Sensitivity of hepatitis C virus to cyclosporine A depends on nonstructural proteins NS5A and NS5B

Fiona Fernandes, Daniel S. Poole, Spencer Hoover, Rannveig Middleton, Adin‐Cristian Andrei, Justin Gerstner, Rob Striker – 28 June 2007 – HCV reoccurs after liver transplantation and increases mortality. Cyclosporine, but not tacrolimus, has potent antiviral effects against HCV replication in cell culture. To determine the conditions, if any, under which HCV is susceptible to cyclosporine in vivo, we selected for cyclosporine‐resistant mutant HCV in vitro. The resulting mutations were mapped to x‐ray crystallographic structures and sequence databases.

Sodium retention and ascites formation in a cholestatic mice model: Role of aldosterone and mineralocorticoid receptor?

Daniel Ackermann, David Mordasini, Lydie Cheval, Martine Imbert‐Teboul, Bruno Vogt, Alain Doucet – 27 June 2007 – Renal sodium retention in experimental liver cirrhosis originates from the distal nephron sensitive to aldosterone. The aims of this study were to (1) determine the exact site of sodium retention along the aldosterone‐sensitive distal nephron, and (2) to evaluate the role of aldosterone and mineralocorticoid receptor activation in this process. Liver cirrhosis was induced by bile duct ligation in either adrenal‐intact or corticosteroid‐clamped mice.

Triphasic decline of hepatitis C virus RNA during antiviral therapy

Harel Dahari, Ruy M. Ribeiro, Alan S. Perelson – 27 June 2007 – When patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are placed on antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon (IFN)‐α or IFN‐α plus ribavirin (RBV), HCV RNA generally declines in a biphasic manner. However, a triphasic decline has been reported in a subset of patients. A triphasic decline consists of a first phase (1‐2 days) with rapid virus load decline, followed by a “shoulder phase” (4‐28 days) in which virus load decays slowly or remains constant, and a third phase of renewed viral decay.

Subscribe to