Search results for "VIROLOGY"
showing 10 items of 2354 documents
Teschoviruses and sapeloviruses in faecal samples from wild boar in Spain
2013
Teschovirus and Sapelovirus are two genera of the Picornaviridae family, comprising highly variable and heterogeneous enteric viruses, commonly found in faecal samples from domestic pigs. Although both of them are also known to infect wild boar, studies on their presence in these wild suids are scarce. The present study aimed at determining the presence of porcine teschovirus (PTV) and sapelovirus (PSV) in free-living wild boar populations, as well as to study their relationships with similar viruses present in pigs. Fresh faecal samples (n = 63) from wild boar were collected in Doñana Biological Reserve (SW Spain) during 2007 and 2011, and analysed using multiplex RT-PCR for the simultaneo…
Midbiotics : conjugative plasmids for genetic engineering of natural gut flora
2019
ABSTRACTThe possibility to modify gut bacterial flora has become an important goal, and various approaches are used to achieve desirable communities. However, the genetic engineering of existing microbes in the gut, which are already compatible with the rest of the community and host immune system, has not received much attention. Here, we discuss and experimentally evaluate the possibility to use modified and mobilizable CRISPR-Cas9-endocing plasmid as a tool to induce changes in bacterial communities. This plasmid system (briefly midbiotic) is delivered from bacterial vector into target bacteria via conjugation. Compared to, for example, bacteriophage-based applications, the benefits of c…
The Social Life of Viruses
2021
Despite their simplicity, viruses exhibit certain types of social interactions. Situations in which a given virus achieves higher fitness in combination with other members of the viral population have been described at the level of transmission, replication, suppression of host immune responses, and host killing, enabling the evolution of viral cooperation. Although cellular coinfection with multiple viral particles is the typical playground for these interactions, cooperation between viruses infecting different cells is also established through cellular and viral-encoded communication systems. In general, the stability of cooperation is compromised by cheater genotypes, as best exemplified…
Combination vaccines containing DTPa–Hib: impact of IPV and coadministration of CRM197 conjugates
2008
Vaccination with diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTPa)-Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) combinations generally elicits anti-polyribosyl-ribitol-phosphate (PRP) antibody concentrations of more than 0.15 microg/ml, a criterion that is linked to the protection of infants against Hib disease. In the UK, vaccination with DTPa3-Hib elicited atypically low anti-PRP antibody levels and was associated with breakthrough Hib cases. While the absence of a toddler booster is considered to be a key factor explaining the lowered control of Hib disease, we propose that the coadministration of serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis conjugate vaccine (MenC)-CRM197, which coincided with the introductio…
Grazoprevir/elbasvir for the immediate treatment of recently acquired HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection in MSM.
2020
Abstract Background In Europe, increases in HCV infection have been observed over the last two decades in MSM, making them a key population for recently acquired HCV. Alternative combinations of direct-acting antiviral agents against early HCV infection need to be assessed. Patients and methods In this pilot trial, MSM with recently acquired genotype 1 or 4 HCV infection were prospectively included and received 8 weeks of oral grazoprevir 100 mg and elbasvir 50 mg in a fixed-dose combination administered once daily. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response evaluated 12 weeks after the end of treatment (EOT) (SVR12). Secondary endpoints were the virological characterization of…
Restrictions for reimbursement of interferon-free direct-acting antiviral drugs for HCV infection in Europe
2018
All-oral direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus, which have response rates of 95% or more, represent a major clinical advance. However, the high list price of DAAs has led many governments to restrict their reimbursement. We reviewed the availability of, and national criteria for, interferon-free DAA reimbursement among countries in the European Union and European Economic Area, and Switzerland. Reimbursement documentation was reviewed between Nov 18, 2016, and Aug 1, 2017. Primary outcomes were fibrosis stage, drug or alcohol use, prescriber type, and HIV co-infection restrictions. Among the 35 European countries and jurisdictions included, the most commonly reimbursed …
Genetic Determinants in a Critical Domain of NS5A Correlate with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Cirrhotic Patients Infected with HCV Genotype 1b
2021
HCV is an important cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCV NS5A domain-1 interacts with cellular proteins inducing pro-oncogenic pathways. Thus, we explore genetic variations in NS5A domain-1 and their association with HCC, by analyzing 188 NS5A sequences from HCV genotype-1b infected DAA-naïve cirrhotic patients: 34 with HCC and 154 without HCC. Specific NS5A mutations significantly correlate with HCC: S3T (8.8% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.01), T122M (8.8% vs. 0.0%, p <
Transfer of Immunity from Mother to Offspring Is Mediated via Egg-Yolk Protein Vitellogenin.
2015
Insect immune systems can recognize specific pathogens and prime offspring immunity. High specificity of immune priming can be achieved when insect females transfer immune elicitors into developing oocytes. The molecular mechanism behind this transfer has been a mystery. Here, we establish that the egg-yolk protein vitellogenin is the carrier of immune elicitors. Using the honey bee, Apis mellifera, model system, we demonstrate with microscopy and western blotting that vitellogenin binds to bacteria, both Paenibacillus larvae – the gram-positive bacterium causing American foulbrood disease – and to Escherichia coli that represents gram-negative bacteria. Next, we verify that vitellogenin bi…
Viroporins, Examples of the Two-Stage Membrane Protein Folding Model
2015
Viroporins are small, α-helical, hydrophobic virus encoded proteins, engineered to form homo-oligomeric hydrophilic pores in the host membrane. Viroporins participate in multiple steps of the viral life cycle, from entry to budding. As any other membrane protein, viroporins have to find the way to bury their hydrophobic regions into the lipid bilayer. Once within the membrane, the hydrophobic helices of viroporins interact with each other to form higher ordered structures required to correctly perform their porating activities. This two-step process resembles the two-stage model proposed for membrane protein folding by Engelman and Poppot. In this review we use the membrane protein folding …
The effect of nanoparticle size and NLS density on nuclear targeting in cancer and normal cells; impaired nuclear import and aberrant nanoparticle in…
2017
The cell nucleus is an interesting target in many diseases with particular interest in cancer. Previously, nuclear targeted small and large chitosan nanoparticles (S-NPs≈25nm, and L-NPs≈150nm respectively), modified with low, intermediate and high densities of NLS (L-NLS, I-NLS and H-NLS) were developed and assessed in L929 fibroblasts. However, to evade apoptosis and stimulate tumor growth cancer cells are capable of manipulating the nuclear-cytoplasmic transport on many levels, making NPs that are capable of nuclear targeting in normal cells incapable of doing so in cancer. For such reason, here, the nuclear delivery efficiency of S-NPs and L-NPs was assessed as a function of their NLS de…