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.     

稳定表达nucleostemin—siRNA的肿瘤细胞克隆的筛选和鉴定

目的：用脂质体法建立nucleostemin（NS）基因特异性siRNA阳性细胞克隆，为深入研究NS基因在胃癌细胞增殖调控中的作用和机制提供理想的生物学模型。方法：试剂盒法将真核表达载体PCDNA4／C—NS—silencer质粒大量扩增，然后以限制性切酶PVUI酶切线性化处理，用LipofectamineTM2000Reagent将PCDNA4／C—NS—silencer及其对照空载体转染胃癌SGC-7901细胞，经Zeocin抗生素压力筛选后用PCR方法鉴定细胞克隆外源基因整合阳性。结果：经Zeocin抗生素压力筛选后两组细胞均收获多个细胞克隆；PCR结果表明两组细胞克隆外源基因整合阳性。结论：成功建立表达NS～siRNA的胃癌SGC-7901细胞克隆。     

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 NS5A resistance-associated variants are associated with advanced liver fibrosis independently of HCV-transmission clusters

Objectives

The aim of the study was to characterize the differences in the frequencies of NS3 and NS5A resistance-associated variants (RAVs) among Polish therapy-naive genotype 1 (G1) hepatitis C virus (HCV)-monoinfected and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV-coinfected patients including clustering patterns and association of RAV frequency with liver fibrosis.

Glucose preferences in wild and domestic guinea pigs

Male wild (Cavia aperea) and domestic (C. porcellus) guinea pigs were tested in two-bottle choice tests for preferences between glucose solutions of different concentrations and de-ionized water. Wild males showed significant preferences for concentrations between 0.025 and 0.4 M glucose while domestic males preferred only the 0.2 M glucose solution to de-ionized water. C. aperea males also consumed significantly greater volumes of liquid per kg body $\text{wt.}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}$ during the glucose tests than did the C. porcellus males. These comparative results contrast sharply with those obtained by other authors with wild and domestic Norway rats.     

A trade-off in replication in mosquito versus mammalian systems conferred by a point mutation in the NS4B protein of dengue virus type 4

An acceptable live-attenuated dengue virus vaccine candidate should have low potential for transmission by mosquitoes. We have identified and characterized a mutation in dengue virus type 4 (DEN4) that decreases the ability of the virus to infect mosquitoes. A panel of 1248 mutagenized virus clones generated previously by chemical mutagenesis was screened for decreased replication in mosquito C6/36 cells but efficient replication in simian Vero cells. One virus met these criteria and contained a single coding mutation: a C-to-U mutation at nucleotide 7129 resulting in a Pro-to-Leu change in amino acid 101 of the nonstructural 4B gene (NS4B P101L). This mutation results in decreased replication in C6/36 cells relative to wild-type DEN4, decreased infectivity for mosquitoes, enhanced replication in Vero and human HuH-7 cells, and enhanced replication in SCID mice implanted with HuH-7 cells (SCID-HuH-7 mice). A recombinant DEN4 virus (rDEN4) bearing this mutation exhibited the same set of phenotypes. Addition of the NS4B P101L mutation to rDEN4 bearing a 30 nucleotide deletion (Delta30) decreased the ability of the double-mutant virus to infect mosquitoes but increased its ability to replicate in SCID-HuH-7 mice. Although the NS4B P101L mutation decreases infectivity of DEN4 for mosquitoes, its ability to enhance replication in SCID-HuH-7 mice suggests that it might not be advantageous to include this specific mutation in an rDEN4 vaccine. The opposing effects of the NS4B P101L mutation in mosquito and vertebrate systems suggest that the NS4B protein is involved in maintaining the balance between efficient replication in the mosquito vector and the human host.     

登革3型病毒prM-E和NS1多基因重组质粒DNA免疫原性增强效果观察

目的　观察登革 3型病毒的prM E和NS1基因重组质粒DNA混合免疫对免疫原性的增强作用 ,为登革DNA疫苗混合免疫提供实验依据。方法　将登革 3型病毒的prM E和NS1基因重组质粒DNA分别混合及单独免疫BALB/c小鼠 ,采用中和试验及MTT法检测免疫小鼠血清中和抗体及脾细胞特异性CTL(cytotoxicT lymphocytes)杀伤率。结果　混合重组质粒DNA免疫组与单一prM E基因重组质粒DNA免疫组均在末次免疫后第 14天检测到中和抗体 ,在第 33天达到高峰 ,为 1∶32。在末次免疫后第 4 1天 ,当效靶比为 4 0∶1时 ,混合重组质粒DNA免疫组的特异性CTL杀伤率为 15 % ,而 2个单质粒DNA组分别为 10 .9%和 12 .4 %。结论　重组质粒DNA混合免疫可同时诱发小鼠产生体液免疫和细胞免疫 ,而且细胞免疫应答具有一定的增强作用 ,但没有出现特异性CTL杀伤率的协同增强效果。     

The RNA helicase, nucleotide 5'-triphosphatase, and RNA 5'-triphosphatase activities of Dengue virus protein NS3 are Mg2+-dependent and require a functional Walker B motif in the helicase catalytic core

The nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) of Dengue virus (DV) is a multifunctional enzyme carrying activities involved in viral RNA replication and capping: helicase, nucleoside 5'-triphosphatase (NTPase), and RNA 5'-triphosphatase (RTPase). Here, a 54-kDa C-terminal domain of NS3 (DeltaNS3) bearing all three activities was expressed as a recombinant protein. Structure-based sequence analysis in comparison with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) helicase indicates the presence of a HCV-helicase-like catalytic core domain in the N-terminal part of DeltaNS3, whereas the C-terminal part seems to be different. In this report, we show that the RTPase activity of DeltaNS3 is Mg2+-dependent as are both helicase and NTPase activities. Mutational analysis shows that the RTPase activity requires an intact NTPase/helicase Walker B motif in the helicase core, consistent with the fact that such motifs are involved in the coordination of Mg2+. The R513A substitution in the C-terminal domain of DeltaNS3 abrogates helicase activity and strongly diminishes RTPase activity, indicating that both activities are functionally coupled. DV RTPase seems to belong to a new class of Mg2+-dependent RTPases, which use the active center of the helicase/NTPase catalytic core in conjunction with elements in the C-terminal domain.     

Does cyclosporine influence the results of cadaver retransplantation?

The results of cadaveric retransplantation in 55 recipients immunosuppressed with cyclosporine and prednisone were compared to 156 recipients of primary renal allografts. By 3 yr posttransplant, there is no significant difference in patient survival, but the yearly graft survival for primary (79%, 72%, 72%) as compared to retransplant (69%, 58%, 58%) recipients was significantly (p less than 0.05) better. There was no significant difference in rejection episodes or mean +/- SD serum creatinine (mg/dl) at 2 yr between primary (32%, 2.14 +/- 1.1) and retransplant (33%, 2.08 +/- 1.4) patients, respectively. Donor source, third kidneys, human leukocyte antigen AB and Dr matching, percent reactive antibody levels, and cause of first graft loss do not have significant impact on cyclosporine-treated retransplant outcome. However, retransplant patients who have lost a previous graft in less than 3 months continue to be at high risk for subsequent early graft loss. These results suggest that the combination of cyclosporine and prednisone is the preferred regimen for cadaveric retransplantation.     

HCV NS5A基因在hepG2细胞中的表达以及对PI3K的影响

目的：探讨HCV—NS5A对PI3K表达的影响。方法：应用PCR技术从含有HCV全长开放阅读框的质粒中获得NS5A全长基因片段，利用基因重组技术将其克隆至真核表达载体pcDNA3．0（-）中。通过酶切、PCR及测序鉴定，NS5A基因已正确插入到pcDNA3．0（-）中，再利用脂质体转染HepG2细胞。结果：经RT—PCR及Western blot检测，HCV的NS5A基因在HepG2细胞中获得表达，而且在表达重组NS5A的转染HepG2细胞中，检测到PI3K蛋白的表达。结论：NS5A可在体外激活PI3K及其信号通路。     

登革病毒Ⅱ型NS1基因在小鼠体内诱导的DNA免疫

目的　研究含有登革病毒Ⅱ型NS1基因的重组质粒肌内注射小鼠后在其体内诱导的细胞和体液免疫。方法　用含有登革病毒NS1基因的真核表达质粒pCNX2 NS1于小鼠胫前肌注射并加强免疫 2次。然后定期处死 ,采集血液标本以及小鼠脾细胞 ,检测小鼠的体液和细胞免疫。结果　在末次免疫后 4周检测到小鼠抗NS1抗体 ,并且检测到小鼠CD4 、CD8 亚群的变化。结论　含有登革病毒NS1基因的真核表达质粒pCNX2-NS1免疫小鼠后 ,可以诱导小鼠产生针对NS1的稳定特异性体液、细胞免疫