Herpesvirus saimiri-induced proteins in lytically infected cells. I. Time-ordered synthesis

The addition of TPA (phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate) to cultures during the lytic infection with herpesvirus saimiri led to an enhanced and accelerated production of polypeptides induced by H. saimiri and to a rapid shut-down of host cell protein synthesis and allowed a detailed analysis of the protein patterns. Analysis of sequential protein synthesis in owl monkey kidney cells lytically infected with H. saimiri 11 permitted the identification of 31 virus-induced polypeptides. The use of the amino acid analogues canavanine (for arginine) and azetidine (for proline) in parallel allowed experiments on the identification of proteins synthesized early and late during lytic infection

Immunological reactivity of a human immunodeficiency virus type I derived peptide representing a consensus sequence of the GP120 major neutralizing region V3

To reduce the opportunities for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to evade vaccine induced immunity, the development of subunit vaccines must focus on the characterization of immunogenic epitopes, which are major targets for the immune system. The most dominant site for elicitation of neutralising immune response is located on the external envelope glycoprotein gp120 within the third variable domain (V3). To overcome virus type specificity of antibodies directed to the V3-domain we designed a 36 amino acids long gp120/V3-consensus peptide (V3-C36) based on published biological data and sequence comparisons of various HIV-1 virus isolates. This peptide contains a conserved core sequence which is suggested to form a surface-exposed beta-turn. This peptide also includes T-cell epitopes defined in mice and humans, an ADCC-epitope and two highly conserved cysteine residues which were oxidized to form a cystine derivate, thus allowing correct peptide folding. In ELISA-tests, this peptide reacts with at least 90% of randomly selected sera of European and African patients infected with HIV-1 and is recognized by three different HIV-1/V3 "type-specific" antisera (MN, RF, IIIB-strain). Using this peptide as immunogen in rabbits, antisera could be raised with highly cross-reactive and HIV-1/IIIB strain neutralizing properties. Moreover, HTLV/HIV-1/IIIB specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) of BALB/c mice infected with a gp120 recombinant vaccinia virus recognized the central 16- and 12-mer peptides of the V3-C36 consensus peptide in cytolytic assays, indicating perfect compatibility of the consensus peptide with the IIIB-primed CTLs. The DNA-sequence encoding the V3-consensus loop region might be an important component in newly designed recombinant subunit vaccines. In addition, due to its broad serological reactivity, the V3-consensus peptide might play an important role in special diagnostic purposes

A quartz crystal biosensor for measurement in liquids

The detection of anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies by means of synthetic HIV peptide immobilized on a piezoelectric quartz sensor is demonstrated. The measurement set-up consists of an oscillator circuit, a suitably modified AT-cut thickness-shear-mode quartz crystal with gold electrodes, which is housed in a special reaction vessel, and a computer-controlled frequency counter for the registration of the measured frequency values. The quartz crystal is adapted for a steady operation in liquids at a frequency of 20 MHz. In phosphate-buffered saline solution the oscillator reaches a stability of about 0.5 Hz within a few seconds, of about 2 Hz within 10 min and about 30 Hz within 1 h. The frequency shift due to the adsorption of various proteins to the uncoated sensor surface has been investigated. It can be shown that a stable adsorptive binding of proteins to an oscillating gold surface is feasible and can be used for the immobilization of a receptor layer (e.g. HIV peptide). Specific binding of the anti-HIV monoclonal antibody to the HIV peptide immobilized on the quartz sensor is demonstrated. Control experiments show, however, additional unspecific binding. According to the experiments, the Sauerbrey formula gives a sufficiently accurate value for the decrease of the resonant frequency due to adsorption or binding of macromolecular proteins on the quartz crystal surface

NS1 Specific CD8(+) T-Cells with Effector Function and TRBV11 Dominance in a Patient with Parvovirus B19 Associated Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy

Background: Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is the most commonly detected virus in endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs) from patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy (DCMi). Despite the importance of T-cells in antiviral defense, little is known about the role of B19V specific T-cells in this entity. Methodology and Principal Findings: An exceptionally high B19V viral load in EMBs (115,091 viral copies/mg nucleic acids), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum was measured in a DCMi patient at initial presentation, suggesting B19V viremia. The B19V viral load in EMBs had decreased substantially 6 and 12 months afterwards, and was not traceable in PBMCs and the serum at these times. Using pools of overlapping peptides spanning the whole B19V proteome, strong CD8(+) T-cell responses were elicited to the 10-amico-acid peptides SALKLAIYKA (19.7% of all CD8(+) cells) and QSALKLAIYK (10%) and additional weaker responses to GLCPHCINVG (0.71%) and LLHTDFEQVM (0.06%). Real-time RT-PCR of IFN gamma secretion-assay-enriched T-cells responding to the peptides, SALKLAIYKA and GLCPHCINVG, revealed a disproportionately high T-cell receptor Vbeta (TRBV) 11 expression in this population. Furthermore, dominant expression of type-1 (IFN gamma, IL2, IL27 and Tbet) and of cytotoxic T-cell markers (Perforin and Granzyme B) was found, whereas gene expression indicating type-2 (IL4, GATA3) and regulatory T-cells (FoxP3) was low. Conclusions: Our results indicate that B19V Ag-specific CD8(+) T-cells with effector function are involved in B19V associated DCMi. In particular, a dominant role of TRBV11 and type-1/CTL effector cells in the T-cell mediated antiviral immune response is suggested. The persistence of B19V in the endomyocardium is a likely antigen source for the maintenance of CD8(+) T-cell responses to the identified epitopes

Carrier-bound synthetic peptides. Use as antigen in HIV-1 ELISA tests and in antiserum production

Chemically synthesize carrier-bound peptides have been used as antigens in diagnostic test systems (ELISA) and for raising antipeptide-specific antisera. The method does not require prior cleavage of the peptides from the support used for the solid-phase synthesis. Using the same resin for both the synthesis and the subsequent applications it was possible to avoid expensive and time-consuming purification procedures and artificial recoupling to solid supports. A quick and specific ELISA-based diagnostic test system for HIV-specific antipeptide antibodies in human sera was established. In addition the carrier-bound peptides were shown to be potent antigens for raising antibodies in animals

Pour l’Allemagne – patrie unie

Au cours d’une conférence de presse du gouvernement de la RDA, le 1er février à Berlin, le Premier ministre Hans Modrow a présenté aux journalistes du pays comme de l’étranger sa conception pour un chemin menant à une Allemagne unie, conception qu’il a motivée de la manière suivante : L’Europe entre dans une nouvelle étape de son développement. Le chapitre d’après-guerre est clos. Des prémisses pour une coopération pacifique et de bon voisinage sont en train de naître. L’unification des deux ..

Induction of cytolytic T lymphocytes directed towards the V3 loop of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 external glycoprotein gp120 by p55gag/V3 chimeric vaccinia viruses

T cell-mediated cytotoxicity may play an important role in controlling infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In order to study the ability of rationally designed antigens to induce cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) we replaced stretches of 30 to 50 amino acids at the p17-MA/p24-CA cleavage site, within the p24-CA moiety and within the p6-LI portion of the HIV type 1 p55gag precursor by the third variable domain (V3) of the external glycoprotein gp120. This site is known to be a target for CTL attack in mice and humans. The chimeric antigens were recombined into highly attenuated vaccinia viruses in order to investigate class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted presentation of antigenic V3 peptides. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis of the group-specific antigen (p55gag)/V3 chimeric proteins demonstrated significant differences in the accessibility of the V3 domain for a monoclonal antibody or polyclonal V3-specific antisera, depending on the position of the V3 loop within the p55gag carrier protein. Immunization of BALB/c mice with three variants of p55gag/V3 recombinant vaccinia virus, however, resulted in a comparable priming of CD4-CD8+ CTLs in vivo irrelevant of the position of the V3 loop within p55gag. Local conformational changes, including the V3 domain within the p55gag/V3 chimeras, did not demonstrate a significant effect on V3-specific lysis of the target cells when compared to the authentic gp120 envelope protein. Class I MHC-restricted CTLs induced by a V3 consensus sequence cross-reacted perfectly with the LAI strain-derived V3 loop sequence. These data indicate that the combination of selected epitopes (V3) with immunologically relevant complex carrier proteins (p55gag) can be accomplished without the loss of biological activity

Karl Marx und unsere Zeit Aufgaben der Bezirksparteiorganisation Dresden bei der Erforschung, Darstellung und Propagierung der Geschichte der revolutionaeren Arbeiterbewegung des Bezirkes Dresden von den Anfaengen bis zur Gegenwart

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