Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Double Stranded RNA Viruses”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources

Superinduction of the human interferon-beta promoter.

Superinduction, that is induction with simultaneous blocking of mRNA translation, enhances the induction of interferon-beta in response to virus or double-stranded RNA in human fibroblasts. Expression of the cloned IFN-beta gene upon transfer into heterologous cells reflects the endogeneous interferon expression with respect to induction or superinduction indicating the involvement of cellular mediators in this mode of gene regulation. Expression from gene hybrids in mouse Mo57/2 cells reveals that 5' flanking DNA sequences from the human IFN-beta gene are responsible for induction and superinduction. Superinduction of the human IFN-beta promoter is demonstrated in several rodent and primate cell lines. In addition, expression from promoter mutants in mouse cells indicates that DNA sequences responsible for induction and superinduction are identical.

Animals↗

Mice devoid of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) show normal expression of type I interferon genes.

The transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) binds tightly to the interferon (IFN)-beta promoter and has been implicated in the induction of type I IFNs. We generated mice devoid of functional IRF-1 by targeted gene disruption. As reported by others, IRF-1-deficient mice showed a discrete phenotype: the CD4/CD8 ratio was increased and IFN-gamma-induced levels of macrophage iNO synthase mRNA were strongly diminished. However, type I IFN induction in vivo by virus or double-stranded RNA was unimpaired, as evidenced by serum IFN titers and IFN mRNA levels in spleen, liver and lung. There was also no impairment in the response of type I IFN-inducible genes. Therefore, IRF-1 is not essential for these processes in vivo.

Animals↗

Reverse genetics and recombination in Phi8, a dsRNA bacteriophage.

Bacteriophage Phi8 has a genome of three dsRNA segments. It is able to acquire plasmid transcripts of cDNA copies of the genomic segments as replacements of its resident chromosomes. It is also able to effect recombination between the plasmid transcripts and the resident chromosomes. Depending upon the extent of sequence identity between the plasmid transcript and the resident chromosome, the recombination can be homologous or heterologous. Homologous recombination has not previously been reported for viruses with double-stranded RNA genomes.

Base Sequence↗

Essential role of IRF-3 in lipopolysaccharide-induced interferon-beta gene expression and endotoxin shock.

Type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) affect many aspects of immune responses. Many pathogen-associated molecules, including bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and virus-associated double-stranded RNA, induce IFN gene expression through activation of distinct Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Although much has been studied about the activation of the transcription factor IRF-3 and induction of IFN-beta gene by the LPS-mediated TLR4 signaling, definitive evidence is missing about the actual role of IRF-3 in LPS responses in vitro and in vivo. Using IRF-3 deficient mice, we show here that IRF-3 is indeed essential for the LPS-mediated IFN-beta gene induction. Loss of IRF-3 also affects the expression of profile of other cytokine/chemokine genes. We also provide evidence that the LPS/TLR4 signaling activates IRF-7 to induce IFN-beta, if IRF-7 is induced by IFNs prior to LPS simulation. Finally, the IRF-3-deficient mice show resistance to LPS-induced endotoxin shock. These results place IRF-3 as a molecule central to LPS/TLR4 signaling.

Animals↗

SOCS1-negative feedback of STAT1 activation is a key pathway in the dsRNA-induced innate immune response of human keratinocytes.

Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 is a receptor for virus-associated double-stranded RNA, and triggers antiviral immune responses during viral infection. Epidermal keratinocytes express TLR3 and provide an innate immune defense against viral infection. Since the intracellular regulatory mechanism is unknown, we hypothesized that the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)-suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) system regulates the innate immune response of keratinocytes. Treatment with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) resulted in the rapid translocation of IFN regulatory factor (IRF)-3 into the nucleus, followed by phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3. The activation of STATs by poly(I:C) probably occurs in an indirect fashion, through poly(I:C)-induced IFN. We infected cells with the dominant-negative forms of STAT1 (STAT1F), STAT3 (STAT3F), and SOCS1 using adenovirus vectors. Infection with STAT1F suppressed the induction of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha by poly(I:C), whereas STAT3F had a minimal effect, which indicates that STAT1 mediates MIP-1alpha induction. SOCS1, which is a negative feedback regulator of STAT1 signaling, was induced by treatment with poly(I:C). SOCS1 infection inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT1 and significantly reduced poly(I:C)-induced MIP-1alpha production. Furthermore, STAT1-SOCS1 regulated poly(I:C)-induced TLR3 and IRF-7 expression. However, SOCS1 did not affect NF-kappaB signaling. Thus, the STAT1-SOCS1 pathway regulates the innate immune response via TLR3 signaling in epidermal keratinocytes.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

Involvement of double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase and phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-2alpha in neuronal degeneration.

Inhibition of protein translation plays an important role in apoptosis. While double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is named as it is activated by double-stranded RNA produced by virus, its activation induces an inhibition of protein translation and apoptosis via the phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha (eIF2alpha). PKR is also a stress kinase and its levels increase during ageing. Here we show that PKR activation and eIF2alpha phosphorylation play a significant role in apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells and primary neuronal cultures induced by the beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptides, the calcium ionophore A23187 and flavonoids. The phosphorylation of eIF2alpha and the number of apoptotic cells were enhanced in over-expressed wild-type PKR neuroblastoma cells exposed to Abeta peptide, while dominant-negative PKR reduced eIF2alpha phosphorylation and apoptosis induced by Abeta peptide. Primary cultured neurons from PKR knockout mice were also less sensitive to Abeta peptide toxicity. Activation of PKR and eIF2alpha pathway by Abeta peptide are triggered by an increase in intracellular calcium because the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA-AM significantly reduced PKR phosphorylation. Taken together, these results reveal that PKR and eIF2alpha phosphorylation could be involved in the molecular signalling events leading to neuronal apoptosis and death and could be a new target in neuroprotection.

Amyloid beta-Peptides↗

Activators of protein kinase C enhance accumulation of interferon-beta mRNA in murine cell lines.

Murine C127 fibroblasts carrying an expression vector for a human interferon gene (HuIFN-beta, under the control of a constitutive promoter) can be induced to produce murine (Mu) IFN by double-stranded (ds) RNA or virus infection. Fibroblasts treated with the protein kinase C activators 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG) or phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) secrete greater amounts of MuIFN than untreated cells, but the same amount of HuIFN-beta. Accordingly, the level of MuIFN-beta mRNA increases in the presence of protein kinase C activators whereas that of HuIFN-beta mRNA is unchanged. In time course experiments after induction with dsRNA, accumulation of MuIFN-beta mRNA is observed within 30 min in the presence of OAG, when this mRNA cannot be detected in control cells. The protein kinase C activators increase accumulation of MuIFN-beta mRNA, even in the presence of the inhibitor of protein synthesis cycloheximide. A similar increase in MuIFN-beta mRNA is observed in C243 fibroblasts treated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, but not in parental C127 cells. These findings suggest that protein kinase C does not promote synthesis of regulatory factors controlling transcription of IFN mRNA, but that it may be directly or indirectly involved in activation of such factors in some murine cell lines.

Animals↗

Why are complementary DNA strands symmetric?

MOTIVATION: Over sufficiently long windows, complementary strands of DNA tend to have the same base composition. A few reports have indicated that this first-order parity rule extends at higher orders to oligonucleotide composition, at least in some organisms or taxa. However, the scientific literature falls short of providing a comprehensive study of reverse-complement symmetry at multiple orders and across the kingdom of life. It also lacks a characterization of this symmetry and a convincing explanation or clarification of its origin. RESULTS: We develop methods to measure and characterize symmetry at multiple orders, and analyze a wide set of genomes, encompassing single- and double-stranded RNA and DNA viruses, bacteria, archae, mitochondria, and eukaryota. We quantify symmetry at orders 1 to 9 for contiguous sequences and pools of coding and non-coding upstream regions, compare the observed symmetry levels to those predicted by simple statistical models, and factor out the effect of lower-order distributions. We establish the universality and variability range of first-order strand symmetry, as well as of its higher-order extensions, and demonstrate the existence of genuine high-order symmetric constraints. We show that ubiquitous reverse-complement symmetry does not result from a single cause, such as point mutation or recombination, but rather emerges from the combined effects of a wide spectrum of mechanisms operating at multiple orders and length scales.

Base Composition↗

Molecular and genetic analysis of REC103, an early meiotic recombination gene in yeast.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae at least 10 genes are required to begin meiotic recombination. A new early recombination gene REC103 is described in this paper. It was initially defined by the rec103-1 mutation found in a selection for mutations overcoming the spore inviability of a rad52 spo13 haploid strain. Mutations in REC103 also rescue rad52 in spo13 diploids. rec103 spo13 strains produce viable spores; these spores show no evidence of meiotic recombination. rec103 SPO13 diploids produce no viable spores, consistent with loss of recombination. Mutations in REC103 do not affect mitotic recombination, growth, or repair. These phenotypes are identical to those conferred by mutations in several other early meiotic recombination genes (e.g., REC102, REC104, REC114, ME14, MER2, and SPO11). REC103 maps to chromosome VII between ADE5 and RAD54. Cloning and sequencing of REC103 reveals that REC103 is identical to SK18, a gene that depresses the expression of yeast double-stranded ("killer") (ds)RNA viruses. REC103/SK18 is transcribed in mitotic cells and is induced approximately 15-fold in meiosis. REC103 has 26% amino acid identity to the Schizasaccharomyces pombe rec14+ gene; mutations in both genes confer similar meiotic phenotypes, suggesting that they may play similar roles in meiotic recombination.

Chromosome Mapping↗

The CXC chemokine GCP-2/CXCL6 is predominantly induced in mesenchymal cells by interleukin-1beta and is down-regulated by interferon-gamma: comparison with interleukin-8/CXCL8.

Human granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2)/CXCL6 is a CXC chemokine that functionally uses both of the IL-8/CXCL8 receptors to chemoattract neutrophils but that is structurally most related to epithelial cell-derived neutrophil attractant-78 (ENA-78)/CXCL5. This study provides the first evidence that GCP-2 protein is, compared with IL-8, weakly produced by some sarcoma, but less by carcinoma cells, and is tightly regulated in normal mesenchymal cells. IL-1beta was the predominant GCP-2 inducer in fibroblasts, chondrocytes, and endothelial cells, whereas IL-8 was equally well up-regulated in these cells by TNF-alpha, measles virus, or double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). In contrast, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was a relatively better stimulus for GCP-2 versus IL-8 in fibroblasts. IFN-gamma down-regulated the GCP-2 production in fibroblasts induced by IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, LPS, or dsRNA. The kinetics of GCP-2 induction by IL-1beta, LPS, or dsRNA in fibroblasts differed from those of IL-8. Freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes, which are a good source of IL-8 and ENA-78, failed to produce GCP-2. However, lung macrophages and blood monocyte-derived macrophages produced GCP-2 in response to LPS. Quantitatively, secretion of GCP-2 always remained inferior to that of IL-8, despite the fact that the ELISA recognized all posttranslationally modified GCP-2 isoforms. The expression of GCP-2 was confirmed in vivo by immunohistochemistry. The patterns of producer cell types, inducers and kinetics and the quantities of GCP-2 produced, suggest a unique role for GCP-2 in physiologic and pathologic processes.

Chemokine CXCL6↗

The mechanism of interferon production.

Interferons are formed when most cells are treated with viruses or double-stranded RNA (to form IFN-alpha or beta, or both) or when lymphoid cells are treated with mitogens or the appropriate antigen (to form IFN-gamma). Interferon-alpha and beta are formed as a result of transcription of cellular genes--probably in response to double-stranded RNA in the cytoplasm. The process can be controlled at three levels. (1) In mouse teratocarcinoma stem cells or early mouse embryos the interferon system is inaccessible and only becomes inducible as differentiation proceeds. (2) The target(s) responding to double-stranded RNA probably involve sequences upstream from the 5' end of the interferon genes, sequences now becoming accessible by gene cloning. (3) Levels of interferon mRNA can be regulated either by an increased rate of transcription or by an increased half-life of the mRNA.

Animals↗

A mechanism for the induction and regulation of human fibroblastoid interferon genetic expression.

Some commonly used inducers such as viruses and double-stranded RNA are known to inhibit cellular protein synthesis. We have now shown that conventional inhibitors of macromolecular synthesis such as cycloheximide, 2-(4-methyl-2, 6-dinitroanilino)-N-methyl propionamide (MDMP) and I-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) can induce the production of significant amounts of interferon in human fibroblastoid cell lines. The interferon-inducing activity of these inhibitors depends on the concentration as well as the time of treatment with the inhibitors. These findings lead to the suggestion that the induction of human interferon may be mediated by a reduction in the critical concentration of a rapidly turning over repressor(s) which normally represses the interferon gene(s) in uninduced cells.

Aniline Compounds↗

Human papillomavirus 16 E6 oncoprotein binds to interferon regulatory factor-3 and inhibits its transcriptional activity.

Interferon regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) was found to specifically interact with HPV16 E6 in a yeast two-hybrid screen. IRF-3 is activated by the presence of double-stranded RNA or by virus infection to form a stable complex with other transcriptional regulators that bind to the regulatory elements of the IFNbeta promoter. We show that IRF-3 is a potent transcriptional activator and demonstrate that HPV16 E6 can inhibit its transactivation function. The expression of HPV16 E6 in primary human keratinocytes inhibits the induction of IFNbeta mRNA following Sendai virus infection. The binding of HPV16 E6 to IRF-3 does not result in its ubiquitination or degradation. We propose that the interaction of E6 with IRF-3 and the inhibition of IRF-3's transcriptional activity may provide the virus a means to circumvent the normal antiviral response of an HPV16-infected cell.

Animals↗

Production and characterization of recombinant active mouse gelatinase B from eukaryotic cells and in vivo effects after intravenous administration.

Gelatinase B is a matrix metalloproteinase involved in tissue remodelling. When mouse cells are triggered in vitro with interleukin-1, bacterial endotoxin, virus-mimicking double-stranded RNA or cytokine inducers, they produce gelatinase B. To test the effects of gelatinase B in vivo, the enzyme was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Hybrid genomic DNA-cDNA constructs under the control of two constitutive viral promoters were generated by PCR-mediated exon amplification. In vitro transcription and translation of the mRNA in reticulocyte lysate yielded the correct 79-kDa protein, and expression in CHO cells resulted in an intact glycosylated 110-kDa gelatinase B which was enzymically active. However, the production yields of recombinant enzyme from 50 tested clones were low and cell-culture supernatants contained significant amounts of copurifiable endogenous CHO gelatinase B. Therefore, the enzyme was expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Recombinant proenzyme was secreted and recovered from the yeast culture medium at 10 mg/l. Amino-terminal sequence analysis indicated that affinity purification of the recombinant protein on gelatin-Sepharose yielded the expected N-glycosylated proenzyme form (110 kDa) in addition to an amino-terminally truncated unglycosylated variant (69 kDa). Both forms had gelatinolytic activity on zymography. The recombinant mouse gelatinase B was used to determine its pharmacokinetics and its haematological effects in vivo. After intravenous injection in rabbits, gelatinase B disappeared from the circulation within 6 h. In addition to a transient leukopenia, we observed a rapid increase in leukocytosis, which indicates that gelatinase B might be a factor involved in the desorption of adherent leukocytes from the vascular bed and in the release of leukocytes from the bone marrow. Gelatinase B secretion and activation might well be one of the crucial molecular mechanisms explaining leukocytosis which is associated with infections and almost all types of inflammation.

Animals↗

Pancreatic ribonuclease: enzymic and physiological properties of a cross-linked dimer.

Monomeric ribonuclease A has very low activity toward typically double-stranded RNA's; the dimeric form of ribonuclease A obtained by cross linking the enzyme by dimethyl suberimidate has more than 78 times the activity of the monomer toward polyadenylate . polyuridylate and 440 times the activity of the monomer toward the double-stranded RNA of a virus from Penicillium chrysogenum. The half-life of the dimer in the bloodstream of the rat is 12 times that of the mononmer.

Animals↗

Molecular epidemiology of metronidazole resistance in a population of Trichomonas vaginalis clinical isolates.

Trichomonas vaginalis, the causative agent for human trichomoniasis, is a problematic sexually transmitted disease mainly in women, where it may be asymptomatic or cause severe vaginitis and cervicitis. Despite its high prevalence, the genetic variability and drug resistance characteristics of this organism are poorly understood. To address these issues, genetic analyses were performed on 109 clinical isolates using three approaches. First, two internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions flanking the 5.8S subunit of the ribosomal DNA gene were sequenced. The only variation was a point mutation at nucleotide position 66 of the ITS1 region found in 16 isolates (14.7%). Second, the presence of a 5.5-kb double-stranded RNA T. vaginalis virus (TVV) was assessed. TVV was detected in 55 isolates (50%). Finally, a phylogenetic analysis was performed based on random amplified polymorphic DNA data. The resulting phylogeny indicated at least two distinct lineages that correlate with the presence of TVV. A band-sharing index indicating relatedness was created for different groups of isolates. It demonstrated that isolates harboring the virus are significantly more closely related to each other than to the rest of the population, and it indicated a high level of relatedness among isolates with in vitro metronidazole resistance. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that drug resistance to T. vaginalis resulted from a single or very few mutational events. Permutation tests and nonparametric analyses showed associations between metronidazole resistance and phylogeny, the ITS mutation, and TVV presence. These results suggest the existence of genetic markers with clinical implications for T. vaginalis infections.

Animals↗

[Outlooks for using the interferon inducers in the treatment and prevention of influenza and acute respiratory viral diseases].

The methods of treatment by using the stimulators of the non-specific resistance system have been growing even more topical. Drugs based on interferon (INF) and its inducers belong to the group. IFN is of key importance in the regulation of antiviral immunity. The use of IFN inducers can be referred to as the most promising approach to enhancing and activating the body resistance mechanisms. The advantages of IFN inducers before IFN drugs, a wide spectrum of antiviral effects, compatibility with many pharmaceuticals, good tolerability by patients and effectiveness in different administration modes served as a basis for designing a new class of antiviral drugs--IFN inducers. A lot of experimental medical-and-biological research was made to evaluate the efficiency of IFN inducers in influenza. They were shown to possess a pronounced therapeutic-and-preventive action in experiment and clinical trials. Synthetic and natural dsRNA belong to IFN inducers. Multiple research made in cell culture and with experimental animals demonstrated a high interferon-inducing and antiviral activity of double-stranded RNA against influenza virus. A number of dsRNA-based IFN inducers are permitted for clinical use. Data obtained in clinical trials of such inducers are indicative of their pronounced therapeutic-and-clinical effect. Hence, the IFN inducers having different structures and origins can be regarded as promising in the treatment and prevention of influenza and acute respiratory viral diseases.

Acute Disease↗

Interferon-gamma-inducible regulation of the human invariant chain gene.

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) regulates a variety of immunoregulatory functions through the induction of a specific set of IFN-gamma response genes. This includes the invariant chain associated with the major histocompatibility complex class II molecules. To investigate the mechanism involved in the invariant chain (In) response to IFN-gamma we constructed chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) hybrid genes in which the CAT gene is under the control of the In promoter. The glioblastoma cell line, U-373 MG, transfected with a CAT construct having the In promoter sequence -790 to +1 bp showed over 3-fold increased CAT activity when treated with IFN-gamma indicating that this region confers IFN-gamma responsiveness to the CAT gene. The IFN-gamma response element in the promoter was further sublocalized to the region -120 to -61 base pairs (bp). This region contains homology to the interferon-stimulated response elements identified in other IFN responsive genes. By gel shift analyses, an IFN-gamma-induced sequence-specific DNA-binding factor was identified. This induced complex binds to an oligonucleotide corresponding to -107 to -79 bp of the In promoter. Mutations of this binding site at -94 and -92 bp drastically decreased binding of the constitutive and IFN-gamma-induced complexes. This IFN-gamma induced factor also binds to an oligonucleotide corresponding to -91 to -62 bp of the interferon-beta (IFN-beta) gene promoter, a region necessary for the induction of the IFN-beta gene by virus and double-stranded RNA. This binding specificity is characteristic of a family of DNA binding factors that bind both the interferon-stimulated response elements and the IFN-beta gene promoter.

Base Sequence↗