Receptor Mincle promotes skin allergies and is capable of recognizing cholesterol sulfate.

Sterile (noninfected) inflammation underlies the pathogenesis of many widespread diseases, such as allergies and autoimmune diseases. The evolutionarily conserved innate immune system is considered to play a key role in tissue injury recognition and the subsequent development of sterile inflammation; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet completely understood. Here, we show that cholesterol sulfate, a molecule present in relatively high concentrations in the epithelial layer of barrier tissues, is selectively recognized by Mincle (Clec4e), a C-type lectin receptor of the innate immune system that is strongly up-regulated in response to skin damage.

[The analysis of sero-prevalence of virus of hepatitis E among patients with HIV-infection and syphilis.].

The infection with hepatitis E virus is one of causes of liver diseases in patients with secondary immunodeficiency, including HIVinfected ones. The study was carried out concerning analysis of rate of detection of serological markers of infection with hepatitis E virus in samples of blood serums of HIV-infected patients and other group of patients with expressed immuno-suppression - patients with syphilis. The sero-prevalence of hepatitis E virus on IgM-antibodies among HIV-infected patients in Moscow made up to 21.

[Cytokines and antibodies in experimental infection of wild and laboratory rodents (rodentia) with tick-borne encephalitis virus].

Persistence modeling was performed by means of infection of the wild rodents: northern red-backed vole Myodes rutilus (Pallas, 1779) and striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771), as well as of laboratory mice with the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in tick suspensions with subsequent detection of the TBEV, hemagglutination inhibition and virus-neutralizing antibodies, as well as expression of cytokine genes during 4 months. Detection rate of the TBEV RNA and antigen E remained high during the whole period of observations; however, virus pathogenic for laboratory suckling mice was isolated mainly during a period of 8 days post infection. At the late stages of the persistent infection (1-4 months) the TBEV RNA detection rate in northern red-backed voles and laboratory mice remained high, whereas in striped field mice it significantly declined (p < 0.

[Dimeric bisbenzimidazoles suppress the herpes simplex virus and human cytomegalovirus infections in cell сultures].

Antiviral activity of new AТ-specific fluorescent symmetric dimeric bisbenzimidazoles of DBА(n) series was assessed in the cell models of infections caused by type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV1) and human cytomegalovirus (CMV). In DBA(n) molecules bisbenzimidazole fragments are bound to an oligomethylene liner with varied number of methylene groups in the linker (n = 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11). In contrast to DB(n) dimeric bisbenzimidazoles, in DBA(n) series terminal fragments of macromolecules contain N-dimethylaminopropylcarboxamide groups instead of N-methylpiperazine groups.

[Molecular epidemiological analysis of hiv infection in northern seaports of Russia].

The results of the molecular-epidemiological analysis of HIV-1 variants circulating in Arkhangelsk and Murmansk - northern seaports of Russia - were presented. In these seaports the HIV-1 variants belonging to subtype A1 were predominant (93% in Murmansk, 83% in Arkhangelsk). In addition to these variants, viruses of other subtypes such as B, C, D and recombinant forms CRF02_AG and CRF03_AB were identifed.

[Genetic diversity of human immunodeficiency viruses and antiretroviral therapy].

The lecture is devoted to the analysis of the state-of-the-art of the impact of genetic diversity of human immunodeficiency (HIV) viruses on the pattern of infection and the efficiency of antiretroviral therapy (ART). It provides brief information on the origin and evolution of HIV and on the current classification of their genetic variants. The molecular epidemiological situation of HIV infection in Russia and nearby states and the major molecular HIV variants that are dominant in these countries, as well as their origin and prevalence trends are characterized.

Phylogeography of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus.

Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is one of the most severe viral zoonozes. It is prevalent throughout Africa, Asia and southern Europe. Limited availability of sequence data has hindered phylogeographic studies.

Miniature PCR based portable bioaerosol monitor development.

Aims: A portable bioaerosol monitor is greatly demanded technology in many areas including air quality control, occupational exposure assessment and health risk evaluation, environmental studies and, especially, in defence and bio-terrorism applications. Our recent groundwork allowed us to formulate the concept of a portable bioaerosol monitor, which needs to be light, user friendly, reliable and capable of detecting airborne pathogens within 1-1·5 h on the spot.

Methods And Results: Conceptually, the event of a bioaerosol concentration burst is determined by triggers to commence the representative air sampling with sequential real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmation of the targeted micro-organism present in the air.

Effects of hemagglutinin amino acid substitutions in H9 influenza A virus escape mutants.

We assessed the pH optimum of fusion, HA thermostability, and in vitro replication kinetics of previously obtained influenza H9 escape mutants. The N198S mutation significantly increased the optimum pH of fusion. Four HA changes, S133N, T189A, N198D, and L226Q, were associated with a significant increase in HA thermostability compared to the wild-type virus.

Influenza epidemiology and influenza vaccine effectiveness during the 2014-2015 season: annual report from the Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network.

The Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network (GIHSN) has established a prospective, active surveillance, hospital-based epidemiological study to collect epidemiological and virological data for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres over several consecutive seasons. It focuses exclusively on severe cases of influenza requiring hospitalization. A standard protocol is shared between sites allowing comparison and pooling of results.

"Cytoplasmic domain effects on exposure of co-receptor-binding sites of HIV-1 Env".

We defined the effects of the cytoplasmic domain (CT) of the Env glycoprotein on co-receptor usage of HIV-1 by reciprocal exchanges of regions containing V3-V5 loops between CD4-dependent and CD4-independent isolates. Primary HIV-1 isolate Env clones CD8 CXCR4-tropic 92UG046 CT84 with an 84-aa truncated CT domain, CD4 CXCR4-tropic 92UG046, and CD4 CCR5-tropic SF162 with full-length (FL) CT domains were used for comparison. The parental 92UG046 Env with CT84 was not fusogenic, but a chimeric SF162 V3-V5-CT84 with an 84-aa truncated CT domain, which demonstrated a switched co-receptor specificity, exhibited syncytium-formation activity with 3T3T4X4 cells.

[Effect of Hepatitis C virus proteins on the production of proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines in Huh7.5 human hepatoma cells].

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a widespread dangerous human pathogen. Up to 80% of HCV-infected individuals develop chronic infection, which is often accompanied by liver inflammation and fibrosis and, at terminal stages, liver cirrhosis and cancer. Treatment of patients with end-stage liver disease is often ineffective, and even patients with suppressed HCV replication have higher risk of death as compared with noninfected subjects.

New Carbocyclic Amino Acid Derivatives Inhibit Infection Caused by Highly Pathogenic Influenza A Virus Strain (H5N1).

New amino acid derivatives with carbocycles of adamantine and quinaldic acid were synthesized and their in vitro antiviral activity against influenza A/H5N1 virus was evaluated. Experiments on cultured embryonic porcine kidney epithelial cells showed that amino acid derivatives suppressed viral replication. Tret-butyloxycarbonyl-DL-methionylsulfonyl-1-adamantayl ethylamine and benzyloxycarbonyl-L-trypthophanyl-1-adamantayl ethylamine compounds demonstrated high activity in all in vitro experiments.

[Comparative analysis of genetic variants of the HIV-1 circulating in the Irkutsk region in 1999 and 2012].

The pol and env genome regions of the HIV-1 genetic variants circulating in the irkutsk region of russia in 1999 and 2012 were compared. The results of this work showed the dominance of the HIV-1 subtype a IDU-A genetic variant (100%) in this region. No primary resistance mutations in the pol gene in the treatment-naive patients were found.

[Natural reservoirs of viruses of the genus , Flaviviridae].

HCV is a cause of acute and chronic liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Under natural conditions, HCV is able to infect only humans, and only chimpanzees are sensitive to experimental infection. In recent years, viruses genetically related to HCV were discovered in wild mammals (rodents, bats, rabbits), as well as in domestic animals living in close contact with humans (dogs, horses, cows).

Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Diversity in Ixodid Ticks and Small Mammals in South-Western Siberia, Russia.

Unlabelled: The persistence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in nature is maintained by numerous species of reservoir hosts, multiple transmissions between vertebrates and invertebrates, and the virus adaptation to its hosts. Our Aim: was to compare TBEV isolates from ticks and small wild mammals to estimate their roles in the circulation of the viral subtypes.

Methods: TBEV isolates from two species of ixodid ticks, four species of rodents, and one species of shrews in the Novosibirsk region, South-Western Siberia, Russia, were analyzed using bioassay, hemagglutination, hemagglutination inhibition, neutralization tests, ELISA, reverse transcription with real-time PCR, and phylogenetic analysis.

Application of Laser Correlation Spectroscopy for Measuring Virus Size.

Dynamic light scattering method or laser correlation spectroscopy was applied to evaluation of the size of viruses. We measured correlation functions of the light scattered by human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and hepatitis A viruses (HAV) and found that size of HIV-1 (subtype A and B) and HAV virions were 104 nm and 28 nm, respectively. Comparison of these findings with electron microscopy data for fixed samples of the same viruses showed good agreement of the results.

Epidemiology of Hospital Admissions with Influenza during the 2013/2014 Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season: Results from the Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network.

Background: The Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network was established in 2012 to obtain valid epidemiologic data on hospital admissions with influenza-like illness. Here we describe the epidemiology of admissions with influenza within the Northern Hemisphere sites during the 2013/2014 influenza season, identify risk factors for severe outcomes and complications, and assess the impact of different influenza viruses on clinically relevant outcomes in at-risk populations.

Methods: Eligible consecutive admissions were screened for inclusion at 19 hospitals in Russia, Turkey, China, and Spain using a prospective, active surveillance approach.

Study of Antiherpetic Efficiency of Phosphite of Acycloguanosine Ableto Over come the Barrier of Resistance to Acyclovir.

As has been shown previously, phosphite of acycloguanosine (Hp-ACG) exhibits equal efficacy against ACV-sensitive and ACV-resistant HSV-1 strains in cell culture. Intraperitoneal administration of Hp-ACG to model mice with herpetic encephalitis caused by HSV-1 infection was shown to be effective in protecting against death. In the present work, we continue the study of the antiviral efficiency of Hp-ACG against HSV administered non-invasively; namely in vivo, orally and in the form of ointment formulations.

Intravirion cohesion of matrix protein M1 with ribonucleocapsid is a prerequisite of influenza virus infectivity.

Influenza virus has two major structural modules, an external lipid envelope and an internal ribonucleocapsid containing the genomic RNA in the form of the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex, both of which are interlinked by the matrix protein M1. Here we studied M1-RNP cohesion within virus exposed to acidic pH in vitro. The effect of acidification was dependent on the cleavage of the surface glycoprotein HA.

Development of pan-phlebovirus RT-PCR assay.

This study reports the pan-phlebovirus assay capable of detecting both sandfly/mosquito- and tick-borne phleboviruses. Sensitivity and specificity of the assay was verified using a panel of arboviruses. The RT-PCR assay is simple and sensitive, and thus well suited for screening of field samples.

Virus susceptibility and clinical effectiveness of anti-influenza drugs during the 2010-2011 influenza season in Russia.

Background: Antiviral drugs are critical adjuncts to influenza vaccination. This study determined the in vitro susceptibilities of influenza A and B viruses isolated in the 2010-2011 season in Russia to the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir and the hemagglutinin fusion inhibitor umifenovir and clinical efficacy of this antiviral drugs in this season.

Methods: The antiviral potency of these drugs against A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in mice was assessed.

[The 2015-2016 epidemic season in Russia and the world: Circulation of influenza viruses, trends in incidence, clinical aspects, and treatment algorithm].

In the 2015-2016 epidemic season, there were dominant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 strains (over 90%) among the circulating influenza viruses in most countries of the Northern Hemisphere and in Russia. A study of the antigenic properties of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 strains revealed no differences in those of vaccine virus. Sequencing showed that there were amino acid substitutions in hemagglutinin (receptor binding and Sa sites) and in the genes encoding internal proteins (PA, NP, M1, and NS1).

Reorganization and expansion of the nidoviral family Arteriviridae.

The family Arteriviridae presently includes a single genus Arterivirus. This genus includes four species as the taxonomic homes for equine arteritis virus (EAV), lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV), porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV), and simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV), respectively. A revision of this classification is urgently needed to accommodate the recent description of eleven highly divergent simian arteriviruses in diverse African nonhuman primates, one novel arterivirus in an African forest giant pouched rat, and a novel arterivirus in common brushtails in New Zealand.