The Effects of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Antigen-Expanded Specific T-Cell Therapy and Vorinostat on Persistent HIV-1 Infection in People With HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy

BACKGROUND

The histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (VOR) can reverse human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) latency in vivo and allow T cells to clear infected cells in vitro. HIV-specific T cells (HXTCs) can be expanded ex vivo and have been safely administered to people with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy.

METHODS

Six PWH received infusions of 2 × 107 HXTCs/m² with VOR 400 mg, and 3 PWH received infusions of 10 × 107 HXTCs/m² with VOR. The frequency of persistent HIV by multiple assays including quantitative viral outgrowth assay (QVOA) of resting CD4+ T cells was measured before and after study therapy.

RESULTS

VOR and HXTCs were safe, and biomarkers of serial VOR effect were detected, but enhanced antiviral activity in circulating cells was not evident. After 2 × 107 HXTCs/m² with VOR, 1 of 6 PWH exhibited a decrease in QVOA, and all 3 PWH exhibited such declines after 10 × 107 HXTCs/m² and VOR. However, most declines did not exceed the 6-fold threshold needed to definitively attribute decline to the study intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

These modest effects provide support for the strategy of HIV latency reversal and reservoir clearance, but more effective interventions are needed to yield the profound depletion of persistent HIV likely to yield clinical benefit. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT03212989.

Applications of Virus specific T cell Therapies Post BMT

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been used as a curative standard of care for moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency disorders as well as relapsed hematologic malignancies for over 50 years [1,2]. However, chronic and refractory viral infections remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the immune deficient period following HSCT, where use of available antiviral pharmacotherapies is limited by toxicity and emerging resistance [3]. Adoptive immunotherapy using virus-specific T cells (VSTs) has been explored for over 2 decades [4,5] in patients post-HSCT and has been shown prior phase I-II studies to be safe and effective for treatment or preventions of viral infections including cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, BK virus, and adenovirus with minimal toxicity and low risk of graft vs host disease [6-9]. This review summarizes methodologies to generate VSTs the clinical results utilizing VST therapeutics and the challenges and future directions for the field.

Spring and Fall recrudescence in Podarcis siculus ovaries: A role for progesterone

In the lacertid Podarcis siculus the reproductive cycle is typically biphasic, with alternate recrudescence (Spring and Fall) and resting (Summer and Winter) phases. This study aimed to shed some light on the role exerted by progesterone during the two recrudescence periods; to this purpose, exogenous progesterone was administered intraperitoneally and the effects on oogonial proliferation, oocyte recruitment, and follicle cells apoptosis were determined. The presence and distribution of progesterone receptors was also investigated by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results indicate that progesterone would play different roles and follow different route of action in the two recrudescence periods thus confirming the complexity of the mechanisms controlling oogenesis in this species of vertebrate.

Biocide triclosan impairs byssus formation in marine mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis

The effects of the biocide Triclosan, used in personal care products and known as a common environmental contaminant, on byssal apparatus were studied in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Experimental evidences indicated that an exposure for 7 days at a concentration of 10 μg/L induced marked alterations in the byssus gland resulting in a significant delay in byssus regrowth and in a decrease in threads resistance to traction. Such alterations in animals exposed to tidal and waves action would cause a significant loss in ecological fitness and severely impact on mussel survival. Triclosan release in coastal environments therefore should be more carefully monitored to prevent drastic consequences.

Potential toxicity of improperly discarded exhausted photovoltaic cells

Low tech photovoltaic panels (PVPs) installed in the early '80s are now coming to the end of their life cycle and this raises the problem of their proper disposal. As panels contain potentially toxic elements, unconventional, complex and costly procedures are required to avoid environmental health risks and in countries where environmental awareness and economic resources are limited this may be especially problematic. This work was designed to investigate potential risks from improper disposal of these panels. To accomplish this aim an exhausted panel was broken into pieces and these were placed in water for 30 days. The resulting leached solution was analyzed to determine chemical release or used in toto, to determine its potential toxicity in established tests. The end points were seed germination (on Cucumis sativus and Lens culinaris) and effects on early development in three larval models: two crustaceans, Daphnia magna and Artemia salina, and the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Our results show that the panels release small amounts of electrolytes (Na, Ca and Mg) into solution, along with antimony and manganese, with a concentration under the accepted maximum contaminant level, and nickel at a potentially toxic concentration. Developmental defects are seen in the plant and animal test organisms after experimental exposure to the whole solution leached from the broken panel. The toxic effects revealed in in vitro tests are sufficient to attract attention considering that they are exerted on both plants and aquatic animals and that the number of old PVPs in disposal sites will be very high.

Oogenesis at subzero temperatures: A comparative study of the oocyte morphology in nine species of Notothenioids

Oogenesis was examined in nine species of Antarctic fish to verify the existence of morphological peculiarities. The analyses were carried out on specimens belonging to three different families of Notothenioids (Nototheniidae, Channichthyidae and Bathydraconidae), all captured in the Ross Sea, in front of the Italian Station of Terra Nova Bay. Following dissection, the ovaries were processed and examined at the light and electron microscopes to determine the oocyte gross and fine morphology. The attention, in particular, was focused on the presence of cytoplasmic round bodies and on the organization of the cortical alveoli and the vitelline envelope. Results reveal significant specie-specific differences that could be partly correlated to the phylogenetic radiation but not to the peculiar environmental conditions being essentially comparable to those observed among temperate species.

The otoliths of the antarctic teleost Trematomus bernacchii: scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies

The authors studied the otoliths of the Nototheniid Trematomus bernacchii with scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. Results obtained reveal that three otoliths are present: a large sagitta, a lapillus and a fragile asteriscus. Their sensorial faces appear finely decorated as shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sagitta and the lapillus are aragonitic while the asteriscus is vateritic, as demonstrated by X-ray diffraction.

Storage in the yolk platelets of low MW DNA produced by the regressing follicle cells

The present work was carried out to clarify the nature and origin of the yolk DNA present in vitellogenic oocytes of the lizard Podarcis sicula. Morphological and biochemical evidences indicate that it has an intrafollicular origin, from the apoptotic bodies resulting from follicle cells regression at the end of previtellogenesis. This conclusion is reinforced by the observation that the oocyte membrane, in in vitro experiments, is unpermeable to exogenous DNA. Biochemical evidences reveal that the yolk DNA has a low (200bp) molecular weight and this suggests that it is produced by the endonucleases typically involved in apoptotic DNA laddering. Indeed, immunocytochemical analyses demonstrate that follicle cells contain significant amounts of DNAse I. In immunoblots, carried out during different periods of the ovarian cycle, the enzyme shows a MW of about 33, 66 or 100 kDa thus indicating that its activity in the follicle of Podarcis is modulated by dimerization and/or binding to regulatory factors. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 59: 422-430, 2001.

Control of oocyte recruitment: regulative role of follicle cells through the release of a diffusible factor

To determine whether oogonial proliferation and oocyte recruitment are under control of hypophyseal and/or ovarian factors, we carried out a series of investigations using Podarcis sicula, a lizard inhabiting the temperate lowlands of Europe in which oocyte recruitment occurs throughout the year, as animal model. Germinal beds containing oogonia and oocytes in prefollicular stages were cocultured with different ovarian compartments in presence/absence of FSH, and the effects of different treatments were evaluated by counting the number of prelepto-leptotene oocytes. Results revealed that oocyte recruitment from the pool of oogonia is under the control of a factor released by follicle cells while FSH has an indirect effect on modulating oogonial proliferation. SDS-PAGE analyses carried out on media conditioned by follicles suggest that the factor involved in the control of oocyte recruitment may be a small protein (about 21 kDa) and that its release is dependent on the period of the ovarian cycle but apparently not on the circulating levels of FSH.

Seasonal-dependent effect of temperature on the response of adenylate cyclase to FSH stimulation in the oviparous lizard, Podarcis sicula

The study of environmental factors affecting vertebrate reproduction has long interested both developmental and evolutionary biologists. Although photoperiod has been considered to be an important environmental parameter for vertebrates such as birds, temperature is probably a primary external factor responsible for reproductive cyclicity in reptiles. In spite of the progress made in the understanding of reptilian reproductive strategies and adaptations, much remains to be learned about the interplay between endocrine physiological factors, such as hormones, and environmental parameters. In this report, we have examined the effects of in vivo administered FSH on oocyte recruitment during the most significant periods of the reproductive cycle of the lizard, Podarcis sicula. The results show that when FSH is administered in proximity to the reproductive period, it stimulates oocyte growth and ovulation; when the hormone is administered at the beginning of the winter stasis it affects ovarian activity without inducing ovulation. Ovarian adenylate cyclase activity is moderately sensitive to in vitro FSH stimulation during the pre- and post-reproductive periods. The sensitivity to hormone stimulation increases significantly during the reproductive period and winter stasis. We have also tested the hypothesis that environmental temperature affects the responsiveness of ovarian adenylate cyclase to FSH stimulation. For such a purpose, we exposed animals to 28 degrees C or 4 degrees C in different periods of the ovarian cycle. The results show that, whenever the temperature applied mimics the thermal regime of the coming season, adenylate cyclase sensitivity to FSH shifts towards levels that anticipate the natural responsiveness.

New site of temporary storage of rRNA in O. mykiss previtellogenic oocytes

This article describes a new organelle found in the cytoplasm of the growth stage fish oocytes. In particular, we describe its organization at the morphological level and investigate its composition by different cytochemical and immunocytochemical approaches with both light and electron microscope. The conclusion is that the body is a peculiar protein scaffold functioning as a temporary trap for the storage of rRNA in the mid to late growth stage oocytes. Its presence would be related to the reorganization of the mass of amplified rDNA in micronucleoli and to the consequent temporary stop in the rRNA synthesis.

Structural and functional modifications of the nucleolus during previtellogenic oocyte growth in the lizard Podarcis sicula

In the present study we analyse the nature and the functional significance of the spherical and fibrillo-granular structures appearing in the oocyte nucleus of the lizard Podarcis sicula, following the disappearance of the typical nucleolus. By LM and TEM approaches, we demonstrate that the fibrillo-granuli, containing DNA, RNA and nucleolar proteins, are micronucleoli transcriptionally active and that their DNA is probably derived from nucleolar fragmentation. By contrast, we could not explain the origin and role of the so-called spherical bodies, appearing earlier in oocyte growth; these, in fact, do not contain nucleic acids or nucleolar proteins and do not incorporate uridine. Different possible explanations of their significance are discussed.

How the ovarian follicle of Podarcis sicula recycles the DNA of its nurse, regressing follicle cells

In Podarcis sicula specialized follicle cells send reserve materials to the previtellogenic oocyte via intercellular bridges. Immediately before the onset of vitellogenesis this transferring becomes particularly massive so that the cell volume significantly reduces, meanwhile in the nucleus the morphological alterations typical of apoptosis appear. To clarify why these follicle cells are not simply fully resorbed by the oocyte and to determine whether their DNA is discarded or recycled, we carried out a series of morphological and biochemical investigations. The finding that large macromolecular scaffolds are formed and that these are able to retain the DNA until it is extensively cut by two different endonucleases suggests that regression of the follicle cells is programmed and that the fate of their DNA is strictly controlled. Following its genetical neutralization via fragmentation, the DNA is apparently recycled by being transferred into the oocyte via the intercellular bridges, that, in fact, remain open until the very late stages of cell regression. The small DNA fragments reaching the oocyte cytoplasm would not interfere with meiosis completion but could significantly contribute to the stock of reserve materials to the advantage of the growing oocyte and/or developing embryo.

The effects of follicle-stimulating hormone treatment on early meiotic oocytes of Podarcis sicula (Lacertilia)

The effects of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on early meiotic oocytes were studied by cytological, autoradiographic, and photometric techniques. In addition to regulating oogonial proliferation, oogenesis, and folliculogenesis, the hormone influenced germ cell number and the time course of early meiosis. FSH did not affect the timing of DNA replication and amplification and did not change the amount of rDNA accumulated in the nucleus by amplification. A genetic control mechanism for these processes is suggested.

Ribosomal gene amplification in oocytes of the lizard Podarcis sicula

In order to provide cytological evidence of amplification, Podarcis sicula oocytes were studied by cytophotometry, thymidine incorporation and in situ DNA-DNA hybridization. Our results show that DNA replication is completed during the preleptotene stage, the leptotene oocytes having the typical 4C nuclear DNA content. Between the zygotene and the mid-pachytene stages further DNA synthesis occurs with consequent increase of the ribosomal nuclear DNA content. These results and the variations in nucleolar organization observed during differentiation give clear evidence of the existence of ribosomal gene amplification in Podarcis sicula oocytes.

Effects of clomiphene citrate on early pregnancy in guinea-pigs

Clomiphene citrate (2 mg/kg body wt) given on the day of mating can block or interrupt pregnancy in guinea-pigs. Corpus luteum function, uterine histology, implantation and embryo development were studied in clomiphene-treated and control animals on Days 5, 9 and 20 of pregnancy. Following treatment, only 25% of the females were regularly pregnant, presenting large and healthy foetuses. The other females examined showed either pregnancy with embryos undergoing resorption or no sign of pregnancy. In these females, corpus luteum size was reduced, progesterone concentrations were very low and the endometrial glands and the epithelium were often altered. It is concluded that clomiphene causes a reduction in fertility by altering the uterus and, by directly or indirectly inducing luteolysis, causes later pregnancy loss.

Regulation of oocyte number during oocyte differentiation in the lizard Podarcis sicula

This paper concerns the differentiation process of germ cells from oogonia to primary follicles in the lizard Podarcis sicula. The study was carried out at the morphological level and using a cytophotometric analysis for determining the number of differentiating germ cells undergoing degeneration. The progressive disorganization of the germ cell clusters during the early diplotene stage and the role played by the prefollicular cells during this process are described. Oocyte degeneration has been observed between the mid-zygotene and the early diplotene stages. When the primary follicle (oocyte plus follicular cells) is being formed, the degeneration process stops and the oocyte undergoes regular growth and ovulation.