• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.47-59
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• 2023

Purpose: The development and study of hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine candidates' individualized responses are of great importance. Here we report on an HCV DNA vaccine candidate based on selected envelope (E1/E2) epitopes. Besides, we assessed its expression and processing in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in vivo cellular response in mice. Materials and Methods: HCV E1/E2 DNA construct (EC) was designed. The antigen expression of EC was assayed in PBMCs of five HCV-uninfected donors via a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Serum samples from 20 HCV antibody-positive patients were used to detect each individual PBMCs expressed antigens via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Two groups, five Swiss albino mice each, were immunized with the EC or a control construct. The absolute count of lymph nodes' CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes was assessed. Results: Donors' PBMCs showed different levels of EC expression, ranging between 0.83-2.61-fold in four donors, while donor-3 showed 34.53-fold expression. The antigens expressed in PBMCs were significantly reactive to the 20 HCV antibody repertoire (all p=0.0001). All showed comparable reactivity except for donor-3 showing the lowest reactivity level. The absolute count % of the CD4⁺ T-cell significantly increased in four of the five EC-immunized mice compared to the control group (p=0.03). No significant difference in CD8⁺ T-cells % was observed (p=0.89). Conclusion: The inter-individual variation in antigen expression and processing dominance was evident, showing independence in individuals' antigen expression and reactivity levels to antibodies. The described vaccine candidate might result in a promising natural immune response with a possibility of CD4⁺ T-cell early priming.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.1 s.132
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• pp.28-32
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• 2003

In order to search for the anti-HIV agents from natural products, eighty MeOH extracts of medicinal plants were applied to a syncytia formation inhibition assay which is based on the interaction between the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120/gp41 and the cellular membrane protein CD4 of T lymphocytes. Among them, Ailanthus altissima showed a potent virus-cell fusion inhibitory activity. Repeated column chromatoghaphy of the methylene chloride fraction of A. altissima afforded compounds 1$({\beta}-sitosterol-3-O-{\beta}-D-glucoside)$, 2(tetramethoxycoumarin), and 3(ocotillone). Virus-cell fusion inhibitory activity of compound 3(ocotillone) was $70.76{\pm}4.09%$ at the concentration of $100\;{\mu}g/ml$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.2 s.69
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• pp.248-252
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• 2005

The virions of causative virus for white spot syndrome in cultured Fresh shrimp, Penaeus chinensis were rod-shaped, double envelope. An average size of the virion was 70 nm in diameter and $250\~300$ nm in length. Histopathological test of affected stomach, heart, and lymphoid organ revealed nuclear hypertrophy. Infectivity trials carried out by injection and feeding with purified virus revealed high cumulative mortality to healthy shrimp. The twenty one different protein species were detected in the analysis of virion. The length of total DNA from the purified virus particles were detected as a single band, double-stranded DNA molecule of approximately 114 kb.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.421-424
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• 2005

Effect of antibiotics belonging to three different groups, including third generation cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and quinolones, on the outer membrane protein (OMP) profile of Klebsiella pneumoniae was examined. It was found that a new OMP (porins) of 40 kDa molecular mass was expressed in Klebsiella pneumoniae, when grown in the presence of ceftazidime, whereas new proteins with 30 kDa and 22 kDa masses were detected in the presence of ofloxacin. The immunoblot analysis showed that the new proteins of 40 kDa and 30 kDa molecular masses were expressed on the outer envelope, when being exposed to antibiotics ceftazidime and ofloxacin, respectively. This finding is important, as the outer surface comes in contact with the immune system, and therefore may have a bearing on the outcome of the disease.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1769-1771
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• 2010

The envelope glycoprotein E2 of hepatitis C virus (HCV) binds to various cell surface receptors for viral infection. We performed biopanning against this protein and selected peptides from phage display peptide libraries. Two short peptides, pep7-1 and pep12-1, were selected and their ability to inhibit the infection process was investigated. When pep7-1 was present, the infectivity of HCV particles in cell culture was notably decreased. This decrease was demonstrated by Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence assay, and reverse transcription PCR assay. However, pep12-1 showed little inhibitory effect on HCV infection.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2010

Xenotransplantation of pig organs is complicated by the existence of polytropic replication-competent porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV) capable of infecting human cells. Two classes of infectious human-tropic replication-competent PERVs (PERV-A and PERV-B) and one class of ecotropic PERV-C are known. The potential for recombination between ecotropic PERV-C and human-tropic PERVs adds another level of infectious risk. A recombinant PERV-A/C (PERV-A14/220) virus is 500-fold more infectious than PERV-A. Two determinants of this high infectivity was identified; one was isoleucine-to-valine substitution at position 140 in RBD (receptor binding domain), and the other lies within the PRR (proline rich region) of the envelope protein. To examine whether the effects of the cytoplasmic tail of the PERV-C Env on fusogenesity also influences infectivity, we constructed a pseudotype retroviral vectors containing MoMLV core protein and PERV envelopes. Pseudotyping experiments with the PERV envelope glycoproteins indicated that recombinant PERV-A/C virus is 10-fold more infectious than PERV-A by lacZ staining. This result supports the suggestion that viral transduction of PERV-A/C is enhanced by a membrane-proximal cytoplasmic amphiphilic ${\alpha}$-helix in PERV-C Env tail.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.177-187
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• 1999

Ultrastructure of gametes in the three-spine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus aculeatus was observed, utilizing light, scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The egg of three-spine stickleback is spherical and demersal type. The eggs are highly adhesived to each other but not to substrates. There are many oil droplets in vitelline membrane. The outer surface of egg envelope is arranged by mushroom-like structures and pore canals. The egg have a micropyle, sperm entry site, in the area of the animal pole. The egg envelope consists of three layers, an outer layer with high electron density, a middle layer consisting two layers and an inner layer consisting of 16 to 20 layers. In the fertilized egg envelope, the molecular weights of these components ranged from 14 kDa to 205 kDa. The molecular weights of nam protein bands are 19.4 kDa, 36.7 KDa, 39.4 kDa, 42.9 kDa, 46.1 kDa and 53.0 kDa. The head of spermatozoa is spherical shape and the acrosome is absent. The mitochondria in midpiece are arranged from one to three layers and separated from the axoneme by the cytoplasmic canal. The tail has two lateral fins and the axoneme is of the 9+2 structure.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2001

Background: Hepatitis C virus(HCV), a family of Flaviviridae, has a host cell-derived envelope containing a positive-stranded RNA genome, and has been known as the maj or etiological agent for chronic hepatitis, hepatic cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. There remains a need to dissect a molecular mechanism of pathogenesis for the development of therapeutic and effective preventive measure for HCV. Identification of cellular receptor is of central importance not only to understand the viral pathogenesis, but also to exploit strategies for prevention of HCV. This study was aimed at identifying peptide mimotopes inhibiting the binding of E2 protein of HCV to MOLT-4 cell. Methods: In this study, phage peptide library displaying a random peptides consisting of 7 or 12 random peptides was employed in order to pan against E2 protein. Free HCV particles were separated from the immune complex forms by immunoprecipitation using anti-human IgG antibody, and used for HCV-capture ELISA. To identify the peptides inhibiting E2-binding to MOLT-4 cells, E2 protein was subj ect to bind to MOLT-4 cells under the competition with phage peptides. Results: Several phage peptides were selected for their specific binding to E2 protein, which showed the conserved sequence of SHFWRAP from 3 different peptide sequences. They were also able to recognize the HCV particles in the sera of HCV patients captured by monoclonal antibody against E2 protein. Two of them, showing peptide sequence of HLGPWMSHWFQR and WAPPLERSSLFY respectively, were revealed to inhibit the binding of E2 protein to MOLT-4 cell efficiently in dose dependent mode. However, few membrane-associated receptor candidates were seen using Fasta3 programe for homology search with these peptides. Conclusion: Phage peptides containing HLGPWMSHWFQR and WAPPLERSSLFY respectively, showed the inhibition of E2-binding to MOLT-4 cells. However, they did not reveal any homologues to cellular receptors from GenBank database. In further study, cellular receptor could be identified through the screening of cDNA library from MOLT-4 or hepatocytes using antibodies against these peptide mimotopes.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 1997

The truncated $E1_{192-283}$ and $E2_{384-649}$ genes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) linked to the gene for glutathione S-transferase (GST) were constructed and their expressions were analyzed. The $GST-E1_{192-283}$ fusion gene overexpressed the fusion protein in E. coli as a soluble form, while the $GST-E1_{192-383}$ plasmid did not express expected fusion protein. The purified $GST-E1_{192-283}$ fusion protein was efficiently cleaved by thrombin. More than 90% pure, HCV $E1_{192-283}$ protein was obtained by GST-agarose chromatography. The truncated $GST-E2_{384-649}$ fusion gene expressed the fusion protein mainly as an insoluble form, whereas the $GST-E2_{384-740}$ did not express the fusion protein. The truncated $GST-E1_{182-283}$ and $GST-E2_{384-649}$ fusion proteins reacted specifically with an HCV patient serum. In addition, mice immunized with either the purified $E1_{192-283}$ or $GST-E2_{384-649}$ proteins generated specific antibodies to each antigen. The results suggested that hydrophobic carboxyl portions of the E1 and E2 proteins might affect expression levels as well as the solubility of each fusion protein in bacteria. Also, the truncated E1 protein with Tyr-192 to Ser-283 contained antigenic epitope(s) which could be specifically recognized by an HCV patient serum.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.368-373
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• 2021

The vertebrate genome contains an endogenous retrovirus that has been inherited from the past millions of years. Although approximately 8% of human chromosomal DNA consists of sequences derived from human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) fragments, most of the HERVs are currently inactive and noninfectious due to recombination, deletions, and mutations after insertion into the host genome. Several studies suggested that Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) factors are significantly related to certain cancers. However, only limited studies have been conducted to analyze the expression of HERV derived elements at protein levels in certain cancers. Herein, we analyzed the expression profiles of HERV-K envelope (Env) and HERV-R Env proteins in eleven different kinds of cancer tissues. Furthermore, the expression patterns of both protein and correlation with various clinical data in each tissue were analyzed. The expressions of both HERV-K Env and HERV-R Env protein were identified to be significantly high in most of the tumors compared with normal surrounding tissues. Correlations between HERV Env expressions and clinical investigations varied depending on the HERV types and cancers. Overall expression patterns of HERV-K Env and HERV-R Env proteins were different in every individual but a similar pattern of expressions was observed in the same individual. These results demonstrate the expression profiles of HERV-K and HERV-R Env proteins in various cancer tissues and provide a good reference for the association of endogenous retroviral Env proteins in the progression of various cancers. Furthermore, the results elucidate the relationship between HERV-Env expression and the clinical significance of certain cancers.