Telomerase and Pluripotency Factors Jointly Regulate Stemness in Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells.

To assess the role of telomerase activity and telomere length in pancreatic CSCs we used different CSC enrichment methods (CD133, ALDH, sphere formation) in primary patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells. We show that CSCs have higher telomerase activity and longer telomeres than bulk tumor cells. Inhibition of telomerase activity, using genetic knockdown or pharmacological inhibitor (BIBR1532), resulted in CSC marker depletion, abrogation of sphere formation in vitro and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo.

Clinical Infections by Herpesviruses in Patients Treated with Valproic Acid: A Nested Case-Control Study in the Spanish Primary Care Database, BIFAP.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the risk of clinical infections by herpesviruses in patients exposed to valproic acid (VPA). We performed a case-control study nested in a primary cohort selected from the Spanish primary care population-based research database BIFAP (Base de datos para la Investigación Farmacoepidemiológica en Atención Primaria) over the period 2001-2015. The events of interest were those diseases caused by any herpesviruses known to infect humans.

Role of Proteolipid Protein in HSV-1 Entry in Oligodendrocytic Cells.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has the ability to enter many different hosts and cell types by several strategies. This highly prevalent alphaherpesvirus can enter target cells using different receptors and different pathways: fusion at a neutral pH, low-pH-dependent and low-pH-independent endocytosis. Several cell receptors for viral entry have been described, but several observations suggest that more receptors for HSV-1 might exist.

The effect of cellular differentiation on HSV-1 infection of oligodendrocytic cells.

Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic virus that infects many types of cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that oligodendrocytic cells are highly susceptible to HSV-1 infection. Here we analysed HSV-1 infection of a human oligodendrocytic cell line, HOG, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) cultured under growth or differentiation conditions.

Role of the small GTPase Rab27a during herpes simplex virus infection of oligodendrocytic cells.

Background: The morphogenesis of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) comprises several events, of which some are not completely understood. It has been shown that HSV-1 glycoproteins accumulate in the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and in TGN-derived vesicles. It is also accepted that HSV-1 acquires its final morphology through a secondary envelopment by budding into TGN-derived vesicles coated with viral glycoproteins and tegument proteins.

Evidence of Muller's ratchet in herpes simplex virus type 1.

Population bottlenecks can have major effects in the evolution of RNA viruses, but their possible influence in the evolution of DNA viruses is largely unknown. Genetic and biological variation of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has been studied by subjecting 23 biological clones of the virus to 10 plaque-to-plaque transfers. In contrast to large population passages, plaque transfers led to a decrease in replicative capacity of HSV-1.

Glycoprotein G from pseudorabies virus binds to chemokines with high affinity and inhibits their function.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV), also known as suid herpesvirus, is the aetiological agent of Aujeszky's disease in swine. In other animals, except higher-order primates, PRV infection is often fatal. The mechanisms of PRV pathogenesis and immune modulation are largely unknown.

High susceptibility of a human oligodendroglial cell line to herpes simplex type 1 infection.

More than 20 infectious agents, ranging from retroviruses to mycobacteria, have been associated with multiple sclerosis onset or relapses in which oligodendrocytes, the myelin-forming cells of the central nervous system, are the initial target of the pathogenic status. In this work, the nature of the susceptibility of the human precursor oligodendroglial KG-1C cell line to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was investigated. Infection of KG-1C cells was characterized by a high level of virus production and a notable progression of the cytopathic effect.

Eimeria tenella sporozoites and merozoites differentially express glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored variant surface proteins.

Little is known about glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked surface proteins in the coccidian parasite Eimeria tenella. Examination of 28,550 EST sequences from the sporozoite and second merozoite developmental stages of the parasite led to the identification of 37 potential GPI-linked variant surface proteins, termed EtSAGs. Analysis of the complete nucleotide sequences of 23 EtSAG genes separated them into two multi-gene families.

Characterisation of penciclovir resistant acyclovir sensitive herpes simplex virus type 2 isolated from an AIDS patient.

A heterogeneous herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) population was characterised from an AIDS patient with relapsing genital ulcer. The isolate had an unusual antiviral spectrum, showing resistance to penciclovir and susceptibility to acyclovir. Two viral populations were plaque purified, one resistant and the other susceptible to both antiviral drugs.

Development of new expression vector based on Pseudorabies virus amplicons: application to human insulin expression.

Pseudorabies virus (PrV), a herpesvirus from the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, is suitable for amplicon vector replication and packaging into virions, with helper virus for trans replication and cleavage-packaging functions. PrV amplicon vectors were developed in a bacterial plasmid construction using PrV ori(s) and pac signals as the required cis elements. Human insulin cDNA was then cloned in the amplicon vector for human proinsulin expression.

Characterization of regions in the GP5 protein of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus required to induce apoptotic cell death.

Expression of the GP5 protein of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in mammalian cells using a recombinant vaccinia virus has been shown to induce strong cytotoxicity due to apoptotic death. We have now developed a transient expression system that allows the observation and quantitation of the cell death due to GP5 synthesis, taking advantage of the reduction that this protein induces in the expression of two different co-transfected reporter genes. In this way, we are able to study the regions in GP5 implicated in apoptosis induction.