Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0021051 (immunodeficiency)
71,517 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In addition to Gag, Pol, and Env, primate lentiviruses encode other virion-associated proteins, including Vpr, Vpx, and Vif. Vpr- and Vpx-staphylococcal nuclease and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase fusion proteins incorporate into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) virions and retain enzyme activity when expressed in trans with HIV proviruses (Wu et al., J. Virol. 69, 3389, 1995). To explore whether the viral protease (PR) could be expressed as a proteolytically active fusion protein, the HIV PR coding region was fused in-frame with the HIV-2 vpx and HIV-1 vpr genes. Using a vaccinia virus-T7 expression system, the Vpx-PR fusion protein was expressed and formed homodimers. Coexpression with Pr55Gag demonstrated that Vpx-PR possessed Gag-specific proteolytic activity and inhibited the production of Gag virus-like particles. Trans-expression of a PR-Vpr fusion protein with HIV-1 provirus caused a profound reduction in viral protein expression and virion production. Importantly, the PR-Vpr fusion protein caused a similar level of inhibition and intracellular cleavage of Pr55Gag precursor protein when coexpressed with protease defective HIV-1 provirus. The inhibitory effect of PR-Vpr expression on virion production was markedly greater than that of PR alone. These results indicate that Vpr arguments the intracellular proteolytic activity of PR when expressed as a fusion protein and thus may be relevant for the expression of PR in intracellular immunization strategies against HIV infection. Moreover, the ability to express and package enzymatically active PR-Vpr fusion protein, independent of Gag/Pol, may provide a novel means to study enzyme function.
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PMID:Proteolytic activity of human immunodeficiency virus Vpr- and Vpx-protease fusion proteins. 862 47

Infection of pigtail macaques with SIVsmmPBj14, biological clone 3 (SIV-PBj14-bc13), produces an acute and usually fatal shock-like syndrome 7 to 14 days after infection. We used this simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) model as a rapid and rigorous challenge to evaluate the efficacy of two SIV Env vaccine strategies. Groups of four pigtail macaques were immunized four times over a 25-week span with either a recombinant Semliki Forest virus expressing the SIV-PBj14 Env gp160 (SFV-SIVgp160) or purified recombinant SIV-PBj14 gp120 (rgp120) in SBN-1 adjuvant. Antibody titers to SIV Env developed in all immunized animals (mean peak titers prior to challenge, 1:1,700 for SFV-SIV gp 160 and 1:10,500 for rgp120), but neither neutralizing antibodies nor SIV-specific T-cell proliferative responses were detectable in any of the vaccinees. All macaques were challenged with a 100% infectious, 75% fatal dose of SIV-PBj14-bc13 at week 26. Three of four control animals died of acute SIV-PBj14 syndrome on days 12 and 13. By contrast, all four SFV-SIVgp160-immunized animals and three of the four rgp120-immunized animals were protected from lethal disease. While all virus-challenged animals became infected, symptoms of the SIV-PBj14 syndrome were more severe in controls than in vaccinees. Mean virus titers in plasma at 13 days postchallenge were approximately 10-fold lower in vaccinated than control animals. However, there was no apparent correlation between survival and levels of peripheral blood mononuclear cell-associated culturable virus, provirus load, or any antiviral immunologic parameter examined. The results indicate that while immunization with SFV-SIVgp160 and rgp120 did not protect against virus infection, these Env vaccines did lower the virus load in plasma and protect against the lethal SIV-PBj14 challenge.
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PMID:Protection against lethal simian immunodeficiency virus SIVsmmPBj14 disease by a recombinant Semliki Forest virus gp160 vaccine and by a gp120 subunit vaccine. 862 21

A cofactor for HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus-type 1) fusion and entry was identified with the use of a novel functional complementary DNA (cDNA) cloning strategy. This protein, designated "fusin," is a putative G protein-coupled receptor with seven transmembrane segments. Recombinant fusin enabled CD4-expressing nonhuman cell types to support HIV-1 Env-mediated cell fusion and HIV-1 infection. Antibodies to fusin blocked cell fusion and infection with normal CD4-positive human target cells. Fusin messenger RNA levels correlated with HIV-1 permissiveness in diverse human cell types. Fusin acted preferentially for T cell line-tropic isolates, in comparison to its activity with macrophagetropic HIV-1 isolates.
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PMID:HIV-1 entry cofactor: functional cDNA cloning of a seven-transmembrane, G protein-coupled receptor. 862 6

The influence of the location of the Rev-response element (RRE) on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protein and RNA expression in COS cells was assessed. The RRE was placed into nef where it would be present in all HIV-1 RNAs. At this location, Gag and Env proteins were produced and the unspliced gag/pol and partially spliced env/vpu RNAs were able to accumulate in the cytoplasm. The RRE was also relocated from its normal location in the env exon to the env intron. In this way, the RRE would be present in the nuclear env pre-mRNA, but not in the spliced env mRNA. Gag, but not Env protein production was detected. Th presence of the RRE in the env pre-mRNA allowed the cytoplasmic accumulation of the spliced env mRNA, which lacked the RRE. However, this mRNA accumulated at a reduced level relative to that produced by constructs containing the RRE within the env mRNA. The cytoplasmic accumulation of this mRNA was dependent on the presence of Rev and the RRE. These results demonstrate that the location of the RRE can have differential effects on the fate of HIV-1 RNAs.
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PMID:Differential effects of intronic and exonic locations of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Rev-responsive element. 863 8

We report the construction and characterization of several replication-competent simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) vectors with a deletion in the viral nef gene (SIV(delta nef)) that express gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). The expression of the cytokine gene was controlled either by the simian virus 40 early promoter or by the SIV 5' long terminal repeat regulatory sequences, utilizing the nef gene splice signals. To enhance the expression of IFN-gamma, the two in-frame nef start codons were mutated without altering the Env amino acid sequence (SIV(HyIFN)). Plasmids containing full-length proviral genomes were used to obtain high-titer stocks of each recombinant virus in cell cultures. Expression of IFN-gamma by SIV(HyIFN) reached levels as high as 10(6) U/ml after 11 days in culture. The IFN-gamma gene was unstable and sustained deletions after serial passage of SIV(delta nef) vectors in CEM-X-174 cells. The degree of instability appears to depend on size and orientation of the insert and the expression of IFN-gamma. Only one virus, SIV(HyIFN), expressed detectable levels of IFN-gamma up to the sixth passage. Prospects for the use of IFN-gamma and other lymphokines to enhance the safety and efficacy of live attenuated vaccines are discussed.
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PMID:Construction and characterization of replication-competent simian immunodeficiency virus vectors that express gamma interferon. 864 49

Cyclophilin A (CyPA) is incorporated into human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) virions via contact with the Gag polyprotein. Genetic or pharmacologic disruption of CyPA incorporation causes a quantitative reduction in virion infectivity with no discernible effects on virion assembly or on endogenous reverse transcriptase activity. Instead, the reduction of virion-associated CyPA is accompanied by a parallel, quantitative decrease in the initiation of viral DNA synthesis after infection of T cells. The infectivity of CyPA-deficient virions is not restored by pseudotyping with Env of amphotropic murine leukemia virus, demonstrating that CyPA is not required for the HIV-1-Env-CD4 interaction. These results indicate that CyPA is required for an early step in the HIV-1 life cycle following receptor binding and membrane fusion but preceding reverse transcription. CyPA is the first cellular protein other than the cell surface receptor shown to be required for an early event in the life cycle of a retrovirus.
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PMID:Cyclophilin A is required for an early step in the life cycle of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 before the initiation of reverse transcription. 864 89

An experimental vaccine consisting of five DNA plasmids expressing different combinations and forms of simian immunodeficiency virus-macaque (SIVmac) proteins has been evaluated for the ability to protect against a highly pathogenic uncloned SIVmac251 challenge. One vaccine plasmid encoded nonreplicating SIVmac239 virus particles. The other four plasmids encoded secreted forms of the envelope glycoproteins of two T-cell-tropic relatives (SIVmac239 and SIVmac251) and one monocyte/macrophage-tropic relative (SIVmac316) of the uncloned challenge virus. Rhesus macaques were inoculated with DNA at 1 and 3, 11 and 13, and 21 and 23 weeks. Four macaques were inoculated intravenously, intramuscularly, and by gene gun inoculations. Three received only gene gun inoculations. Two control monkeys were inoculated with control plasmids by all three routes of inoculation. Neutralizing antibody titers of 1:216 to 1:768 were present in all of the vaccinated monkeys after the second cluster of inoculations. These titers were transient, were not boosted by the third cluster of inoculations, and had fallen to 1:24 to 1:72 by the time of challenge. Cytotoxic T-cell activity for Env was also raised in all of the vaccinated animals. The temporal appearance of cytotoxic T cells was similar to that of antibody. However, while antibody responses fell with time, cytotoxic T-cell responses persisted. The SIVmac251 challenge was administered intravenously at 2 weeks following the last immunization. The DNA immunizations did not prevent infection or protect against CD4+ cell loss. Long-term chronic levels of infection were similar in the vaccinated and control animals, with 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100,000 peripheral blood cells carrying infectious virus. However, viral loads were reduced to the chronic level over a shorter period of time in the vaccinated groups (6 weeks) than in the control group (12 weeks). Thus, the DNA vaccine raised both neutralizing antibody and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses and provided some attenuation of the acute phase of infection, but it did not prevent the loss of CD4+ cells.
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PMID:Simian immunodeficiency virus DNA vaccine trial in macaques. 864 35

We previously showed that superoxide (O2-) significantly enhanced human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-induced syncytia formation in co-cultured infected and uninfected human T cells. In this study, we describe a novel chemotactic response of uninfected CD4+ T cells by stimulating infected T cells with O2-. Syncytia formation was amplified only when persistently infected cells were stimulated by O2-. When the infected cells in lower well of microplate were cultured with uninfected cells in the upper well of a Boyden chamber with 8.0 microns pores, uninfected cell migration to the porous membrane was significantly amplified by stimulating infected cells with O2-. In contrast, similar functions were slight under the same assay conditions in the presence of known chemokines such as human RANTES and macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP-1 alpha and beta), which all activate T lymphocytes. In addition, it is unlikely that the O2(-)-induced chemotactic response is due to soluble HIV-1 proteins from infected cells or to amplified expression levels of cell surface functional molecules such as CD4 and LFA-1 (CD11a and CD18) as well as HIV-1 Env gp120 on uninfected and/or infected cells. Thus, an unknown chemotactic factor could be generated from infected T cells by stimulation with O2- and it might contribute to viral transmission by activating cell-to-cell interactions.
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PMID:Stimulation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infected cells with superoxide enhances the chemotactic motile response of CD4+ human T cells: implication for virus transmission by cell-to-cell interaction. 865 92

Two strains of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV) isolated from chimpanzees (SIVCPZ-GAB and SIVCPZ-GAB2) originating from Gabon have previously been genetically characterized and shown to belong phylogenetically to the same lineage as the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We describe the sequence analysis of a third HIV-1-related virus, SIVCPZ-ANT, isolated from a wild captured chimpanzee originating from Zaire. This virus displayed the same genetic organization as HIV-1 and was found to fall on the same lineage as HIV-1 and SIVCPZ-GAB. Protein sequence identity with SIVCPZ-GAB ranged from 72% (Pol) to 48% (Env) for the structural proteins, while a particularly divergent Vpu was found (only 25% identity to SIVCPZ-GAB). The V3 regions of the SIVCPZ isolates were exceptionally conserved in contrast to the high divergence of V3 among HIV-1 isolates. However, SIVCPZ-ANT did not show a greater degree of sequence similarity with SIVCPZ-GAB than with HIV-1 isolates and represents a quite divergent outgroup of the HIV-1 lineage. Our data suggest multiple introductions of HIV-1 in the human population and shed new light on the origin of the HIV-1 pandemic.
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PMID:Sequence analysis of a highly divergent HIV-1-related lentivirus isolated from a wild captured chimpanzee. 866 45

The life cycle of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is critically dependent on the transregulatory proteins Tat and Rev. Tat increases the production of HIV-specific mRNAs by direct binding to the transactivation response (TAR) element located at the 5' end of all HIV transcripts. In contrast, Rev uses a complex RNA stem loop structure, the Rev response element (RRE), which is found in full-length and singly spliced HIV transcripts. Rev is required for the cytoplasmic expression of full-length mRNAs encoding Gag, Pol, and Env structural proteins. The complex intracellular interactions between Tat, Rev, host cell factors, and their respective RNA response elements should be susceptible to interdiction by genetic therapies designed to introduce and express novel genetic information. We show that the expression of antisense RREs inhibited the cytoplasmic expression of RRE containing HIV-1 transcripts. HIV-based retroviral vectors containing either the antisense (-) or sense (+) RREs inhibited HIV replication in transient transfections. The production of full-length HIV mRNA was also decreased significantly by the expression of RREs in either orientation. Interestingly, there was a paradoxic increase in HIV p24 gag production at low levels of inhibitor; this effect may have been the result of encapsidation of RRE-containing HIV-based retroviral vectors. The data suggest that the introduction and inducible expression of RRE-containing, HIV-based retroviral vectors may have therapeutic value in HIV infection.
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PMID:Inhibition of HIV replication by sense and antisense rev response elements in HIV-based retroviral vectors. 867 42


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