Etude expérimentale et modélisation de l’oxydation de composés organiques à des fins de sécurité industrielle : cinétique d’oxydation des butènes (1-, cis-2-, trans-2- et iso-)

In the context of the DISPATMO project (study of the forecast of the risks of pollution related to the atmospheric dispersal of chemicals), risk studies linked to the fires and the explosions due to chemical storage were conducted. The purpose is to identify the combustion products of certain target compounds defined at the beginning of the project, as well as to estimate their concentration. The target compounds include ethanol, 2-butanone, toluene and the solvent TIFLEX. These compounds lead, especially in fuel-rich conditions, to the formation of high quantities of butene isomers, compounds known as important intermediates of hydrocarbon combustion. After a bibliographical study on butene isomers, ethanol, 2- butanone and toluene, a detailed kinetic mechanism for the simulation of the oxidation of these compounds was proposed. An experimental study of the oxidation of the butene isomers was performed in a jet-stirred reactor (T = 900-1440 K, p = 1 atm, = 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2, = 70 ms) and in a spherical combustion chamber (Ti = 300 K, pi = 1, 2, 3 and 5 atm, = 0.8-1.4). Experimental results were compared with their simulations. Experimental data from the literature were used to validate the model for the oxidation of ethanol, 2-butanone, toluene and butene isomers. Finally, an experimental study of the oxidation of the solvent TIFLEX was performed in the jet-stirred reactor (T = 740-1310 K, p = 1 atm, = 0.5, 1 and 2) in order to know the composition as well as to identify and quantify of the oxidation products. The proposed kinetic mechanism contains a strong C0-C4 base, resulting in a reliable predictive tool, which can be used as a base in larger mechanisms simulating the combustion other species (alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, aldehydes or ketones), by addition of sub-mechanisms.Dans le cadre du projet DISPATMO (étude de la prévision des risques de pollution liés à la dispersion atmosphérique de produits chimiques), des études de risques liés aux incendies et explosions dus aux produits chimiques stockés sur deux sites tests ont été menées. Le but est d’identifier les produits de combustion de certains composés cibles définis au début du projet, ainsi que d’estimer leur concentration. Les composés tests sont l’éthanol, le 2-butanone, le toluène et le solvant TIFLEX. Ces composés sont susceptibles, surtout à richesse élevées, de former des quantités non-négligeables d’isomères du butène, composés chimiques connus pour être d’importants intermédiaires de la combustion d’hydrocarbures. Après une étude bibliographique sur les isomères du butène, de l’éthanol, de la 2-butanone et du toluène, un mécanisme cinétique détaillé pour simuler l’oxydation de ces composés a été proposé. Une étude expérimentale de l’oxydation de 4 butènes (1-butène, trans-2-butène, cis-2-butène et iso-butène) a été réalisée en réacteur auto-agité (T = 900-1440 K, p = 1 atm, = 0,25, 0,5, 1 et 2, = 70 ms) et en chambre de combustion sphérique (Ti = 300 K, pi = 1, 2, 3 et 5 atm, = 0,8-1,4). Les résultats obtenus ont été confrontés à la simulation. Des données expérimentales issues de la littérature ont été utilisées afin de valider le modèle pour l’oxydation de l’éthanol, de la 2-butanone, du toluène et des isomères du butène. Enfin, une étude expérimentale de l’oxydation du solvant TIFLEX a été menée en réacteur auto-agité (T = 740-1310 K, p = 1 atm, = 0,5, 1 et 2) pour en connaître la composition ainsi que pour identifier et quantifier les produits d’oxydation. Le mécanisme cinétique proposé comporte un coeur C0-C4 robuste, en faisant un outil prédictif fiable, pouvant servir de base à des mécanismes plus étendus capables de représenter la combustion de nombreuses autres espèces (alcanes, alcènes, alcools, aldéhydes ou cétones), par ajout de sous-mécanismes

VSV-G pseudotyping rescues HIV-1 CA mutations that impair core assembly or stability

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The machinery of early HIV-1 replication still remains to be elucidated. Recently the viral core was reported to persist in the infected cell cytoplasm as an assembled particle, giving rise to the reverse transcription complex responsible for the synthesis of proviral DNA and its transport to the nucleus. Numerous studies have demonstrated that reverse transcription of the HIV-1 genome into proviral DNA is tightly dependent upon proper assembly of the capsid (CA) protein into mature cores that display appropriate stability. The functional impact of structural properties of the core in early replicative steps has yet to be determined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we show that infectivity of HIV-1 mutants bearing S₁₄₉A and S₁₇₈A mutations in CA can be efficiently restored when pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus envelope glycoprotein, that addresses the mutant cores through the endocytic pathway rather than by fusion at the plasma membrane. The mechanisms by which these mutations disrupt virus infectivity were investigated. S₁₄₉A and S₁₇₈A mutants were unable to complete reverse transcription and/or produce 2-LTR DNA. Morphological analysis of viral particles and <it>in vitro </it>uncoating assays of isolated cores demonstrated that infectivity defects resulted from disruption of the viral core assembly and stability for S₁₄₉A and S₁₇₈A mutants, respectively. Consistent with these results, both mutants failed to saturate TRIM-antiviral restriction activity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Defects generated at the level of core assembly and stability by S₁₄₉A and S₁₇₈A mutations are sensitive to the way of delivery of viral nucleoprotein complexes into the target cell. Addressing CA mutants through the endocytic pathway may compensate for defects generated at the reverse transcription/nuclear import level subsequent to impairment of core assembly or stability.</p

Medjez II

Ce gisement princeps du faciès « Sétifïen* » joue un rôle majeur dans la caractérisation de la variabilité capsienne de l’Epipaléolithique du Maghreb, observée entre le VIII-Ve millénaire cal BC. On doit à Henriette Camps-Fabrer d’avoir souligné les éléments diagnostics d’une abondante et nouvelle documentation régionale. Recueillie lors de plusieurs campagnes de fouilles (entre 1963 et 1968), cette documentation est conservée à Alger, au CNRPAH. Bien après la première monographie sur le Caps..

Simultaneous Analysis of Secondary Structure and Light Scattering from Circular Dichroism Titrations: Application to Vectofusin-1:

Circular Dichroism data are often decomposed into their constituent spectra to quantify the secondary structure of peptides or proteins but the estimation of the secondary structure content fails when light scattering leads to spectral distortion. If peptide-induced liposome self-association occurs, subtracting control curves cannot correct for this. We show that if the cause of the light scattering is independent from the peptide structural changes, the CD spectra can be corrected using principal component analysis (PCA). The light scattering itself is analysed and found to be in good agreement with backscattering experiments. This method therefore allows to simultaneously follow structural changes related to peptide-liposome binding as well as peptide induced liposome self-association. We apply this method to study the structural changes and liposome binding of vectofusin-1, a transduction enhancing peptide used in lentivirus based gene therapy. Vectofusin-1 binds to POPC/POPS liposomes, causing a reversal of the negative liposome charge at high peptide concentrations. When the peptide charges exactly neutralise the lipid charges on both leaflets reversible liposome self-association occurs. These results are in good agreement with biological observations and provide further insight into the conditions required for efficent transduction enhancement.PMC517791

Uracil DNA Glycosylase 2 negatively regulates HIV-1 LTR transcription

Numerous cellular factors belonging to the DNA repair machineries, including RAD18, RAD52, XPB and XPD, have been described to counteract human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication. Recently, Uracil DNA glycosylase 2 (UNG2), a major determinant of the uracil base excision repair pathway, was shown to undergo rapid proteasome-dependent degradation following HIV-1 infection. However, the specific role of intracellular UNG2 depletion during the course of HIV-1 infection is not clearly understood. Our study shows for the first time that overexpression of UNG2 inhibits HIV-1 replication. We demonstrate that this viral inhibition is correlated with a marked decrease in transcription efficiency as shown by monitoring HIV-1 LTR promoter activity and quantification of HIV-1 RNA levels. Interestingly, UNG2 inhibits LTR activity when stimulated by Tat transactivator or TNFα, while barely affected using Phorbol ester activation. Mutational analysis of UNG2 indicates that antiviral activity may require the integrity of the UNG2 catalytic domain. Altogether, our data indicate that UNG2 is likely to represent a new host defense factor specifically counteracted by HIV-1 Vpr. The molecular mechanisms involved in the UNG2 antiviral activity still remain elusive but may rely on the sequestration of specific cellular factor(s) critical for viral transcription

Inefficient Nef-Mediated Downmodulation of CD3 and MHC-I Correlates with Loss of CD4+ T Cells in Natural SIV Infection

Recent data suggest that Nef-mediated downmodulation of TCR-CD3 may protect SIVsmm-infected sooty mangabeys (SMs) against the loss of CD4+ T cells. However, the mechanisms underlying this protective effect remain unclear. To further assess the role of Nef in nonpathogenic SIV infection, we cloned nef alleles from 11 SIVsmm-infected SMs with high (>500) and 15 animals with low (<500) CD4+ T-cells/µl in bulk into proviral HIV-1 IRES/eGFP constructs and analyzed their effects on the phenotype, activation, and apoptosis of primary T cells. We found that not only efficient Nef-mediated downmodulation of TCR-CD3 but also of MHC-I correlated with preserved CD4+ T cell counts, as well as with high numbers of Ki67+CD4+ and CD8+CD28+ T cells and reduced CD95 expression by CD4+ T cells. Moreover, effective MHC-I downregulation correlated with low proportions of effector and high percentages of naïve and memory CD8+ T cells. We found that T cells infected with viruses expressing Nef alleles from the CD4low SM group expressed significantly higher levels of the CD69, interleukin (IL)-2 and programmed death (PD)-1 receptors than those expressing Nefs from the CD4high group. SIVsmm Nef alleles that were less active in downmodulating TCR-CD3 were also less potent in suppressing the activation of virally infected T cells and subsequent cell death. However, only nef alleles from a single animal with very low CD4+ T cell counts rendered T cells hyper-responsive to activation, similar to those of HIV-1. Our data suggest that Nef may protect the natural hosts of SIV against the loss of CD4+ T cells by at least two mechanisms: (i) downmodulation of TCR-CD3 to prevent activation-induced cell death and to suppress the induction of PD-1 that may impair T cell function and survival, and (ii) downmodulation of MHC-I to reduce CTL lysis of virally infected CD4+ T cells and/or bystander CD8+ T cell activation

HIV-1 gp41 and TCRα Trans-Membrane Domains Share a Motif Exploited by the HIV Virus to Modulate T-Cell Proliferation

Viruses have evolved several strategies to modify cellular processes and evade the immune response in order to successfully infect, replicate, and persist in the host. By utilizing in-silico testing of a transmembrane sequence library derived from virus protein sequences, we have pin-pointed a nine amino-acid motif shared by a group of different viruses; this motif resembles the transmembrane domain of the α-subunit of the T-cell receptor (TCRα). The most striking similarity was found within the immunodeficiency virus (SIV and HIV) glycoprotein 41 TMD (gp41 TMD). Previous studies have shown that stable interactions between TCRα and CD3 are localized to this nine amino acid motif within TCRα, and a peptide derived from it (TCRα TMD, GLRILLLKV) interfered and intervened in the TCR function when added exogenously. We now report that the gp41 TMD peptide co-localizes with CD3 within the TCR complex and inhibits T cell proliferation in vitro. However, the inhibitory mechanism of gp41 TMD differs from that of the TCRα TMD and also from the other two known immunosuppressive regions within gp41

Multiple effects of toxins isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus on the hepatitis C virus life cycle

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the main causes of liver disease and transplantation worldwide. Current therapy is expensive, presents additional side effects and viral resistance has been described. Therefore, studies for developing more efficient antivirals against HCV are needed. Compounds isolated from animal venoms have shown antiviral activity against some viruses such as Dengue virus, Yellow fever virus and Measles virus. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the complex crotoxin (CX) and its subunits crotapotin (CP) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2-CB) isolated from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus on HCV life cycle. Huh 7.5 cells were infected with HCVcc JFH-1 strain in the presence or absence of these toxins and virus was titrated by focus formation units assay or by qPCR. Toxins were added to the cells at different time points depending on the stage of virus life cycle to be evaluated. The results showed that treatment with PLA2-CB inhibited HCV entry and replication but no effect on HCV release was observed. CX reduced virus entry and release but not replication. By treating cells with CP, an antiviral effect was observed on HCV release, the only stage inhibited by this compound. Our data demonstrated the multiple antiviral effects of toxins from animal venoms on HCV life cycle

The co-receptor signaling model of HIV-1 pathogenesis in peripheral CD4 T cells

HIV-mediated CD4 depletion is the hallmark of AIDS and is the most reliable predictor of disease progression. While HIV replication is associated with CD4 depletion in general, plasma viremia by itself predicts the rate of CD4 loss only minimally in untreated patients. To resolve this paradox, I hypothesize the existence of a subpopulation of R5X4-signaling viruses. I also suggest that the gradual evolution and emergence of this subpopulation are largely responsible for the slow depletion of peripheral CD4 T cells

The HIV Envelope but Not VSV Glycoprotein Is Capable of Mediating HIV Latent Infection of Resting CD4 T Cells

HIV fusion and entry into CD4 T cells are mediated by two receptors, CD4 and CXCR4. This receptor requirement can be abrogated by pseudotyping the virion with the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) that mediates viral entry through endocytosis. The VSV-G-pseudotyped HIV is highly infectious for transformed cells, although the virus circumvents the viral receptors and the actin cortex. In HIV infection, gp120 binding to the receptors also transduces signals. Recently, we demonstrated a unique requirement for CXCR4 signaling in HIV latent infection of blood resting CD4 T cells. Thus, we performed parallel studies in which the VSV-G-pseudotyped HIV was used to infect both transformed and resting T cells in the absence of coreceptor signaling. Our results indicate that in transformed T cells, the VSV-G-pseudotyping results in lower viral DNA synthesis but a higher rate of nuclear migration. However, in resting CD4 T cells, only the HIV envelope-mediated entry, but not the VSV-G-mediated endocytosis, can lead to viral DNA synthesis and nuclear migration. The viral particles entering through the endocytotic pathway were destroyed within 1–2 days. These results indicate that the VSV-G-mediated endocytotic pathway, although active in transformed cells, is defective and is not a pathway that can establish HIV latent infection of primary resting T cells. Our results highlight the importance of the genuine HIV envelope and its signaling capacity in the latent infection of blood resting T cells. These results also call for caution on the endocytotic entry model of HIV-1, and on data interpretation where the VSV-G-pseudotyped HIV was used for identifying HIV restriction factors in resting T cells