Continuous milking (CM) of bST-supplemented primiparous cows results in production losses of 20 to 25%, suggesting mammary growth was inhibited. We hypothesized continuous (throughout late gestation and early lactation) bST supplementation and/or early-lactation increased milking frequency (IMF) would alleviate production losses in CM glands through improved mammary epithelial cell (MEC) functi...

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpu enhances the release of viral particles from infected cells by interfering with the function of BST-2/tetherin, a cellular protein inhibiting virus release. The Vpu protein encoded by NL4-3, a widely used HIV-1 laboratory strain, antagonizes human BST-2 but not monkey or murine BST-2, leading to the conclusion that BST-2 antagonism by Vpu is speci...

Ninety-nine multiparous Brahman-influenced (1/4 to 3/8 Brahman) cows were managed to achieve low (BCS = 4.3 +/- 0.1; n = 50) or moderate (BCS = 6.1 +/- 0.1; n = 49) body condition (BC) to determine the influence of bovine somatotropin (bST) on estrous characteristics, reproductive performance, and concentrations of serum GH and plasma NEFA. Beginning 32 d postpartum, cows within each BC were as...

Human BST-2 inhibits HIV-1 replication by tethering nascent virions to the cell surface. HIV-1 codes Vpu that counteracts BST-2 by down-regulating this restriction factor from the cell surface. This important function makes Vpu a potential therapeutic target. Yet, no agents have been reported to block Vpu from antagonizing BST-2. In this study, we report a small molecule compound IMB-LA that ab...

The objective of this study was to produce anti-idiotypic antibodies with bovine somatotropin (bST)-like activity by active immunization of lactating cows and to determine their effects on milk yield. Several monoclonal antibodies against bST were evaluated for their interaction with bST in a rat growth bioassay. Two bST-agonist monoclonal antibodies (1 and 2), and two bST-antagonist monoclonal...

Bone marrow stromal cell-2 (BST-2) has major roles in viral tethering and modulation of interferon production. Here we investigate BST-2 as a receptor for the delivery of antigen to dendritic cells (DCs). We show that BST-2 is expressed by a panel of mouse and human DC subsets, particularly under inflammatory conditions. The outcome of delivering antigen to BST-2 expressed by steady state and a...

Polymerase-mediated synthesis of RNA-DNA metal base pairs.

Objectives were to determine 1) in vitro effects of bST on function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes and 2) in vivo effects of bST on leukocyte function of heifers fed to maintain medium or high growth rates. When administered in vitro, bST did not affect function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. [Methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation by resting lymphocytes was stimulated by 1000 ng/...

Human Tetherin/BST-2 has recently been identified as a cellular antiviral factor that blocks the release of various enveloped viruses. In this study, we cloned a cDNA fragment encoding a feline homolog of Tetherin/BST-2 and characterized the protein product. The degree of amino acid sequence identity between human Tetherin/BST-2 and the feline homolog was 44.4%. Similar to human Tetherin/BST-2,...