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Biomedical subjects

R Kettmann

Publications and source records attributed to R Kettmann.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Even transcriptionally competent proviruses are silent in bovine leukemia virus-induced sheep tumor cells.

To investigate the role of proviral integration and expression in cellular transformation induced by bovine leukemia virus (BLV), three BLV-induced tumors harboring a single proviral copy were selected upon restriction and hybridization analysis. Tumors 344 and 395 were shown to contain a full-size proviral copy, whereas in tumor 1345 the provirus appeared to be heavily deleted. RNA gel blot hybridization with an antisense RNA probe showed no transcription of the viral sequences in the fresh tumors or in sheep tumor cells growing in vitro. The proviruses were cloned and transfected in mammalian cell lines. Transient-expression experiments revealed that the complete proviruses were still able to express the trans-activating protein (Tat) as well as structural proteins, demonstrating that the nonexpression of a provirus in a tumor cell does not necessarily imply a structural alteration of the viral information. In contrast, sequence analysis of the provirus with a large deletion and transient-expression assays proved that this truncated provirus, isolated from a tumor, was unable to code for viral proteins. These data indicate that expression of viral genes, including tat, is not required for the maintenance of the transformed state.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Expression in bacteria of beta-galactosidase fusion proteins carrying antigenic determinants of the two X gene products of bovine leukemia virus.

A cDNA corresponding to the bovine leukemia virus post-envelope region (X gene) was subcloned into the lambda gt11 expression vector. Two large protein fragments corresponding respectively to the long and short open reading frames of the X region were expressed as beta-galactosidase fusion proteins. These products were specifically recognized by sera from bovine leukemia virus-infected cattle.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

The bovine leukemia virus p34 is a transactivator protein.

Recombinant Moloney murine retroviruses containing the BLV post-envelope long open reading frame were constructed and transfected into the psi 2 packaging cell line. They were shown to encode and to express a 34-kd protein able to transactivate the BLV long terminal repeat-directed gene expression in the respective transfected cells. These data demonstrate that the BLV X-LOR gene encodes a p34 transactivator product. Furthermore, the different cell lines produced infectious recombinant retroviruses capable of transferring X-LOR genes into recipient cells. The availability of the BLV transactivator protein should allow us to understand the role of the transactivator protein in BLV-induced leukemogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Expression of a cDNA clone corresponding to the long open reading frame (XBL-I) of the bovine leukemia virus.

Nucleotide sequence analysis of a cDNA clone corresponding to the XBL-I open reading-frame of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) revealed that the AUG initiation codon was located 44 bases downstream from that of the env gene and was part of the p34x mRNA splice donor. . .ATGG/GTAA at the end of the pol gene sequence. RNA from this clone was synthesized in vitro by the SP6 RNA polymerase and translated into a 34,000 mol wt protein in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. The protein (p34x) is recognized in Western blots by most sera of BLV-infected sheep and tumor-bearing cattle, by an anti-synthetic peptide rabbit serum, and by the serum of a rabbit immunized by XBL-I RNA programmed reticulocyte lysates. Both sera react with a 34,000 mol wt protein present in nuclei of BLV-infected cells.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Selective tropism of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) for surface immunoglobulin-bearing ovine B lymphocytes.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is experimentally infectious for sheep. Virus production does not occur in the animals, but only after in vitro cultivation of infected lymphocytes in the presence of phytohemagglutinin. Lipopolysaccharide or dextran sulfate 500 had no effect. After panning separation, it was possible to demonstrate that, in peripheral blood lymphocytes, BLV was integrated in the B lymphocytes only and that BLV expression took place in a fraction of this population. The ovine leukemia may constitute a good experimental model for understanding the virus-induced leukemias of the BLV-human T cell leukemia virus group.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Bovine leukemia virus: isolation and characterization of nonproducer cell clones.

Several single-cell clones were isolated from a fetal lamb kidney cell line (FLK) persistently infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV). The majority of isolated cell clones were virus productive, several were nonproductive based on the determination of the activity of reverse transcriptase and production of 3H-uridine labeled virus particles. Two nonproductive clones, NP-1 and NP-2, were further characterized in comparison with the virus productive cells. All clones contained three integrated BLV proviruses in the nonproducer cells. The virus specific mRNAs were expressed both in the virus productive and nonproductive cells. The virus-specific protein products were found different in the nonproducing cells. The gag pol precursor Pr145 was missing in NP-1 cells, in NP-2 its Mr was 120 only. In NP-2 cells the precursors Pr70gag and Pr45gag were absent. The env precursor gPr72 and both of the two glycoproteins were detected. The nonproductive cells NP-2 produced mainly env gene products, therefore they were tested as a potential material for anti-BLV vaccine. The NP-2 cells after inoculation to rats and cattle were able to induce formation of neutralizing antibodies directed against the env gene products.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Provirus integration of bovine leukemia virus into DNA of infected human myeloma cells.

Sixty clones of bovine leukemia virus-infected B-human myeloma ARH77 cells were isolated. The DNAs of all clones were examined for BLV provirus integration by Southern blotting analysis. Proviral sequences were found in DNAs of two clones. One of them (clone I B3) contained one proviral copy with a deletion of approximately 5.5 kb; the other one (clone I F9) carried three integrated proviruses. Viral proteins of 70,000, 42,000 and 35,000 M. W. were found in extracts of clone I F9. In clone I B3 only the 70,000 M.W. protein was detected.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1987

Bovine leukaemia: facts and hypotheses derived from the study of an infectious cancer.

Bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) is the aetiological agent of a chronic lymphatic leukaemia/lymphoma in cows, sheep and goats. Infection without neoplastic transformation has also been demonstrated in pigs, rhesus monkeys, chimpanzees and rabbits and observed in capybaras and water buffaloes. Structurally and functionally, BLV is a relative of human T lymphotropic viruses 1 and 2 (HTLV-I and HTLV-II) since all three viruses show clear-cut sequence homologies. The pathology of the BLV-induced disease, most notably the absence of chronic viraemia, a long latency period and lack of preferred proviral integration sites in tumours, is similar to that of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma induced by HTLV-I. The most striking feature of the three naturally transmitted leukaemia viruses is the X region located between the env gene and the long terminal repeat (LTR) sequence. The X region contains several overlapping long open reading frames, one of which, designated XBL-1, encodes a trans-activator function capable of increasing the level of gene expression directed by BLV-LTR and is most probably involved in genetic instability of BLV-infected cells of the B-cell lineage. The 'genetic instability' may put the cell into a state of fragility, ready to move along a number of stages towards full malignancy. Little is known about these events and their causes and we present some theoretical possibilities. BLV infection has a worldwide distribution. In temperate climates the virus spreads mostly through iatrogenic transfer of infected lymphocytes. In warm climates and in areas heavily populated by haematophagous insects, there are indications of insect-borne propagation of the virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

The 3' region of bovine leukemia virus genome encodes a trans-activator protein.

The genome of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) contains several overlapping, long open reading frames 3' to the envelope gene. Experiments presented here show that the cDNA encompassing the X region open reading frames encodes a trans-activator function capable of increasing the level of gene expression directed by the BLV long terminal repeat sequences. This study provides further evidence of the structural and functional similarities of the bovine leukemia virus and the human T lymphotropic viruses, HTLV-I and HTLV-II.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Isolation and characterization of covalently closed circular proviral DNA molecules of several type D retroviruses isolated from human cell lines.

Infection of a human lymphoblastoid B cell line (Raji cells) with type D retroviruses, originally isolated either from subhuman primates (MPMV, LV) or from permanent human cell lines (PMFV, HeLaV, HEp-2V) led to the production of type D retrovirus particles. Subsequent cocultivation of uninfected and virus-producing Raji cells was employed for the generation of sufficient amounts of covalently closed circular DNA molecules (cccDNA). Highest amounts of cccDNA were obtained after cocultivation of virus-producing Raji cells and homologous uninfected cells at a ratio of 1 to 3 for 72 hr. The cccDNAs of type D retroviruses migrated at about 4.3 kbp compared to lambda DNA/HindIII markers. Digestion of cccDNAs with restriction endonucleases which have one recognition site generated molecules of approximately 8 kbp. The restriction endonuclease site analysis of the cccDNA of type D retroviruses revealed a genomic heterogeneity among the different isolates.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1986

Bovine leukosis virus: recloning of specific DNA fragments.

DNA fragments generated by Bam HI restriction endonuclease digestion of the provirus of bovine leukosis virus (BLV) was recloned in several plasmids. Recombinant plasmids containing X-region, env gene and a part of pol gene were prepared in pBR322, and in a plasmid containing promotor PR. Fragments env gene and a part of pol gene inserted were also into the pSV2-dhfr plasmid which has the both bacterial and eukaryotic promotors together with the gene for folic acid reductase. The expression possibility of these inserted BLV sequences either in mammalian cells after transfection or in bacteria is now tested.

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed1986

Bovine leukemia provirus in the DNA of different infected host cells.

Bovine leukemia provirus is reported to be integrated in the DNA of different infected mammalian cells. We observed morphological transformation in BLV infected sheep fetal spleen, kidney, thymus and sternal cultures. The presence of BLV specific sequences in their genome was established after digestion with the restriction endonuclease EcoRI and hybridization with a BLV specific probe. Human myeloma ARH77 and myeloid K562 cells infected with BLV were virus productive as detected by a reverse transcriptase assay. The presence of proviral sequences was confirmed after Southern blotting analysis. Restriction digestion by SacI enzyme yielded a complete 8.9 kb BLV provirus in infected ARH77 cells and a smaller 7.5 kb BLV fragment in infected K562 cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Role of the 3' long open reading frame region of bovine leukemia virus in the maintenance of cell transformation.

Viral RNA expression was studied by dot blot hybridization with polyadenylated RNAs extracted from a bovine (YR-1) and an ovine (YR-2) tumor cell clone. Both clones were derived from in vivo bovine leukemia virus-induced tumors. The probes used were either the bovine leukemia virus information or only the long open reading frame sequences. No viral RNA corresponding to the bovine leukemia virus long open reading frame region was detected in YR-2, and a very limited amount of bovine leukemia virus messages was unraveled in YR-1. These results strongly suggest that viral expression, even in the long open reading frame region, is not required to maintain transformation of at least some tumor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Bovine leukemia virus, a versatile agent with various pathogenic effects in various animal species.

The bovine leukemia virus is the etiological agent of a chronic lymphatic leukemia in cows, sheep, and goats. The same virus seems to induce a kind of wasting disease in experimentally infected rabbits. Antibodies to highly purified bovine leukemia viral Mr 51,000 glycoprotein and Mr 24,000 protein cross-react with human T-lymphotropic virus III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus antigens present in cultured lymphocytes of African patients suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Bovine leukemia virus has many structural and functional characteristics in common with the human T-lymphotropic viruses. The most striking feature of these retroviruses is the existence of a long open reading frame located at the 3' side of the provirus between the right end of the 3' side of env gene and the left end of the long terminal repeat. It is believed that the long open reading frame protein product acts in trans upon a number of genes to account for the biological effects of the virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Isolation and characterization of cell clones producing various amounts of bovine leukosis virus.

Several single-cell clones were isolated from lamb kidney cell line (FLK) persistently infected with bovine leukosis virus (BLV). The clones differed in the amount of produced virus, some clones were highly virus productive, others produced less virus. The restriction analysis of cell DNA from clones revealed the existence of several numbers of integrated BLV-DNA proviruses in various cell clones. In some cell clones the unintegrated proviral DNA was observed. The proviral BLV sequences were found to be integrated in reiterated DNA in some cell clones. There was no apparent relationship between the number of integrated BLV proviruses and the extent of virus production. The origin of the different numbers of integrated BLV proviruses in various cell clones is discussed.

Animals↗