Mutations in the hepatitis C virus polymerase that increase RNA binding can confer resistance to cyclosporine A.

Unlabelled: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection leads to acute and chronic liver diseases, and new classes of anti-HCV therapeutics are needed. Cyclosporine A (CsA) inhibits HCV replication and CsA derivatives that lack the immunosuppressive function are currently in clinical trials as candidate anti-HCV drugs. Here we characterize several independently derived HCV replicons with varying levels of CsA resistance due to mutations in nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B), the HCV-encoded polymerase.

Cyclosporine inhibits flavivirus replication through blocking the interaction between host cyclophilins and viral NS5 protein.

Although flaviviruses cause significant human diseases, no effective therapy is currently available. Host factors essential for viral replication are potential targets for antiviral development. Here we report that cyclophilins (CyPs), a family of cellular peptidyl-prolyl isomerases (PPIases), play a role in flavivirus replication.

Characterization of hepatitis C virus subgenomic replicon resistance to cyclosporine in vitro.

Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been met with less than satisfactory results due primarily to its resistance to and significant side effects from alpha interferon (IFN-alpha). New classes of safe and broadly acting treatments are urgently needed. Cyclosporine (CsA), an immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drug for organ transplant patients, has recently been shown to be highly effective in suppressing HCV replication through a mechanism that is distinct from the IFN pathway.

Detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus: comparative diagnostic sensitivity of two independent real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays.

Rapid and accurate diagnosis is central to the effective control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). It is now recognized that reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays can play an important role in the routine detection of FMD virus (FMDV) in clinical samples. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of 2 independent real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) assays targeting the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) and RNA polymerase (3D) to detect FMDV in clinical samples.