The barrier functions of crude cervical mucus plugs against HIV-1 infection in the context of cell-free and cell-to-cell transmission.

Objective: The cervical mucus plugs are enriched with proteins of known immunological functions. We aimed to characterize the anti-HIV-1 activity of the cervical mucus plugs against a panel of different HIV-1 strains in the contexts of cell-free and cell-associated virus.

Design: A cohort of consenting HIV-1-negative and HIV-1-positive pregnant women in labour was recruited from Mthatha General Hospital in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, from whom the cervical mucus plugs were collected in 6 M guanidinium chloride with protease inhibitors and transported to our laboratories at -80 °C.

The comparative inhibitory potency of salivary mucins against human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

MUC5B and MUC7 salivary mucins are reported to inhibit HIV-1 entry into target cells in vitro; however, their relative inhibitory potencies have not been quantitively compared. There is also conflicting evidence regarding whether HIV-1 infection diminishes mucins' inhibitory efficacy. We explored the effect of donor HIV-1 status upon the anti-HIV-1 potency of purified MUC5B and MUC7 while comparing their relative inhibitory potential using a pseudovirus-based neutralization assay.

Mucus and Mucins: do they have a role in the inhibition of the human immunodeficiency virus?

Background: Mucins are large O-linked glycosylated proteins which give mucus their gel-forming properties. There are indications that mucus and mucins in saliva, breast milk and in the cervical plug inhibit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in an in vitro assay. Crude mucus gels form continuous layers on the epithelial surfaces of the major internal tracts of the body and protect these epithelial surfaces against aggressive luminal factors such as hydrochloric acid and pepsin proteolysis in the stomach lumen, the movement of hard faecal pellets in the colon at high pressure, the effects of shear against the vaginal epithelium during intercourse and the presence of foreign substances in the respiratory airways.

Purified human breast milk MUC1 and MUC4 inhibit human immunodeficiency virus.

Background: The HIV-AIDS pandemic is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Breastfeeding is a risk factor, with transmission from mother to child being as high as 40%.

Objectives: To determine the antiviral activity of crude breast milk and its purified mucins MUC1 and MUC4 against HIV-1 in patients who were HIV positive compared to those who were not.

The role of crude saliva and purified salivary mucins in the inhibition of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa is the world's worst HIV-AIDS affected region. More interventions to manage this pandemic are urgently required. Transmission of the virus through an exchange of saliva is rarely known to occur.

A 40-50kDa Glycoprotein Associated with Mucus is Identified as α-1-Acid Glycoprotein in Carcinoma of the Stomach.

Background And Aim: Secreted gastric mucins are large O-glycosylated proteins of crude mucus gels which are aberrantly expressed in malignancy. An albumin associated 55-65kDa glycoprotein was previously shown in mucus gels in gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate its expression and identification in human gastric tissue.

Immunohistochemical and biochemical characterization of mucin in pseudomyxoma peritonei: a case study.

We previously reported the presence of MUC2, MUC5AC and, for the first time, MUC5B in a 58-year-old male with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP). This is a report on the biochemical and immunohistochemical characterization of mucin in a 50-year-old female with the same rare illness. A right oophorectomy and appendicectomy and a resection of the involved omentum were performed.

The expression of MUC mucin in cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is a highly malignant epithelial cancer of the biliary tract, the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of which remains unclear. Malignant transformation of glandular epithelial cells is associated with the altered expression of mucin. We investigated the type of mucins expressed in CC.

Anti-HIV-1 activity of salivary MUC5B and MUC7 mucins from HIV patients with different CD4 counts.

Background: We have previously shown that MUC5B and MUC7 mucins from saliva of HIV negative individuals inhibit HIV-1 activity by 100% in an in vitro assay. The purpose of this subsequent study was to investigate whether MUC5B and MUC7 from saliva of HIV patients or with full blown AIDS had a similar inhibitory activity against the virus.

Methods: Salivary MUC5B and MUC7 from HIV patients with different CD4 counts (< 200, 200-400 and > 400) were incubated with HIV-1 prior to infection of the human T lymphoblastoid cell line (CEM SS cells).

The inhibition of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 activity by crude and purified human pregnancy plug mucus and mucins in an inhibition assay.

Background: The female reproductive tract is amongst the main routes for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission. Cervical mucus however is known to protect the female reproductive tract from bacterial invasion and fluid loss and regulates and facilitates sperm transport to the upper reproductive tract. The purpose of this study was to purify and characterize pregnancy plug mucins and determine their anti-HIV-1 activity in an HIV inhibition assay.

Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 activity by purified human breast milk mucin (MUC1) in an inhibition assay.

It has been reported that breast-feeding is responsible for approximately 40% of the HIV transmissions from HIV-positive mothers to children. Human breast milk, however, is known to contain numerous biologically active components which protect breast-fed infants against bacteria, viruses, and toxins. The purpose of this study was to purify and characterize breast milk mucin and to determine its anti-HIV-1 activity in an HIV inhibition assay.

MUC2, MUC5AC and MUC5B in the mucus of a patient with pseudomyxoma peritonei: biochemical and immunohistochemical study.

A 58-year-old man with a 1 year history of progressive abdominal distension underwent a laparotomy for pseudomyxoma peritonei. The mucin was identified and characterized in the present study. Approximately 6 L of crude mucus in the sol (highly viscous) and gel (semisolid) phases was obtained from the patient's peritoneal cavity.

The characterisation of mucin in a mature ovarian teratoma occurring in an eight year old patient.

Introduction: The presence of MUC5AC (M1 antigen) and MUC6 have previously been found in ovarian mucinous cyst. We characterized the mucins in the crude mucus and tissue of a mature ovarian teratoma in an 8 year old girl.

Materials And Methods: Mucins were purified from crude mucus by density gradient ultra-centrifugation in CsCl and analysed by gel-filtration and SDS-PAGE analysis.

Antiviral activity of purified human breast milk mucin.

Human breast milk is known to contain numerous biologically active components which protect breast fed infants against microbes, viruses, and toxins. The purpose of this study was to purify and characterize the breast milk mucin and determine its anti-poxvirus activity. In this study human milk mucin, free of contaminant protein and of sufficient quantity for further analysis, was isolated and purified by Sepharose CL-4B gel filtration and cesiumchloride density-gradient centrifugation.

The role of crude human saliva and purified salivary MUC5B and MUC7 mucins in the inhibition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 in an inhibition assay.

Background: Despite the continuous shedding of HIV infected blood into the oral cavity and the detectable presence of the AIDS virus at a high frequency, human saliva is reported to inhibit oral transmission of HIV through kissing, dental treatment, biting, and aerosolization. The purpose of this study was to purify salivary MUC5B and MUC7 mucins from crude saliva and determine their anti-HIV-1 activities.

Methods: Following Sepharose CL-4B column chromatography and caesium chloride isopycnic density-gradient ultra-centrifugation, the purity and identity of the mucins was determined by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis respectively.

The relationship of a Helicobacter heilmannii infection to the mucosal changes in abattoir and laboratory pig stomach.

Purpose: A pig ulcer model in which ulceration is reproducibly induced in the pars oesophagea (a tongue of the oesophageal squamous epithelium that extends into the pig stomach) by bile duct ligation (BDL) was used in this study to determine whether Helicobacter heilmannii (Hh) is a predisposing factor in the ulceration of this region. The infection with Hh and its relationship to ulceration and mucus integrity was examined.

Methods: We microscopically investigated the occurrence of spontaneous pars oesophageal ulceration in 33 pigs from a local abattoir and 5 pigs nurtured in pens in our surgical laboratory (JSM).

Expression of gastric mucin in the stomachs of two patients with Menetrier's disease: an immunohistochemical study.

Menetrier's disease is a rare gastric condition characterized by marked proliferation of the mucosa and variable mucus secretion and achlorhydria. We report, for the first time, minor variations in MUC1-7 distribution in the mucosa of two stomachs from patients with Menetrier's disease, when compared with a normal stomach. All stomachs stained positively for MUC4, 5AC and 6 and showed no or little staining with MUC2 and 3.

Extraction, isolation, and SDS-PAGE analysis of purified gastric mucin in a patient with Menetrier's disease.

Menetrier's disease is a rare condition characterized by marked proliferation of gastric mucosa with variable mucus secretion and achlorhydria. Although crude mucus secretion and gastric aspirates have been evaluated in this disease for output of dry matter, hexosamine, fucose, protein content, and transforming growth factor alpha activity, we report for the first time the isolation, purification, and gel electrophoresis of mucin from crude mucus scrapings. The fragmentation pattern of mucin in Menetrier's disease demonstrated less large polymeric mucin than the control.