A Naturally Transmitted Epitheliotropic Polyomavirus Pathogenic in Immunodeficient Rats: Characterization, Transmission, and Preliminary Epidemiologic Studies.

We report the identification, pathogenesis, and transmission of a novel polyomavirus in severe combined immunodeficient F344 rats with null Prkdc and interleukin 2 receptor gamma genes. Infected rats experienced weight loss, decreased fecundity, and mortality. Large basophilic intranuclear inclusions were observed in epithelium of the respiratory tract, salivary and lacrimal glands, uterus, and prostate gland.

Animal toxicity of hairpin pyrrole-imidazole polyamides varies with the turn unit.

A hairpin pyrrole-imidazole polyamide (1) targeted to the androgen receptor consensus half-site was found to exert antitumor effects against prostate cancer xenografts. A previous animal study showed that 1, which has a chiral amine at the α-position of the γ-aminobutyric acid turn (γ-turn), did not exhibit toxicity at doses less than 10 mg/kg. In the same study, a polyamide with an acetamide at the β-position of the γ-turn resulted in animal morbidity at 2.

Postprandial leucine and insulin responses and toxicological effects of a novel whey protein hydrolysate-based supplement in rats.

The purpose of this study was: aim 1) compare insulin and leucine serum responses after feeding a novel hydrolyzed whey protein (WPH)-based supplement versus a whey protein isolate (WPI) in rats during the post-absorptive state, and aim 2) to perform a thorough toxicological analysis on rats that consume different doses of the novel WPH-based supplement over a 30-day period. In male Wistar rats (~250 g, n = 40), serum insulin and leucine concentrations were quantified up to 120 min after one human equivalent dose of a WPI or the WPH-based supplement. In a second cohort of rats (~250 g, n = 20), we examined serum/blood and liver/kidney histopathological markers after 30 days of feeding low (1human equivalent dose), medium (3 doses) and high (6 doses) amounts of the WPH-based supplement.

Assessing the potential for AAV vector genotoxicity in a murine model.

Gene transfer using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors has great potential for treating human disease. Recently, questions have arisen about the safety of AAV vectors, specifically, whether integration of vector DNA in transduced cell genomes promotes tumor formation. This study addresses these questions with high-dose liver-directed AAV-mediated gene transfer in the adult mouse as a model (80 AAV-injected mice and 52 controls).

The Xpc gene markedly affects cell survival in mouse bone marrow.

The XPC protein (encoded by the xeroderma pigmentosum Xpc gene) is a key DNA damage recognition factor that is required for global genomic nucleotide excision repair (G-NER). In contrast to transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER), XPC and G-NER have been reported to contribute only modestly to cell survival after DNA damage. Previous studies were conducted using fibroblasts of human or mouse origin.