Inhibitors of the Hepatitis C Virus Polymerase; Mode of Action and Resistance

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a pandemic human pathogen posing a substantial health and economic burden in both developing and developed countries. Controlling the spread of HCV through behavioural prevention strategies has met with limited success and vaccine development remains slow. The development of antiviral therapeutic agents has also been challenging, primarily due to the lack of efficient cell culture and animal models for all HCV genotypes, as well as the large genetic diversity between HCV strains. On the other hand, the use of interferon-α-based treatments in combination with the guanosine analogue, ribavirin, achieved limited success, and widespread use of these therapies has been hampered by prevalent side effects. For more than a decade, the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) has been targeted for antiviral development. Direct acting antivirals (DAA) have been identified which bind to one of at least six RdRp inhibitor-binding sites, and are now becoming a mainstay of highly effective and well tolerated antiviral treatment for HCV infection. Here we review the different classes of RdRp inhibitors and their mode of action against HCV. Furthermore, the mechanism of antiviral resistance to each class is described, including naturally occurring resistance-associated variants (RAVs) in different viral strains and genotypes. Finally, we review the impact of these RAVs on treatment outcomes with the newly developed regimens.     

Immune responses against hepatitis C virus genotype 3a virus-like particles in mice: A novel VLP prime-adenovirus boost strategy

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a major health threat to global population. In India, approximately 15–20% of cases of chronic liver diseases are caused by HCV infection. Although, new drug treatments hold great promise for HCV eradication in infected individuals, the treatments are highly expensive. A vaccine for preventing or treating HCV infection would be of great value, particularly in developing countries. Several preclinical trials of virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine strategies are in progress throughout the world. Previously, using baculovirus based system, we have reported the production of hepatitis C virus-like particles (HCV-LPs) encoding structural proteins for genotype 3a, which is prevalent in India. In the present study, we have generated HCV-LPs using adenovirus based system and tried different immunization strategies by using combinations of both kinds of HCV-LPs with other genotype 3a-based immunogens. HCV-LPs and peptides based ELISAs were used to evaluate antibody responses generated by these combinations. Cell-mediated immune responses were measured by using T-cell proliferation assay and intracellular cytokine staining. We observed that administration of recombinant adenoviruses expressing HCV structural proteins as final booster enhances both antibody as well as T-cell responses. Additionally, reduction of binding of VLP and JFH1 virus to human hepatocellular carcinoma cells demonstrated the presence of neutralizing antibodies in immunized sera. Taken together, our results suggest that the combined regimen of VLP followed by recombinant adenovirus could more effectively inhibit HCV infection, endorsing the novel vaccine strategy.     

Association between Increased Inducible Costimulator/Inducible Costimulator Ligand Expression with Bone Destruction in Apical Periodontitis

IntroductionThe aim was to assess the association of inducible costimulator (ICOS) and ICOS ligand with bone destruction in apical periodontitis (AP).MethodsSpecimens from patients presenting with AP were obtained during apicoectomy and subjected to histopathologic analysis and molecular assessment of ICOS/ICOS ligand. In addition, the experimental AP was induced by exposing the pulp of first mandibular molars of rats. Histologic and radiographic examinations were performed to validate the periapical lesions. The immunolocalization and messenger RNA expression of ICOS/ICOS ligand were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The osteoclastic activities in periapical lesions, including the lesion size and the expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand, were recorded and followed by correlation analysis with ICOS/ICOS ligand expression.ResultsIn excisional specimens from AP patients, a significantly increased expression of ICOS/ICOS ligand was found compared with the healthy control. In the experimental AP samples, the expression of ICOS/ICOS ligand, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand was significantly elevated in inflamed periapical tissues (AP group) when compared with the healthy control. The number of ICOS⁺/ICOS ligand⁺ cells was highly correlated with the periapical lesion size (r = 0.892, P < .01 and r = 0.930, P < .01, respectively).ConclusionsThe increased expression of ICOS/ICOS ligand in periapical lesions was associated with the inflammatory infiltration and alveolar bone destruction of AP.     

Isolation and characterization of new human carrier peptides from two important vaccine immunogens

In the preparation of glycoconjugate vaccines in clinical practice, two highly immunogenic carrier proteins, CRM₁₉₇ and tetanus toxoid (TT), are predominantly conjugated with the capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) of bacterial pathogens. In addition, TT has long been used as an effective vaccine to prevent tetanus. While these carrier proteins play an important role in immunogenicity and vaccine design alike, their defined human major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) T cell epitopes are inadequately characterized. In this current work, we use mass spectrometry to identify the peptides from these carrier proteins that are naturally processed and presented by human B cells via MHCII pathway. The MHCII-presented peptides are screened for their T cell stimulation using primary CD4+ T cells from four healthy adult donors. These combined methods reveal a subset of eleven CD4+ T cell epitopes that proliferate and stimulate human T cells with diverse MHCII allelic repertoire. Six of these peptides stand out as potential immunodominant epitopes by responding in three or more donors. Additionally, we provide evidence of these natural epitopes eliciting more significant T cell responses in donors than previously published TT peptides selected from T cell epitope screening. This study serves toward understanding carrier protein immune responses and thus enables the use of these peptides in developing novel knowledge-based vaccines to combat persisting problems in glycoconjugate vaccine design.     

直接抗病毒药物治疗丙型肝炎合并透析患者的临床应用

丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染在慢性肾功能不全患者中较常见，尤其是在进行透析的患者中，HCV感染较普通患者的风险极大增加，同时还会导致肝细胞癌及肝硬化的发病率明显升高。近年来直接抗病毒药物（DAAs）在慢性丙型肝炎的治疗中取得了较好的疗效及安全性，本文通过总结DAAs在丙型肝炎合并透析患者中的应用进展，发现对于基因1~6型HCV合并透析患者，推荐使用G/P方案；由于索磷布韦（SOF）经肾脏代谢，在重度肾损害人群中的血药浓度较高，因此SOF组合方案并不推荐用于丙型肝炎合并透析患者的治疗。     

Expression of TRIM22 mRNA in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs

Hepatitis C is a global public health problem, and Pakistan is the second largest country in the globe with highest prevalence rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Until 2014, pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) has been the standard therapy for HCV, however, owing to its adverse side effects and very low sustained virologic response (SVR) rates therapeutics trend is shifted toward direct-acting antivirals. Tripartite motif containing 22 (TRIM22) is a dynamic antiviral protein that can inhibit multiple viruses in vivo. Expression of TRIM22 mRNA has been linked to outcome of PEG-IFN and ribavirin therapy, where its higher expression leads to rapid virus clearance. However, in terms of therapy with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) or double DAA, impact of TRIM22 expression is largely unknown. These new drugs show more than 90% of SVR rates and lesser side effects and have proven to be better than IFN therapy. Endogenous IFN system suppresses various pathogens through the induction of antiviral effectors termed as interferon-stimulating genes (ISGs). We have studied the expression levels of one of these antiviral effectors, TRIM22 in response to sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DAC) in combination with RBV, using quantitative PCR in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HCV-infected patients. We have observed sustained virus clearance in more than 90% of patients treated with DAA and double DAA and have seen the expression of TRIM22 to be higher in patients who attained SVR as compared to the untreated patients. We have also observed downregulation of TRIM22 in patients who failed to attain rapid virus clearance, and upregulation in those who achieved rapid clearance of virus. Genetic factors that determine the lower TRIM22 expression in these patients are needed to be explored that may also play a role in lower response to anti-HCV therapy. Endogenous IFN system and effects of antiviral proteins in response to DAA therapy is needed to be studied in order to better understand the host response toward these drugs to make them more effective.     

基于蛋白质组学分析色胺酮抑制小鼠乳腺癌的作用机制

目的:采用非标记定量(Label-free)蛋白质组学技术研究色胺酮抗小鼠体内乳腺癌的作用机制。方法:采用超高效液相色谱-质谱联用技术检测色胺酮抗小鼠乳腺癌的表达蛋白,选择Ionoptics nano UPLC C18色谱柱(0.075 mm×250 mm,1.6μm),流动相0.1%甲酸水溶液-0.1%甲酸乙腈溶液梯度洗脱,正离子模式,扫描范围m/z 100～1 700,使用MaxQuant 1.6.5.0进行数据库检索。采用Label-free高分辨质谱的蛋白质组学技术筛选4T1乳腺癌小鼠模型组与色胺酮(100 mg·kg~(-1))口服给药组之间的差异表达蛋白,进行色胺酮抗乳腺癌的蛋白质组学研究。结果:共鉴定出3 997个蛋白质,其中有2 911个蛋白可定量。模型组与色胺酮组共750个差异表达蛋白,其中286个蛋白上调,464个蛋白下调。基因本体分析表明,这些差异表达蛋白主要参与增殖、细胞迁移、凋亡、免疫、血管生成和炎症调节等生物学过程。京都基因与基因组百科全书通路分析进一步表明,这些蛋白主要集中于T细胞受体,B细胞受体,Toll样受体,核转录因子-κB(NF-κB),Ras蛋白,白细胞介素-17,肿瘤坏死因子,磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B(PI3K-Akt)和丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)等信号通路。结论:与色胺酮抗4T1乳腺癌作用密切相关的差异表达蛋白包括上调蛋白白细胞分化抗原14(CD14),前列腺素G/H合酶2(PTGS2),泛素蛋白连接酶E3和下调蛋白CD44,70 kDa热休克蛋白1A(HSPA1A),巨噬细胞移动抑制因子(MIF),NF-κB,核糖体蛋白S6激酶α-4(RPS6KA4)和高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1),提示色胺酮主要通过调节肿瘤炎症微环境来达到抑制小鼠乳腺癌的作用。     

桑根酮C对博莱霉素诱导小鼠肺纤维化改善作用及机制研究

目的观察桑根酮C对博莱霉素诱导的小鼠肺纤维化的影响,并探讨其可能的作用机制。方法 C57BL/6小鼠随机分为4组,即假手术组、模型组和桑根酮C(100、50 mg/kg)组,每组20只。假手术组小鼠气管内注射生理盐水,模型组小鼠气管内注射博莱霉素诱导肺纤维化模型。术后第4天开始给药,连续给药28d后检测小鼠呼吸功能;检测肺内羟脯氨酸含量;HE染色观察肺内炎症表现;Masson染色观察肺内胶原活性;免疫组化法检测肺内转化生长因子-β1(TGF-β1)蛋白表达量;免疫蛋白印迹法检测肺内α平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)、核转录因子-κB p65(NF-κB p65)、磷酸化的核转录因子-κB p65(p-NF-κB p65)、Ⅰ型胶原和Ⅲ型胶原表达量。结果与模型组比较,桑根酮C能够改善经博莱霉素诱导形成肺纤维化后小鼠的呼吸功能,能够明显降低肺内羟脯氨酸含量,明显减轻肺内炎症和胶原沉积,肺内TGF-β1、α-SMA、NF-κBp65、p-NF-κBp65、Ⅰ型胶原和Ⅲ型胶原蛋白表达量明显降低。结论桑根酮C能够明显改善博莱霉素诱导小鼠肺纤维化,改善呼吸功能,其机制可能与抑制TGF-β1过表达和降低炎症转录因子NF-κB及磷酸化表达有关。     

Compositional analyses reveal correlations between taxon-level gut bacterial abundance and peripheral T cell marker expression in African infants

ABSTRACT

Although exclusive breastfeeding has been linked to lower rates of postnatal HIV transmission compared to nonexclusive breastfeeding, mechanisms underlying this are unclear. Across a longitudinally sampled cohort of South African infants, we showed that exclusively breastfed (EBF) infants had altered gut bacterial communities when compared to nonexclusively breastfed (NEBF) infants, as well as reduced peripheral CD4 + T cell activation and lowered chemokine and chemokine receptor expression in the oral mucosa. We further demonstrated that the relative abundance of key taxa was correlated with peripheral CD4 + T cell activation. Here, we supplement those findings by using compositional data analyses to identify shifts in the abundance of several Bifidobacteria strains relative to select strains of Escherichia, Bacteroides, and others that are associated with the transition to NEBF. We illustrate that the abundance ratio of these taxa is tightly correlated with feeding modality and is a strong predictor of peripheral T cell activation. More broadly, we discuss our study in the context of novel developments and explore future directions for the field.