Many helicases have a unique ability to couple cognate RNA binding to ATP hydrolysis, which can induce a large conformational change that affects its interaction with RNA, position along RNA, or oligomeric state. A growing number of these helicases contribute to the innate immune system, either as sensors that detect foreign nucleic acids and/or as effectors that directly participate in the cle...

The nucleotide analog 7-deazaguanosine has not previously been reported to possess biological (antiviral or antitumor) properties in cell culture or in vivo. Up to 10(5) U of interferon per ml was detected in mouse sera 1 to 4 h following oral (200-mg/kg of body weight) and intraperitoneal (50-mg/kg) doses of the compound. 7-Deazaguanosine also caused significant activation of natural killer an...

BACKGROUND Compelling data exist that show that normal levels of progranulin (PGRN) are required for successful CNS aging. PGRN production is also modulated by inflammation and infection, but no data are available on the production and role of PGRN during CNS HIV infection. METHODS To determine the relationships between PGRN and HIV disease, neurocognition, and inflammation, we analyzed 107 m...

Milk is thought to be the main source of biologically active compounds for infants, providing antibacterial and antiviral activities, facilitating nutrient absorption, promoting bone growth, enhancing immunological protection and supporting the development of host immune competence. In milk, the main categories of compounds related to antiviral activity through immune stimulation and suppressio...

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with several human cancers. Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) is one of the key viral proteins required for transformation of primary B cells in vitro and establishment of EBV latency. In this report, we show that LMP-1 is able to induce the expression of several interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs) with antiviral properties such as 2'-5' oli...

Limitin has sequence homology with alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) and IFN-beta and utilizes the IFN-alpha/beta receptor. However, it has no influence on the proliferation of normal myeloid and erythroid progenitors. In this study, we show that limitin has antiviral activity in vitro as well as in vivo. Limitin inhibited not only cytopathic effects in encephalomyocarditis virus- or herpes simplex ...

Ledipasvir (LDV; GS-5885), a component of Harvoni (a fixed-dose combination of LDV with sofosbuvir [SOF]), is approved to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Here, we report key preclinical antiviral properties of LDV, including in vitro potency, in vitro resistance profile, and activity in combination with other anti-HCV agents. LDV has picomolar antiviral activity against genotyp...

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a highly complex pathogen which, despite modern prophylactic regimens, continues to affect a high proportion of thoracic organ transplant recipients. The symptomatic manifestations of CMV infection are compounded by adverse indirect effects induced by the multiple immunomodulatory actions of CMV. These include a higher risk of acute rejection, cardiac allograft vasculop...

background and aims: hepatitis c virus is one of the viral infections which is mainly transmitted by blood transfusion. patients with thalassaemia frequently need blood transfusion and are in danger of hcv infection. in most cases of infection (85%) the virus evades the immune system and establishes a chronic infection that may lead to cirrhosis and liver carcinoma. liver is the main site of hc...

brown alga, turbinaria conoides was successively extracted with n-hexane, cyclohexane, methanol and ethanol:water (1:1). the extracts were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activities by disc diffusion method. minimal inhibitory concentration was determined for active extracts by broth dilution method. the antiviral activity and cytotoxicity of the extracts were tested in human embryon...