Latest documents http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/index/index/ Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:58:06 +0200 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:58:06 +0200 http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/24274 Aim: Cellular CD81 is a well characterized hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry factor, while the relevance of soluble exosomal CD81 in HCV pathogenesis is poorly defined. We performed a case-control study to investigate whether soluble CD81 in the exosomal serum fraction is associated with HCV replication and inflammatory activity. Patients and Methods: Four cohorts were investigated, patients with chronic hepatitis C (n = 37), patients with chronic HCV infection and persistently normal ALT levels (n = 24), patients with long term sustained virologic response (SVR, n = 7), and healthy volunteers (n = 23). Concentration of soluble CD81 was assessed semi-quantitatively after differential centrifugation ranging from 200 g to 100,000 g in the fifth centrifugation fraction by immunoblotting and densitometry. Results: Soluble CD81 was increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.03) and cured patients (p = 0.017). Patients with chronic HCV infection and persistently normal ALT levels and patients with long term SVR had similar soluble CD81 levels as healthy controls (p>0.2). Overall, soluble CD81 levels were associated with ALT levels (r = 0.334, p = 0.016) and severe liver fibrosis (p = 0.027). Conclusion: CD81 is increased in the exosomal serum fraction in patients with chronic hepatitis C and appears to be associated with inflammatory activity and severity of fibrosis. Martin-Walter Welker; David Reichert; Simone Susser; Christoph Sarrazin; Yolanda Martinez; Eva Herrmann; Stefan Zeuzem; Albrecht Piiper; Bernd Kronenberger article http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/24274 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:58:06 +0200 http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/1031 The potential use of variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox, as a bioweapon and the endemic presence of monkeypox virus in Africa demonstrate the need for better therapies for orthopoxvirus infections. Chemotherapeutic approaches to control viral infections have been less successful than those targeting bacterial infections. While bacteria commonly reproduce themselves outside of cells and have metabolic functions against which antibiotics can be directed, viruses replicate in the host cells using the cells' metabolic pathways. This makes it very difficult to selectively target the virus without damaging the host. Therefore, the development of antiviral drugs against poxviruses has initially focused on unique properties of the viral replication cycle or of viral proteins that can be selectively targeted. However, recent advances in molecular biology have provided insights into host factors that represent novel drug targets. The latest anti-poxvirus drugs are kinase inhibitors, which were originally developed to treat cancer progression but in addition block egress of poxviruses from infected cells. This review will summarize the current understanding of anti-poxvirus drugs and will give an overview of the development of the latest second generation poxvirus drugs. Melanie Kremer; Yasemin Suezer; Yolanda Martinez-Fernandez; Carsten Münk; Gerd Sutter; Barbara S. Schnierle article http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/1031 Wed, 30 May 2007 13:06:20 +0200