HIV-1 Tropism Test Evaluation: Assessment and Clinical Implications

CCR5 and CXCR4 chemokines receptors are critical coreceptors for the binding of HIV to specific host cells. Guidelines recommend its assessment in case of virological failure or before prescription of CCR5 inhibitors. Strategies to assess viral tropism may be divided into phenotypic and genotypic assays; registrative trials of CCR5 inhibitors used phenotypic assay, but recently genotypic ones have been used in clinical practice. The presence of CXCR4 is increasing in naïve patients, with both acute and chronic HIV-1 infections; this coreceptor usage is associated with CD4 depletion. The assessment of viral tropism should be considered in every stage of HIV-1 infection

Levels of Soluble Endothelial Protein C Receptor Are Associated with CD4+ Changes in Maraviroc-Treated HIV-Infected Patients

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is a key feature of HIV infection and is correlated with long-term negative cardiovascular outcomes. Therapy-induced increases in CD4(+) cell counts can control inflammation, as shown by decreases of coagulation and inflammation markers during efficacious therapy. Maraviroc, a CCR5-antagonist, has resulted in larger increases in CD4(+) counts both in naïve and experienced subjects compared to traditional antiretroviral therapy. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To examine if a member of the protein C anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory pathway, and marker of coagulation and inflammation, the soluble endothelial protein C receptor, is modified by infection and therapy-related variables in patients treated with Maraviroc. Endothelial protein C receptor, together with other established markers of inflammation and coagulation (CRP, IL-6, D-dimer and soluble thrombomodulin) was studied in 43 patients on traditional antiretroviral therapy and in 45 on Maraviroc during 48 weeks of follow-up. RESULTS: Soluble endothelial protein C receptor was the only marker that could discriminate at least partially between patients with a good response to Maraviroc and patients who did not respond with an adequate increase in CD4(+) cell counts (more than 500 cells/µL by week 48). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated levels of soluble endothelial protein C receptor, a sensitive marker of endothelial damage, indicated a low level of inflammation and coagulation activation in Maraviroc treated patients not picked up by other widely used markers. Persistent elevated levels of this marker at 48 weeks from beginning of treatment with Maraviroc were related to a poor increase in CD4(+) cells

La donna come mostro. Le eroine dell'horror contemporaneo

L'obiettivo portante dell'elaborato è quello di tracciare una storiografia del concetto di mostruose femminile, legato principalmente al genere horror. Attraverso un viaggio che parte dai racconti fiabeschi, si procederà ad individuare l'archetipo che precede la creazione delle eroine mediali nei contemporanei film del terrore. Le sue diverse coniugazioni, nonché il terrore verso tali creature, saranno portate allo scoperto proprio partendo dall'analisi della filmografia scelta

Adenovirus-mediated suppression of HMGI(Y) protein synthesis as potential therapy of human malignant neoplasias

High mobility group I (HMGI) proteins are overexpressed in several human malignant tumors. We previously demonstrated that inhibition of HMGI synthesis prevents thyroid cell transformation. Here, we report that an adenovirus carrying the HMGI(Y) gene in an antisense orientation (Ad-Yas) induced programmed cell death of two human thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cell lines (ARO and FB-1), but not normal thyroid cells. The Ad-Yas virus led to death of lung, colon, and breast carcinoma cells. A control adenovirus carrying the lacZ gene did not inhibit the growth of either normal or neoplastic cells. Ad-Yas treatment of tumors induced in athymic mice by ARO cells caused a drastic reduction in tumor size. Therefore, suppression of HMGI(Y) protein synthesis by an HMGI(Y) antisense adenoviral vector may be a useful treatment strategy in a variety of human malignant neoplasias, in which HMGI(Y) gene overexpression is a general event

Tetronic® 904-containing polymeric micelles overcome the overexpression of ABCG2 in the blood-brain barrier of rats and boost the penetration of the antiretroviral efavirenz into the central nervous system

Aim: To assess the involvement of ABCG2 in the pharmacokinetics of efavirenz in the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and investigate a nanotechnology strategy to overcome its overexpression under a model of chronic oral administration. Materials & methods A model of chronic efavirenz (EFV) administration was established in male Sprague–Dawley rats treated with a daily oral dose over 5 days. Then, different treatments were conducted and drug concentrations in plasma and brain measured. Results: Chronic treatment with oral EFV led to the overexpression of ABCG2 in the BBB that was reverted after a brief washout period. Moreover, gefitinib and the polymeric amphiphile Tetronic® 904 significantly inhibited the activity of the pump and potentiated the accumulation of EFV in CNS. The same effect was observed when the drug was administered within mixed micelles containing TetronicT904 as the main component. Conclusion: Tetronic 904-containing polymeric micelles overcame the overexpression of ABCG2 in the BBB caused by chronic administration of EFV then boosting its penetration into the CNS.Fil: Roma, Martín Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (i); Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Hocht, Christian. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Chiappetta, Diego Andrés. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Di Gennaro, Stefania S.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (i); Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Minoia, Juan Mauricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (i); Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Bramuglia, Guillermo F.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Rubio, Modesto Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (i); Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Sosnik, Alejandro Dario. Technion - Israel Institute Of Technology; IsraelFil: Peroni, Roxana Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (i); Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentin

Beneficial Effects of cART Initiated during Primary and Chronic HIV-1 Infection on Immunoglobulin-Expression of Memory B-Cell Subsets

<div><p>Introduction</p><p>During HIV-1 infection the B-cell compartment undergoes profound changes towards terminal differentiation, which are only partially restored by antiretroviral therapy (cART).</p><p>Materials and Methods</p><p>To investigate the impact of infection as early as during primary HIV-1 infection (PHI) we assessed distribution of B-cell subsets in 19 PHI and 25 chronic HIV-1-infected (CHI) individuals before and during 48 weeks of cART as compared to healthy controls (n = 23). We also analysed Immunoglobulin-expression of memory B-cell subsets to identify alterations in Immunoglobulin-maturation.</p><p>Results</p><p>Determination of B-cell subsets at baseline showed that total and Naive B-cells were decreased whereas Activated Memory (AM), Tissue-like Memory (TLM) B-cells and Plasma cells were increased in both PHI and CHI patients. After 4 weeks of cART total B-cells increased, while AM, TLM B-cells and Plasma cells decreased, although without reaching normal levels in either group of individuals. This trend was maintained until week 48, though only total B-cells normalized in both PHI and CHI. Resting Memory (RM) B-cells were preserved since baseline. This subset remained stable in CHI, while was expanded by an early initiation of cART during PHI. Untreated CHI patients showed IgM-overexpression at the expenses of switched (IgM-IgD-) phenotypes of the memory subsets. Interestingly, in PHI patients a significant alteration of Immunoglobulin-expression was evident at BL in TLM cells, and after 4 weeks, despite treatment, in AM and RM subsets. After 48 weeks of therapy, Immunoglobulin-expression of AM and RM almost normalized, but remained perturbed in TLM cells in both groups.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>In conclusion, aberrant activated and exhausted B-cell phenotypes rose already during PHI, while most of the alterations in Ig-expression seen in CHI appeared later, despite 4 weeks of effective cART. After 48 weeks of cART B-cell subsets distribution improved although without full normalization, while Immunoglobulin-expression normalized among AM and RM, remaining perturbed in TLM B-cells of PHI and CHI.</p></div

Age and laboratory variables at baseline of patients on ART (n = 43) or ART and MVC (n = 45).

<p>Results are presented as median and range.</p>*<p>p = 0.013 for direct comparison (Mann-Whitney).</p>§<p>p = 0.003 for direct comparison (Mann-Whitney).</p