HIV is commonly caused to a very complicated disease which has not any recognized vaccine, so designing and development of novel antiretroviral agents with specific application of nanomedicine is a globally interested research subject worldwide. In the current study, a novel structure of silver complexes with anionic linear globular dendrimer was synthesized, characterized and then assessed against HIV replication pathway in vitro as well. The results showed a very good yield of synthesis (up to 70%) for the nano-complex as well as a very potent significant (P < 0.05) antiretroviral activity with non-severe toxic effects in comparison with the Nevirapine as standard drug in positive control group. According to the present data, silver anionic linear globular dendrimers complex may have a promising future to inhibit replication of HIV viruse in clinical practice.
Background:Occult Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is defined as the presence of HBV-DNA in the liver or serum with undetectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Hemodialysis (HD) patients are at risk of acquiring parenterally transmitted infections.Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of OBI in HD patients.Patients and Methods:A hundred HBsAg negative HD patients were included in this study from main dialysis units in Tehran, Iran. HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and liver enzymes levels were examined in all subjects. The presence of HBV-DNA was determined in plasma samples using real-time PCR.Results:A hundredpatients with a mean age of 58.5 ± 16.1 years were enrolled in this study. In total, 56.7% were male and 43.3% female. Anti-HBs, anti-HBc, anti-HCV and anti-HIV were detected in 56.7%, 2%, 5.2% and 1% of patients, respectively. Isolated anti-HBc was detected in 2% of cases. HBV-DNA was detected in 1% of HBsAg negative patients.Conclusions:This study showed a low rate of isolated anti-HBc and occult HBV infection in HD patients. It can be due to improvement of people’s knowledge about HBV transmission routes, HBV vaccination of HD patients and regular surveillance of HBV infection.
GB virus C (GBV-C) infection is frequent in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to similar transmission routes of these viruses. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of infection and genotypic characteristics of GBV-C in this population. The presence of GBV-C RNA was determined in serum samples of 106 patients infected with HIV by reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction. GBV-C genotypes were determined by direct sequencing. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, HIV viral load and CD4(+) count were also tested in all patients. The overall prevalence of GBV-C infection was 11.3% in HIV patients. There was no significant difference between patients with and without GBV-C infection regarding age, sex, route of transmission, viral load, ALT levels, HBV and HCV co-infection and treatment with antiretroviral drugs. 66.7% of patients with GBV-C had a CD4(+) count > or = 200 and 33.3% had a CD4(+) count < 200 cells/mm(3). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all GBV-C isolates were genotype 2, and classified as subtype 2a. GBV-C infection is relatively common in patients infected with HIV. The prevailing GBV-C genotype 2a in this study group concurred with reports from other parts of the Middle East.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a serious global health burden. There is no effective vaccine against HCV and new direct acting antivirals (DAAs) are so expensive and virtually unavailable to the public. Therefore, seeking for therapeutic or prophylactic vaccines is exigent and reliever. METHODS: The secondary and tertiary structures of the recombinant Core-NS3 (rC-N) fusion protein of HCV and its B and T-cells epitopes were evaluated with bioinformatics software. Cloning and in vitro expression of rC-N were performed by pET24a(+) and E.coli BL21-DE3 expression host, respectively. The recombinant protein purifi cation was done by affi nity chromatography method and then identifi ed by Western blotting using anti-His monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: The sequences of rC-N protein consist of 1-118 amino acid parts of Core and 1095-1384 amino acids of NS3 were connected by a fl exible linker (AAY) with proteasome cleavable site. The expressed and purifi ed 46.7292 kDa rC-N protein had antigenic value up to threshold and conservancy found in this chimeric protein. Ramchandran Plot analysis represented that most residues were fallen in favourable regions. It also interacted with both type I and II major histocompatibility complex (MHC I, II) molecules. The rC-N had antigenic behaviour to create T cell responses. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that conserved rC-N protein had the ability to induce T-cell-mediated immune responses and it could be utilized as a therapeutic vaccine candidate against HCV (Tab. 3, Fig. 4, Ref. 40). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.
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