Remarkable similarity in genome nucleotide sequences between the Schwarz FF-8 and AIK-C measles virus vaccine strains and apparent nucleotide differences in the phosphoprotein gene.

The Schwarz FF-8 (FF-8) and AIK-C measles virus vaccine strains are currently used for vaccination in Japan. Here, the complete genome nucleotide sequence of the FF-8 strain has been determined and its genome sequence found to be remarkably similar to that of the AIK-C strain. These two strains are differentiated only by two nucleotide differences in the phosphoprotein gene.

The F gene of the Osaka-2 strain of measles virus derived from a case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a major determinant of neurovirulence.

Measles virus (MV) is the causative agent for acute measles and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Although numerous mutations have been found in the MV genome of SSPE strains, the mutations responsible for the neurovirulence have not been determined. We previously reported that the SSPE Osaka-2 strain but not the wild-type strains of MV induced acute encephalopathy when they were inoculated intracerebrally into 3-week-old hamsters.

Protection of macaques with diverse MHC genotypes against a heterologous SIV by vaccination with a deglycosylated live-attenuated SIV.

HIV vaccine development has been hampered by issues such as undefined correlates of protection and extensive diversity of HIV. We addressed these issues using a previously established SIV-macaque model in which SIV mutants with deletions of multiple gp120 N-glycans function as potent live attenuated vaccines to induce near-sterile immunity against the parental pathogenic SIVmac239. In this study, we investigated the protective efficacy of these mutants against a highly pathogenic heterologous SIVsmE543-3 delivered intravenously to rhesus macaques with diverse MHC genotypes.

Contribution of matrix, fusion, hemagglutinin, and large protein genes of the CAM-70 measles virus vaccine strain to efficient growth in chicken embryonic fibroblasts.

Attenuated live vaccines of measles virus (MV) have been developed from clinical isolates by serial propagation in heterologous cells, mainly chicken embryonic cells. The safety and effectiveness of these vaccines have been well established. However, the molecular mechanism of their attenuation remains a subject of investigation.

Reduced ability of hemagglutinin of the CAM-70 measles virus vaccine strain to use receptors CD46 and SLAM.

The CAM-70 measles virus (MV) vaccine strain is currently used for vaccination against measles. We examined the fusion-inducing ability of the CAM-70 hemagglutinin (H) protein and found that it was impaired in both CD46- and signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM)-expressing cells. We also generated recombinant MVs possessing H genes derived from the CAM-70 strain.

Effect of the alterations in the fusion protein of measles virus isolated from brains of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis on syncytium formation.

Measles virus (MV) is the causative agent of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and viruses isolated from brains of the patients contain numerous mutations. We have previously demonstrated that the hemagglutinin (H) protein of MV SSPE strains can interact with the signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) and an unidentified molecule on Vero cells, but not with CD46, as a receptor. The mechanism by which MV SSPE strains can induce cell-cell fusion in SLAM-negative Vero cells is not understood.

Difference in production of infectious wild-type measles and vaccine viruses in monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Macrophages (Mø) and dendritic cells (DC) are thought to be targets of measles virus (MeV) at the early stage of infection. We compared the growth of Edmonston-derived vaccine strains and fresh clinical isolates of MeV in monocytes, monocyte-derived granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-induced Mø (GM-Mø) and in monocyte-derived DC (Mo-DC). Neither vaccine strains nor fresh isolates thrived in monocytes and GM-Mø and no differences were evident among them.

Influence of glycosylation on the efficacy of an Env-based vaccine against simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239 in a macaque AIDS model.

The envelope glycoprotein (Env) of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs) and simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) is heavily glycosylated, and this feature has been speculated to be a reason for the insufficient immune control of these viruses by their hosts. In a macaque AIDS model, we demonstrated that quintuple deglycosylation in Env altered a pathogenic virus, SIVmac239, into a novel attenuated mutant virus (delta5G). In delta5G-infected animals, strong protective immunity against SIVmac239 was elicited.

Hepatitis C virus NS5A protein interacts with 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase and inhibits antiviral activity of IFN in an IFN sensitivity-determining region-independent manner.

The non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been implicated in inhibition of antiviral activity of IFN. While previous studies have suggested an interaction between NS5A and the double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR), the possibility still remains that interaction with another molecule(s) is involved in the NS5A-mediated inhibition of IFN. In the present study, we investigated a possible interaction between NS5A and 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2-5AS), another key molecule in antiviral activity.

Genotype and subtype analyses of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and possible co-infection of HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis D virus (HDV) in blood donors, patients with chronic liver disease and patients on hemodialysis in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Four subtypes (adw, adr, ayw, and ayr ) and eight genotypes (A to H) of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) have been identified. They appear to be associated with particular geographic distribution, ethnicity, and possibly clinical outcomes. In this study, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) subtyping and HBV genotyping were carried out on sera obtained from HBsAg-positive HBV carriers, including healthy blood donors; patients with acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma; and patients on hemodialysis all located in Surabaya, Indonesia.

c-MIR, a human E3 ubiquitin ligase, is a functional homolog of herpesvirus proteins MIR1 and MIR2 and has similar activity.

Kaposi's sarcoma associated-herpes virus encodes two proteins, MIR (modulator of immune recognition) 1 and 2, which are involved in the evasion of host immunity. MIR1 and 2 have been shown to function as an E3 ubiquitin ligase for immune recognition-related molecules (e.g.

The haemagglutinin protein is an important determinant of measles virus tropism for dendritic cells in vitro.

Recombinant measles viruses (MV) in which the authentic glycoprotein genes encoding the fusion and the haemagglutinin (H) proteins of the Edmonston (ED) vaccine strains were swapped singly or doubly for the corresponding genes of a lymphotropic MV wild-type virus (strain WTF) were used previously to investigate MV tropism in cell lines in tissue culture. When these recombinants and their parental strains, the molecular ED-based clone (ED-tag) and WTF, were used to infect cotton rats, only viruses expressing the MV WTF H protein replicated in secondary lymphatic tissues and caused significant immunosuppression. In vitro, viruses containing the ED H protein revealed a tropism for human peripheral blood lymphocytes as documented by enhanced binding and virus production, whereas those containing the WTF H protein replicated well in monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DC).