Biomedical subjects

Charles Wood

Publications and source records attributed to Charles Wood.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Construction and characterization of a chimeric virus (BIV/HIV-1) carrying the bovine immunodeficiency virus gag-pol gene.

HIV-1(HXB2) 5'LTR region, most of BIV(R29) gag-pol segment and HIV-1(HXB2) pol IN-3'LTR region were respectively amplified. A chimeric clone, designated as pHBIV(3753), was constructed by cloning three fragments sequentially into pUC18. MT4 cells were transfected with pHBIV3753. The replication and expressions of the chimeric virus (HBIV3753) were monitored by RT activity and IFA. The results firstly demonstrated that it is possible to generate a new type of the BIV/HIV-1 chimeric virus containing BIV gag-pol gene.

AIDS Vaccines↗

PubMed2002

Cellular tropisms and co-receptor usage of HIV-1 isolates from vertically infected children with neurological abnormalities and rapid disease progression.

The longitudinal evolution of HIV-1 phenotypes was studied in a cohort of six vertically infected children with early onset and rapid progression of clinical disease. Among 30 viral isolates obtained from peripheral blood, tropisms for both human blood-derived cells (macrophages, T-lymphocytes), and for human neural (brain-derived) cells (microglia, astrocytes) were determined, as was chemokine co-receptor usage. All children harbored from birth macrophage-tropic isolates using the CCR5 co-receptor. Two children later developed T-cell tropic isolates with CXCR4 and CCR3 usage. While all six patients developed neurological abnormalities, only three produced neural cell tropic isolates, which used CCR5. However, early and persistent finding of both astrocyte- and microglia-tropic isolates in one patient did associate with the most rapid progression to brain atrophy among the six patients. Viral phenotypic properties determined in cell culture did not specifically predict clinical features or course, and the development of AIDS did not coincide with, or depend on, the appearance T-tropic, syncytia-inducing viruses.

Astrocytes↗

PubMed2002

Unique epitope of bovine immunodeficiency virus gag protein spans the cleavage site between p16(MA) and p2L.

Bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) and Jembrana disease virus (JDV) are closely related bovine lentiviruses that are difficult to distinguish by presently available diagnostic methods. Recently, in our laboratory, a monoclonal antibody (MAb; MAb 10H1) against the BIV Gag protein identified a differential epitope, located at the 6.4-kDa N terminus of a 29-kDa Gag capsid protein, which was absent in JDV. To define the essential amino acids of the epitope, a series of primers within the 163 bp of DNA corresponding to the 6.4-kDa protein were designed. The full-length 163-bp DNA fragment and the smaller DNA fragments with deletions were amplified by PCR and then cloned into pQE32 vectors for protein expression studies. The expressed proteins were analyzed with MAb 10H1 by Western blotting. The differential epitope has been narrowed to a 26-amino-acid region (R121 to R146), which includes 6 residues of p16(MA) (where MA represents the matrix protein) and 20 residues of p2L. A synthetic peptide corresponding to the putative 26-amino-acid epitope blocked MAb 10H1 binding to the expressed peptide. These experiments revealed that the epitope spans the cleavage site between p16(MA) and p2L and presumably will be valuable in distinguishing the two viruses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

AIDS and associated malignancies.

AIDS associated malignancies (ARL) is a major complication associated with AIDS patients upon immunosuppression. Chronically immunocompromised patients have a markedly increased risk of developing lymphoproliferative disease. In the era of potent antiretrovirals therapy (ARV), the malignant complications due to HIV-1 infection have decreased in developed nations where ARV is administered, but still poses a major problem in developing countries where HIV-1 incidence is high and ARV is still not yet widely available. Even in ARV treated individuals there is a concern that the prolonged survival of many HIV-1 carriers is likely to eventually result in an increased number of malignancies diagnosed. Malignancies that were found to have high incidence in HIV-infected individuals are Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The incidence of NHL has increased nearly 200 fold in HIV-positive patients, and accounts for a greater percentage of AIDS defining illness in the US and Europe since the advent of HAART therapy. These AIDS related lymphomas are distinct from their counterparts seen in HIV-1 seronegative patients. For example nearly half of all cases of ARL are associated with the presence of a gamma herpesvirus, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) or human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)/ Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV). The pathogenesis of ARLs is complex. B-cell proliferation driven by chronic antigenemia resulting in the induction of polyclonal and ultimately monoclonal lymphoproliferation may occur in the setting of severe immunosuppression.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The normal increase in adrenal secretion during pregnancy contributes to maternal volume expansion and fetal homeostasis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the increase in maternal cortisol and aldosterone in pregnancy is critical to maternal and fetal homeostasis. METHODS: Pregnant ewes were adrenalectomized (at approximately 112 days), and aldosterone and cortisol were given to either normal pregnant level (1 mg/kg per day cortisol and 3 microg/kg per day aldosterone) or nonpregnant level (half the dose of either cortisol or aldosterone). Blood samples for measurement of fetal and maternal plasma electrolytes, cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were collected at days 120, 125, and 130; fetal and maternal blood pressure and heart rate and maternal plasma volume were measured at days 120 and 130. RESULTS: Reduction of maternal cortisol or aldosterone decreased maternal plasma volume at 130 days. In the fetuses in the low cortisol group, cortisol concentrations were lower and ACTH concentrations were higher; however, there was no increase in fetal cortisol with age in the low cortisol or low aldosterone groups. Fetal arterial pressure was decreased in all groups of adrenalectomized ewes at 120 days and decreased in the low cortisol group at 130 days. Fetal arterial pressure was significantly related to maternal plasma volume at 130 days. Fetal arterial oxygen tension at 120 days was decreased in fetuses of low aldosterone ewes and was correlated with plasma volume. Overall fetal arterial oxygen tension correlated with fetal cortisol. Fetal ACTH concentrations correlated positively with fetal cortisol but negatively with fetal blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Maternal adrenal secretion maintains the normal increase in maternal plasma volume and fetal cortisol and indirectly supports fetal arterial oxygen tension, blood pressure, and adrenal secretion.

Adrenal Glands↗