Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Antiviral agents under investigation for the treatment of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are reviewed. Multiple mechanisms exist by which antiviral agents might inhibit the replication of HIV or eradicate its latent form in affected cells, or both. These mechanisms include (1) interference with the cell surface receptor for HIV, (2) prevention of uncoating of viral particles, (3) inhibition of reverse transcriptase, (4) prevention of integration and posttranscription processing, (5) interference with viral assembly, and (6) interference with virus release. Most agents developed thus far work by inhibiting HIV reverse transcriptase. Suramin, ribavirin, ammonium 21-tungsten-9-antimoniate (HPA-23), foscarnet (phosphonoformate, PFA), inosine pranobex (isoprinosine), peptide T, ampligen, AL 721, dideoxycytidine, and zidovudine (formerly azidothymidine) have antiretroviral activity in vitro. To date zidovudine is the only antiretroviral agent approved by the FDA as clinically effective. However, zidovudine has serious toxicities, including neutropenia and anemia; in some patients dosage reduction or cessation of therapy may be necessary. Because treatment with zidovudine does not cure HIV infection, numerous studies are under way with other anti-HIV agents. Ultimately, combinations of agents probably will be used to suppress or eradicate HIV. While the search for more efficacious and less toxic treatments continues, the development of zidovudine in such a short time provides hope that progress toward a cure will be made rapidly.
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PMID:Development of antiviral agents for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection. 332 38

Effective antiviral drugs are urgently needed to treat individuals who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Several compounds, such as nucleoside analogs (AZT, ddCyd), phosphonoformate, and HPA-23 inhibit reverse transcriptase. The mode of action of ribavirin and interferon alpha A is less clear. A number of compounds have been tested in early clinical trials, and AZT so far looks the most promising. New drugs should undergo rapid but thorough in vitro and animal testing. Promising compounds should be made available as soon as possible for phase I trials.
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PMID:Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infections. 333 93

The current epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) poses a major threat to our population. Urgently needed are both a vaccine to prevent infection with the etiologic retrovirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and safe, effective antiviral agents to treat those individuals already infected. The elucidation of viral replicative mechanisms has allowed the development and testing of several agents active against HIV in vitro. Inhibitors of reverse transcriptase that have demonstrated activity include azidothymidine, phosphonoformate, antimoniotungstate (HPA-23), and suramin. Ribavirin and recombinant interferon alpha-A (IFN-alpha-A) also inhibit HIV replication, although their mechanisms of action are less clear. All of these compounds are undergoing early clinical trials in patients with HIV infection. The identification of immunogenic viral proteins may allow the development of one or more subunit vaccines against HIV. Studies are underway to clone appropriate viral genes and incorporate the expressed proteins into vectors for administration. Laboratory models, e.g., chimpanzees, will be inoculated with candidate vaccines and, if successful, this will be followed by clinical trials for safety and efficacy in appropriate human populations seronegative for HIV. Although important problems, such as virus envelope protein variability, need to be addressed, efforts to develop effective vaccines may well prove successful in the years ahead.
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PMID:Prospects for the prevention and therapy of infections with the human immunodeficiency virus. 354 Nov 31

Wheat germ DNA polymerase A, a gamma-like enzyme, recognized efficiently natural and synthetic RNA templates, resembling a retroviral reverse transcriptase (P. Laquel et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 1048 (1990): 139-148). Ammonium-21-tungsto-9-antimoniate (HPA-23), an antiviral drug, inhibited the DNA polymerase A activities, independently of the template primers used, i.e. activated DNA or polyriboadenylic acid oligodeoxythymidylate (poly(rA)-oligo(dT)). The inhibition observed in the poly(rA)-oligo(dT)-directed DNA polymerase A activity occurred in the presence of either Mg2+ or Mn2+ as divalent cation, and also with the 2'-fluoro analogue of poly(rA) as template. HPA-23 was a non-competitive inhibitor with respect to TTP, activated DNA, poly(rA)-oligo(dT), and poly(dAfl)-oligo(dT). A preincubation study showed a reversible HPA-23 binding to DNA polymerase A, in the presence of poly(rA)-oligo(dT) as the template primer.
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PMID:Inhibition of the wheat germ DNA polymerase A activity by the antiviral drug HPA-23. 826 Jun 25

Some intercalating and nonintercalating drugs have been tested as inhibitors on the DNA synthesis reaction catalyzed by avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase, in the presence of polyriboadenylic acid (poly(rA)) and poly(2'-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenylic acid) (poly(dAfl)) as templates. In both cases, the inhibition was higher with the intercalating drug ethidium bromide than with the nonintercalating analog tetramethyl ethidium bromide. Ethidium bromide inhibited more efficiently the poly(rA)- than the poly(dAfl)-directed reverse transcriptase reaction; in the latter case, the inhibition was non-competitive in relation to TTP. On the other hand, the reaction catalyzed in the presence of the 2'-fluorinated polynucleotide as template was inhibited to a higher extent by other nonintercalating drugs, berenil, netropsin, and distamycin. The inhibitions of both reactions by dideoxy TTP, novobiocin and HPA-23 are also discussed.
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PMID:Inhibition of poly(2'-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenylic acid)-directed-reverse transcriptase activity. 858 54

We have previously described the private or family platelet antigen, Gro(a), which was identified in a case of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. The Gro(a) antigen was found to be located on the GP IIIa (beta3) subunit of the GP IIb/IIIa complex, the most prominent fibrinogen receptor of platelets. Initial experiments to characterize the Gro(a) antigen at the molecular genetic level were unsuccessful. We therefore decided to use a different strategy to unravel the molecular basis of this antigen. Platelet GP IIIa mRNA of a Gro(a+) and a Gro(a-) donor was amplified with suitable primers in a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and subjected to single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Three regions of the amplified GP IIIa cDNA derived from the Gro(a+) donor showed a different SSCP pattern when compared to that of the Gro(a-) donor. Direct nucleotide sequence analysis of these three segments revealed that two of them contained silent substitutions, A1163C, A1553G and G1565A. The first and the latter changes were described previously. In the third segment a G1996A mutation was found, predicting an arginine --> histidine substitution at position 633 of the mature glycoprotein. PCR-ASRA (allele-specific restriction enzyme analysis) performed on cDNA as well as on genomic DNA with the restriction enzyme MaeIII showed that the His633 form of GPIIIa is restricted to the Gro(a+) phenotype. The observed mutation is three amino acids upstream of the mutation underlying the HPA-8/Sr system (Arg636Cys), suggesting this region of GP IIIa to be susceptible for mutations. Moreover, the presence of a silent mutation and two low-frequency forms of the silent polymorphisms strongly suggests that the G1996A mutation did not occur in a direct ancestral allele.
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PMID:The Arg633His substitution responsible for the private platelet antigen Gro(a) unravelled by SSCP analysis and direct sequencing. 916 97

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the p21 gene transfection on the growth of cultured human glioma cell lines, and analyze the telomerase activity, and detection of telomerase components in p21 transfectant. The p21 gene was transfected into human glioma cell lines, U251MG and T98G with our novel liposome. The cell growth was assessed by counting the number of trypan blue-excluding cells in a hemocytometer and flow cytometry analysis. The expression of P21 protein and its mRNA were examined by Western and Northern blot analysis. The telomerase activity was assayed by TRAP (telomerase repeat amplification protocol)/TRAP-HPA (hybridization protection assay) method qualitatively and quantitatively. The length of telomere was measured by Southern blot analysis. The expression of telomerase components (hTERT, hTERC and TEP1) were examined by RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction). The p21 transfectant demonstrated the expression of P21 protein and its mRNA. The p21 transfection of human glioma cells results in growth inhibition and G0/G1 arrest. The p21 transfectant revealed a decrease of telomerase activity and hTERT expression as compared with control cells. These results suggest that p21 transfection induces G0/G1 arrest in human glioma cells which associates with the reduction in the telomerase activity and hTERT expression.
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PMID:Growth inhibition of human glioma cells by transfection-induced P21 and its effects on telomerase activity. 1093 98

This study tested the hypothesis that stress-induced opioid peptides may have stimulative and inhibitive influence on mu opioid receptor (MOR) mRNA expression and hypothalamus. Several studies have investigated the effects of stress on MOR mRNA expression in rat brain, but almost none compared the response to single versus repeated stresses. Here, we examined the effects of single and repeated stress on MOR mRNA expression in different rat brain regions using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Following a single episode of restraint stress for 4 h (1R) or 4 h per day on 2 (2R) or 3 (3R) consecutive days, the hypothalamus and midbrain were removed immediately and MOR mRNA levels in both regions were determined by RT-PCR. Blood samples were also collected for simultaneous measurement of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CS). MOR mRNA expression was significantly higher in both regions in the 2R group, whereas expression levels in the 3R group did not differ from controls. In the 1R group, hypothalamic MOR expression was equivalent to that in controls, but expression was significantly higher in the midbrain. Serum ACTH levels were significantly higher only in the 1R group, whereas serum CS was significantly higher in both the 1R and 3R groups. Our findings indicate that the influence of restraint stress on MOR mRNA expression in the hypothalamus is different than in the midbrain region in rats. Endogenous opioid peptides released in response to stress may paradoxically have an effect on the HPA axis.
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PMID:Effects of single and repeated prolonged stress on mu-opioid receptor mRNA expression in rat gross hypothalamic and midbrain homogenates. 1286 58

Fibromyalgia and chronic hepatitis C infection share many clinical features including prominent somatic complaints such as musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. There is a growing body of evidence supporting a link between cytokines and somatic complaints. This review discusses alterations of cytokines in fibromyalgia, including increased serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-2 receptor, IL-8, IL-1 receptor antagonist; increased IL-1 and IL-6 produced by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell in patients with FM for longer than 2 years; increased gp130, which is a neutrophil cytokine transducing protein; increased soluble IL-6 receptor and soluble IL-1 receptor antagonist only in patients with fibromyalgia who are depressed; and IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-a by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in skin biopsies of some patients with fibromyalgia. In addition, this review describes the mechanism by which alterations in cytokines in fibromyalgia and chronic hepatitis C infection can produce hyperalgesia and other neurally mediated symptoms through the presence of cytokine receptors on glial cells and opiate receptors on lymphocytes and the influence of cytokines on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-a activating and IL-2 and IFN-a down-regulating the HPA axis, respectively. The association between chronic hepatitis C infection and fibromyalgia is discussed, including a description of key cytokine changes in chronic hepatitis C infection. Future studies are encouraged to further characterize these immunologic alterations with potential pathophysiologic and therapeutic implications.
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PMID:Fibromyalgia, hepatitis C infection, and the cytokine connection. 1294 86

Three commercially available real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assays (the Artus RealArt HPA coronavirus LightCycler, the Artus RealArt HPA coronavirus Rotor-Gene, and the EraGen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus POL assay) and three RNA extraction methodologies were evaluated for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus RNA from 91 stool specimens. The assays' sensitivities were highest (58% to 75%) for specimens obtained 8 to 21 days after symptom onset. The assays were less sensitive when specimens were obtained less than 8 days or more than 21 days after the onset of symptoms. All assays were 100% specific.
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PMID:Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in stool specimens by commercially available real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assays. 1694 52


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