TY - JOUR A1 - Netzer, Kai O. A1 - Schliephake, Andreas A1 - Maurer, Bernd A1 - Watanabe, Rihito A1 - Aguzzi, Adriano A1 - Rethwilm, Axel T1 - Identification of pol-related gene products of human foamy virus N2 - Human foamy viruspol gene fragments were molecularly cloned into a procaryotic expression vector. The expression pattern of the cloned fragments and nucleotide sequence analysis of the 5' pol gene region revealed that in HFV the protease (PR) is located in the pol open reading frame. Purified recombinant proteins were used to generate antibodies in rats. ln immunoblot assay, using infected cells as antigen, a precursor protein with an apparent molecular mass (M,) of 127K was identified by antibodies directed against the reverse transcriptase (RT), RNaseH, or integrase (IN) domeins of pol. With concentrated virus as antigen, the RT and RNaseH antibodies recognized a protein of 80K, the IN antiserum recognized a protein of 40K, and the PR antiserum detected a protein of approximately 10K. KW - Virologie Y1 - 1993 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61429 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Netzer, Kai O. A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - Maurer, Bernd A1 - ter Meulen, Volker T1 - Identification of the major immunogenic structural proteins of human foamy virus N2 - We have identified the major immunogenic structural proteins of the human foamy virus (HFV), a distinct member of the foamy virus subfamily of Retroviridae. Radiolabelied viral proteins were immunoprecipitated from HFV -infected cells by foamy virus antisera of human and non-human primate origin. Precipitated viral proteins were in the range of 31 K to 170K. Labelling of proteins with [\(^{14}\)C]glucosamine or with [\(^{35}\)S]methionine in the presence oftunicamycin, as well as endo-ß-N-acetylglycosaminidase Hand F treatment of [\(^{35}\)S]methionine-labelled proteins, revealed three viral glycoproteins of approximately 170K, 130K and 47K, most likely representing the env gene-encoded precursor, the surface glycoprotein and the transmembrane protein of HFV, respectively. KW - Virologie Y1 - 1990 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61477 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, J. A1 - Krenn, V. A1 - Czub, S. A1 - Schindler, C. A1 - Kneitz, C. A1 - Kerkau, T. A1 - Stahl-Henning, C. A1 - Coulibaly, C. A1 - Hunsmann, G. A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - ter Meulen, Volker A1 - Müller-Hermelink, H. K. T1 - The thymus in SIV infection N2 - no abstract available KW - HIV-Infektion KW - Tierversuch KW - Tiermodell KW - Retroviren-Infektion KW - Kongress KW - Hamburg Y1 - 1993 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-80265 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, J. G. A1 - Krenn, V. A1 - Schindler, C. A1 - Czub, S. A1 - Stahl-Henning, C. A1 - Coulibaly, C. A1 - Hunsmann, G. A1 - Kneitz, C. A1 - Kerkau, Thomas A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - terMeulen, Volker T1 - Alterations of thymus cortical epithelium and interdigitating dendritic cells but no increase of thymocyte cell death in the early course of simian immunodeficiency virus infection N2 - No abstract available Y1 - 1993 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-32583 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Mori, Kazuyasu A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - Schwinn, Andreas A1 - Horak, Ivan T1 - Replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in human t-cells expressing antisense RNA N2 - No abstract available. KW - HIV Y1 - 1990 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-86426 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Maurer, Bernd A1 - Serfling, Edgar A1 - ter Meulen, Volker A1 - Rethwilm, Axel T1 - Transcription factor AP-1 modulates the activity of the human foamy virus long terminal repeat N2 - The human foamy virus (HFV) contains within the UJ region of its long terminal repeat (L TR) three perfect consensus sequences for the binding of the inducible transcription factor AP-1. Results of DNase I footprint protection and gel retardation assays demonstrated that proteins in extracts of HeLa and BHK-21 cells as weil as bacterially expressed Jun and Fos proteins bind to these AP-1 sites. By conducting transient expression assays using chloramphenicol acetyltransferase plasmids carrying LTR sequences with point-mutated AP-1 sites it was found that the three AP-1 sites contribute to the optimal activity ofthe HFV promoter. It is shown that lnduction of the HFV L TR by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and serum factors is mediated through the AP-1 sites. KW - Virologie Y1 - 1991 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61444 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Maurer, B. A1 - Bannert, H. A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - Darai, B. A1 - Flügel, R. M. T1 - Characterization of the env gene and of two novel coding regions of the human spumaretrovirus N2 - Recombinant clones harboring retroviral DNA were established. The nucleotide sequence of the central and 3' region of the genome of the human spumaretrovirus was determined. The 5' end of the deduced protein sequence was homologaus to the endonuclease domain of retroviral reverse transcriptases. A small intergenic region is followed by a lang open reading frame of 985 aminoacid residues that according to its genomic location and structural features is a typical retroviral env gene. Surprisingly, the postenv region contains two open reading frames that encodes two novel retroviral genes, termed bel-l and bel-2. The 3' LTR is 963 nucleotides lang and contains the signal sequences characteristic for transcriptional regulation of retrovirus genomes. KW - Spumaviren Y1 - 1988 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-86334 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lindemann, Dirk A1 - Rethwilm, Axel T1 - Foamy Virus Biology and Its Application for Vector Development JF - Viruses N2 - Spuma- or foamy viruses (FV), endemic in most non-human primates, cats, cattle and horses, comprise a special type of retrovirus that has developed a replication strategy combining features of both retroviruses and hepadnaviruses. Unique features of FVs include an apparent apathogenicity in natural hosts as well as zoonotically infected humans, a reverse transcription of the packaged viral RNA genome late during viral replication resulting in an infectious DNA genome in released FV particles and a special particle release strategy depending capsid and glycoprotein coexpression and specific interaction between both components. In addition, particular features with respect to the integration profile into the host genomic DNA discriminate FV from orthoretroviruses. It appears that some inherent properties of FV vectors set them favorably apart from orthoretroviral vectors and ask for additional basic research on the viruses as well as on the application in Gene Therapy. This review will summarize the current knowledge of FV biology and the development as a gene transfer system. KW - terminal gag domain KW - env leader protein KW - enhance viral transcription KW - subviral particle release KW - cell-cycle dependence KW - foamyviruses KW - retroviral vectors KW - LAD KW - Fanconi Anemia KW - cis-acting sequences KW - dna-binding protein KW - pol messenger-rna KW - reverse-transcriptase KW - gene-expression Y1 - 2011 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-139811 VL - 3 IS - 5 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kincaid, Rodney P. A1 - Chen, Yating A1 - Cox, Jennifer E. A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - Sullivan, Christopher S. T1 - Noncanonical MicroRNA (miRNA) Biogenesis Gives Rise to Retroviral Mimics of Lymphoproliferative and Immunosuppressive Host miRNAs JF - mBio N2 - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play regulatory roles in diverse processes in both eukaryotic hosts and their viruses, yet fundamental questions remain about which viruses code for miRNAs and the functions that they serve. Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) of Old World monkeys and apes can zoonotically infect humans and, by ill-defined mechanisms, take up lifelong infections in their hosts. Here, we report that SFVs encode multiple miRNAs via a noncanonical mode of biogenesis. The primary SFV miRNA transcripts (pri-miRNAs) are transcribed by RNA polymerase III (RNAP III) and take multiple forms, including some that are cleaved by Drosha. However, these miRNAs are generated in a context-dependent fashion, as longer RNAP II transcripts spanning this region are resistant to Drosha cleavage. This suggests that the virus may avoid any fitness penalty that could be associated with viral genome/transcript cleavage. Two SFV miRNAs share sequence similarity and functionality with notable host miRNAs, the lymphoproliferative miRNA miR-155 and the innate immunity suppressor miR-132. These results have important implications regarding foamy virus biology, viral miRNAs, and the development of retroviral-based vectors. IMPORTANCE Fundamental questions remain about which viruses encode miRNAs and their associated functions. Currently, few natural viruses with RNA genomes have been reported to encode miRNAs. Simian foamy viruses are retroviruses that are prevalent in nonhuman host populations, and some can zoonotically infect humans who hunt primates or work as animal caretakers. We identify a cluster of miRNAs encoded by SFV. Characterization of these miRNAs reveals evolutionarily conserved, unconventional mechanisms to generate small RNAs. Several SFV miRNAs share sequence similarity and functionality with host miRNAs, including the oncogenic miRNA miR-155 and innate immunity suppressor miR-132. Strikingly, unrelated herpesviruses also tap into one or both of these same regulatory pathways, implying relevance to a broad range of viruses. These findings provide new insights with respect to foamy virus biology and vectorology. KW - MIR-155 KW - simian foamy viruses KW - long terminal repeat KW - viral microRNAs KW - RNA KW - infection KW - herpesvirus KW - recognition KW - prediction KW - ortholog Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117216 SN - 2150-7511 VL - 5 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kasang, Christa A1 - Ulmer, Albrecht A1 - Donhauser, Norbert A1 - Schmidt, Barabara A1 - Stich, August A1 - Klinker, Hartwig A1 - Kalluvya, Samuel A1 - Koutsilieri, Eleni A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - Scheller, Carsten T1 - HIV patients treated with low-dose prednisolone exhibit lower immune activation than untreated patients N2 - Background: HIV-associated general immune activation is a strong predictor for HIV disease progression, suggesting that chronic immune activation may drive HIV pathogenesis. Consequently, immunomodulating agents may decelerate HIV disease progression. Methods: In an observational study, we determined immune activation in HIV patients receiving low-dose (5 mg/day) prednisolone with or without highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) compared to patients without prednisolone treatment. Lymphocyte activation was determined by flow cytometry detecting expression of CD38 on CD8(+) T cells. The monocyte activation markers sCD14 and LPS binding protein (LBP) as well as inflammation markers soluble urokinase plasminogen activated receptor (suPAR) and sCD40L were determined from plasma by ELISA. Results: CD38-expression on CD8+ T lymphocytes was significantly lower in prednisolone-treated patients compared to untreated patients (median 55.40% [percentile range 48.76-67.70] versus 73.34% [65.21-78.92], p = 0.0011, Mann-Whitney test). Similarly, we detected lower levels of sCD14 (3.6 μg/ml [2.78-5.12] vs. 6.11 μg/ml [4.58-7.70]; p = 0.0048), LBP (2.18 ng/ml [1.59-2.87] vs. 3.45 ng/ml [1.84-5.03]; p = 0.0386), suPAR antigen (2.17 μg/ml [1.65-2.81] vs. 2.56 μg/ml [2.24-4.26]; p = 0.0351) and a trend towards lower levels of sCD40L (2.70 pg/ml [1.90-4.00] vs. 3.60 pg/ml [2.95-5.30]; p = 0.0782). Viral load in both groups was similar (0.8 × 105 ng/ml [0.2-42.4 × 105] vs. 1.1 × 105 [0.5-12.2 × 105]; p = 0.3806). No effects attributable to prednisolone were observed when patients receiving HAART in combination with prednisolone were compared to patients who received HAART alone. Conclusions: Patients treated with low-dose prednisolone display significantly lower general immune activation than untreated patients. Further longitudinal studies are required to assess whether treatment with low-dose prednisolone translates into differences in HIV disease progression. KW - HIV KW - Prednisolon Y1 - 2012 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-75100 ER -