Role of the capsid protein VP4 in the plasma-dependent enhancement of the Coxsackievirus B4E2-infection of human peripheral blood cells.

It has been previously shown that antibodies contained in human plasma directed towards the Coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4)E2 capsid protein VP4 can enhance the CVB4E2-induced production of IFN-alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The aim of this study was to produce a VP4 fusion protein to investigate the role of the internal capsid protein VP4 and anti-VP4 antibodies in the plasma-dependent enhancement of CVB4E2 infection of PBMC. A fusion protein MBPVP4 containing the VP4 insert of CVB4E2 and a control fusion protein MBP-beta-gal-alpha, were produced in Escherichia coli K12 TB1.

[Mechanisms of imiquimod indirect antiviral activity].

The potential role of an immune response in HPV-related anogenital disorders had already been anticipated by clinicians. Indeed the lesions efflorescence and the relapsing HPV infection in HIV positive patients as well as the lack of recurrence in patients with spontaneous cure, provided relevant clues for a likely immune mechanism. At present time, the role of the immune system in the development of HPV-related anogenital disorders is well established : HPV induce a humoral and cell mediated immune response.

Thymidine analogue mutations in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1 patients on triple therapy including either zidovudine or stavudine.

Aims: The aims of this study were to: (i) determine the incidence of thymidine-associated mutations (TAMs) in an observational clinical cohort of naive HIV-1 patients who stopped first-line therapy including either zidovudine or stavudine; and (ii) assess the immunological and virological responses to subsequent second-line therapy in patients who switched from zidovudine to stavudine or conversely.

Patients And Methods: Plasma samples from 165 patients who stopped first-line antiretroviral therapy containing either zidovudine or stavudine were examined for the presence of drug-resistant genotypes. Subsequent second-line immunological and virological follow-up was performed in 136 patients who switched from zidovudine to stavudine and conversely.

Multicenter quality control for the detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in seminal plasma specimens.

The discrepant results available in the literature about the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in seminal plasma of men chronically infected by this agent are related, at least in part, to the molecular techniques used and particularly to the wide range of protocols dedicated to RNA extraction. In order to evaluate these protocols and to standardize the method of detection of HCV RNA in this fluid, a panel of coded specimens was tested blindly in 12 French laboratories; it included 14 seminal plasma specimens and four water controls spiked with HCV RNA ranging from 10 to 20000 IU/ml and two HCV-negative seminal plasma specimens. The extraction step was performed according to methods using either silica beads (NucliSens [Organon Teknika S.

[Evaluation of a quantitative HBV-DNA PCR assay in lamivudine treated hepatitis B-infected patients].

Lamivudine (3TC) is a nucleoside analogue which inhibits replication of HIV and HBV and which is used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B-infected patients with safety and efficacy. The activity of lamivudine was evaluated by the measurement of DNA-HBV concentration in plasma using a very sensitive assay (1,000 copies/mL) (Amplicor VHB Monitor. Roche).