Project description:Background: Prion diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathies (BSE) are transmissible neurodegenerative diseases which are presumably caused by an infectious conformational isoform of the cellular prion protein. Previous work has provided evidence that in murine prion disease the endogenous retrovirus (ERV) expression is altered in the brain. To determine if prion-induced changes in ERV expression are a general phenomenon we used a non-human primate model for prion disease. Results: Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fasicularis) were infected intracerebrally with BSE-positive brain stem material from cattle and allowed to develop prion disease. Brain tissue from the basis pontis and vermis cerebelli of the six animals and the same regions from four healthy controls were subjected to ERV expression profiling using a retrovirus-specific microarray and quantitative real-time PCR. We could show that Class I gammaretroviruses HERV-E4-1, ERV-9, and MacERV-4 increase expression in BSE-infected macaques. In a second approach, we analysed ERV-K-(HML-2) RNA and protein expression in extracts from the same cynomolgus macaques. Here we found a significant downregulation of both, the macaque ERV-K-(HML-2) Gag protein and RNA in the frontal/parietal cortex of BSE-infected macaques. Conclusions: We provide evidence that dysregulation of ERVs in response to BSE-infection can be detected on both, the RNA and the protein level. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the differential expression of ERV-derived structural proteins in prion disorders. Our findings suggest that endogenous retroviruses may induce or exacerbate the pathological consequences of prion-associated neurodegeneration. Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fasicularis) were infected intracerebrally with BSE-positive brain stem material from cattle and allowed to develop prion disease. Brain tissue from the basis pontis and vermis cerebelli of the six animals and the same regions from four healthy controls were subjected to ERV expression profiling using a retrovirus-specific microarray and quantitative real-time PCR. In a second approach, ERV-K-(HML-2) RNA and protein expression was analysed in extracts from the same cynomolgus macaques.
Project description:The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic was characterized by increased pathogenicity in the elderly due to an early exacerbated innate host response. SARS-CoV is a zoonotic pathogen that entered the human population through an intermediate host like the palm civet. To prevent future introductions of zoonotic SARS-CoV strains and subsequent transmission into the human population, heterologous disease models are needed to test the efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics against both late human and zoonotic isolates. Here we show that both human and zoonotic SARS-CoV strains can infect cynomolgus macaques and resulted in radiological as well as histopathological changes similar to those seen in mild human cases. Viral replication was higher in animals infected with a late human phase isolate compared to a zoonotic isolate. Host responses to the three SARS-CoV strains were similar and only apparent early during infection with the majority of genes associated with interferon signalling pathways.This study characterizes critical disease models in the evaluation and licensure of therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV for human use 4 strains, time course, lungs
Project description:Microarray analysis of PBMC from cynomolgus macaques collected longitudinally over the course of infection with Lassa-Josiah, Lassa-Z132, Lassa-SorombaR, or Lujo viruses (n=3 animals/infection condition). 3 macaques from each group were infected intramuscularly with 10^4 PFU of Lassa-Josiah, Lassa-Z132, Lassa-SorombaR, or Lujo viruses. PBMC were collected at days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 29 (for surviving animals). We performed microarray analysis on PBMC samples using Agilent rhesus macaque arrays on all samples, as well as on PBMC from 3 uninfected animals for use as a control.
Project description:Background: Prion diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathies (BSE) are transmissible neurodegenerative diseases which are presumably caused by an infectious conformational isoform of the cellular prion protein. Previous work has provided evidence that in murine prion disease the endogenous retrovirus (ERV) expression is altered in the brain. To determine if prion-induced changes in ERV expression are a general phenomenon we used a non-human primate model for prion disease. Results: Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fasicularis) were infected intracerebrally with BSE-positive brain stem material from cattle and allowed to develop prion disease. Brain tissue from the basis pontis and vermis cerebelli of the six animals and the same regions from four healthy controls were subjected to ERV expression profiling using a retrovirus-specific microarray and quantitative real-time PCR. We could show that Class I gammaretroviruses HERV-E4-1, ERV-9, and MacERV-4 increase expression in BSE-infected macaques. In a second approach, we analysed ERV-K-(HML-2) RNA and protein expression in extracts from the same cynomolgus macaques. Here we found a significant downregulation of both, the macaque ERV-K-(HML-2) Gag protein and RNA in the frontal/parietal cortex of BSE-infected macaques. Conclusions: We provide evidence that dysregulation of ERVs in response to BSE-infection can be detected on both, the RNA and the protein level. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the differential expression of ERV-derived structural proteins in prion disorders. Our findings suggest that endogenous retroviruses may induce or exacerbate the pathological consequences of prion-associated neurodegeneration.
Project description:Microarray analysis of PBMC from cynomolgus macaques collected longitudinally over the course of infection with Lassa-Josiah, Lassa-Z132, Lassa-SorombaR, or Lujo viruses (n=3 animals/infection condition).
Project description:Infinium 450K is a hybridization array designed for the human genome, but the relative conservation between the macaque and human genomes makes its use in macaques feasible. We used the Infinium450K array to assay twelve Cynomolgus macaque muscle biopsies and compared it to Reduced Representation Bisulphite Sequencing (RRBS) data generated on the same samples. Muscle biopsies were performed on eleven adult male cynomologus macaques
Project description:Infinium 450K is a hybridization array designed for the human genome, but the relative conservation between the macaque and human genomes makes its use in macaques feasible. We used the Infinium450K array to assay twelve Cynomolgus macaque muscle biopsies and compared it to Reduced Representation Bisulphite Sequencing (RRBS) data generated on the same samples. Muscle biopsies were performed on eleven adult male cynomologus macaques