Iranian Journal of Virology
Volume:5 Issue: 2, 2011

The latency-associated transcript (LAT) transcribed by latent Herpes Simplex Virus type-1 in neuron cells are able to influence their host cell pathways. While the most of previous studies were focused on anti-apoptotic effects of LAT, our investigation is making an effort to explore LAT potency on cell cycle pathway in neuroblastoma cell lines. The evaluation of LAT expression was assayed by RT-PCR. Real-Time PCR of cell cycle critical gene controllers’ transcripts expression like EP300, P15, RB, RBL1, RBL2, MAPK-1, cyclinA2 and SMAD2 along with other technical evaluation such as MTT and cell counting assay assessed the LAT effects on cell cycle. The LAT transfected cells gene expression showed the increase of EP300, P15, RBL1 and RBL2 along with decline in MAPK-1 and cyclinA2 in comparison to cells transfected by control vector. The cell counting and MTT assays determined that LAT brought cell cycle down rather than cells introduced by control plasmid. our investigation revealed that LAT transcript is able to repress cell cycle in neuroblastoma cells.

Human parvovirus B19, a member of the parvoviridae family, with single-stranded DNA is a very minute non-enveloped virus. B 19 virus is mostly transmitted via the respiratory tract but some studies have been reported which B19 virus can be transmitted through blood and/or blood products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of B19 among blood donors in Tehran. In this cross-sectional study, the collection of samples was performed in Tehran blood transfusion center for a period of 6 months, from March 2005 through August 2006 Sera of 1640 blood donors who were negative for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) anti-B19 using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Then, all of the sera were tested for presence of B19 DNA through semi-nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Out of 1640 blood donors, 8 (0.5%) subjects had IgM antibody thereby being reported positive; 676 subjects (41.2%,) confidential intervals (CIs 95%= 42.7-50) were positive for anti-B19 IgG. B19 DNA was not found in any of the subjects (0%). The result of this study showed that none of the blood donors had detectable parvovirus B19 DNA. This means that there was a very low risk of transmission of parvovirus B19 through blood or blood derived products. It is recommended that more blood samples to be studied specially in high risk groups.

Influenza is one of the main respiratory infections of humans, responsible for 300,000–500,000 annual deaths world-wide. Vaccination is one of the best ways to prevent infections including influenza. Influenza virosomes are virus-like particles, which retain the cell binding and membrane fusion properties of the native virus, but lack the ribonucleoprotein (RNP). A virosomal influenza vaccine has recently been commercially available in Europe (Inflexal V®). The virosome is prepared by membrane solubilization and reconstitution. A new method based on dialyzable detergent has been developed to produce virosomes from an A/H3N2 influenza virus. In this study attempt was made to construct a virosomal nanobioparticle of influenza A/ PR8 (H1N1). The Madine-Darby Canine kidney (MDCK) cell line was cultured and infected with influenza virus strain A/PR8 and the culture media were harvested and the virus was purified by ultracentrifugation and concentrated by ultrafiltration. Purified influenza virus was treated with 1, 2-dicaproyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DCPC) as a solubilizing detergent to resolve the viral envelope. Ribonucleoprotein was sedimented by ultracentrifugation and the supernatant consisting phospholipids and glycoproteins of influenza virus was reconstituted by removal of DCPC using overnight dialysis against Hank's Buffered Saline (HBS) solution. Finally, the empty influenza virus envelope, called virosome, was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The size of these particles was estimated to be 50-100 nm. Virosome has been used as a new vaccine formulation and since it is a nontoxic adjuvant carrier it can be used to improve the present commercialized and new vaccines.

chronic HBV infection is one of the most common viral infections in worldwide which many factors such as genetic factors are involved in pathogenesis of disease. Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and its receptor (INFGR) play a critical role in the immune response to HBV infection. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are effective on level of gene expression, The aim of this study is explore the effect of -56T/C(SNP) located in promoter of gamma interferon receptor1 (INFGR1)gene on chronic HBV infection. Genomic DNA from peripheral blood samples of 150 chronically HBV infected patients and 150 healthy controls was extracted by phenol-chloroform method and DNA analysis and genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP method. According to obtained genotyping and also statistical analysis, it was observed that between the patients and control group a significant difference existed and the genotypes of TC and CC were high in control group compared to the patients group. The host genetic factors can plays an important role in pathogenesis of HBV infection, Genetic variations in INFGR1 was related to several diseases, in this study we surveyed association between -56T/C (SNP) in INFGR1 and chronic HBV infection, the results of our study showed that presence of C and TC alleles in our population is related to decrease risk susceptibility to chronic infection.

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between the hepatitis B virus surface Ag (HBsAg) genotypes and variations in the clinical/serological pictures among HBsAg positive chronic patients from South Khorasan province of Iran. Twenty-five patients were enrolled in this study. The HBs Ag gene was amplified and was directly sequenced. Genotypes and nucleotide/amino acid substitutions were characterized comparing with sequences obtained from the database. A strains belonged to genotype D, subgenotype D1 and subtype ayw2. Eight samples (group I) contained at least one mutation at the single amino acid level. Five out of 8 samples showed ALT levels above the normal range of which only one sample was anti-HBe positive. Group II (17 samples) did not contain any mutation, 4 were anti-HBe positive and 9 had increased ALT levels. In both groups, in anti-HBe positive patients who showed high levels of ALT, only one sample had amino acid mutations. Conversely, 7 of 20 samples with HBeAg positivity had mutations. In both groups, from a total of 18 amino acid mutations, 5 (27.5%) and 13 (72.5%) occurred in anti-HBe and HBeAg positive groups respectively. In general, there was no correlation between the occurrence of mutations and HBeAg status/ALT levels of the patients. The relatively small number of nucleotide/amino acid mutations might belong to either the initial phase (tolerant phase) of chronicity in our patients, regardless of being anti-HBe positive; or that even in anti-HBe positive phase in Iranian genotype D-infected patients, a somehow tolerant pattern due to the host genetic factors may be responsible.