We have constructed and evaluated the utility of a helper-dependent virus vector system that is derived from Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV). This vector is based on the herpes simplex virus (HSV) amplicon system and contains the HCMV orthologs of the two cis-acting functions required for replication and packaging of HSV genomes, the complex HCMV viral DNA replication origin (oriLyt), and the clea...

Human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) has evolved multiple mechanisms to escape the host immune recognition and innate or adaptive immune responses. Among them, hCMV has developed strategies to modulate the expression and/or function of human leukocyte antigens (HLAs), including by encoding series of infection stage-dependent hCMV proteins to detain and destroy the expression of HLA molecules on the sur...

Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors in children. They express high levels of COX-2 and produce PGE2, which stimulates tumor cell proliferation. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is prevalent in the human population and encodes proteins that provide immune evasion strategies and promote oncogenic transformation and oncomodulation. In particular, HCMV induces COX-2 expression; ...

The objectives of the study were to estimate human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA copy number in broncho-alveolar lavage cells, blood leukocytes, and serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The study groups consisted of 16 patients, newly diagnosed with IPF and never treated, (mean age 40.9 +/-11.0 yr; F/M-7/9) and in 16 adult healthy volunteers (mean age 36.8 +/-6.4 yr; F/M-4/1...

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a herpesvirus capable of establishing lifelong persistence in the host through chronic state infection and remains an essential global concern due to its distinct life cycle, mutations, latency. It represents life-threatening pathogen for immunocompromised patients, such as solid organ transplanted HIV-positive individuals, hematopoietic stem cell recipients. Mul...

Human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) is a prevalent virus that affects large proportion of the population worldwide. Natural Killer (NK) cells are essential immune play crucial role in controlling hCMV infection. Despite wide spread infection, there still not enough data related to association between innate and adaptive immunity. This study investigated coordination some NK cell markers expression hum...

The gene complement of wild-type human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is incompletely understood, on account of the size and complexity of the viral genome and because laboratory strains have undergone deletions and rearrangements during adaptation to growth in culture. We have determined the sequence (241 087 bp) of chimpanzee cytomegalovirus (CCMV) and have compared it with published HCMV sequences f...

In a clinical trial, the incidence of cytomegalovirus reactivation in breastfeeding mothers and transmission to their preterm infants were studied. Breast milk from 73 mothers as well as urine and tracheal and pharyngeal aspirates from their 89 infants were screened weekly for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA during the first 2 months after delivery. Of the 73 mothers, 48 (66%) were positive fo...

BACKGROUND Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a virus which has the potential to alter cellular gene expression through multiple mechanisms. OBJECTIVE With the application of DNA microarrays, we could monitor the effects of pathogens on host-cell gene expression programmes in great depth and on a broad scale. METHODS Changes in mRNA expression levels of human endothelial-like ECV304 cells foll...

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in immunocompromised patients is associated with impaired immunological function. Blood monocytes, which differentiate into macrophage effector cells, are of central importance for immune reactivity. Here, we demonstrate that HCMV transiently blocks cytokine-induced differentiation of monocytes into functionally active phagocytic macrophages. In HCMV-treat...