Human cell types important for Hepatitis C Virus replication in vivo and in vitro. Old assertions and current evidence

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a single stranded RNA virus which produces negative strand RNA as a replicative intermediate. We analyzed 75 RT-PCR studies that tested for negative strand HCV RNA in liver and other human tissues. 85% of the studies that investigated extrahepatic replication of HCV found one or more samples positive for replicative RNA. Studies using in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and quasispecies analysis also demonstrated the presence of replicating HCV in various extrahepatic human tissues, and provide evidence that HCV replicates in macrophages, B cells, T cells, and other extrahepatic tissues. We also analyzed both short term and long term in vitro systems used to culture HCV. These systems vary in their purposes and methods, but long term culturing of HCV in B cells, T cells, and other cell types has been used to analyze replication. It is therefore now possible to study HIV-HCV co-infections and HCV replication in vitro

Mercury, Zinc and Selenium Bioaccumulation in Tissues and Organs of Mediterranean Striped Dolphins Stenella-coeruleoalba Meyen Toxicological Result of Their Interaction

Neutron activation analysis of 13 Mediterranean striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba showed high mercury and selenium contaminations of main tissues and organs of these cetaceans. The mercuric contents were excessive, particularly in liver (from 68 to 2272 mug/g dry wt. basis), then in kidney, lung, muscle, heart and brain. The selenium concentrations were also high in liver (from 45 to 1320 mug/g dry wt. basis), then in kidney, lung, muscle, skin and heart. The main way of contamination seems to be the food through trophic network, but skin and lung are also able to play a part which must be elucidated. The average Hg/Se ratios in liver and kidney were respectively 1.82 and 1.59. Linear relationship between mercury and selenium concentrations in tissues and organs, particularly in liver and kidney, were confirmed. The mercury and selenium interaction on a toxicological point of view was established by a statistical approach; in the same way, intervention of zinc, metallothioneins and glutathiones have been discussed

Detection of bile salt-dependent lipase, a 110 kDa pancreatic protein, in urines of healthy subjects

Bile salt-dependent lipase (BSDL), a 110 kDa glycoprotein secreted by the pancreatic acinar cells, participates in the duodenal hydrolysis of dietary lipid esters. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that the BSDL reaches the blood via a transcytosis motion through enterocytes, suggesting that this enzyme may play a role in vascular biology. Once in the blood, BSDL should be eliminated. We address the hypothesis that BSDL may be filtered by the glomerulus and eliminated in urines. Immunological methods and proteomic were used to detect and to characterize BSDL in urine. The immunoreactive form of BSDL was detected in urines of 36 male subjects devoid of renal failure. Proteomic demonstrated that the immunoreactive protein is BSDL. Experiments using a monoclonal antibody to the oncofetal glycoform of pancreatic BSDL suggested that the protein is not expressed by renal cells but originates from the pancreas via circulation. We demonstrate that under normal physiological conditions, BSDL, a high-molecular weight blood glycoprotein, can be filtered by the renal glomerulus to be eliminated in urines