-glycans will efficiently interact with DC-SIGN(R), whereas those with solely complex
N
-glycans will not. Thus, the virus-producing cell type is an important factor in dictating both
N
-glycan status and virus interactions with DC-SIGN(R), which may impact virus tropism and transmissibility in vivo.
Contrasting Roles of Endosomal pH and the Cytoskeleton in Infection of Human Glial Cells by JC Virus and Simian Virus 40
Authors: Ashok Aarthi , Atwood Walter J.
Published: December 2002

Infection of eukaryotic cells by pathogens requires the efficient use of host cell endocytic and cytoplasmic transport mechanisms. Understanding how these cellular functions are exploited by microorganisms allows us to better define the basic biology of pathogenesis while providing better insight into normal cellular functions. In this report we compare and contrast intracellular transport and trafficking of the human polyomavirus JC virus (JCV) with that of simian virus 40 (SV40). We have previously shown that infection of human glial cells by JCV requires clathrin-dependent endocytosis. In contrast, infection of cells by SV40 proceeds by caveola-dependent endocytosis. We now examine the roles of endosomal pH and the cellular cytoskeleton during infection of glial cells by both viruses. Our results demonstrate that JCV infection is sensitive to disruption of endosomal pH, whereas SV40 infection is pH independent. Infection by JCV is inhibited by treatment of glial cells with cytochalasin D, nocodazole, and acrylamide, whereas SV40 infection is affected only by nocodazole. These data point to critical differences between JCV and SV40 in terms of endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of their DNA genomes to the nucleus. These data also suggest a unique sequential involvement of cytoskeletal elements during infection of glial cells by JCV.
The Attenuated Pseudorabies Virus Strain Bartha Fails To Package the Tegument Proteins Us3 and VP22
Authors: Lyman Mathew G. , Demmin Gretchen L. , Banfield Bruce W.
Published: December 2002

The Bartha strain of pseudorabies virus has several recognized mutations, including a deletion in the unique short region encompassing the glycoprotein I (gI), gE, Us9, and Us2 genes and point mutations in the gC, gM, and UL21 genes. We have determined that Bartha has mutations in the serine/threonine kinase encoded by the Us3 gene relative to the wild-type Becker strain. Our analysis revealed that Becker virions contain the Us3 protein, whereas Bartha virions do not. To test whether the mutations in the Bartha Us3 protein were responsible for this observation, we constructed a recombinant Bartha strain, PRV632, which expresses the Becker Us3 protein. PRV632 failed to package Us3 into the tegument, indicating that mutations other than those in the Us3 primary amino acid sequence were responsible for the failure of Bartha to package its Us3 protein. A recombinant Becker strain, PRV634, which expresses the Bartha Us3 protein, was constructed to test whether it was capable of being packaged into virions. The Bartha Us3 protein was not incorporated into PRV634 virions efficiently, suggesting that the primary sequence of the Bartha Us3 protein affects packaging into the tegument. To determine whether the packaging of other tegument proteins was affected in the Bartha strain, we examined VP22. Whereas Becker packaged VP22 into virions, Bartha had a severe deficiency in VP22 incorporation. Analysis of VP22 expression in Bartha-infected cells revealed that Bartha VP22 had a slower mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, indicating either primary sequence differences and/or different posttranslational modifications relative to Becker VP22. Taken together, these data indicate that, while the primary sequence of the Us3 protein does affect its incorporation into the tegument, other factors are involved. Furthermore, our data suggest that one or more of the gI, gE, Us9, or Us2 genes influences the localization of the Us3 protein in infected cells, and this effect may be important for the proper incorporation of Us3 into virions.
The PHD/LAP-Domain Protein M153R of Myxomavirus Is a Ubiquitin Ligase That Induces the Rapid Internalization and Lysosomal Destruction of CD4
Authors: Mansouri Mandana , Bartee Eric , Gouveia Kristine , Hovey Nerenberg Bianca T. , Barrett John , Thomas Laurel , Thomas Gary , McFadden Grant , Früh Klaus
Published: December 2002

The genomes of several poxviruses contain open reading frames with homology to the K3 and K5 genes of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and the K3 gene of murine gammaherpesvirus 68, which target major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) as well as costimulatory molecules for proteasomal or lysosomal degradation. The homologous gene product of myxomavirus (MV), M153R, was recently shown to reduce the cell surface expression of MHC-I. In addition, normal MHC-I surface expression was observed in cells infected with MV lacking M153R (J. L. Guerin, J. Gelfi, S. Boullier, M. Delverdier, F. A. Bellanger, S. Bertagnoli, I. Drexler, G. Sutter, and F. Messud-Petit, J. Virol.
76:
2912-2923, 2002). Here, we show that M153R also downregulates the T-cell coreceptor CD4 and we study the molecular mechanism by which M153R achieves the downregulation of CD4 and MHC-I. Upon M153R expression, CD4 was rapidly internalized and degraded in lysosomes, whereas deletion of M153R from the genome of MV restored CD4 expression. The downregulation of both CD4 and MHC-I was dependent on the presence of lysine residues in their cytoplasmic tails. Increased ubiquitination of CD4 was observed upon coexpression with M153R in the presence of inhibitors of lysosomal acidification. Surface expression of CD4 was restored upon overexpression of Hrs, a ubiquitin interaction motif-containing protein that sorts ubiquitinated proteins into endosomes. Moreover, the purified PHD/LAP zinc finger of M153R catalyzed the formation of multiubiquitin adducts in vitro. Our data suggest that M153R acts as a membrane-bound ubiquitin ligase that conjugates ubiquitin to the cytoplasmic domain of substrate glycoproteins, with ubiquitin serving as a lysosomal targeting signal. Since a similar mechanism was recently proposed for KSHV K5, it seems that members of the unrelated families of gamma-2 herpesviruses and poxviruses share a common immune evasion mechanism that targets host cell immune receptors.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus K-bZIP Is a Coregulator of K-Rta: Physical Association and Promoter-Dependent Transcriptional Repression
Authors: Izumiya Yoshihiro , Lin Su-Fang , Ellison Thomas , Chen Ling-Yu , Izumiya Chie , Luciw Paul , Kung Hsing-Jien
Published: December 2002

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a human gammaherpesvirus that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma and B-cell neoplasms. The genomic organization of KSHV is similar to that of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV encodes two transcriptional factors, Rta and Zta, which functionally interact to transactivate EBV genes during replication and reactivation from latency. KSHV encodes a basic leucine zipper protein (K-bZIP), a homologue of EBV Zta, and K-Rta, the homologue of EBV Rta. EBV Rta and Zta are strong transcriptional transactivators. Although there is ample evidence that K-Rta is a potent transactivator, the role of K-bZIP as a transcriptional factor is much less clear. In this study, we report that K-bZIP modulates K-Rta function. We show that K-bZIP directly interacts with K-Rta in vivo and in vitro. This association is specific, requiring the basic domain (amino acids 122 to 189) of K-bZIP and a specific region (amino acids 499 to 550) of K-Rta, and can be detected with K-bZIP and K-Rta endogenously expressed in BCBL-1 cells treated with tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate. The functional relevance of this association was revealed by the observation that K-bZIP represses the transactivation of the ORF57 promoter by K-Rta in a dose-dependent manner. K-bZIP lacking the interaction domain fails to repress K-Rta-mediated transactivation; this finding attests to the specificity of the repression. Interestingly, this repression is not observed for the promoter of polyadenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA, another target of K-Rta; thus, repression is promoter dependent. Finally, we provide evidence that the modulation of K-Rta by K-bZIP also occurs in vivo during reactivation of the viral genome in BCBL-1 cells. When K-bZIP is overexpressed in BCBL-1 cells, the level of expression of ORF57 but not PAN RNA is repressed. These data support the model that one function of K-bZIP is to modulate the activity of the transcriptional transactivator K-Rta.
Defective Tobamovirus Movement Protein Lacking Wild-Type Phosphorylation Sites Can Be Complemented by Substitutions Found in Revertants
Authors: Kawakami Shigeki , Hori Koichi , Hosokawa Daijiro , Okada Yoshimi , Watanabe Yuichiro
Published: December 2002

We reported previously that the movement protein (MP) of tomato mosaic tobamovirus is phosphorylated, and we proposed that MP phosphorylation is important for viral pathogenesis. Experimental data indicated that phosphorylation enhances the stability of MP in vivo and enables the protein to assume the correct intracellular location to perform its function. A mutant virus designated 37A238A was constructed; this virus lacked two serine residues within the MP, which prevented its phosphorylation. In the present study, we inoculated plants with the 37A238A mutant, and as expected, it was unable to produce local lesions on the leaves. However, after an extended period, we found that lesions did occur, which were due to revertant viruses. Several revertants were isolated, and the genetic changes in their MPs were examined together with any changes in their in vivo characteristics. We found that reversion to virulence was associated first with increased MP stability in infected cells and second with a shift in MP intracellular localization over time. In one case, the revertant MP was not phosphorylated in vivo, but it was functional.
Molecular Characterization of a Hamster Viscerotropic Strain of Yellow Fever Virus
Authors: McArthur Monica A. , Suderman Miguel T. , Mutebi John-Paul , Xiao Shu-Yuan , Barrett Alan D. T.
Published: December 2002

A hamster viscerotropic strain of yellow fever (YF) virus has been derived after serial passage of strain Asibi through hamsters. The parental Asibi/hamster p0 virus causes a mild and transient viremia in hamsters with no outward, clinical signs of illness. In contrast, the viscerotropic Asibi/hamster p7 virus causes a robust viremia, severe illness, and death in subadult hamsters. The genome of the hamster viscerotropic Asibi/hamster p7 virus has been sequenced and compared with the parental nonviscerotropic Asibi/hamster p0 virus identifying 14 nucleotide changes encoding only seven amino acid substitutions. The majority of these substitutions (five of seven) fall within the envelope (E) protein at positions Q27H, D28G, D155A, K323R, and K331R. These results support an important role for the E protein in determining YF virus viscerotropism.
Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV)-Based Assay Demonstrates Interferon-Antagonist Activity for the NDV V Protein and the Nipah Virus V, W, and C Proteins
Authors: Park Man-Seong , Shaw Megan L. , Muñoz-Jordan Jorge , Cros Jerome F. , Nakaya Takaaki , Bouvier Nicole , Palese Peter , García-Sastre Adolfo , Basler Christopher F.
Published: December 2002

We have generated a recombinant Newcastle disease virus (NDV) that expresses the green fluorescence protein (GFP) in infected chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs). This virus is interferon (IFN) sensitive, and pretreatment of cells with chicken alpha/beta IFN (IFN-α/β) completely blocks viral GFP expression. Prior transfection of plasmid DNA induces an IFN response in CEFs and blocks NDV-GFP replication. However, transfection of known inhibitors of the IFN-α/β system, including the influenza A virus NS1 protein and the Ebola virus VP35 protein, restores NDV-GFP replication. We therefore conclude that the NDV-GFP virus could be used to screen proteins expressed from plasmids for the ability to counteract the host cell IFN response. Using this system, we show that expression of the NDV V protein or the Nipah virus V, W, or C proteins rescues NDV-GFP replication in the face of the transfection-induced IFN response. The V and W proteins of Nipah virus, a highly lethal pathogen in humans, also block activation of an IFN-inducible promoter in primate cells. Interestingly, the amino-terminal region of the Nipah virus V protein, which is identical to the amino terminus of Nipah virus W, is sufficient to exert the IFN-antagonist activity. In contrast, the anti-IFN activity of the NDV V protein appears to be located in the carboxy-terminal region of the protein, a region implicated in the IFN-antagonist activity exhibited by the V proteins of mumps virus and human parainfluenza virus type 2.