Identification of AP80978, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of hepatitis C virus replication that targets NS4B.

A small-molecule inhibitor of hepatitis C virus (HCV) designated AP89652 was identified by screening a compound library with an HCV genotype 1b subgenomic replicon assay. AP89652 contains two chiral centers, and testing of two syn enantiomers revealed that activity in the replicon assay resided with only one, AP80978, whose 50% effective concentration (EC50) (the concentration at which a 50% reduction in Renilla luciferase levels was observed relative to an untreated control) was 630 nM. AP80978 was inhibitory against HCV genotypes 1a and 1b but not genotype 2a.

Detection and quantification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) by MultiCode-RTx real-time PCR targeting the HCV 3' untranslated region.

A prototype, real-time reverse-transcription PCR assay, based on MultiCode-RTx technology, quantifying hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by targeting the HCV 3' untranslated region demonstrated linearity over 7 logs, with a good correlation between the quantitative results of this assay and the results of two commercially available comparator assays for 466 clinical specimens comprising all six HCV genotypes.

Identification of interferon-stimulated gene 15 as an antiviral molecule during Sindbis virus infection in vivo.

The innate immune response, and in particular the alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta) system, plays a critical role in the control of viral infections. Interferons alpha and beta exert their antiviral effects through the induction of hundreds of interferon-induced (or -stimulated) genes (ISGs). While several of these ISGs have characterized antiviral functions, their actions alone do not explain all of the effects mediated by IFN-alpha/beta.

Natural killer cells utilize both perforin and gamma interferon to regulate murine cytomegalovirus infection in the spleen and liver.

Natural killer (NK) cells are critical for innate regulation of the acute phase of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection and have been reported to utilize perforin (Pfp)- and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-dependent effector mechanisms in an organ-specific manner to regulate MCMV infection in the spleen and liver. In this study, we further examined the roles of NK cells, Pfp, and IFN-gamma in innate immunity to MCMV infection. With the recently described NK cell-deficient (NKD) mouse, we confirmed previous findings that NK cells, but not NKT cells, are required for control of the acute phase of MCMV infection in spleen and liver cells.

Biologic consequences of Stat1-independent IFN signaling.

Although Stat1 is required for many IFN-dependent responses, recent work has shown that IFNgamma functions independently of Stat1 to affect the growth of tumor cells or immortalized fibroblasts. We now demonstrate that both IFNgamma and IFNalpha/beta regulate proliferative responses in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage derived from Stat1-null mice. Using both representational difference analysis and gene arrays, we show that IFNgamma exerts its Stat1-independent actions on mononuclear phagocytes by regulating the expression of many genes.