Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In vitro assessment of biological properties of 14 independent isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was performed in order to gain insight into the spectrum of behavioral diversity of HIV-1s and to attempt to identify phenotypic traits that may be eventually correlated with in vivo pathogenesis. All of these biologically cloned isolates were found to spread very slowly in most cell cultures, requiring 8-10 weeks for virus to spread from a few infected cells to around 10(5) cells. If viral synergistic activity was also present, as in HTLV-1-infected cells, HIV-1 spread was greatly accelerated. The isolates varied in their cellular tropisms, having as much as 100,000-fold difference in their tropisms for various human CD4-positive cell lines. Several HIV isolates were dual-tropic for both T and promonocytic cells, but some of these isolates did not readily infect U937 promonocytes while readily infecting THP-1 promonocytes. Both the slow spread and extreme tropisms of HIV-1 isolates have practical implications for titering HIVs and for initiating any studies examining the interaction between a given isolate and any given cell. Some isolates did not score readily by reverse transcriptase assays while others did and this did not reflect the amount of infectious virus produced. These findings raise questions about the reliability of HIV quantitation by RT assay. The HIV isolates further varied in their ability to kill and/or fuse cells, whereas some induced cytopathology more efficiently in a given cell line than others, even though the latter appeared to replicate as well. Finally, most isolates killed cells without syncytia formation, demonstrating that cell-to-cell fusion is a minor mechanism of cytopathology. The properties observed for each HIV isolate appeared to be stable phenotypes for that virus and the diversity of biological behavior raises the possibility that independent HIV isolates may differ in their virulence properties in vivo as well.
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PMID:Spectrum of biological properties of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) isolates. 168 73

This study describes the derivation of a series of mutants from the human leukemic cell line CEM using the frame shift mutagen Ethyl-methanesulfonate followed by negative selection with multiple treatments of OKT4A + C, and sorting into CD4-, CD4-dull, and CD4-intermediate mutants. These mutants express reduced CD4 levels ranging from 0 to 60% of the parental line. The mutants were analyzed by staining with a battery of CD4-specific mAb, by assessing their ability to bind soluble gp120, and by their ability to form syncytia after infection with cell-free HIV I virus and a gp160-vaccinia vector. Two groups of particularly interesting mutants were identified: (1) CD4-dull mutants expressing only 5 to 10% of the wild type surface CD4 density, which nevertheless were infectable by HIV I and produced as many syncytia and reverse transcriptase activity as the parental line after infection with gp160-vaccinia or cell free HIV I. (2) CD4-intermediate mutants (30 to 60% of parental CD4 level), which express CD4-epitopes required for interaction with the HIV I envelope protein, yet are markedly deficient in their ability to form syncytia after gp160-vaccinia or HIV I infection. Two of these mutants did form syncytia after transient reconstitution with a wild type CD4 containing vaccinia vector. Inasmuch as they were found to bind soluble gp120 with the same avidity as other, functionally normal, CD4-intermediate mutants, these human T cell mutants may have a reduced susceptibility to HIV I infection due to the absence of a "fusogenic component" or to a structural alteration in a region of the CD4 molecule not required for binding of the HIV I envelope, but for the subsequent fusion and entry process.
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PMID:Chemically induced CD4 mutants of a human T cell line. Evidence for dissociation between binding of HIV I envelope and susceptibility to HIV I infection and syncytia formation. 169 Feb 35

As human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has become better understood, numerous drugs have been developed that act at virus-specific sites. These are challenging our ability to evaluate them thoroughly and rapidly. Zidovudine (AZT) remains the mainstay of anti-HIV-1 drugs. Recent controlled trials indicate it should be used early in infection (in those with CD4 cell counts less than 500/mm3) and in lower doses (500-600 mg/day). Prolonged AZT treatment in patients with AIDS, however, is often associated with viral resistance. Newer reverse transcriptase-inhibiting nucleoside derivatives are currently in phase II-III clinical trials. Other HIV-1 replicative sites under attack in clinical studies include binding and entry of virus, envelope protein glycosylation, and viral assembly and release. Agents that target HIV-1 proteinase, integrase, ribonuclease H, and products of regulatory genes such as tat are under development. Combination therapies that target different viral replicative sites likely will allow use of individual agents below their toxic concentrations and help prevent drug resistance. Innovative programs for expanded access to experimental drugs are needed that will permit expeditious clinical trials, optimize the gathering of useful information, and permit the widest access to promising treatments.
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PMID:Chemotherapy of human immunodeficiency virus infections: current practice and future prospects. 169 Dec 43

Retroviral RNA is copied into DNA by reverse transcriptase when the viral genome enters into its life cycle. In the case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), massive amounts of unintegrated viral DNA reportedly appear in the early phase of primary infection. However, the relationship between the accumulation of this DNA and the cytopathic effect (CPE) remains obscure. In an attempt to delineate this association, we examined the appearance of the unintegrated viral DNA by means of two experimental systems: (1) primary infection of highly susceptible MOLT-4#8 cells and (2) induction of CPE by cell-fusion of persistently infected MOLT-4#8 cells. A correlation was observed between the accumulation of unintegrated viral DNA and the appearance of CPE, both when MOLT-4#8 cells were infected with cell-free virus and when persistently infected MOLT-4#8 cells were co-cultured with uninfected cells. Persistently infected cells did not fuse spontaneously in culture, because they lack the CD4-molecule on their surfaces. However, when treated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), the cells fused, exhibited ballooning degeneration, and released fewer viruses. After PEG treatment, unintegrated viral DNA also appeared. Since such DNA is generally not detected in persistently infected cells, it is possible that some cellular mechanism exists to suppress the synthesis of viral DNA and that the fusion induced by PEG treatment cancels the suppression. Treatment of persistently infected cells with Ca2+ ionophore and Ca2+ antagonist also resulted in the accumulation of unintegrated viral DNA and inhibited virus release. These findings suggest that the induction of unintegrated HIV DNA may be an effective strategy for reducing the release of the virus.
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PMID:Unintegrated DNA in cells infected in vitro with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): a new approach to suppression of virus release. 169 87

An immunotoxin has been made by coupling anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope antibody 907 to ricin A chain (907-RAC). 907 recognizes an epitope within the immunodominant PB-1 loop of gp120. Variant cells were selected by cloning persistently infected H9/human T lymphocyte virus IIIB cells in the presence of the immunotoxin. Clones resistant to 907-RAC arose at a frequency of 0.1-1.0%. Seven clones were selected for intensive analysis. When studied, these clones fell into two distinct groups, members of which appeared to be identical, suggesting that the variation arose before the selection process. In contrast to the parent cells, none of the cloned variants produced infectious HIV. The first set of clones, designated the "E" variants, expressed decreased levels of the HIV envelope on the cell surface. However, levels of intracellular HIV antigens and reverse transcriptase were equal to or greater than that of the parental cell line. Radioimmunoprecipitation demonstrated that the gp160 was truncated to 145 kD (gp120 was normal length), capable of binding to CD4, and, unlike normal gp160, was released in its unprocessed form into the cellular supernatant. Sequence analysis demonstrated that a deletion at codon 687 of the envelope gene resulted in the production of this truncated protein. Ultrastructural analysis of E variants demonstrated some budding forms of virus, but also large numbers of HIV within intracellular vesicles. The second set of variants, the "F" series, produced no HIV antigens, reverse transcriptase, nor was there ultrastructural evidence of virus. However, proviral DNA was present. Virus could not be induced with agents known to activate latent HIV. These cells also lacked cell surface CD4 and could not be infected with HIV. These studies demonstrate that variation in HIV can affect the phenotype of the cells carrying the altered virus, allowing for escape from immunologic destruction. The E variants may serve as prototypes for attenuated HIV, which could be used as a vaccine. We have reconstructed the mutation found in the E variants within the infectious HIV clone HXB-2 and demonstrated that the resulting virus retains its noninfectious phenotype.
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PMID:Variants selected by treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-infected cells with an immunotoxin. 169 55

An expression vector (pU3R-III/2-5AS) of human 2',5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase was constructed in which a cDNA encoding an active form of the enzyme was located 3' to a 3'-long terminal repeat (LTR) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The LTR-directed expression of this hybrid DNA could be activated in trans by the HIV tat gene product. This vector was used for transfection of HeLa-T4+ cells, which are permissive to HIV infection, as well as of normal HeLa cells. HIV replication after infection of the CD4-receptor-bearing HeLa-T4+ cells with HIV-1 was found to be strongly reduced when drug-selected cells cotransfected with pU3R-III/2-5AS and a hygromycin B resistance gene containing plasmid were used. In nontransfected cultures or after transfection with the selectable marker plasmid only, about 60% p17- and p24-positive cells were found 5 days after infection. However, after stable transfection with pU3R-III/2-5AS the number of positive cells was decreased to about 2%. The reverse transcriptase (RT) activity, as a measure for virus production, was markedly decreased in the culture fluids of pU3R-III/2-5AS transfected cells compared with the mock-transfected controls. In parallel experiments it was established that Tat-mediated trans-activation of HIV-1 LTR-directed 2-5A synthetase expression resulted in a great increase in both 2-5A synthetase mRNA level and activity as well as in cellular 2-5A content. Similar results were found in HeLa-T4+ cells and in HeLa cells (without CD4 receptor) cotransfected with pU3R-III/2-5AS and a tat gene containing plasmid or after introduction of purified Tat protein into the pU3R-III/2-5AS transfected cells by using a modified scrape loading procedure. These results indicate that HIV-trans-activated 2-5A synthetase can selectively inhibit HIV replication in vitro, and might be a promising gene therapeutical approach.
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PMID:Protection of HeLa-T4+ cells against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection after stable transfection with HIV LTR-2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase hybrid gene. 169 80

We have investigated whether PBMC of HIV-1-seropositive subjects are as susceptible to in vitro infection by HIV-1 as are PBMC from seronegative controls. Accordingly, stimulated PBMC from 19 HIV-1-infected subjects were inoculated with four different variants of HIV-1. None of these cultures produced either detectable quantities of viral reverse transcriptase activity or p24 Ag following inoculation with HIV-1. In contrast, in five of six cases in which these PBMC were depleted of B cells by antibody plus complement prior to viral inoculation, the presence of viral reverse transcriptase and p24 Ag was detected. The presence of normal levels of CD4-Ag at the surface of the CD4+ cells in these populations was established by flow cytometry. Analysis by an immunoblot assay revealed that anti-HIV antibodies were present in the sera obtained from these infected donors; in addition, 7 of 10 culture fluids derived from the nondepleted PBMC were shown to contain virus-neutralizing antibodies. Cultures which were depleted of B cells did not contain detectable levels of antiviral antibodies. Confirmation that the virus produced by the PBMC which had been depleted of B cells was of the strain used to infect the cultures, rather than that which initially caused patient infection, was provided on the basis of differential susceptibility to antibody neutralization. These results suggest that antibodies produced by B cells in cultures of PBMC from seropositive donors may restrict infection by HIV-1 of such cultures under laboratory conditions.
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PMID:Resistance to infection by HIV-1 of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-1-infected patients is probably mediated by neutralizing antibodies. 169 66

We have previously described a recombinant protein, designated CD4(178)-PE40, consisting of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope glycoprotein-binding region of human CD4 linked to the translocation and ADP-ribosylation domains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. By virtue of its affinity for gp120 (the external subunit of the HIV envelope glycoprotein), the hybrid toxin selectively binds to and kills HIV-1-infected human T cells expressing surface envelope glycoprotein and also inhibits HIV-1 spread in mixed cultures of infected and uninfected cells. We now report that CD4(178)-PE40 and reverse transcriptase inhibitors exert highly synergistic effects against HIV-1 spread in cultured human primary T cells. Furthermore, combination treatment can completely eliminate infectious HIV-1 from cultures of human T-cell lines. This conclusion is based on protection of a susceptible cell population from HIV-induced killing, complete inhibition of virus protein accumulation, and elimination of HIV DNA (as judged by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis). The results highlight the therapeutic potential of treatment regimens involving combination of a virostatic drug that inhibits virus replication plus an agent that selectively kills HIV-infected cells.
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PMID:Elimination of infectious human immunodeficiency virus from human T-cell cultures by synergistic action of CD4-Pseudomonas exotoxin and reverse transcriptase inhibitors. 170 Oct 55

In the central nervous system of AIDS patients, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects primarily microglia, a cell type of bone marrow origin. Moreover, microglial cells isolated from adult human brain support the replication of macrophage-adapted strains of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) (B.A. Watkins, H.H. Dorn, W.B. Kelly, R.C. Armstrong, B. Potts, F. Michaels, C.V. Kufta, and M. Dubois-Dalcq, Science 249:549-553, 1990). To determine whether the CD4 receptor, which is expressed in brain, mediates the entry of HIV-1 in microglial cells, we analyzed CD4 transcript expression in cultured microglia using highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction detection of cDNAs synthesized from RNA. With this method, CD4 transcripts could be detected in cultured microglia--as well as in various human brain regions and cultured macrophages used as positive controls--along with transcripts for the LDL and Fc receptors which are characteristic of cells of the macrophage lineage. We then attempted to block viral entry into microglial cells using anti-CD4 antibodies or soluble CD4 (sCD4), which recognize binding sites on CD4 and HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120, respectively. Cultures were pretreated with blocking antibodies (Leu-3a, OKT4A) or virus was preincubated with sCD4 prior to infection with HIV-1 strain AD87(M) or BaL. With either viral strain, these treatments resulted in the prevention of infection or significant and dose-dependent reduction in the number of infected cells and in the levels of reverse transcriptase or p24 antigen released in the medium. Thus, brain-derived microglial cells, which are the primary target of HIV-1 infection in the brain, express the CD4 receptor and this receptor is effectively used for viral entry in vitro.
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PMID:Infection of brain microglial cells by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is CD4 dependent. 170 42

A major question in the pathogenesis of AIDS encephalopathy and dementia is whether HIV-1 directly infects cells of the central nervous system (CNS). The propagation of HIV was attempted in six cell lines: three related and three unrelated to the nervous system. HIV was able to propagate in two human neuroblastoma cell lines and a lymphocytic cell line control but did not result in infections of African green monkey kidney cells, human cervix carcinoma cells, and one human brain astrocytoma cell line. Neuroblastoma cell lines infected with HIV showed peaks of reverse transcriptase activity at 10-14 days postinfection. After prolonged growth in cell cultures, one of the neuroblastoma cell lines showed multiphasic virus production, additional high peaks of reverse transcriptase activity, 20-fold greater than the first, lasting from 36 to 74 days and 110 to 140 days postinfection. The presence of HIV was confirmed by p24 antigen capture. The neuroblastoma cell lines had weak but detectable levels of CD4 immunoreactivity by immunoperoxidase and flow immunocytometric analysis. Although no T4-specific RNA sequences were detected by hybridization of Northern blots of total and poly A-selected RNA extracted from the two neuroblastoma cell lines by using a T4 specific complimentary DNA probe, monoclonal antibodies to the CD4 receptor blocked HIV infection in both neuroblastoma cell lines. Thus, the infection of neuroblastoma cells by HIV occurs in part by a CD4-dependent mechanism. Passaging the neuroblastoma cell lines weekly and bimonthly resulted in similar cell cycle-DNA content patterns for the more permissive cell line and with significant numbers of cells in the S phase. HIV-infected neuroblastoma cell lines provide an in vitro model for the evaluation of virus-host cell interactions and may be useful in addressing the issue of the persistence of HIV in the human CNS.
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PMID:HIV-1 propagates in human neuroblastoma cells. 170 60


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