PML and PML nuclear bodies: Implications in antiviral defence

The establishment of an intracellular antiviral state is the defining activity of interferons (IFNs) as well as the property that permitted their discovery. Several pathways have been implicated in resistance to viral infection in IFN-treated cells, one of which implicates the ProMyelocytic Leukaemia (PML) protein and PML nuclear bodies (NBs, also known as ND10). PML NBs are dynamic intranuclear structures that require PML for their formation and which harbour numerous other transiently or permanently localised proteins. PML is expressed as a family of isoforms (PML I–VII) as a result of alternative splicing, most of which are found in the nucleus. IFN treatment directly induces transcription of the genes encoding both PML and Sp100, (another major component of PML NBs), resulting in higher levels of expression of these proteins and increases in both the size and number of PML NBs. These and other observations have encouraged the hypothesis that PML, PML NBs and a number of other constituents of these structures are involved in host antiviral defences. For example, exogenous expression of PML III or PML VI can impede infection by a number of RNA and DNA viruses, and certain viral proteins accumulate in PML NBs then cause their disruption by a variety of mechanisms. Although there are many other functions of PML NBs in a wide range of cellular pathways, there is accumulating evidence that they represent preferential targets for viral infections and that PML plays a role in the mechanism of the antiviral action of IFN. This article reviews the potential antiviral activities of PML NB constituent proteins, how RNA and DNA viruses overcome these defences, and the connections between these events and IFN pathways

Novel function of STAT1β in B cells: Induction of cell death by a mechanism different from that of STAT1α.

Alternate splicing of STAT1 produces two isoforms: alpha, known as the active form, and beta, previously shown to act as a dominant-negative factor. Most studies have dealt with STAT1alpha, showing its involvement in cell growth control and cell death. To examine the specific function of either isoform in cell death, a naturally STAT1-deficient human B cell line was transfected to express STAT1alpha or STAT1beta. STAT1alpha, expressed alone, enhanced cell death, potentiated the fludarabine-induced apoptosis, and enhanced the nuclear location, the phosphorylation, and the transcriptional activity of p53. Unexpectedly, STAT1beta, expressed alone, induced cell death through a mechanism that was independent of the nuclear function of p53. Indeed, in STAT1beta-expressing B cells, p53 was strictly cytoplasmic where it formed clusters, and there was no induction of the transcriptional activity of p53. These data reveal a novel role of STAT1beta in programmed cell death, which is independent of p53

Multiplex PCR assay for detection of human interferon alpha2b gene in transgenic plants

During the last decade interferons are regarded as potent candidates for generation of plant-based edible vaccines because of broad spectrum of antiviral activities and adjuvant properties. Establishment and certification of numerous interferon producing plant systems requests development of fast and efficient multiplex PCR protocol for the transgene detection in GM plants. Here we represent a protocol for simultaneous amplification in one assay of fragments of hIFN alpha 2b gene and two control genes, namely virD1 of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and conservative region of plant actin gene.В последнее десятилетие интерфероны рассматриваются как перспективные кандидаты для получения из растений в виде съедобных вакцин, поскольку обладают широким спектром антивирусной активности и адъювантными свойствами. Создание и сертификация многочисленных растительных систем, продуцирующих рекомбинантный интерферон, делают актуальной разработку быстрого и эффективного протокола мультиплексной ПЦР для определения данного трансгена в генетически модифицированных растениях. В настоящей публикации мы приводим метод детекции гена человеческого интерферона альфа-2b в трансгенных растениях с помощью совместной амплификации в ходе одной реакции фрагментов гена hINTα2b и двух контрольных генов, virD1 Agrobacterium tumefaciens и консервативного участка гена актина растений.В останнє десятиліття інтерферони розглядаються як перспективні кандидати для отримання з рослин у вигляді їстівних вакцин оскільки, вони мають широкий спектр антивірусної активності й ад’ювантні властивості. Створення і сертифікація численних рослинних систем, які накопичують рекомбінантний інтерферон, роблять актуальною розробку швидкого й ефективного протоколу мультиплексної ПЛР для визначення даного трансгена в генетично модифікованих рослинах. В цій публікації ми наводимо метод детекції гена людського інтерферону альфа-2b у трансгенних рослинах за допомогою сумісної ампліфікації в ході однієї реакції фрагментів гена hINTα2b і двох контрольних генів, virD1 Agrobacterium tumefaciens і консервативної ділянки гена актину рослин