Hepatitis B virus DNA in serum of healthy black African adults positive for hepatitis B surface antibody alone: possible association with recombination between genotypes A and D

In some patients with chronic liver disease induced by hepatitis B virus, viral DNA is known to persist in low concentration in serum after seroconversion to hepatitis B surface antibody-positivity. This phenomenon has, however, not been documented in asymptomatic black African carriers of hepatitis B virus. Using nested amplification by the polymerase chain reaction, we detected low concentrations of hepatitis B virus DNA in the serum of 6 of 23 (26%) healthy black African adults with normal liver function and with hepatitis B virus surface antibody as the only serological marker of the virus. This finding offers one explanation for the earlier observation of integrated hepatitis B virus DNA in hepatocellular carcinomas in black Africans whose serum was positive for surface antibody alone. A number of genetic changes were found in the six isolates that might be responsible for evasion of the immune response and persistence of the virus. Isolated mutations were detected in the "a" determinant of the surface gene and in the encapsidation signal. In all five isolates sequenced in the core promoter, mutations were present in the upstream regulatory region. Recombination between genotypes A and D was present in three of the isolates, including both of those in which the entire genome was sequenced. This change in genotype also overlapped the amino end of the polymerase domain and may result in sufficiently low levels of replication to allow viral persistence. Topoisomerase 1 specific trinucleotides were concentrated in the vicinity of the recombination breakpoints.     

HBV基因组转染对小鼠NIH3T3细胞内基质金属蛋白酶组织抑制因子的转录调控作用

ObjectiveTo understand the mechanism of liver cirrhosis after the infection of hepatitis B virus.MethodsMouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells were transfected with 3.2 kb HBV DND by exposure of the cells to calcium phosphate.The change of the levels of mRNA for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1and 2(TIMP1,2) was detected in mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells and the cells of transfection with HBV Genome by in situ hybridization.ResultsThe levels of mRNA for TIMP1 and TIMP2 were increased significantly.ConclusionHBV infection can induce the expression of the mRNA for TIMP1 and TIMP2.     

Analysis of T cell repertoire in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C

Many T cells infiltrate into the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C). They are believed to play a crucial role in the immunopathogenesis of hepatic inflammation, but their clonality and specificity are unknown. The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics of these T cells. We analysed the complementarity-determining region (CDR)3 size lengths of T cell receptor (TCR) beta-chains by size spectratyping, and determined the sequences of Vbeta CDR3 after subcloning Vbeta-specific polymerase chain reaction products. Spectratyping showed clonal expansions in all liver specimens, most of which showed more than two T cell clones. Moreover, many non-clonal T cells also accumulated in the liver. Clonality of the T cells suspected by spectratyping was confirmed by CDR3 sequencing. Although the sequences revealed no whole CDR3-shared clones among different patients, some common motif sequences were observed. Our data suggest that T cells are stimulated by several hepatitis C virus (HCV) epitopes, then accumulate in the liver of CH-C patients. Shared motifs of expanded T cell clones suggest that they might recognize the same regions of HCV peptides, but have differences due to HCV peptide mutational changes. These clones might also interact with non-clonal T cells and play a crucial role in the immunopathogenesis of CH-C.     

2004年中国甲3亚型流感病毒(H3N2)抗原性及基因特性研究

目的阐明2004年中国流行的甲3亚型流感病毒血凝素抗原性及其基因变异情况。方法对2004年分离的甲3亚型毒株先进行单向血凝抑制试验及交叉血凝抑制试验;在此基础上选取不同时间、地点的甲3亚型流感毒株进行血凝素基因HA1区核苷酸序列测定并推导出其氨基酸序列,然后进行基因进化特性分析。结果单向血凝抑制实验结果表明,2004年共有52.3%毒株与A/Fujian/411/2002(H3N2)(20042005毒株)有4倍或以上的血凝抑制滴度差异,交叉血凝抑制实验结果表明,它们间的抗原比为4。HA1区核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列分析表明,我国从2004年2月分离的甲3亚型毒株开始出现了与A/Fujian/411/2002(H3N2)和A/Wellington/1/2004(H3N2)(2005年国际代表株)相比较,在其HA1蛋白分子上存在有4个氨基酸位点(159位Y>F,189位S>N,145位K>N,226位V>I)发生了替换。此类毒株首发于我国南方,然后到我国北方。结论我国2004年2月份以后所分离的甲3亚型流感毒株已经发生抗原性及基因特性的改变。     

IL-7对中国HIV/AIDS患者病程的影响

目的 了解IL-7对中国HIV／AIDS患者病程的影响。方法应用超敏感酶免法对66例中国HIV／AIDS感染者及8例健康对照者血浆IL-7水平进行定量检测，分析其与CD^＋T细胞绝对值、血浆病毒载量及HIV表型的相关性；并且在体外研究rhIL-7对人PBMC中T淋巴细胞增殖及CXCR4表达的影响。结果中国HIV／AIDS患者血浆IL-7水平高于健康对照（P〈0．05），与CD4^＋T细胞绝对值负相关（P〈0．01），与血浆病毒载量正相关（P〈0．05）。rhIL-7可在体外促进T淋巴细胞增殖反应及CXCR4表达。结论中国HIV／AIDS患者血浆IL-7水平升高，且与疾病进展密切相关，可作为疾病进展的相关标志之一。     

原发性肝细胞癌中5种细胞周期蛋白的表达及其临床意义

目的探讨原发性肝细胞癌中5种细胞周期蛋白(cyclin)的表达及其与肝癌细胞的增殖状态、侵袭转移和乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染的相关性。方法应用Instrumedics公司生产的组织芯片制作仪,将273例原发性肝癌组织、144例癌旁肝组织和10例尸检非肝病死亡肝组织制成组织芯片,取样针直径2．0am,采用免疫组织化学方法分别检测了cyclin A、cyclin B、cyclin D1、cyclin D3及cyclin E在肝癌、癌旁肝及尸检肝组织的表达率,并分析了肝癌、癌旁肝组织中HBV感染与这5种cyclin表达间的相关性。结果共获得3个肝癌组织芯片蜡块,分别含136、143和148个位点。在273例肝癌组织标本中5种cyclin的阳性表达率分别为cyclin A 52．7％、cyclin B 45．4％、cyclin D1 35．9％、cyclin D3 44．3％和cyclin E 23．1％;在144例癌旁肝组织中分别为8．3％、5．6％、4．9％、6．3％和1．4％;10例尸检肝组织除1例cyclin D1阳性外,其余均为阴性。5种cyclin在肝癌组织中的阳性表达率均显著高于癌旁肝组织(P＜0．01);组织学分级为Ⅱ、Ⅲ级的肝癌组织5种cyclin的表达高于Ⅰ级(P＜0．05);除cyclinA外,伴有门静脉癌栓组的阳性率高于无癌栓组(P＜0．01);HBV感染与cyclin的表达无明显相关性(P＞0．05)。结论各个cyclin在肝癌细胞中呈不同程度的高表达,使癌细胞周期缩短,处于细胞增殖活跃状态,并有利于肝癌细胞的侵袭转移;未发现与HBV感染有关。     

塞姆利基森林病毒翻译增强序列对HIV Gag DNA疫苗抗原表达和免疫原性的调节

目的 研究塞姆利基森林病毒（Semliki forest virus，SFV）衣壳蛋白5’翻译增强区对基于该病毒复制子的HIV Gag DNA疫苗抗原表达水平和免疫原性的影响：方法将SFV衣壳蛋白（capsid，C蛋白）基因的5’端102bp翻译增强区插入到SFT复制子DNA疫苗载体pCMV-Rep的SFV亚基因启动子下游，得到DNA疫苗载体pCMV-RepC。将删除ATG的HIV-1 gag基因插入pCMV-RepC，使gag编码区与翻详增强区融合，得到DNA疫苗质粒pCMV-RepC-gag。同时，构建携带未融合翻译增强序列的DNA疫苗质粒pCMV-Rep-gag。Western blot检测翻译增强序列对Gag表达水平的影响。用上述两种DNA疫苗分别免疫BALB／c雌性小鼠，ELISA检测Gag特片的抗体反应，ELISPOT和细胞内因子染色技术检测细胞免疫应答。结果衣壳蛋白5’翻译增强区增强了Gag表达水平，对体液免疫应答没有显著影响，但显著增强了特异性细胞免疫应答水平。结论SFVC蛋白翻译增强区能显著提高SFV复制子DNA疫苗的抗原表达和抗原特异性细胞免疫反心。     

Codon optimization of the human papillomavirus 11 (HPV 11) L1 gene leads to increased gene expression and formation of virus-like particles in mammalian epithelial cells

The 505 amino acid L1 protein of the human papillomavirus type 11 (HPV 11) is the major capsid polypeptide that has been shown to self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) in vivo and in vitro. While L1 is essential for viral infection, expression studies in mammalian cells have been hampered by different codon preference between the virus and its host. To optimize L1 gene expression in mammalian cells, we converted wild-type HPV 11 L1 (11 L1wt) codons to those more common in human genes. The modified HPV 11 L1 gene (11 L1h) generated protein levels that were at least 100-fold higher than those of wild-type HPV 11 L1, while no obvious differences were seen in the level of mRNA. HPV 11 L1 protein was detected in mammalian epithelial and fibroblast cells, by immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) techniques. Unlike the situation in situ, IIF revealed the presence of L1 mainly at perinuclear sites. Virus-like particles assembled intranuclearly only to a low extent, as indicated by transmission electron microscopy. DNA vaccination using the HPV 11 L1h gene yielded a drastic increase in L1-specific antibody production in mice as compared to immunization with the wild-type gene.     

Primary and recurrent cytomegalovirus infections have different effects on human herpesvirus-6 antibodies in immunosuppressed organ graft recipients: absence of virus cross-reactivity and evidence for virus interaction.

The relationship between serum antibodies to human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was studied in immunosuppressed adult organ graft recipients all of whom had IgG to both HHV-6 and Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen (EBVCA) before operation and who had received an organ or organs from HHV-6 seropositive donors. In primary CMV infection the titre of IgG to HHV-6 rose substantially (between 32- and 512-fold) in eight out of eight patients whereas IgG to EBVCA only rose 32-fold in two patients. Moreover, the HHV-6 responses coincided closely with the CMV seroconversion. Serum absorption studies gave no evidence for antibody cross-reaction between CMV and HHV-6 because the CMV antibody titre could be reduced specifically without affecting HHV-6 antibody titres and vice versa. In recurrent CMV infection, HHV-6 antibody levels rose (32-fold) in three out of eight patients but these changes did not coincide with the CMV antibody response. Similarly, in the complete absence of CMV infection, five out of eight patients showed antibody rises to HHV-6 (between four- and 16-fold). IgG titres to EBVCA were stable in both these groups of patients. It is concluded that there is serological evidence (rising titre greater than or equal to four-fold) for genuine HHV-6 reactivation or, alternatively, for reinfection in 16 out of the 24 patients. This phenomenon was most frequent in primary CMV infection where the largest HHV-6 antibody responses were seen probably because of an, as yet, undetermined interaction between the two viruses.     

Analysis of the Equalization of Inverted Repeats and Neurovirulence Using a Pseudorabies Virus Mutant Strain Altered at the Ul/Ir Junction

A recombinant pseudorabies (Aujeszky’s disease) virus (PrV) designated as vE16lac was constructed by deleting a 3-kbp DNA segment spanning the junction of long and short components of the viral genome, and by replacing the deleted segment with a lacZ-expression cassette. The aim of constructing this mutant was (a) to determine whether the terminal repeat (Tr) can serve as a template for the regeneration of the internal repeat (Ir), and (b) whether this deletion causes a reduction in the neuroinvasiveness of the virus. To analyze the mechanism of equalization, revertant viruses were selected and structurally characterized from vE16lac infection of PK-15 cells, mice and pigs. Because all revertants acquired Ir sequences identical to that of the wild-type virus, the equalization process occurred using the Tr as a template to reconstitute the Ir. We also found that the recombinant virus vE16lac was virulent in both pigs and mice. The data are discussed in view of studies performed with similar PrV mutants by other authors (Rall et al., 1992, Dean and Cheung, 1995 and Dean et al., 1996). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.