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The non-immunosuppressive cyclosporin DEBIO-025 is a potent inhibitor of hepatitis C virus replication in vitro.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) inhibits the in vitro replication of HCV subgenomic replicons. We here report on the potent anti-HCV activity of the non-immunosuppressive cyclosporin DEBIO-025. The 50% effective concentration for inhibition of HCV subgenomic replicon replication in Huh 5-2 cells (luciferase assay) by DEBIO-025 was 0.27 +/- 0.03 microg/mL and for CsA 2.8 +/- 0.4 microg/mL. The concentration that reduced the growth of exponentially proliferating Huh 5-2 cells by 50% was greater than 27 microg/mL for DEBIO-025 and 12 +/- 6 microg/mL for CsA, resulting in a selectivity index of approximately 900 for DEBIO-025 and 40 for CsA. The superior activity of DEBIO-025, as compared with CsA, was corroborated by monitoring HCV RNA levels in Huh 5-2, two other HCV subgenomic replicon-containing cell lines, and by monitoring the luciferase signal and viral antigen production in hepatoma cells that had been infected with an infectious full-length chimeric HCV construct. The combination of interferon alpha 2a with either CsA or DEBIO-025 resulted in an additive to slightly synergistic antiviral activity. DEBIO-025, at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 microg/mL, was able to clear cells from their HCV replicon within three to four passages, whereas treatment with CsA at the same concentrations for seven consecutive passages did not result in clearance of the HCV replicon. In conclusion, DEBIO-025, a compound that is also endowed with potent anti-HIV activity and is well tolerated in animals and humans, may form an attractive new option for the therapy of HCV infections, particularly in HCV/HIV co-infected patients.

Antiviral Agents↗

Evasive maneuvers by hepatitis C virus.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) serine protease is necessary for viral replication and represents a valid target for developing new therapies for HCV infection. Potent and selective inhibitors of this enzyme have been identified and shown to inhibit HCV replication in tissue culture. The optimization of these inhibitors for clinical development would greatly benefit from in vitro systems for the identification and the study of resistant variants. We report the use of HCV subgenomic replicons to isolate and characterize mutants resistant to a protease inhibitor. Taking advantage of the replicons' ability to transduce resistance to neomycin, we selected replicons with decreased sensitivity to the inhibitor by culturing the host cells in the presence of the inhibitor and neomycin. The selected replicons replicated to the same extent as those in parental cells. Sequence analysis followed by transfection of replicons containing isolated mutations revealed that resistance was mediated by amino acid substitutions in the protease. These results were confirmed by in vitro experiments with mutant enzymes and by modeling the inhibitor in the three-dimensional structure of the protease.

Comment↗

Control of Tn7 transposition.

Our isolate of Tn7 (named Tn7S ) contains an IS1 insertion, and this IS1 can be converted into Tn9. In vitro and in vivo deletions of Tn7S and Tn7S ::Tn9 define regions of the transposon required for antibiotic resistance and transposition. Complementation of deletion mutants by cloned Tn7 fragments indicates the existence of two regions, denoted tnp7A and tnp7B , required for all transposition events. Another region, denoted tnp7C , is required for transposition from the chromosome to RP1 but not for transposition from a small IncP-1 replicon to the chromosome. The presence of Tn7S terminal sequences in an RP1 replicon reduces the transposition of a second Tn7S derivative from the chromosome by about one order of magnitude. The measured frequency of Tn7S transpositions from a small IncP-1 replicon to the chromosome depends on the particular incompatibility system used to eliminate that replicon. Genetic and physical data indicate that high frequencies of Tn7S transposition to the chromosome (greater than or equal to 40%) are triggered by the IncP-1 incompatibility reaction, thus suggesting the existence of a Tn7 mechanism for sensing the state of the carrier replicon.

Chromosomes, Bacterial↗

Inactivation of DNA replication origins by the cell cycle regulator, trigonelline, in root meristems of Lactuca sativa.

The effects of trigonelline (TRG) on the cell cycle in root meristems of Lactuca sativa L. were examined in the knowledge that TRG is a cell cycle regulator that causes cell arrest in G2, and prevents ligation of replicons in S-phase. The hypothesis was tested that continuous exposure to TRG would perturb DNA replication which, in turn, would lengthen the cell cycle and impair root elongation. Using DNA fibre autoradiography, mean replicon size was 31 and 13 microm in the TRG (3 mM) and control treatments, respectively. Trigonelline also resulted in a lengthening of both S-phase and the cell cycle and a decrease in primary root elongation. Hence, replicon inactivation was responsible for the protracted S-phase. Trigonelline treatment also resulted in a 1.6-fold increase in fork rate (13.8 microm h(-1)) compared with the control (8.4 m h(-1)). The faster fork rate in the larger replicons is in accord with the highly significant positive relationship already established between fork rate and replicon size for various unrelated higher plants.

Alkaloids↗

Caffeine enhancement of the initiation of DNA replication in benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide damaged cells.

We have used a newly developed pH stepwise alkaline elution method to show that caffeine enhances DNA initiation (DNA replication in sub-replicon size nascent strands) in (+/-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9, 10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BPDEI) damaged mouse primary epidermal cells. Caffeine alone caused a dose-dependent increase in DNA initiation without an effect on DNA elongation (joining of replicon-sized nascent DNA). BPDEI alone inhibited DNA elongation as shown by a relative increase in sub-replicon size nascent DNA. When BPDEI treated cells were incubated with caffeine, there was a dose-dependent increase in sub-replicon size nascent DNA without a significant effect on the proportion of joined replicons. Therefore, caffeine can enhance DNA initiation in mammalian cells damaged with a reactive form of the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene and this may account for the biological interaction between caffeine and the ultimate carcinogenic form of benzo[a]pyrene.

7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide↗

Use of transmissible plasmids as cloning vectors in Caulobacter crescentus.

Cloning vectors for studies of Caulobacter crescentus genes should be transferrable between Escherichia coli and C. crescentus since a transformation system has not been developed for C. crescentus. We have tested a large number of vectors containing IncP or IncQ replicons and found that many of the vectors containing IncQ replicons, and all but one of the vectors containing IncP replicons, are readily transferred by conjugation into C. crescentus. All of the plasmids tested were maintained in C. crescentus at 1 to 5 copies per cell, but plasmids containing IncP replicons were more stable than plasmids containing IncQ replicons. Further studies with a derivative of the IncQ plasmid R300B showed that when a promoterless kanamycin (Km)-resistance gene (npt2) was inserted into the intercistronic region of the sul-aphC (SuR-SmR) operon, Km resistance was expressed only when the npt2 gene was inserted such that it would be transcribed from the sul promoter. These data indicate that R300B does not contain sequences which would provide promoter function in C. crescentus in the orientation opposite to that of the sul operon and that any genes cloned in this orientation would require native promoters for expression. To provide greater versatility for cloning into R300B, additional vectors were constructed by the addition of multiple cloning sites in the intercistronic region of the sul-aphC operon. In addition, chromosomal DNA libraries were constructed in R300B and in the cosmid vector pLAFR1-7. Specific clones from these libraries containing genes of interest were identified by complementation of the appropriate C. crescentus mutants.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Effect of the replication mode of a plasmid on the stability of multimeric endoxylanase genes in Bacillus subtilis.

Effect of the replication mode of a plasmid on the stability of tandemly multimerized endoxylanase genes and a gene dose-dependent expression of the endoxylanase were studied in Bacillus subtilis. The structural genes encoding an endoxylanase, carrying its original promoter and ribosomal binding sequence, were tandemly multimerized and cloned into the Escherichia coli-B. subtilis shuttle plasmid, pJH27 delta 88 or pMTL500e, which has a rolling circle-replicon or a theta (theta)-replicon in B. subtilis, respectively. The cloned dimers in pJH27 delta 88, which has a rolling circle-replicon, spontaneously rearranged to monomers in B. subtilis DB104, whereas those in pMTL500e, having a theta (theta)-replicon, were stably maintained. Expression level of the endoxylanase was proportional to the gene dosage in multimers. The endoxylanase activity in the supernatant increased from 80 U ml-1 with pMTL-1x containing a monomer of the gene to 165 U ml-1 with pMTL-4x containing a tetramer. These results indicate that high level expression of the endoxylanase gene can be obtained by tandemly multimerizing the genes in a plasmid with a theta (theta)-replicon.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Identification of a key determinant of hepatitis C virus cell culture adaptation in domain II of NS3 helicase.

Efficient replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicons in cell culture is associated with specific sequences not generally observed in vivo. These cell culture adaptive mutations dramatically increase the frequency with which replication is established in vitro. However, replicons derived from HCV isolates that have been shown to replicate in chimpanzees do not replicate in cell culture even when these adaptive mutations are introduced. To better understand this apparent paradox, we performed a gain-of-function screen to identify sequences that could confer cell culture replication competence to replicons derived from chimpanzee infectious HCV isolates. We found that residue 470 in domain II of the NS3 helicase is a critical determinant in cell culture adaptation. Substitutions in residue 470 when combined with the NS5A-S232I adaptive mutation are both necessary and sufficient to confer cell culture replication to otherwise inactive replicons, including those derived from genotype 1b HCV-BK and genotype 1a HCV-H77 isolates. The specific substitution at residue 470 required for replication is context-dependent, with R470M and P470L being optimal for the activity of HCV-BK and HCV-H77 replicons, respectively. Together these data indicate that mutations in the NS3 helicase domain II act in concert with previously identified adaptive mutations and predict that introduction of compatible residues at these positions can confer cell culture replication activity to diverse HCV isolates.

Cells, Cultured↗

The novel nucleoside analog R1479 (4'-azidocytidine) is a potent inhibitor of NS5B-dependent RNA synthesis and hepatitis C virus replication in cell culture.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymerase activity is essential for HCV replication. Targeted screening of nucleoside analogs identified R1479 (4'-azidocytidine) as a specific inhibitor of HCV replication in the HCV subgenomic replicon system (IC(50) = 1.28 microM) with similar potency compared with 2'-C-methylcytidine (IC(50) = 1.13 microM). R1479 showed no effect on cell viability or proliferation of HCV replicon or Huh-7 cells at concentrations up to 2 mM. HCV replicon RNA could be fully cleared from replicon cells after prolonged incubation with R1479. The corresponding 5'-triphosphate derivative (R1479-TP) is a potent inhibitor of native HCV replicase isolated from replicon cells and of recombinant HCV polymerase (NS5B)-mediated RNA synthesis activity. R1479-TP inhibited RNA synthesis as a CTP-competitive inhibitor with a K(i) of 40 nM. On an HCV RNA-derived template substrate (complementary internal ribosome entry site), R1479-TP showed similar potency of NS5B inhibition compared with 3'-dCTP. R1479-TP was incorporated into nascent RNA by HCV polymerase and reduced further elongation with similar efficiency compared with 3'-dCTP under the reaction conditions. The S282T point mutation in the coding sequence of NS5B confers resistance to inhibition by 2'-C-MeATP and other 2'-methyl-nucleotides. In contrast, the S282T mutation did not confer cross-resistance to R1479.

Antiviral Agents↗

Mutations conferring resistance to SCH6, a novel hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitor. Reduced RNA replication fitness and partial rescue by second-site mutations.

Drug resistance is a major issue in the development and use of specific antiviral therapies. Here we report the isolation and characterization of hepatitis C virus RNA replicons resistant to a novel ketoamide inhibitor of the NS3/4A protease, SCH6 (originally SCH446211). Resistant replicon RNAs were generated by G418 selection in the presence of SCH6 in a dose-dependent fashion, with the emergence of resistance reduced at higher SCH6 concentrations. Sequencing demonstrated remarkable consistency in the mutations conferring SCH6 resistance in genotype 1b replicons derived from two different strains of hepatitis C virus, A156T/A156V and R109K. R109K, a novel mutation not reported previously to cause resistance to NS3/4A inhibitors, conferred moderate resistance only to SCH6. Structural analysis indicated that this reflects unique interactions of SCH6 with P'-side residues in the protease active site. In contrast, A156T conferred high level resistance to SCH6 and a related ketoamide, SCH503034, as well as BILN 2061 and VX-950. Unlike R109K, which had minimal impact on NS3/4A enzymatic function, A156T significantly reduced NS3/4A catalytic efficiency, polyprotein processing, and replicon fitness. However, three separate second-site mutations, P89L, Q86R, and G162R, were capable of partially reversing A156T-associated defects in polyprotein processing and/or replicon fitness, without significantly reducing resistance to the protease inhibitor.

Binding Sites↗

Enhancement of sindbis virus self-replicating RNA vaccine potency by targeting antigen to endosomal/lysosomal compartments.

Self-replicating RNA vaccines (RNA replicons) have emerged as an attractive approach for tumor immunotherapy. RNA replicons do not integrate into host chromosomes, eliminating the concern for oncogenicity associated with a DNA vaccine. In this study, we used human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E7 as a model antigen and evaluated E7-specific immunity generated by a Sindbis virus self-replicating RNA vector, SIN-rep5. Three different constructs were created to target E7 antigen to different cellular localizations: (1) E7, a cytosolic/nuclear protein; (2) Sig/E7, a secretory protein; (3) Sig/E7/LAMP-1, in which we linked the transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions of the lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP-1) to E7 protein to target E7 to the endosomal/lysosomal compartment. We found that the RNA replicon vaccine containing the Sig/E7/LAMP-1 fusion gene generated the highest E7-specific T cell-mediated immune responses and antitumor effects relative to RNA vaccines containing either wild-type E7 or Sig/E7. Our in vitro studies demonstrated that E7 antigen from Sig/E7/LAMP-1 RNA replicon-transfected apoptotic cells can be taken up by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) and presented more efficiently through the MHC class I pathway than wild-type E7 RNA replicon-transfected apoptotic cells. Furthermore, our data revealed that CD8(+) T cells, CD4(+) T cells, and NK cells were important for the antitumor effects generated by Sig/E7/LAMP-1 RNA vaccination. These results indicate that targeting antigen to the endosomal/lysosomal compartment via fusion to LAMP-1 may greatly enhance the potency of self-replicating RNA vaccines.

Animals↗

The catalytic subunit DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) facilitates recovery from radiation-induced inhibition of DNA replication.

Exposure of cells to ionizing radiation inhibits DNA replication in a dose-dependent manner. The dose response is biphasic and the initial steep component reflects inhibition of replicon initiation thought to be mediated by activation of the S-phase checkpoint. In mammalian cells, inhibition of replicon initiation requires the ataxia telagiectasia mutated ( ATM ) gene, a member of the phosphatidyl inositol kinase-like (PIKL) family of protein kinases. We studied the effect on replicon initiation of another member of the PI-3 family of protein kinases, the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) by measuring either total DNA synthesis, or size distribution of nascent DNA using alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation. Exposure of human cells proficient in DNA-PKcs (HeLa or M059-K) to 10 Gy inhibited replicon initiation in a time-dependent manner. Inhibition was at a maximum 1 h after irradiation and recovered at later times. Similar treatment of human cells deficient in DNA-PKcs (M059-J) inhibited replicon initiation to a similar level and with similar kinetics; however, no evidence for recovery, or only limited recovery, was observed for up to 8 h after irradiation. In addition a defect was observed in the maturation of nascent DNA. Similarly, a Chinese hamster cell line deficient in DNA-PKcs (irs-20) showed little evidence for recovery of DNA replication inhibition up to 6 h after irradiation, whereas the parental CHO cells showed significant recovery and an irs-20 derivative expressing the human DNA-PKcs complete recovery within 4 h. Normal kinetics of recovery were observed in xrs-5 cells, deficient in Ku80; in 180BR cells, deficient in DNA ligase IV; as well as XR-1 cells, deficient in XRCC4, an accessory factor of DNA ligase IV. Since all these cell lines share the DNA double strand break rejoining defect of M059-J and irs20 cells, the lack of recovery of DNA replication in the latter cells may not be attributed entirely to the prolonged presence of unrepaired DNA dsb. We propose that DNA-PKcs, in addition to its functions in the rejoining of DNA dsb and in DNA replication, also operates in a pathway that in normal cells facilitates recovery of DNA replication after irradiation.

Animals↗

Physical and gene maps of Agrobacterium biovar 2 strains and their relationship to biovar 1 chromosomes.

Diverse types of genomic DNA organization have been found in Rhizobiaceae, especially among Agrobacterium species. Previous studies of Agrobacterium concentrated mainly on biovar 1 strains. Little attention has been given to biovar 2 strains. The biovar 2 genome consists of a large, circular chromosome and second megabase-sized replicon, as well as several plasmids. In this study two biovar 2 strains were analysed, A. rhizogenes (A. radiobacter) K84 and A. rhizogenes A4, by constructing physical maps of their chromosomes and mega-replicons. The maps revealed that in both strains their chromosomes consist of approximately 3.7 Mbp, while the mega-replicons are 2.6 Mbp circular DNAs. Gene mapping and comparative genomic analysis were performed based on the physical maps using Southern hybridization. It was found that rDNA, as well as analysed virulence and virulence-related genes, are present only on the chromosomes. The inter-chromosomal relationship between biovar 1 and biovar 2 strains was also analysed. Interestingly, there was a high similarity between the chromosomes of biovar 2 and the circular chromosomes of biovar 1, whereas similarity among the smaller megabase-sized replicons was restricted to each biovar. Based on these observations the possible relationship among large replicons in Agrobacterium biovars 1 and 2 is discussed.

Chromosomes, Bacterial↗

Enhancement of Sindbis virus self-replicating RNA vaccine potency by linkage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis heat shock protein 70 gene to an antigen gene.

Recently, self-replicating RNA vaccines (RNA replicons) have emerged as an effective strategy for nucleic acid vaccine development. Unlike naked DNA vaccines, RNA replicons eventually cause lysis of transfected cells and therefore do not raise the concern of integration into the host genome. We evaluated the effect of linking human papillomavirus type 16 E7 as a model Ag to Mycobacterium tuberculosis heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) on the potency of Ag-specific immunity generated by a Sindbis virus self-replicating RNA vector, SINrep5. Our results indicated that this RNA replicon vaccine containing an E7/HSP70 fusion gene generated significantly higher E7-specific T cell-mediated immune responses in vaccinated mice than did vaccines containing the wild-type E7 gene. Furthermore, our in vitro studies demonstrated that E7 Ag from E7/HSP70 RNA replicon-transfected cells can be processed by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and presented more efficiently through the MHC class I pathway than can wild-type E7 RNA replicon-transfected cells. More importantly, the fusion of HSP70 to E7 converted a less effective vaccine into one with significant potency against E7-expressing tumors. This antitumor effect was dependent on NK cells and CD8(+) T cells. These results indicated that fusion of HSP70 to an Ag gene may greatly enhance the potency of self-replicating RNA vaccines.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

[Rate of DNA synthesis and the size of replication units in cell culture of Drosophila melanogaster].

The rate of DNA replication and the size of replication units was examined by means of pulse-labeling with 3H-thymidine and DNA autoradiography in the chromsomes of Drosophila melanogaster synchronized cells culture in vitro. The center-to-center distance between adjacent labeled section of DNA fibers was taken for a size of replication unit, i.e. replicon. DNA synthesis was revealed to start simultaneously in most replicons. The rate of elongation of labeled sections of DNA fibers is about 25 mu per hour (75 kb per hour). Taking into consideration bidirectinal DNA replication the rate of DNA replication per growing point is 12.5 mu per hour (38 kb per hour). The mean size of replicon is about 60 mu (130 kb) in cell culture of Drosophila melanogaster and most of these replicons vary from 20 to 80 mu. Calculation suggests that one replicon may consist of six chromomeres each being known to be formed by a segment of DNA molecular 10 mu long on average.

Animals↗

Hepatitis C virus core protein stimulates hepatocyte growth: correlation with upregulation of wnt-1 expression.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein has been implicated in the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here we report that expression of HCV core protein by transient transfection increased cell proliferation, DNA synthesis, and cell cycle progression in Huh-7 cells, a human HCC-derived cell line. Culture supernatant from transfected cells also harbored a growth-promoting effect. Moreover, a full-length HCV replicon, but not a subgenomic replicon devoid of the core gene, significantly stimulated growth of transiently transfected Huh-7.5 cells. However, growth of the subgenomic replicon-containing Huh-7.5 cells could be stimulated by secondary transfection with core gene but not other structural genes present in the full-length replicon. Microarray analysis revealed threefold or more transcriptional changes in 372 of 12,500 known human genes in core protein expressing Huh-7 cells, with most genes involved in cell growth or oncogenic signaling, being upregulated rather than downregulated. Of particular interest is the marked upregulation of both wnt-1 and its downstream target gene WISP-2. Indeed, small interfering RNA against wnt-1 blunted growth stimulation by core gene, whereas transfection of Huh-7 cells with the wnt-1 gene sufficed to promote cell proliferation. Consistent with secretion of the wnt-1 protein, conditioned medium from wnt-1 transfected cells accelerated cell growth. In conclusion, HCV core protein induces Huh-7 cell proliferation whether alone or in the context of HCV replication, which is at least partly mediated by transcriptional upregulation of growth-related genes, in particular wnt-1.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

Defective Marek's disease virus DNA contains a gene encoding a potential nuclear DNA binding protein and a HSV a-like sequence.

Four RNA transcripts from chicken embryo fibroblast cells infected with Marek's disease virus (MDV) strain 281Ml/1 hybridized to the 4-kbp MDV replicon DNA. In an attempt to identify open reading frames coding for the four transcripts, we determined the nucleotide sequences of 4-kbp replicon DNA (represents a single monomeric repeat unit of defective MDV genome). Computer analysis indicates that the 4-kbp MDV replicon DNA contains two intact open reading frames (ORFs) with common promoter regulatory elements. ORF-A codes for a putative 204 amino acid protein that shares 21 and 36% amino acid sequence identity to nuclear DNA binding proteins such as the EBNA-1 of Epstein-Barr virus and galline, a chicken sperm histone protein, respectively. ORF-B encodes for a potential 350 amino acid protein, which did not show any significant amino acid sequence identity to known protein sequences within Swiss-Protein data base. ORF-B may, therefore, encode a MDV specific protein. The 5'-region of MDV replicon DNA revealed seven reiterated copies of an 11-bp motif sharing 8 out of 11 nucleotide sequence identity to DR2 elements of the herpes simplex virus strain USA-8 a sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Novel infectious particles generated by expression of the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein from a self-replicating RNA.

Self-propagating infectious particles were produced in animal cells transfected with an RNA replicon encoding a single viral structural protein, the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G). The replicon is derived from an alphavirus, Semliki Forest virus (SFV), and encodes the SFV RNA replicase, but none of the SFV structural proteins. After transfection of the replicon into tissue culture cells, expression of G protein spread from small foci throughout the culture. Supernatants from the cells contained infectious, virus-like particles that could be passaged and were neutralized by anti-VSV serum. The majority of the infectious particles were smaller and less dense than either VSV or SFV. Characterization by electron microscopy showed membrane-enveloped vesicles that contained the VSV-G protein. Infectious particles were apparently generated by budding of vesicles containing VSV-G protein and the RNA replicon. These experiments reveal that an enveloped infectious agent can be much simpler than previously thought.

Animals↗