Leptin's Inverse Association with Brain Morphology and Depressive Symptoms - A Discovery and Confirmatory Study Across Two Independent Samples

BACKGROUND

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has a complex, bi-directional relationship with metabolic dysfunction, yet the neural correlates of this association are not well understood.

METHOD

In this cross-sectional investigation, we employed a two-step 'discovery and confirmatory' strategy, utilizing two independent samples (Sample 1: 288 participants, Sample 2: 196 participants) to examine the association between circulating indicators of metabolic health (leptin and adiponectin) and brain structures in individuals with MDD.

RESULTS

We found a replicable inverse correlation between leptin levels and cortical surface area within essential brain areas responsible for emotion regulation, such as the left posterior cingulate cortex, right pars orbitalis, right superior temporal gyrus, and right insula (standardized beta coefficient (SBC) ranged: -0.27 to -0.49, puncorrected <0.05). Notably, this relationship was independent of C-Reactive Protein levels. We also identified a significant interaction effect of leptin levels and diagnosis on the cortical surface area of the right superior temporal gyrus (SBC = 0.26 in sample 1, SBC = 0.30 in sample 2, puncorrected < 0.05). We also observed a positive correlation between leptin levels and atypical depressive symptoms in both MDD groups (r = 0.14 in sample 1, r = 0.29 in sample 2, puncorrected < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The inverse association between leptin and cortical surface area in brain regions that are important for emotion processing and leptin's association with sleep disturbances supports the hypothesis that metabolic processes may be related to emotion regulation. However, the molecular mechanisms through which leptin might exert these effects should be explored further.

Increased expression of ER stress, inflammasome activation, and mitochondrial biogenesis-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in major depressive disorder

A subset of major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by immune system dysfunction, but the intracellular origin of these immune changes remains unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that abnormalities in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, inflammasome activity and mitochondrial biogenesis contribute to the development of systemic inflammation in MDD. RT-qPCR was used to measure mRNA expression of key organellar genes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from 186 MDD and 67 healthy control (HC) subjects. The comparative CT (2-ΔΔCT) method was applied to quantify mRNA expression using GAPDH as the reference gene. After controlling for age, sex, BMI, and medication status using linear regression models, expression of the inflammasome (NLRC4 and NLRP3) and the ER stress (XBP1u, XBP1s, and ATF4) genes was found to be significantly increased in the MDD versus the HC group. After excluding outliers, expression of the inflammasome genes was no longer statistically significant but expression of the ER stress genes (XBP1u, XBP1s, and ATF4) and the mitochondrial biogenesis gene, MFN2, was significantly increased in the MDD group. ASC and MFN2 were positively correlated with serum C-reactive protein concentrations. The altered expression of inflammasome activation, ER stress, and mitochondrial biogenesis pathway components suggest that dysfunction of these organelles may play a role in the pathogenesis of MDD.

Acute Ethanol Modulates Synaptic Inhibition in the Basolateral Amygdala via Rapid NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Regulates Anxiety-Like Behavior in Rats

Chronic alcohol exposure leads to a neuroinflammatory response involving activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and proinflammatory cytokine production. Acute ethanol (EtOH) exposure activates GABAergic synapses in the central and basolateral amygdala (BLA) ex vivo, but whether this rapid modulation of synaptic inhibition is because of an acute inflammatory response and alters anxiety-like behavior in male and female animals is not known. Here, we tested the hypotheses that acute EtOH facilitates inhibitory synaptic transmission in the BLA by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent acute inflammatory response, that the alcohol-induced increase in inhibition is cell type and sex dependent, and that acute EtOH in the BLA reduces anxiety-like behavior. Acute EtOH application at a binge-like concentration (22-44 mm) stimulated synaptic GABA release from putative parvalbumin (PV) interneurons onto BLA principal neurons in ex vivo brain slices from male, but not female, rats. The EtOH facilitation of synaptic inhibition was blocked by antagonists of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the NLRP3 inflammasome, and interleukin-1 receptors, suggesting it was mediated by a rapid local neuroinflammatory response in the BLA. In vivo, bilateral injection of EtOH directly into the BLA produced an acute concentration-dependent reduction in anxiety-like behavior in male but not female rats. These findings demonstrate that acute EtOH in the BLA regulates anxiety-like behavior in a sex-dependent manner and suggest that this effect is associated with presynaptic facilitation of parvalbumin-expressing interneuron inputs to BLA principal neurons via a local NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent neuroimmune response.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Chronic alcohol exposure produces a neuroinflammatory response, which contributes to alcohol-associated pathologies. Acute alcohol administration increases inhibitory synaptic signaling in the brain, but the mechanism for the rapid alcohol facilitation of inhibitory circuits is unknown. We found that acute ethanol at binge-like concentrations in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) facilitates GABA release from parvalbumin-expressing (PV) interneuron synapses onto principal neurons in ex vivo brain slices from male rats and that intra-BLA ethanol reduces anxiety-like behavior in vivo in male rats, but not female rats. The ethanol (EtOH) facilitation of inhibition in the BLA is mediated by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation and proinflammatory IL-1β signaling, which suggests a rapid NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent neuroimmune cascade that plays a critical role in acute alcohol intoxication.

Cocaine and chronic stress exposure produce an additive increase in neuronal activity in the basolateral amygdala

Cocaine addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder. Stress and cues related to cocaine are two common relapse triggers. We have recently shown that exposure to repeated restraint stress during early withdrawal accelerates the time-dependent intensification or "incubation" of cue-induced cocaine craving that occurs during the first month of withdrawal, although craving ultimately plateaus at the same level observed in controls. These data indicate that chronic stress exposure during early withdrawal may result in increased vulnerability to cue-induced relapse during this period. Previous studies have shown that chronic stress exposure in drug-naïve rats increases neuronal activity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a region critical for behavioral responses to stress. Given that glutamatergic projections from the BLA to the nucleus accumbens are critical for the incubation of cue-induced cocaine craving, we hypothesized that cocaine withdrawal and chronic stress exposure produce separate increases that additively increase BLA neuronal activity. To assess this, we conducted in vivo extracellular single-unit recordings from the BLA of anesthetized adult male rats following cocaine or saline self-administration (6 h/day for 10 days) and repeated restraint stress or control conditions on withdrawal days (WD) 6-14. Recordings were conducted from WD15 to WD20. Interestingly, cocaine exposure alone increased the spontaneous firing rate in the BLA to levels observed following chronic stress exposure in drug-naïve rats. Chronic stress exposure during cocaine withdrawal further increased firing rate. These studies may identify a potential mechanism by which both cocaine and chronic stress exposure drive cue-induced relapse vulnerability during abstinence.

Polypharmacy and potential drug-drug interactions for people with HIV in the UK from the Climate-HIV database

Objectives

People with HIV (PWHIV) are likely to need therapies for comorbidities as they age. We assessed risk of drug–drug interactions (DDIs) in PWHIV.

Methods

The Climate‐HIV electronic recording system was used to cross‐sectionally analyse records from PWHIV aged ≥ 18 years attending four UK HIV units with a current antiretroviral (ARV) prescription in February 2018. Antiretroviral and non‐ARV medications were categorized by clinical significance of DDIs (University of Liverpool DDI tool). Potential DDIs were predicted using treatment guidelines for commonly recorded comorbidities.

Results

Among 4630 PWHIV (44% female), 41% were ≥ 50 years old. The average number of non‐ARV comedications increased from < 1 for patients aged ≤ 24 years to > 5 for patients aged ≥ 75 years; 65% were taking one or more non‐ARV comedications. The median (interquartile range) number of non‐ARVs was 1 (0–2) and 2 (1–5) for those aged < 50 and ≥ 50 years, respectively. Common comorbidities/concurrent health conditions occurred more frequently in patients aged ≥ 50 years vs. < 50 (53% vs. 34%). Boosted protease inhibitors were associated with the highest proportion of contraindicated comedications; dolutegravir and raltegravir had the fewest. For non‐ARVs, sildenafil and quetiapine were most likely to result in DDIs. Guideline‐recommended treatments for hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis had the highest proportions of contraindications when combined with ARV regimens, while treatments for hepatitis C, malignancy, and mental health conditions had the highest proportion of combinations potentially causing DDIs requiring dose monitoring or adjustment.

Conclusions

Non‐ARV use by PWHIV is high and increases with age. Treatment decisions for ageing PWHIV should consider guideline recommendations for comorbidities.

Repeated stress induces a pro-inflammatory state, increases amygdala neuronal and microglial activation, and causes anxiety in adult male rats

A link exists between immune function and psychiatric conditions, particularly depressive and anxiety disorders. Psychological stress is a powerful trigger for these disorders and stress influences immune state. However, the nature of peripheral immune changes after stress conflicts across studies, perhaps due to the focus on few measures of pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory processes. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is critical for emotion, and plays an important role in the effects of stress on anxiety. As such, it may be a primary central nervous system (CNS) mediator for the effects of peripheral immune changes on anxiety after stress. Therefore, this study aimed to delineate the influence of stress on peripheral pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory aspects, BLA immune activation, and its impact on BLA neuronal activity. To produce a more encompassing view of peripheral immune changes, this study used a less restrictive approach to categorize and group peripheral immune changes. We found that repeated social defeat stress in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats increased the frequencies of mature T-cells positive for intracellular type 2-like cytokine and serum pro-inflammatory cytokines. Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering was used to guide grouping of T-cells and cytokines, producing unique profiles. Stress shifted the balance towards a specific set that included mostly type 2-like T-cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Within the CNS component, repeated stress caused an increase of activated microglia in the BLA, increased anxiety-like behaviors across several assays, and increased BLA neuronal firing in vivo that was prevented by blockade of microglia activation. Because repeated stress can trigger anxiety states by actions in the BLA, and altered immune function can trigger anxiety, these results suggest that repeated stress may trigger anxiety-like behaviors by inducing a pro-inflammatory state in the periphery and the BLA. These results begin to uncover how stress may recruit the immune system to alter the function of brain regions critical to emotion.

Peripheral anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-10 treatment mitigates interleukin-1β - induced anxiety and sickness behaviors in adult male rats

Pro-inflammatory cytokines produce manifestations of sickness during inflammation, such as malaise and lethargy. They also contribute to effects of inflammation on mood. Anti-inflammatory cytokines counteract damage caused by inflammatory processes and can limit the severity of inflammation. However, very little is known about the role of anti-inflammatory cytokines in sickness and mood changes during immune activation. The purpose of this study was to determine if a prototypical anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 10 (IL-10), can offset sickness behavior and anxiety caused by a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and whether IL-10 itself modifies anxiety. Rodent models of sickness display suppression of behavioral activity that may reflect lethargy or malaise, while models of anxiety display reduced exploration in several tasks. The effects of peripheral single dose of cytokines on open field exploration, social interaction and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were measured at 30-50 min post-treatment. The prototypical pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β (1 μg, i.p.) caused a decrease in locomotor activity indicative of sickness behavior, but disproportionately reduced central area exploration in the open field, open arm exploration in the EPM and lowered social interaction. IL-10 (1 μg, i.p.) had no effect on locomotor activity, but itself produced anxiety-like behavior in the open field and EPM. However, rats co-treated with both IL-10 and IL-1β showed locomotor activity, open field, social interaction and EPM behaviors very similar to control groups. This data demonstrate that IL-10 is capable of mitigating the sickness and anxiogenic effects caused by IL-1β, but that immune imbalance toward either a pro-inflammatory or an anti-inflammatory state can produce anxiety. This has importance for understanding the scope of immune changes that produce psychiatric symptoms, and provides preliminary indication that anti-inflammatory cytokines may be potentially useful in treatment of anxiety induced by inflammatory conditions.

Effects of Peripheral Immune Challenge on In Vivo Firing of Basolateral Amygdala Neurons in Adult Male Rats

Peripheral inflammation often causes changes in mood and emergence of depressive behavior, and is characterized by a group of physical manifestations including lethargy, malaise, listlessness, decreased appetite, anhedonia, and fever. These behavioral changes are induced at the molecular level by pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a key brain region involved in mood and may mediate some of the behavioral effects of inflammation. However, it is unknown whether peripheral inflammatory state affects the activity of BLA neurons. To test this, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with IL-1β (1 μg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)), and behavioral and electrophysiological measures were obtained. IL-1β reduced locomotion in the open-field test and also reduced home-cage mobility, consistent with features of sickness-like behavior. Using in vivo single-unit extracellular electrophysiological recordings from anesthetized rats, we found that spontaneous BLA neuronal firing was acutely (<30 min) increased after IL-1β, followed by a return to baseline level, particularly in the basal nucleus of the BLA complex. To verify and expand on effects of peripheral inflammation, we tested whether another, long-lasting inflammagen also changes BLA neuronal firing. Lipopolysaccharide (250 μg/kg, i.p.) increased BLA firing rate acutely (<30 min) and persistently. The findings demonstrate a rapid effect of peripheral inflammation on BLA activity and suggest a link between BLA neuronal firing and triggering of behavioral consequences of peripheral inflammation. These findings are a first step toward understanding the neuronal basis of depressive behavior caused by acute peripheral inflammation.

Cytoprotective small molecule modulators of endoplasmic reticulum stress

Cellular health depends on the normal function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to fold, assemble, and modify critical proteins to maintain viability. When the ER cannot process proteins effectively, a condition known as ER stress ensues. When this stress is excessive or prolonged, cell death via apoptotic pathways is triggered. Interestingly, most major diseases have been shown to be intimately linked to ER stress, including diabetes, stroke, neurodegeneration, and many cancers. Thus, controlling ER stress presents a significant strategy for drug development for these diseases. The goal of this review is to present various small molecules that alleviate ER stress with the intention that they may serve as useful starting points for therapeutic agent development.

Impaired Cerebrovascular Reactivity Predicts Recurrent Symptoms in Patients with Carotid Artery Occlusion: A Hypercapnia BOLD fMRI Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A key factor in predicting recurrent ischemic episodes in patients with carotid artery occlusion is the presence of hemodynamic impairment. There is, however, no consensus on how to best assess this risk in terms of imaging modalities or thresholds used. Here we investigated whether a predefined threshold of hemispheric asymmetry in hypercapnia fMRI predicts recurrent symptoms in patients with carotid artery occlusion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We studied 23 patients (2 women) with a mean age of 67.5 ± 9 years. Patients were assessed for recurrent ischemic events until lost to follow-up, study end, death, or recurrent ischemic event. Hypercapnia fMRI was used to assess the cerebrovascular reserve and quantify the percentage signal change in GM in the MCA territory and the hemispheric asymmetry index. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests were performed to assess differences between patients with normal or abnormal hemispheric indices.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 20 months. During this period, 8 patients experienced recurrent events, and 15 did not. The percentage signal change in GM in the MCA territory was significantly decreased in those patients with recurrent events compared with those without (2.39 ± 0.22 versus 2.70 ± 0.42, P = .032). The normal hemispheric index predicted event-free survival during follow-up (median, 20 months) for both the combined outcome (recurrent events and/or death, log-rank, P = .034) and recurrent retinal or ipsilateral ischemic events only (log-rank, P = .012).

CONCLUSIONS

The hemispheric asymmetry index derived from hypercapnia fMRI showed hemodynamic impairment in more than half of the studied patients with carotid occlusion, and those patients showed a higher risk of recurrent ischemic symptoms.

Mild mitochondrial metabolic deficits by α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase inhibition cause prominent changes in intracellular autophagic signaling: Potential role in the pathobiology of Alzheimer's disease

Brain activities of the mitochondrial enzyme α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC) are reduced in Alzheimer's disease and other age-related neurodegenerative disorders. The goal of the present study was to test the consequences of mild impairment of KGDHC on the structure, protein signaling and dynamics (mitophagy, fusion, fission, biogenesis) of the mitochondria. Inhibition of KGDHC reduced its in situ activity by 23-53% in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, but neither altered the mitochondrial membrane potential nor the ATP levels at any tested time-points. The attenuated KGDHC activity increased translocation of dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp1) and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) from the cytosol to the mitochondria, and promoted mitochondrial cytochrome c release. Inhibition of KGDHC also increased the negative surface charges (anionic phospholipids as assessed by Annexin V binding) on the mitochondria. Morphological assessments of the mitochondria revealed increased fission and mitophagy. Taken together, our results suggest the existence of the regulation of the mitochondrial dynamism including fission and fusion by the mitochondrial KGDHC activity via the involvement of the cytosolic and mitochondrial protein signaling molecules. A better understanding of the link among mild impairment of metabolism, induction of mitophagy/autophagy and altered protein signaling will help to identify new mechanisms of neurodegeneration and reveal potential new therapeutic approaches.

Alamar blue reagent interacts with cell-culture media giving different fluorescence over time: potential for false positives

INTRODUCTION

The cell viability assay by alamar blue is based on the principle of reduction of the non-fluorescent reagent (resazurin) to a fluorescent compound (resarufin) by the intracellular reducing environment of living cells over time. In the present study, we have for the first time shown that even in the absence of cells, there occurs significant interaction between alamar blue and cell-culture media causing an increase in fluorescence.

METHODS

We have used Opti-MEM, DMEM and 1:1 DMEM:Opti-MEM as three different media and determined the changes in their relative fluorescence units (RFUs) over time after the addition of 10% (v/v) alamar blue using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.

RESULTS

Our results show that upon the addition of alamar blue, there occurs a significant increase in RFUs in all the three media over time along with a significantly higher RFU for the Opti-MEM overall (p<0.05). We also show that the time-dependent change in RFU of 1:1 DMEM:Opti-MEM was more gradual compared to that of the other two media.

DISCUSSION

These findings indicate that the reagent can itself interact with the media causing significantly different fluorescence over time in a manner independent from the effect of intracellular reducing environment of living cells on alamar blue. In addition our results indicate that fluorescence varies as a function of incubation time with the reagent. These findings signify the need for routine subtraction of the background fluorescence of media-only with alamar blue reagent during measurement of cell viability by this method in order to determine an accurate measurement of cell viability.

Large scale production of recombinant mouse and rat growth hormone by fed-batch GS-NSO cell cultures

Investigations of biological effects of prolonged elevation of growth hormone in animals such as mice and rats require large amounts of mouse and rat growth hormone (GH) materials. As an alternative to scarce and expensive pituitary derived materials, both mouse and rat GH were expressed in NSO murine myeloma cells transfected with a vector containing the glutamine synthetase (GS) gene and two copies of mouse or rat GH cDNA. For optimal expression, the mouse GH vector also contained sequences for targeting integration by homologous recombination. Fed-batch culture processes for such clones were developed using a serum-free, glutamine-free medium and scaled up to 250 L production scale reactors. Concentrated solutions of proteins, amino acids and glucose were fed periodically to extend cell growth and culture lifetime, which led to an increase in the maximum viable cell concentration to 3.5×10(9) cells/L and an up to 10 fold increase in final mouse and rat rGH titers in comparison with batch cultures. For successful scale up, similar culture environmental conditions were maintained at different scales, and specific issues in large scale reactors such as balancing oxygen supply and carbon dioxide removal, were addressed. Very similar cell growth and protein productivity were obtained in the fed-batch cultures at different scales and in different production runs. The final mouse and rat rGH titers were approximately 580 and 240 mg/L, respectively. During fed-batch cultures, the cell growth stage transition was accompanied by a change in cellular metabolism. The specific glucose consumption rate decreased significantly after the transition from the growth to stationary stage, while lactate was produced in the exponential growth stage and became consumed in the stationary stage. This was roughly coincident with the beginning of ammonia and glutamate accumulation at the entry of cells into the stationary stage as the result of a reduced glutamine consumption and periodic nutrient additions.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction during Brain Aging: Role of Oxidative Stress and Modulation by Antioxidant Supplementation

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are two interdependent and reinforcing damage mechanisms that play a central role in brain aging. Oxidative stress initiated and propagated by active oxyradicals and various other free radicals in the presence of catalytic metal ions not only can damage the phospholipid, protein and DNA molecules within the cell but can also modulate cell signalling pathways and gene expression pattern and all these processes may be of critical importance in the aging of brain. The present article describes the mechanism of formation of reactive oxyradicals within mitochondria and then explains how these can initiate mitochondrial biogenesis program and activate various transcriptional factors in the cytosol to boost up the antioxidative capacity of the mitochondria and the cell. However, a high level of oxidative stress finally inflicts critical damage to the oxidative phosphorylation machinery and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The latter part of the article is a catalogue showing the accumulating evidence in favour of oxidative inactivation of mitochondrial functions in aged brain and the detailed reports of various studies with antioxidant supplementation claiming variable success in preventing the age-related brain mitochondrial decay and cognitive decline. The antioxidant supplementation approach may be of potential help in the management of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease. The newly developed mitochondria-targeted antioxidants have brought a new direction to experimental studies related to oxidative damage and they may provide potential drugs in near future for a variety of diseases or degenerative conditions including brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders.

A new self-tuned PID-type fuzzy controller as a combination of two-term controllers

The present paper is a venture into the domain of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) -type adaptive fuzzy logic controllers (FLC's) and proposes a new algorithm which is realized by a self-tuned PI-type FLC (in velocity form) in parallel with a self-tuned PD-type FLC (in position form). Each of these PI/PD controllers implements a supervisory static FLC for adaptive online modification of the output scaling factor (SF) of a static PI/PD FLC. The proposed scheme is developed with a view to having a PID-type FLC with an architecture, simple enough for practical implementation, which at the same time has substantially satisfactory performance for a wide class of processes. Simulation studies on a range of processes reveal that the proposed controller has better performance compared to many of its existing counterparts.

Crystal structure of Escherichia coli UDPMurNAc-tripeptide d-alanyl-d-alanine-adding enzyme (MurF) at 2.3 A resolution

MurF is required to catalyze the final step in the synthesis of the cytoplasmic precursor of the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan, rendering it an attractive target for antibacterial drug development. The crystal structure of the MurF apo-enzyme has been determined using the multiwavelength anomalous dispersion method and refined to 2.3 A resolution. It contains three consecutive open alpha/beta-sheet domains. In comparison with the complex crystal structures of MurD and its substrates, The topology of the N-terminal domain of MurF is unique, while its central and C-terminal domains exhibit similar mononucleotide and dinucleotide-binding folds, respectively. The apo-enzyme of MurF crystal structure reveals an open conformation with the three domains juxtaposed in a crescent-like arrangement creating a wide-open space where substrates are expected to bind. As such, catalysis is not feasible and significant domain closure is expected upon substrate binding.

An alternate binding site for the P1-P3 group of a class of potent HIV-1 protease inhibitors as a result of concerted structural change in the 80s loop of the protease

Structures of the complexes of HIV protease inhibitor L--756,423 with the HIV-1 wild-type protease and of the inhibitors Indinavir, L-739,622 and Saquinavir with the mutant protease (9X) containing nine point mutations (Leu10Val, Lys20Met, Leu24Ile, Ser37Asp, Met46Ile, Ile54Val, Leu63Pro, Ala71Val, Val82Thr) have been determined. Comparative analysis of these structures reveals an alternate binding pocket for the P1-P3 group of Indinavir and L--756, 423. The alternate binding pocket is a result of concerted structural change in the 80s loop (residues 79-82) of the protease. The 80s loop is pulled away from the active site in order to accommodate the P1-P3 group, which is sandwiched between the flap and the 80s loop. This structural change is observed for the complexes of the wild type as well as the 9X mutant protease. The study reveals that the 80s loop is an intrinsically flexible loop in the wild-type HIV-1 protease and that mutations in this loop are not necessary to result in conformational changes. Conformation of this loop in the complex depends primarily upon the nature of the bound inhibitor and may be influenced by mutations in the protease. The results underscore the need to understand the intrinsic structural plasticity of the protease for the design of effective inhibitors against the wild-type and drug-resistant enzyme forms. In addition, the alternate binding pocket for the P1-P3 group of Indinavir and L--756,423 may be exploited for the design of potent inhibitors.

X-ray structure of simian immunodeficiency virus integrase containing the core and C-terminal domain (residues 50-293)--an initial glance of the viral DNA binding platform

The crystal structure of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) integrase that contains in a single polypeptide the core and the C-terminal deoxyoligonucleotide binding domain has been determined at 3 A resolution with an R-value of 0.203 in the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1). Four integrase core domains and one C-terminal domain are found to be well defined in the asymmetric unit. The segment extending from residues 114 to 121 assumes the same position as seen in the integrase core domain of avian sarcoma virus as well as human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) crystallized in the absence of sodium cacodylate. The flexible loop in the active site, composed of residues 141-151, remains incompletely defined, but the location of the essential Glu152 residue is unambiguous. The residues from 210-218 that link the core and C-terminal domains can be traced as an extension from the core with a short gap at residues 214-215. The C(alpha) folding of the C-terminal domain is similar to the solution structure of this domain from HIV-1 integrase. However, the dimeric form seen in the NMR structure cannot exist as related by the non-crystallographic symmetry in the SIV integrase crystal. The two flexible loops of the C-terminal domain, residues 228-236 and residues 244-249, are much better fixed in the crystal structure than in the NMR structure with the former in the immediate vicinity of the flexible loop of the core domain. The interface between the two domains encompasses a solvent-exclusion area of 1500 A(2). Residues from both domains purportedly involved in DNA binding are narrowly distributed on the same face of the molecule. They include Asp64, Asp116, Glu152 and Lys159 from the core and Arg231, Leu234, Arg262, Arg263 and Lys264 from the C-terminal domain. A model for DNA binding is proposed to bridge the two domains by tethering the 228-236 loop of the C-terminal domain and the flexible loop of the core.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the Escherichia coli UDP-MurNAc-tripeptide D-alanyl-D-alanine-adding enzyme (MurF)

Crystals of the Escherichia coli UDP-MurNAc-tripeptide D-Ala-D-Ala-adding protein (MurF), which catalyzes the formation of the last metabolite of the bacterial cell-wall building block, have been grown in hanging-drop vapor-diffusion trials using PEG 8K as a precipitating agent. The crystals belong to hexagonal space group P6(1) or P6(5), with unit-cell dimensions a = b = 74, c = 425 A. The asymmetric unit contains two molecules, with a crystal volume per protein mass (V(m)) of 3.4 A(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of about 64% by volume. A native data set to 2.8 A resolution has been obtained from a frozen crystal using a synchrotron X-ray source.

Epitope insertion into variable loops of HIV-1 gp120 as a potential means to improve immunogenicity of viral envelope protein

We report on the properties of a set of HIV-1 IIIB Env mutants carrying a linear gp41 epitope insertion (LLELDKWASL) in the V1, V2, V3 or V4 variable loop. Insertion of the epitope, which is defined by the HIV-1 neutralizing MAb 2F5, was well tolerated in the V1, V2 and V4 loops, as these mutants were properly expressed, retained reactivity to conformation-dependent monoclonal antibodies and exhibited patterns similar to the parental Env molecule. However, insertion of this epitope in the V3 loop was associated with drastically reduced protein expression. Relative to parental Env molecule, the V1, V2 and V4 insertion mutants demonstrated significantly increased binding to mAb 2F5 in vitro. To evaluate immunogenicity, mice and guinea pigs were immunized with plasmid expression vectors for the mutant proteins. For both mice and guinea pigs, all four mutants elicited anti-gp120 antibody responses. In mice the V1 and V3 insertion mutants, but neither the V2 or V4 insertion mutant nor the parental env, elicited significant titers against the epitope peptide, whereas in guinea pigs, V2 insertion mutant was most effective in eliciting anti-2F5 peptide antibody responses. While original V2 2F5 insertion mutant failed to elicit anti-2F5 peptide responses in mice, studies with 14 additional V2 insertion mutants revealed several insertion sites at which the epitope was able to induce epitope-specific antibody responses. This indicates that the precise position at which the epitope insertion takes place dictates the ability of the mutant to induce the epitope-specific antibody responses. When tested for virus neutralization activity, the guinea pig sera that contain high titers of anti-2F5 peptide antibody failed to enhance the virus neutralizing activity, suggesting that the configuration of 2F5 epitope plays a critical role in inducing neutralizing antibody responses. The results from this study may have potential implications with respect to modification of the HIV-1 Env molecule for the purpose of improving HIV-1 Env immunogenicity.

Structure determination of Nudaurelia capensis omega virus

The structure of Nudaurelia capensis omega virus (NomegaV), a single-stranded RNA virus, was determined to 2.8 A resolution. Triclinic crystals (a = 413.6, b = 410.2, c = 419.7 A, alpha = 59.13, beta = 58.9, gamma = 64.0 degrees ) diffracted X-rays beyond 2.7 A resolution. The unit cell contained one icosahedral virus particle, providing 60-fold non-crystallographic symmetry (n.c.s.) and structural redundancy. The particle orientation in the unit cell was determined by self-rotation function analyses. Initial phases to 18 A resolution were derived from a hollow spherical model of 192 A outer radius and 139 A inner radius, filled with uniform electron density. Radii of the model were determined by maximizing the correlation of the model-based calculated data with the low-resolution X-ray diffraction and solution-scattering data. Phases were refined by 60-fold non-crystallographic electron-density averaging and extended in small steps to a resolution of 5 A. The phases obtained represented a mixture of four different phase sets, each consistent with the icosahedral symmetry constraints. The resulting electron density was not interpretable. A difference Fourier map computed with the native and an isomorphous heavy-atom derivative data sets and phases refined by real-space averaging was interpretable only if data within the 10 A resolution shell were used. Maps calculated with data significantly higher than 10 A resolution failed to display a constellation of heavy-atom sites consistent with the T = 4 icosahedral symmetry. Attempts to extend the phases beyond 10 A resolution, starting with either phases based on a model or single isomorphous replacement, were unsuccessful. Successful phase extension was achieved by computing the phases for the higher resolution reflections from a partial atomic model (poly gly) built into the averaged 10 A electron-density map. Phases from this model served as the starting point for n.c.s. phase refinement and extension to slightly higher resolution. The atomic model was improved at each extension interval and these phases were used for the subsequent phase calculation and extension. The entire polypeptide backbone corresponding to the NomegaV structure was built into the map at 4 A. The same procedure for phase refinement was used to extend the phases to 2.8 A in small increments of resolution. The overall molecular averaging R factor and correlation coefficient at 2.8 A resolution were 18.4% and 0.87, respectively.

Rapid X-ray diffraction analysis of HIV-1 protease-inhibitor complexes: inhibitor exchange in single crystals of the bound enzyme

The ability to replace an inhibitor bound to the HIV-1 protease in single crystals with other potent inhibitors offers the possibility of investigating a series of protease inhibitors rapidly and conveniently with the use of X-ray crystallography. This approach affords a fast turnaround of structural information for iterative rational drug designs and obviates the need for studying the complex structures by co-crystallization. The replacement approach has been successfully used with single crystals of the HIV-1 protease complexed with a weak inhibitor. The structures of the complexes obtained by the replacement method are similar to those determined by co-crystallization.

Cyclopropane-derived peptidomimetics. Design, synthesis, evaluation, and structure of novel HIV-1 protease inhibitors

Toward establishing the general efficacy of using trisubstituted cyclopropanes as peptide mimics to stabilize extended peptide structures, the cyclopropanes 20a-d were incorporated as replacements into 9-13, which are analogues of the known HIV-1 protease inhibitors 14 and 15. The syntheses of 20a-d commenced with the Rh2[5(S)-MEPY]4-catalyzed cyclization of the allylic diazoesters 16a-d to give the cyclopropyl lactones 17a-d in high enantiomeric excess. Opening of the lactone moiety using the Weinreb protocol and straightforward refunctionalization of the intermediate amides 18a-d gave 20a-d. A similar sequence of reactions was used to prepare the N-methyl-2-pyridyl analogue 28. Coupling of 20a-d and 28 with the known diamino diol 22 delivered 9-13. Pseudopeptides 9-12 were found to be competitive inhibitors of wild-type HIV-1 protease in biological assays having Kis of 0.31-0.35 nM for 9, 0.16-0.21 nM for 10, 0.47 nM for 11, and 0.17 nM for 12; these inhibitors were thus approximately equipotent to the known inhibitor 14(IC50 = 0.22 nM) from which they were derived. On the other hand 13 (Ki = 80 nM) was a weaker inhibitor than its analogue 15 (Ki = 0.11 nM). The solution structures of 9 and 10 were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and simulated annealing procedures that included restraints derived from homo- and heteronuclear coupling constants and NOEs; because of the molecular symmetry of9 and 10, a special protocol to treat the NOE data was used. The final structure was checked by restrained and free molecular dynamic calculations using an explicit DMSO solvent box. The preferred solution conformations of 9 and 10 are extended structures that closely resemble the three-dimensional structure of 10 bound to HIV-1 protease as determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis of the complex. This work convincingly demonstrates that extended structures of peptides may be stabilized by the presence of substituted cyclopropanes that serve as peptide replacements. Moreover, the linear structure enforced in solution by the two cyclopropane rings in the pseudopeptides 9-12 appears to correspond closely to the biologically active conformation of the more flexible inhibitors 14 and 15. The present work, which is a combination of medicinal, structural, and quantum chemistry, thus clearly establishes that cyclopropanes may be used as structural constraints to reduce the flexibility of linear pseudopeptides and to help enforce the biologically active conformation of such ligands in solution.

Complex of NS3 protease and NS4A peptide of BK strain hepatitis C virus: a 2.2 A resolution structure in a hexagonal crystal form

The crystal structure of the NS3 protease of the hepatitis C virus (BK strain) has been determined in the space group P6(3)22 to a resolution of 2.2 A. This protease is bound with a 14-mer peptide representing the central region of the NS4A protein. There are two molecules of the NS3(1-180)-NS4A(21'-34') complex per asymmetric unit. Each displays a familiar chymotrypsin-like fold that includes two beta-barrel domains and four short alpha-helices. The catalytic triad (Ser-139, His-57, and Asp-81) is located in the crevice between the beta-barrel domains. The NS4A peptide forms an almost completely enclosed peptide surface association with the protease. In contrast to the reported H strain complex of NS3 protease-NS4A peptide in a trigonal crystal form (Kim JL et al., 1996, Cell 87:343-355), the N-terminus of the NS3 protease is well-ordered in both molecules in the asymmetric unit of our hexagonal crystal form. The folding of the N-terminal region of the NS3 protease is due to the formation of a three-helix bundle as a result of crystal packing. When compared with the unbound structure (Love RA et al., 1996, Cell 87:331-342), the binding of the NS4A peptide leads to the ordering of the N-terminal 28 residues of the NS3 protease into a beta-strand and an alpha-helix and also causes local rearrangements important for a catalytically favorable conformation at the active site. Our analysis provides experimental support for the proposal that binding of an NS4A-mimicking peptide, which increases catalytic rates, is necessary but not sufficient for formation of a well-ordered, compact and, hence, highly active protease molecule.

Resolution of Space-Group Ambiguity and Structure Determination of Nodamura Virus to 3.3 Å resolution from Pseudo-R32 (Monoclinic) Crystals

Monoclinic crystals of nodamura virus (NOV) have two virus molecules per asymmetric unit. Packing analysis reveals a pseudo-rhombohedral (pseudo-C2 monoclinic) arrangement of particles in the actual P2(1) space group (a = 562.1, b = 354.1, c = 612.8 A, beta = 110.9 degrees ). The R32 symmetry is broken rotationally and translationally. The pseudo-symmetry of the unit cell results in three possible monoclinic origins and also restrains the four particles in the unit cell to similar orientations. NOV particles deviate by less than 3 degrees from the ideal orientations, causing overlap of peaks in the rotation function and the generation of peaks that were not interpretable as particle symmetry elements. The space-group ambiguity was resolved by analysing the relationship between the particle orientations determined by high-resolution rotation functions and the attenuation of peak heights in native Patterson maps. Particles were centered less than 1 A from the R32 special positions. Three different approaches were required to identify the correct particle center. Following the solutions of the rotation and translation problems, phases were computed using the coordinates of flock house virus (FHV), another member of this virus family. The phases were improved by real-space molecular averaging with a 120-fold non-crystallographic symmetry and by solvent flattening with a spherical mask. The final model for the NOV structure was built using the 3.3 A averaged map. While the overall subunit structure was very similar to that of other nodaviruses, FHV and black beetle virus, NOV showed distinct structural features near particle threefold and quasi-threefold axes and at the protein-RNA interfaces that are consistent with phenotype differences among the related viruses.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of tobacco ringspot virus

Tobacco ringspot virus, a plant virus that is believed to fill an apparent niche in the evolution of picornavirus-like capsids, has been crystallized by vapor diffusion with potassium phosphate and polyethylene glycol buffered at pH 6.5 in a new crystal form. The monoclinic crystals belong to the space group C2 with unit-cell dimensions of a = 407.1, b = 399.7, c = 285.9 A and beta = 129.1 degrees and diffract synchrotron radiation to 3.3 A. One half of a virus particle constitutes the crystallographic asymmetric unit. The orientation of the virus particle in the unit cell was determined by the rotation function analysis of a partial data set that has been collected at CHESS using image plates. Development of a suitable phasing model for the high-resolution structure determination of TRSV with the real-space molecular replacement technique is now under way.

The 2.8 A structure of a T = 4 animal virus and its implications for membrane translocation of RNA

Simple RNA animal viruses generally enter cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis followed by acid pH dependent release and translocation of RNA across the endosomal membrane. The T = 3 nodaviruses contain prefabricated pentameric helical bundles that are cleaved from the remainder of the subunits by an assembly-dependent auto-proteolysis and they are positioned for release through 5-fold axes of the particle. We previously proposed that these bundles may serve as conduits for RNA membrane translocation. Additional support for this hypothesis is now provided by the first atomic resolution structure of a T = 4 RNA virus, where we find cleavage sites and helical bundles nearly identical with those observed in T = 3 nodaviruses. The helices are of sufficient length to span a membrane bilayer and the internal diameter of the coiled bundle could accommodate ssRNA. The T = 4 particle has a mean outer diameter of 410 A and is formed by 240 copies of a single subunit type. The subunit is composed of a helical inner domain (where the cleavage occurs) containing residues preceding and following a canonical, viral, eight-stranded beta-sandwich that forms the contiguous shell. Inserted between two strands of the shell domain are 133 residues with an immunoglobulin c-type fold. The initial gene product consists of 644 amino acid residues and is cleaved between residues Asn570 and Phe571 in the mature particle determined in this analysis.

Titration of human-bovine rotavirus reassortants using a tetrazolium-based colorimetric end-point dilution assay

A colorimetric end-point dilution assay was developed for the titration of rotavirus-containing samples that uses commercially available tetrazolium dyes as an indicator of virus infection. This assay offers several advantages over both plaque assays and traditional end-point dilution methods. The latter assays require manual counting of plaques or the scoring of wells for the presence of virus based on observed cytopathic effects. The colorimetric end-point dilution assay enables the scoring of wells based upon absorbance readings alone, thereby eliminating time-consuming and subjective manual screenings. This method also has the potential for automating the analysis of large numbers of samples. Virus titers of human-bovine rotavirus reassortants obtained using this method are comparable to those determined by plaque assay. The scoring of wells based on absorbance readings was also found to agree with manual scoring of cytopathic effects and with the production of viral antigen.

Phase refinement and extension by means of non-crystallographic symmetry averaging using parallel computers

Electron-density averaging, fast Fourier synthesis and fast Fourier analysis programs have been adapted for parallel-computing systems. These have been linked to perform iterative phase improvement and extension utilizing non-crystallographic symmetry and solvent flattening. Various strategies for parallel algorithms have been tested on a variety of computers as a function of the number of computer nodes. Some experimental timing results are discussed.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the cytoplasmic domain of human erythrocyte band 3

A cytoplasmic domain of the human erythrocyte membrane protein band 3 (M(r) = 42,500), residues 1-379, expressed in and purified from E. coli, has been crystallized by the method of vapor diffusion in sitting drops with subsequent streak-seeding at room temperature. Initial crystals were grown from solutions containing 65-68% saturated ammonium sulfate at pH 4.9 and 2 mg/ml protein. Subsequent streak-seeding into solutions of 50-53% ammonium sulfate at pH 4.9 and 7 mg/ml protein produced single crystals suitable for X-ray analysis, which contained pure protein as revealed by gel electrophoresis. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group C2 with cell dimensions of a = 178.8 A, b = 90.5 A, c = 122.1 A, and beta = 131.3 degrees and diffract at least to 2.7 A resolution (at 100 K). A self-rotation function shows the presence of approximate 222 local symmetry.

Structures of the native and swollen forms of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus determined by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy

BACKGROUND

RNA-protein interactions stabilize many viruses and also the nucleoprotein cores of enveloped animal viruses (e.g. retroviruses). The nucleoprotein particles are frequently pleomorphic and generally unstable due to the lack of strong protein-protein interactions in their capsids. Principles governing their structures are unknown because crystals of such nucleoprotein particles that diffract to high resolution have not previously been produced. Cowpea chlorotic mottle virions (CCMV) are typical of particles stabilized by RNA-protein interactions and it has been found that crystals that diffract beyond 4.5 A resolution are difficult to grow. However, we report here the purification of CCMV with an exceptionally mild procedure and the growth of crystals that diffract X-rays to 3.2 A resolution.

RESULTS

The 3.2 A X-ray structure of native CCMV, an icosahedral (T = 3) RNA plant virus, shows novel quaternary structure interactions based on interwoven carboxyterminal polypeptides that extend from canonical capsid beta-barrel subunits. Additional particle stability is provided by intercapsomere contacts between metal ion mediated carboxyl cages and by protein interactions with regions of ordered RNA. The structure of a metal-free, swollen form of the virus was determined by cryo-electron microscopy and image reconstruction. Modeling of this structure with the X-ray coordinates of the native subunits shows that the 29 A radial expansion is due to electrostatic repulsion at the carboxyl cages and is stopped short of complete disassembly by preservation of interwoven carboxyl termini and protein-RNA contacts.

CONCLUSIONS

The CCMV capsid displays quaternary structural interactions that are unique compared with previously determined RNA virus structures. The loosely coupled hexamer and pentamer morphological units readily explain their versatile reassembly properties and the pH and metal ion dependent polymorphism observed in the virions. Association of capsomeres through inter-penetrating carboxy-terminal portions of the subunit polypeptides has been previously described only for the DNA tumor viruses, SV40 and polyoma.

Comparative studies of T = 3 and T = 4 icosahedral RNA insect viruses

Crystallographic and molecular biological studies of T = 3 nodaviruses (180 identical subunits in the particle) and T = 4 tetraviruses (240 identical subunits in the particle) have revealed similarity in both the architecture of the particles and the strategy for maturation. The comparative studies provide a novel opportunity to examine an apparent evolution of particle size, from smaller (T = 3) to larger (T = 4), with both particles based on similar subunits. The BBV and FHV nodavirus structures are refined at 2.8 A and 3 A respectively, while the N omega V structure is at 6 A resolution. Nevertheless, the detailed comparisons of the noda and tetravirus X-ray electron density maps show that the same type of switching in subunit twofold contacts is used in the T = 3 and T = 4 capsids, although differences must exist between quasi and icosahedral threefold contacts in the T = 4 particle that have not yet been detected. The analyses of primary and tertiary structures of noda and tetraviruses show that N omega V subunits undergo a post assembly cleavage like that observed in nodaviruses and that the cleaved 76 C-terminal residues remain associated with the particle.

A monoclinic crystal with R32 pseudo-symmetry: a preliminary report of Nodamura virus structure determination

We have crystallized Nodamura virus, a T = 3 icosahedral virus that can infect both mammalian and insect hosts. Crystals are monoclinic, with two crystallographically independent virus molecules per asymmetric unit. Packing analysis reveals a pseudo-rhombohedral (pseudo-C2 in the monoclinic setting) arrangement of virus particles in the crystal lattice. Crystals differ from the R32 symmetry by rotational and translational deviations. The rhombohedral packing arrangement and its failure to describe the exact virus packing is analyzed in detail. The icosahedral threefold axis is rotated from the body diagonal of the pseudo-rhombohedral cell, breaking the rhombohedral symmetry. The C2 pseudo-symmetry breaks down rotationally and/or translationally.

Preliminary X-ray data analysis of crystalline cowpea chlorotic mottle virus

Crystals of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) that diffract X-rays to 3.1 A resolution were grown in a succinate-PEG solution buffered at pH 3.3. The crystals are in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell dimensions of a = 381.26 A, b = 381.26 A, and c = 408.59 A. Four particles occupy the unit cell, placing a single virion in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. Diffraction intensities measured from 196 films collected at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source accounted for 55% of the theoretically possible data to 3.2 A. Unit cell dimensions and rotation function analyses of the X-ray data revealed that the particles were organized in a pseudo-tetragonal relationship with the pseudo-fourfold axis along the crystal c axis. Analysis of electron micrographs of two-dimensional crystals of CCMV revealed a remarkable similarity between these and planes of particles perpendicular to the crystallographic c axis in the three-dimensional crystal.

Prevalence of peptic ulcer in India: an endoscopic and epidemiological study in urban Kashmir

The prevalence of peptic ulcer disease in the general population of Kashmir, India, was determined by endoscopy in a randomly selected sample population of 2763 adults aged 15 years and above who were interviewed using a questionnaire. Of 239 persons with ulcer symptoms, 193 (80.7%) had an oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. A randomly selected 177 individuals from among the remaining population without ulcer symptoms, were also endoscoped. The point prevalence of peptic ulcer was 4.72% and the lifetime prevalence was 11.22%. The duodenal to gastric ulcer ratio was 17.1:1. Duodenal and gastric ulcer were common in men. The prevalence of peptic ulcer increased with age, with a peak prevalence of 28.8% in the 5th decade of life. Peptic ulcer was not related to socio-economic status. The prevalence of complications, such as bleeding, stenosis, or perforation were similar to those reported in the West.

Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus gp350/220 gene in rodent and primate cells

The gene encoding the Epstein-Barr virus envelope glycoproteins gp350 and gp220 was inserted downstream of the cytomegalovirus immediate-early, Moloney murine leukemia virus, mouse mammary tumor virus, or varicella-zoster virus gpI promoters in vectors containing selectable markers. Host cell and recombinant vector systems were defined which enabled the isolation of rodent or primate cell clones which expressed gp350/220 in substantial quantities. Continued expression of gp350/220 required maintenance of cells under positive selection for linked markers and periodic cloning. gp350/220 expressed in various host cells varied slightly in electrophoretic mobility, probably reflecting differences in glycosylation. Insertion of a stop codon into the gp350/220 open reading frame, upstream of the putative membrane anchor sequence, resulted in efficient secretion of truncated gp350 and gp220 from rat pituitary (GH3) cells. gp350/220 expressed in mammalian cells is highly immunogenic and elicits virus-neutralizing antibodies when administered to mice.

Replication of vesicular stomatitis virus in murine spleen cells: enrichment of the virus-replicating lymphocytes and analysis of replication restriction

Vesicular stomatitis virus (Indiana strain) will only grow in T lymphocytes which have been stimulated to undergo cell division. Evidence is presented that a considerable enrichment of the vesicular stomatitis virus-replicating T cells may be accomplished in the mouse spleen by passing the spleen cells over glass wool columns. By using this procedure experiments were performed to study the nature of the block in vesicular stomatitis virus replication in unstimulated (nonpermissive) versus mitogen-stimulated (permissive) splenic T cells. The results show that, as is the case in permissive T-cell lines, stimulated normal T cells allow the synthesis of the 42S virion ribonucleic acid.