Influenza A virus (IAV) matrix protein 2 (M2) is among the smallest bona fide, hence extensively studied, ion channel proteins. The M2 ion channel activity is not only essential for virus replication, but also involved in modulation of cellular homeostasis in a variety of ways. It is also the target for ion channel inhibitors, i.e., anti-influenza drugs. Thus far, several studies have been cond...

BACKGROUND Permanent antigenic variation of influenza viruses causes a major concern to develop an effective human influenza vaccine. Conserved antigens are new vaccine candidates because it is not necessary to match the prepared vaccine with circulating strains. Ion channel M2 protein is conserved among all influenza A viruses, allowing the virus to enter host cells. OBJECTIVES To prepare an...

activated macrophages have been classified into classical (m1) and alternative (m2) macrophages. we aimed to establish a method to yield enough number of macrophages to analyze their molecular, biological and immunological functions. we used drugs; adjuvant albumin from chicken egg whites—imject alum (ova- alum) and ova complete freund adjuvant (ova-cfa), to induce macrophages to m2 and m1 resp...

Ribonucleotide reducÃ-ase (RR) is a rate-limiting enzyme in DNA syn thesis. The enzyme consists of two subunits, Ml and M2. Hydroxyurea (III ) is an M2-specific inhibitor. It has been shown that a I II'-résistant clone derived from stepwise exposure to HU overexpresses the M2 mRNA and the RR protein (Y. Yen et al, Cancer Res., 54: 3868-3691, 1994). In this study, we established stable clones b...

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) protein M2-1 functions as an essential transcriptional cofactor of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex by increasing polymerase processivity. M2-1 is a modular RNA binding protein that also interacts with the viral phosphoprotein P, another component of the RdRp complex. These binding properties are related to the core region of M2-1 encompass...

Many viruses utilize host ESCRT proteins for budding; however, influenza virus budding is thought to be ESCRT-independent. In this study we have found a role for the influenza virus M2 proton-selective ion channel protein in mediating virus budding. We observed that a highly conserved amphipathic helix located within the M2 cytoplasmic tail mediates a cholesterol-dependent alteration in membran...

Changes in influenza viruses require regular reformulation of strain-specific influenza vaccines. Vaccines based on conserved antigens provide broader protection. Influenza matrix protein 2 (M2) is highly conserved across influenza A subtypes. To evaluate its efficacy as a vaccine candidate, we vaccinated mice with M2 peptide of a widely shared consensus sequence. This vaccination induced antib...

BACKGROUND A thymine/cytosine point mutation in the MSP I restriction site of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) has been linked to susceptibility to smoking-related cancers and is reported to result in increased enzyme activity. Therefore, we sought to determine whether allelic variation of CYP1A1 is associated with protein expression and protein activity in pterygium. METHODS We collected 150 pte...