Is the human papillomavirus DNA present in penile warts?

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) has been established to be a sexually transmitted disease, with a potential risk of intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive cancer, function of the genotype involved. Scraped cells from lesions of 27 men establishing various types of penile warts were investigated by PCR for HPV DNA detection. Twenty patients (76.9%) were found to have an HPV infection. By RFLP genotyping of only 13 samples, 4 HPV16. 2 HPV6 and 7 HPV ND infections were determined. Comments about these cases, in correlation with other factors are presented. The findings in this study confirmed the HPV involvement in penile warts.

UV-A and PUV-A action on Sendai virus HN glycoprotein.

The UV-A and PUV-A treatments were applied on the Sendai virus and the changes of the biological properties of HN surface glycoprotein were monitorized. Under the UV-A action the HA and NA activities are inhibited in a dose-correlated way. When the irradiation was done in the presence of a photoreagent (8-MOP) the HA activity remained unchanged, but the enzymic activity was affected. The possible mechanisms of these inhibition processes are discussed.

Human papillomavirus and human cytomegalovirus DNAs presence in patients suspected of condylomatosis or papillomatosis.

17 samples of total cell DNA isolated from cervical smears from women suspected of condyloma or papilloma were analysed by PCR with appropriate primers, in order to establish the presence of viral DNAs (HPV and/or HCMV). HPV DNA was found in seven cases, and so was for HCMV DNA. Only in three cases a coinfection was present. The RFLP allowed to specify the involvement of HPV6 in 3 cases suspected of condyloma and in one suspected of papilloma; the other three HPV positive samples had another genotype, which we could not determine by the methods used.

Transformation of Escherichia coli cells by pH 2.3 plasmid DNA treated with psoralens plus near-UV light.

The effect of two psoralens, 8-methoxypsoralen (8MOP) and angelicin (ANG), plus near-UV (PUVA) on the transformation capacity of pH 2.3 plasmid DNA on Escherichia coli was studied. Under identical experimental conditions the 8MOP linking to plasmid DNA drastically decreased its transformation capacity compared with the ANG linking. In the case of 8MOP, the decrease depends on the UV dose, as well as on the molar ratios of psoralen and DNA nucleotides. When the effect of short-wavelength UV (UVB) was tested, the higher the molar ratios, the more the combined effects of PUVA and UVB were negative.

Cellular effects induced by some synthetic prostaglandins obtained at ICCF-Bucharest.

Four prostaglandin compounds synthetized at ICCF [chloprostenol triacetate (a), the isopropylic ester of the chloprostenol analogue (b), a PGA2 sulprostone analogue (c) and a PGE2 analogue (d)] were tested with respect to the cytotoxic effect, by successive studies on chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) and on human cells (HeLa). It was established that (b) and (d) display a high cytotoxicity, while (a) and (c) were relatively well tolerated by the cell layer. The spectrofluorometric determinations showed that these drugs did not induce modifications at the cell membrane level. The treatment with 4 micrograms/ml PGs (a) and (c) of HeLa cells inoculated with Sendai virus produced a significant decrease of TCID50/ml 24 hrs after drug introduction into the culture medium, from 10(6.5) to 10(4.5) and to 10(3.25), respectively.

Clinical and epidemiological correlations between the infection with HPV 16 and HPV 18 and female cervical lesions.

A number of 66 specimens from female cervical lesions were examined for infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, and 18 by nucleic acid hybridization in dot-blot techniques and 35 sera were tested by the immunodot-blot technique, in order to detect the presence of anti E4 and E7 HPV protein antibodies. The findings were compared with the histologic diagnosis. Fifty-six per cent of specimens contained HPV DNA sequences. In 47% of specimens from cervical carcinoma, HPV 11 was detected in 4 cases, HPV 16 in 21 cases, and HPV 18 in 7 cases. Serum antibodies against HPV 16 E4 and HPV 16 E7 occurred in all the cases of uterine carcinoma, in 4 of 10 cases of CIN I-II, and in 3 of 5 sera obtained from apparently healthy women. The analysis of risk factors disclosed the early onset of sexual activity, a relatively high number of births and abortions before the age of 22 years, the use of oral oestroprogestative contraceptive agents, the presence in anamnesis of genital infections with bacterial flora--Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma, etc. Our results showed that HPV typing by nucleic acid hybridization was useful for differentiating low- from high-risk cervical lesions and also tried to elucidate the risk factors associated with HPV infections and progression to malignancy.

Presence of papillomavirus infections in genital lesions of women in Romania.

This study is aimed at establishing the presence of HPV infection in Romania, in women with various benign or malignant anogenital lesions. A number of 76 tissue samples were investigated by nucleic acid hybridization in the dot-blot techniques for identifying the HPVs presence and their serotypes and 35 sera were tested by the immunodot-blot technique in order to detect the presence of antiHPV16 E6 and E7 proteins antibodies. The results obtained suggest the incidence of HPV16 infection is high not only in persons with different tumours or other anogenital lesions (approximately 585), but also in apparently healthy women (3 of 4 cases).

Nucleic acid dot blot hybridization with fragmented digoxygenin labelled probes in human papillomavirus DNA screening.

Twenty human genital tissue samples from patients with different premalignant and malignant lesions were investigated by nucleic acid hybridization, using the dot blot technique. Molecular probes of various length--whole or fragmented papillomavirus genome--were digoxygenin-labelled. Human papillomavirus 16 DNA was identified in fifteen cases, well correlated with the clinical diagnosis. Fragments of papillomavirus genome proved to be efficient probes in nucleic acid hybridization as compared with the whole genome used for the same purpose.

Identification of antibodies against human papillomavirus type 16 E4 and E7 proteins in sera of patients with cervical neoplasias.

Sera from 35 women (patients with various clinical diagnosis: cervical dysplasia, benign and malignant tumors of the uterine cervix) were tested by immunodot blot for the presence of antibodies to E4 and E7 HPV16 proteins. A number of 26 sera displayed positivities for at least one antibody type. The mean absorbance for anti-E antibody in positive cases was higher in cancer patients (15 from 16 sera) as compared with other diagnoses (2 from 5 in dysplasia or one from 4 in uterine fibroma). Interestingly, most sera were reactive for both proteins. The high prevalence rates and high absorbance values for HPV16 E7 antibodies in association with malignant transformation suggest that the detection of these antibodies may be a useful diagnostic aid for cervical cancer--associated HPV16.

[Detection of polynucleotide fragments using hybridization with probes labelled with digoxigenin]. / Mise en évidence de fragments polynucléotidiques par hybridation avec des sondes marquées à la digoxygénine.

A new nonradioactive system for labeling molecular probes, using digoxygenine, was studied. Detection of ADN-ADN type hybrids formed on a nylon membrane was realised photochemically or by ELISA, dot-blot or Southern-blot. The high sensitivity and specificity of this new system allow to use it for detection of amounts of ADN as small as 5 ng.

[The detection of human papillomaviruses in histological preparations by using dot-blot hybridization]. / Détection des papillomavirus humains sur des préparations histologiques à l'aide de l'hybridation dot-blot.

The 56 tissue samples were obtained from female patients with anogenital tumors, benign or malign, subsequently confirmed through pathomorphological analysis. The investigations were aimed at the discovering of HPV presence using hybridization techniques with biotinylated molecular probes and monitorisation through enzymatic reaction. The presence of ADN types 11, 16 and 18 was detected on about 52% of all the cases; the ADN HPV incidence was 57% among the patients with a neoplasm and/or cervix uteri papillomatosis diagnosis.

[Early anti-HPV 16 protein antibodies in patients with anogenital tumors]. / Anticorps anti-protéines HPV 16 précoces chez des malades atteintes de tumeurs anogénitales.

A study was worked out in female patients with anogenital tumors and in apparently healthy women, aimed at the detection of antibodies against E4 and E7 HPV 16 proteins. As regards the detection of HPV 16 infection, the DNA hybridization and Western-blot results were in good agreement. The HPV 16 infection was detected in a relatively high number of the patients (17 out of 24) and of the apparently healthy women using Western blot.

[Unconventional culture of the human hepatitis B virus (HBV)]. / Culture non conventionnelle du virus de l'hépatite humaine B (VHB).

The investigation of the key stages of the HBV vital cycle was realised recently through an unconventional cultivation technique, using transfection with an adequate DNA, cloned in plasmids. Transfections was achieved in cell lines, differentiated or not. The results showed that expression of some of the HBV genes is under the control of hepatospecific factors.

[The electrophoresis of biotinylated nucleic acids]. / Electrophorèse des acides nucléiques biotinylés.

A simple and rapid method was worked out to evaluate the biotinylation level of the pBR322 and pSVK1H genetic cloning vectors, using gel electrophoresis. Avidin was used to slow down the migration of biotinylated DNA: the DNA migration speed diminished as the biotinylation level rose, due to DNA complexation. The highest level of biotinylation is characterized by the formation of a biotinylated nucleic acid-avidin complex with no electrophoretical mobility.

Estimation of avidin activity by two methods.

The biological activity of avidin was estimated by two different methods. The spectrophotometric method used the avidin titration with biotin in the presence of 4 hydroxiazobenzen-2'carboxilic acid as indicator. In the radioisotopic determination the titration with tritiated biotin was accomplished. Both methods led to the same results, but the spectrophotometric one is less avidin expensive and more rapid, being more convenient.

Cationic anticancer drugs and their modes of action.

This report focuses on two groups of cationic cancerostatics, anthracycline antibiotics and 1,4-benzoquinone-guanylhydrazone-thiosemicarbazone (ambazone), lining up biophysical and biochemical effects on the level of membranes and membrane constituents. The interaction of both drugs with multilamellar liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine used as a simple model membrane system could be ensured by means of steady state and nanosecond time-resolved fluorometric investigations. The biochemical effect on membranes is underlined by the inhibition of the neuraminidase activity of the Sendai virus, modification of the CAMP phosphodiesterase activity of leukemia L 1210 cells of mice and reduction of the lymphocyte blast transformation.

[Research conducted at the Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology of Bucharest in the area of nucleic acids and genetic engineering]. / Recherches conduites à l'Institut de Virologie "Stefan S. Nicolau" de Bucarest dans le domaine des acides nucléiques et du génie génétique.

A brief review is done of some of the most important studies realised by the "Stefan S. Nicolau" Institute researchers in the field of nucleic acids. It is worth mentioning among these the investigations about interactions between nucleic acids and some biologically active substances, the recombinant DNA, as well as the most recent works on DNA-DNA hybridization in the avidine-biotine system.

[The effects of complex platinum compounds on the neuraminidase activity of the Sendai virus]. / Effets de quelques composés complexes du platine sur l'activité de la neuraminidase du virus Sendai.

The effect of di- and tetravalent cis-diaminoplatinum chlorides on Sendai virus envelop HN glycoprotein was investigated. The partial inhibition of neuraminidase activity was greater in the case of the divalent platinum complex derivative.

Some physico-chemical properties of the rigid form of the Sendai virus nucleocapsid.

The effect of some dissociation agents (SDS, beta-mercaptoethanol, urea, EDTA) on the rigid form of the Sendai virus nucleocapsid was studied. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of lytic mixture (1% SDS, 2% beta-mercaptoethanol, 5 M urea, for 2 min at 100 degrees C) revealed two types of polypeptide subunits (mol. wts. 46,000 and 14,000), as well as the dissociation in the presence of 0.1% SDS only. The EDTA treatment leads to a disorganization of the protein part (10(-2) M) or of the nucleocapsid structure (5 x 10(-2) M).

[The protector effect of ribosomal preparations against experimental influenza infection in mice]. / Effet protecteur de quelques préparations ribosomales contre l'infection expérimentale à virus de la grippe chez la souris.

A study was conducted on the protective effect of some ribosomal preparations, isolated from chorionic-allantoic membranes of chicken embryos, infected or not with parainfluenza (Sendai) or influenza (AoPR8) virus, in mice experimentally inoculated with influenza virus strain AoPR8 adapted to the mouse. Results showed that the tested preparation, containing ribosomes and polysomes isolated from chorio-allantoic membranes of Sendai virus inoculated chicken embryos, ensure the mice complete protection against AoPR8 virus, if administrated before the control infection.