BVDV: a pestivirus inducing tolerance of the innate immune response.

Animals persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) retain a strain-specific B- and T-cell immunotolerance. Pestiviral RNA triggers interferon (IFN) synthesis, and the viral RNase E(rns) inhibits IFN expression induced by extracellular viral RNA. In addition, N(pro) promotes the degradation of the transcription factor IRF-3, which effectively blocks IFN expression in BVDV-infected cells.

Molecular basis for the action of the collagen-specific chaperone Hsp47/SERPINH1 and its structure-specific client recognition.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in animals and is a major component of the extracellular matrix in tissues such as skin and bone. A distinctive structural feature of all collagen types is a unique triple-helical structure formed by tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Xaa-Yaa-Gly, in which Xaa and Yaa frequently are proline and hydroxyproline, respectively. Hsp47/SERPINH1 is a procollagen-specific molecular chaperone that, unlike other chaperones, specifically recognizes the folded conformation of its client.

Local and systemic response to intramammary lipopolysaccharide challenge during long-term manipulated plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in dairy cows.

The metabolic load during periods of high milk production in dairy cows causes a variety of changes of metabolite blood concentrations including dramatically decreased glucose levels. These changes supposedly impair the immune system. The goal of this study was, therefore, to evaluate adaptations of the cow's immune system in response to an intramammary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation during a 3-d modification of plasma glucose and insulin induced by different clamp infusions.

Pestiviruses: how to outmaneuver your hosts.

Heterogeneity is a hallmark that encompasses all aspects of pestiviruses, including the genetic properties, spectrum of hosts, disease signs and virulence. As an additional feature, pestiviruses are found world-wide, in both domesticated and wild animals, which indicates that these viruses are highly successful. Starting with the strategy by which pestiviruses persist in their host population, we discuss the role virulence and attenuation play in viral transmission and focus on the interaction of these viruses with their hosts' immune systems.