Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Cellular Poly(C) Binding Proteins 1 And 2 Interact With Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Nonstructural Protein 1Β And Support Viral Replication, Lalit Beura, Phat X. Dinh, Fernando A. Osorio, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection of swine results in substantial economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Identification of cellular factors involved in PRRSV life cycle not only will enable a better understanding of virus biology but also has the potential for the development of antiviral therapeutics. The PRRSV nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1) has been shown to be involved in at least two important functions in the infected hosts: (i) mediation of viral subgenomic (sg) mRNA transcription and (ii) suppression of the host’s innate immune response mechanisms. To further our understanding of the role of the viral …

Species D Adenoviruses As Oncolytics Against B-Cell Cancers, Christopher Y. Chen, Julien S. Senac, Eric A. Weaver, Shannon M. May, Diane F. Jelinek, Philip Greipp, Thomas Witzig, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Purpose: Oncolytic viruses are self-amplifying anticancer agents that make use of the natural ability of viruses to kill cells. Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) has been extensively tested against solid cancers, but less so against B-cell cancers because these cells do not generally express the coxsackie and adenoviral receptor (CAR). To determine whether other adenoviruses might have better potency, we "mined" the adenovirus virome of 55 serotypes for viruses that could kill B-cell cancers.

Experimental Design: Fifteen adenoviruses selected to represent Ad species B, C, D, E, and F were tested in vitro against cell lines and primary patient B-cell cancers …

Antagonistic Effects Of Cellular Poly(C) Binding Proteins On Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Gene Expression, Phat X. Dinh, Lalit Beura, Debasis Panda, Anshuman Das, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Immunoprecipitation and subsequent mass spectrometry analysis of the cellular proteins from cells expressing the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) P protein identified the poly(C) binding protein 2 (PCBP2) as one of the P protein-interacting proteins. To investigate the role of PCBP2 in the viral life cycle, we examined the effects of depletion or overexpression of this protein on VSV growth. Small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of PCBP2 promoted VSV replication. Conversely, overexpression of PCBP2 in transfected cells suppressed VSV growth. Further studies revealed that PCBP2 negatively regulates overall viral mRNA accumulation and subsequent genome replication. Coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence microscopic studies showed that …

Acute Fatty Liver Of Pregnancy: An Update On Mechanisms, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Kavitha R. Thangaraj, Ashish Goel, C. E. Eapen, K. A. Balasubramanian, Anup Ramachandran

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP), characterized by hepatic microvesicular steatosis, is a sudden catastrophic illness occurring almost exclusively in the third trimester of pregnancy. Defective fatty acid oxidation in the fetus has been shown to be associated with this disease. Since the placenta has the same genetic makeup as the fetus and as AFLP patients generally recover following delivery, we hypothesized that the placenta might be involved in pathogenesis of this disease. In an animal model of hepatic microvesicular steatosis (using sodium valproate), we found that microvesicular steatosis results in mitochondrial structural alterations and oxidative stress in subcellular organelles …

Glutaredoxin 2 Prevents H2o2-Induced Cell Apoptosis By Protecting Complex I Activity In The Mitochondria, Hongli Wu, Kuiyi Xing, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2) belongs to the oxidoreductase family and is an isozyme of glutaredoxin 1 (Grx1) present in the mitochondria, however its function is not well understood. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential anti-apoptotic function of Grx2 by examining its ability to protect complex I in the mitochondrial electron transport system using human lens epithelial cells as a model. We found that cells treated with 200 μM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 24 h exhibited decreased viability and became apoptotic with corresponding Bax up-regulation, Bcl-2 down-regulation, caspase 3 activation and mitochondrial cytochrome c leakage. Grx2 over-expression (OE) …

Comparison Of Adenoviruses As Oncolytics And Cancer Vaccines In An Immunocompetent B Cell Lymphoma Model, Eric A. Weaver, Christopher Y. Chen, Shannon M. May, Mary E. Barry, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

We have screened human adenoviruses (Ads) for oncolytic activity against a variety of mouse and hamster cell lines and have found a number that are susceptible to a variety of Ad serotypes. A20 lymphoma is derived from BALB/c mice and is susceptible to infection and killing by a variety of human Ads. A20 is also a suitable cancer vaccine model, because these cells express a unique immunoglobulin variable region that can be targeted by vaccination. To compare Ads as cancer vaccines versus Ads as oncolytics, A20 tumors were initiated in immunocompetent BALB/c mice. Mice immunized with first-generation Ad5 expressing the …

Regulation Of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 (Cpla2) And Its Association With Cell Proliferation In Human Lens Epithelial Cells, Yin Wang, Kui-Yi Xing, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

PURPOSE. To investigate the molecular mechanism for cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) regulation and its association to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced cell proliferation.

METHODS. cPLA2 was examined using human lens epithelial (HLE) B3 cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by PDGF was analyzed by luminescence assay. Cell proliferation was measured by cell counting and by BrdU assay. Human cPLA2 gene was cloned via RT-PCR followed by sitedirected mutagenesis to construct HLE B3 cells expressing either inactive cPLA2 enzyme with S228A mutation (S228A), or cPLA2 truncated at the calcium-binding C2 domain (C2D). Activity of cPLA2 was measured by arachidonic acid (AA) …

Generation Of A Kupffer Cell-Evading Adenovirus For Systemic And Liver-Directed Gene Transfer, Reeti Khare, Shannon M. May, Francesco Vetrini, Eric A. Weaver, Donna Palmer, Amanda Rosewell, Nathan Grove, Philip Ng, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

As much as 90% of an intravenously (i.v.) injected dose of adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) is absorbed and destroyed by liver Kupffer cells. Viruses that escape these cells can then transduce hepatocytes after binding factor X (FX). Given that interactions with FX and Kupffer cells are thought to occur on the Ad5 hexon protein, we replaced its exposed hypervariable regions (HVR) with those from Ad6. When tested in vivo in BALB/c mice and in hamsters, the Ad5/6 chimera mediated >10 times higher transduction in the liver. This effect was not due to changes in FX binding. Rather, Ad5/6 appeared to …

Immune Evasion Of Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Through Glycan Shielding Involves Both Glycoprotein 5 As Well As Glycoprotein 3, Hiep Vu, Byungjoon Kwon, Kyoung-Jin Yoon, William W. Laegreid, Asit K. Pattnaik, Fernando A. Osorio

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Passive administration of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) can effectively protect pigs against PRRSV infection. However, after PRRSV infection, pigs typically develop a weak and deferred NAb response. One major reason for such a meager NAb response is the phenomenon of glycan shielding involving GP5, a major glycoprotein carrying one major neutralizing epitope. We describe here a type II PRRSV field isolate (PRRSV-01) that is highly susceptible to neutralization and induces an atypically rapid, robust NAb response in vivo. Sequence analysis shows that PRRSV-01 lacks two N-glycosylation sites, normally present in wild-type (wt) PRRSV strains, …

Molecular Structures Of Prrsv That Contribute To Prrsv Protective Immunity, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

One of the objectives of the proposal is to delineate the regions of the two glycoproteins (GP2 and GP4) of PRRSV that interact with CD163. Other objectives of the proposal are to generate antibodies to these small regions of the glycoproteins as well as to the full-length proteins for future studies to determine if any of these antibodies possess PRRSV neutralizing activity.

To carry out the studies in the proposed objectives, we generated a series of mutants of GP2 as well as GP4 proteins in which various regions were specifically removed by manipulating the plasmids encoding these proteins. We then …

Advances And Future Challenges In Adenoviral Vector Pharmacology And Targeting, Reeti Khare, Christopher Y. Chen, Eric A. Weaver, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Adenovirus is a robust vector for therapeutic applications, but its use is limited by our understanding of its complex in vivo pharmacology. In this review we describe the necessity of identifying its natural, widespread, and multifaceted interactions with the host since this information will be crucial for efficiently redirecting virus into target cells. In the rational design of vectors, the notion of overcoming a sequence of viral “sinks” must be combined with re-targeting to target populations with capsid as well as shielding the vectors from pre-existing or toxic immune responses. It must also be noted that most known adenoviral pharmacology …

Low Levels Of Hydrogen Peroxide Stimulate Corneal Epithelial Cell Adhesion, Migration, And Wound Healing, Qing Pan, Wen-Ya Qiu, Ya-Nan Huo, Yu-Feng Yao, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

PURPOSE. Intracellular reactive oxygen species have been reported to associate with growth factor and integrin signalings in promoting cell adhesion in many cell types. This study is to explore if exogenous H2O2 at low levels can be beneficial to cell adhesion, migration, and wound healing.

METHODS. Primary rabbit corneal epithelial cells treated with 0–70 M H2O2 were tested for viability by MTT assay, adhesion by centrifugation assay, focal contacts of vinculin and F-actin by immunofluorescence, activated Src(pY416), EGF receptor (pY845), vinculin(pY1065), FAK(pY397), and FAK(pY576) by immunoblotting. Cell migration was examined with 0–50 M H2O2 using the scratch wound technique. Corneal …

Rnai Screening Reveals Requirement For Host Cell Secretory Pathway In Infection By Diverse Families Of Negative-Strand Rna Viruses, Debasis Panda, Anshuman Das, Phat X. Dinh, Sakthivel Subramaniam, Debasis Nayak, Nicholas J. Barrows, James L. Pearson, Jesse Thompson, David L. Kelly, Istvan Ladunga, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Negative-strand (NS) RNA viruses comprise many pathogens that cause serious diseases in humans and animals. Despite their clinical importance, little is known about the host factors required for their infection. Using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a prototypic NS RNA virus in the family Rhabdoviridae, we conducted a human genomewide siRNA screen and identified 72 host genes required for viral infection. Many of these identified genes were also required for infection by two other NS RNA viruses, the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus of the Arenaviridae family and human parainfluenza virus type 3 of the Paramyxoviridae family. Genes affecting different stages of …

Carbenoxolone Blocks The Light-Evoked Rise In Intracellular Calcium In Isolated Melanopsin Ganglion Cell Photoreceptors, Jayne R. Bramley, Erin M. Wiles, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Retinal ganglion cells expressing the photopigment melanopsin are intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs). These ganglion cell photoreceptors send axons to several central targets involved in a variety of functions. Within the retina ipRGCs provide excitatory drive to dopaminergic amacrine cells via glutamatergic signals and ipRGCs are coupled to widefield GABAergic amacrine cells via gap junctions. However, the extent to which ipRGCs are coupled to other retinal neurons in the ganglion cell layer via gap junctions is unclear. Carbenoxolone, a widely employed gap junction inhibitor, greatly reduces the number of retinal neurons exhibiting non-rod, non-cone mediated light-evoked Ca²⁺ signals suggesting extensive …

Y-Like Retinal Ganglion Cells Innervate The Dorsal Raphe Nucleus In The Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones Unguiculatus), Liju Luan, Chaoran Ren, Benson Wui-Man Lau, Jian Yang, Gary E. Pickard, Kwok-Fai So, Mingliang Pu

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of the mesencephalon is a complex multi-functional and multi-transmitter nucleus involved in a wide range of behavioral and physiological processes. The DRN receives a direct input from the retina. However little is known regarding the type of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) that innervates the DRN. We examined morphological characteristics and physiological properties of these DRN projecting ganglion cells.

Methodology/Principal Findings: The Mongolian gerbils are highly visual rodents with a diurnal/crepuscular activity rhythm. It has been widely used as experimental animals of various studies including seasonal affective disorders and depression. Young adult gerbils were used …

Challenges And Opportunities For Toxicology In Mexico, Rodrigo Franco, Balam Muñoz

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

We have developed this Special Issue titled “Challenges and Opportunities for Toxicology in Mexico” with the aim to highlight not only the challenges toxicology research faces in Mexico, but also the efforts and drive towards cutting edge research to address them. Altogether, this special issue should be a valuable source of information for all readers with an interest in toxicology and human health.

Mexico is an important economy worldwide and is a major exporter of several supplies and commodities. Because of this, its industry is a source of occupational exposure to several chemical derivatives (Nieusma 2011). The situation of occupational …

Roles Of The 15-Kda Selenoprotein (Sep15) In Redox Homeostasis And Cataract Development Revealed By The Analysis Of Sep 15 Knockout Mice, Marina V. Kasaikina, Dmitri E. Fomenko, Vyacheslav M. Labunskyy, Salil A. Lachke, Wenya Qiu, Juliet A. Moncaster, Jie Zhang, Mark W. Wojnarowicz, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Mikalai I. Malinouski, Ulrich Schweizer, Petra A. Tsuji, Bradley A. Carlson, Richard L. Maas, Marjorie F. Lou, Lee E. Goldstein, Dolph L. Hatfield, Vadim N. Gladyshev

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The 15-kDa selenoprotein (Sep15) is a thioredoxin-like, endoplasmic reticulum-resident protein involved in the quality control of glycoprotein folding through its interaction with UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase. Expression of Sep15 is regulated by dietary selenium and the unfolded protein response, but its specific function is not known. In this study, we developed and characterized Sep15 KO mice by targeted removal of exon 2 of the Sep15 gene coding for the cysteinerich UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase-binding domain. These KO mice synthesized a mutant mRNA, but the shortened protein product could be detected neither in tissues nor in Sep15 KO embryonic fibroblasts. Sep15 KO mice were viable …

Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells, Gary E. Pickard, Patricia J. Sollars

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) respond to light in the absence of all rod and cone photoreceptor input. The existence of these ganglion cell photoreceptors, although predicted from observations scattered over many decades, was not established until it was shown that a novel photopigment, melanopsin, was expressed in retinal ganglion cells of rodents and primates. Phototransduction in mammalian ipRGCs more closely resembles that of invertebrate than vertebrate photoreceptors and appears to be mediated by transient receptor potential channels. In the retina, ipRGCs provide excitatory drive to dopaminergic amacrine cells and ipRGCs are coupled to GABAergic amacrine cells via gap …

Generation Of A Kupffer Cell-Evading Adenovirus For Systemic And Liver-Directed Gene Transfer, Reeti Khare, Shannon M. May, Francesco Vetrini, Eric A. Weaver, Donna Palmer, Amanda Rosewell, Nathan Grove, Philip Ng, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

As much as 90% of an intravenously (i.v.) injected dose of adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) is absorbed and destroyed by liver Kupffer cells. Viruses that escape these cells can then transduce hepatocytes after binding factor X (FX). Given that interactions with FX and Kupffer cells are thought to occur on the Ad5 hexon protein, we replaced its exposed hypervariable regions (HVR) with those from Ad6. When tested in vivo in BALB/c mice and in hamsters, the Ad5/6 chimera mediated >10 times higher transduction in the liver. This effect was not due to changes in FX binding. Rather, Ad5/6 appeared to …

Robust Rnai-Based Resistance To Mixed Infection Of Three Viruses In Soybean Plants Expressing Separate Short Hairpins From A Single Transgene, Xiuchun Zhang, Shirley Sato, Xiaohong Ye, Anne E. Dorrance, Thomas Jack Morris, Thomas E. Clemente, Feng Qu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Transgenic plants expressing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of virus

origin have been previously shown to confer resistance to virus infections

through the highly conserved RNA-targeting process termed RNA silencing

or RNA interference (RNAi). In this study we applied this strategy to

soybean plants and achieved robust resistance to multiple viruses with a

single dsRNA-expressing transgene. Unlike previous reports that relied

on the expression of one long inverted repeat (IR) combining sequences

of several viruses, our improved strategy utilized a transgene designed to

express several shorter IRs. Each of these short IRs contains highly conserved

sequences of one virus, forming dsRNA of …

Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Degrades Cellular Toll-Interleukin-1 Receptor Domain-Containing Adaptor-Inducing Β-Interferon (Trif), Humera Ahmad, Rachel Gubbels, Florencia Meyer, Thomas Waterbury, Rongtuan Lin, Luwen Zhang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a human ƴ - herpesvirus associated with several human malignancies. The replication and transcription activator (RTA) is necessary and sufficient for the switch from KSHV latency to lytic replication. Toll-interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing adaptorinducing β-interferon (TRIF, also called TIR-domain-containing adaptor molecule-1 (TICAM-1)) is a signaling adaptor molecule that is critically involved in the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3) and TLR-4 signaling pathways for type I interferon (IFN) production, a key component of innate immunity against microbial infection. In this report, we find a new mechanism by which RTA blocks innate immunity by targeting cellular TRIF. RTA …

Human Papillomavirus 16 Variants From Zambian Women With Normal Pap Smears, Yan Jun Lei, Kgomotso Makhaola, Daraporn Pittayakhajonwut, Charles Wood, Peter C. Angeletti

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 is the most prevalent high-risk viral genotype associated with cervical cancer. Six distinct phylogenetic clusters of HPVs have been identified and are distributed differently across five continents. HPV16 DNA was extracted from cervico-lavage samples from women with normal pap smears. The LCR regions were amplified in triplicate, cloned, sequenced, and analyzed from a total of 11 recovered HPV16 positive samples [Ng’andwe et al. (2007): BMC Infect Dis 7:77] were analyzed for sequence variation. The HPV16 LCR variants were assessed for promoter activity by use of a luciferase reporter gene. Six novel HPV16 variants with nucleotide …

The Zambia Children's Ks-Hhv8 Study: Rationale, Study Design, And Study Methods, Veenu Minhas, Kay L. Crabtree, Ann Chao, Janet M. Wojcicki, Adrian M. Sifuniso, Catherine Nkonde, Chipepo Kankasa, Charles D. Mitchell, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus in Zambia has led to a dramatic rise in the incidence of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)–associated Kaposi's sarcoma in both adults and children. However, there is a paucity of knowledge about the routes of HHV-8 transmission to young children. The Zambia Children's KS-HHV8 Study, a large, prospective cohort study in Lusaka, Zambia, was launched in 2004 to investigate the role of household members as a source of HHV-8 infection in young children and social behaviors that may modify the risk of HHV-8 acquisition. This cohort is distinct from other epidemiologic studies designed to investigate HHV-8 …

Long-Term Clinicopathological Characteristics Of Alpacas Naturally Infected With Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Type Ib, D. Bedenice, Edward J. Dubovi, Clayton Kelling, Jamie N Henningson, Christina L. Topliff, N. Parry

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Substantial bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV)-related production losses in North American alpaca herds have been associated with BVDV type Ib infection.

Objectives: To classify and differentiate the long-term clinicopathological characteristics of BVDV type Ib infection of al- paca crias, after natural virus exposure. We hypothesized that persistently infected (PI) alpacas specifically demonstrate growth retardation, clinicopathological evidence of opportunistic infections, and early mortality.

Animals: Thirty-five crias naturally exposed to BVDV (18 acute, 3 chronic, 14 PIs), and 19 healthy cohort controls of 5 northeastern alpaca farms were prospectively evaluated over 2 years (September 2005–September 2008).

Methods: Observational cohort-control study.

Results: …

Consensus-Based Reporting Standards For Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies For Paratuberculosis In Ruminants, Ian A. Gardner, Søren S. Nielsen, Richard J. Wittington, Michael T. Collins, Douwe Bakker, Beth Harris, Srinand Sreevatsan, Jason E. Lombard, Raymond Sweeney, David R. Smith, Jerrie Gavalchin, Shigetoshi Eda

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) statement was developed to encourage complete and transparent reporting of key elements of test accuracy studies in human medicine. The statement was motivated by widespread evidence of bias in test accuracy studies and the finding that incomplete or absent reporting of items in the STARD checklist was associated with overly optimistic estimates of test performance characteristics. Although STARD principles apply broadly, specific guidelines do not exist to account for unique considerations in livestock studies such as herd tests, potential use of experimental challenge studies, a more diverse group of testing purposes and …

Hiv-1 Clade B And C Isolates Exhibit Differential Replication: Relevance To Macrophage-Mediated Neurotoxicity, Agnes A. Constantino, Yunlong Huang, Hong Zhang, Charles Wood, Jialin C. Zheng

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) continue to be a consequence of HIV-1 infection among clade B-infected individuals. In contrast, the incidence of severe neurological impairment is lower among clade C-infected patients in regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and India. Biological aspects such as replication, cytopathicity, inflammatory response, and neurotoxicity unique to each clade influence neuropathogenicity and ultimately affect the clinical outcome of the disease. We hypothesize that productive infection by clade C isolates leads to macrophagemediated neurotoxicity, although to a lesser extent than clade B isolates. Using a panel of primary isolates of clades B and C we demonstrated that clade B …

Hiv-1 Effects On Neuropsychological Performance In A Resource-Limited Country, Zambia, Gabriel Holguin, Mwanza Banda, Elizabeth J. Willen, Costantine Malama, Kaseya O. Chiyenu, Victor C. Mudenda, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Zambia has substantially been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic with prevalence rates at 14% in a population estimated at 12 million. Yet, the extent of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in this population remains to be clearly understood. A series of culturally appropriate neuropsychological (NP) assessments [International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), Color Trails Test 1 and 2, Grooved pegboard Test, and Time Gait Test] were used to test the effects of HIV on NP performance of HIV seropositive and seronegative individuals. Twenty-two percent HIV positive individuals ARV naïve met the criteria for IHDS-defined NP impairment. Gender significantly influenced the performance on …

Prevalence Of Human Herpesvirus 8 (Hhv8) And Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) In A Rural Community With High Risk For Blood Borne Infections In Central China, Tiejun Zhang, Na He, Yingying Ding, Kay L. Crabtree, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Former illegal blood donation in the past decade has caused HIV outbreaks in some rural areas in China. Other HIV associated virus infections, such as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) in such areas are still not well defined. In order to explore HHV8 and HCV seroprevalence and potential risk factors in such areas, a cross-sectional study with 305 HIV positive and 315 HIV negative subjects recruited from a rural county in Shanxi province was conducted, where illegal blood collection was reported. Interview questionnaires and serum testing were carried out with these participants. HCV and HHV8 seroprevalence were found to be higher …

Comparison Of Adenoviruses As Oncolytics And Cancer Vaccines In An Immunocompetent B Cell Lymphoma Model, Eric A. Weaver, Christopher Y. Chen, Shannon M. May, Mary E. Barry, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

We have screened human adenoviruses (Ads) for oncolytic activity against a variety of mouse and hamster cell lines and have found a number that are susceptible to a variety of Ad serotypes. A20 lymphoma is derived from BALB/c mice and is susceptible to infection and killing by a variety of human Ads. A20 is also a suitable cancer vaccine model, because these cells express a unique immunoglobulin variable region that can be targeted by vaccination. To compare Ads as cancer vaccines versus Ads as oncolytics, A20 tumors were initiated in im- munocompetent BALB/c mice. Mice immunized with first-generation Ad5 expressing …

Species D Adenoviruses As Oncolytics Against B-Cell Cancers, Christopher Y. Chen, Julien S. Senac, Eric A. Weaver, Shannon M. May, Diane F. Jelinek, Philip Greipp, Thomas Witzig, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Purpose: Oncolytic viruses are self-amplifying anticancer agents that make use of the natural ability of viruses to kill cells. Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) has been extensively tested against solid cancers, but less so against B-cell cancers because these cells do not generally express the coxsackie and adenoviral receptor (CAR). To determine whether other adenoviruses might have better potency, we "mined" the adenovirus virome of 55 serotypes for viruses that could kill B-cell cancers.

Experimental Design: Fifteen adenoviruses selected to represent Ad species B, C, D, E, and F were tested in vitro against cell lines and primary patient B-cell cancers …