Skip to main content

Filter Search Results

Publication Year

Animal Models

Topic Area

Funding Mechanism

Division of Comparative Medicine

Collaborating ICs

Selected Grantee Publications

American Alligators Are Capable of West Nile Virus Amplification, Mosquito Infection and Transmission

Byas et al., Virology. 2022.

https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2022.01.009

West Nile virus (WNV) overwintering is poorly understood and likely multifactorial. Interest in alligators as a potential amplifying host arose when it was shown that they develop viremias theoretically sufficient to infect mosquitoes. Researchers examined potential ways in which alligators may contribute to the natural ecology of WNV. They experimentally demonstrated that alligators are capable of WNV amplification with subsequent mosquito infection and transmission capability, that WNV-infected mosquitoes readily infect alligators, and that water can serve as a source of infection for alligators but does not easily serve as an intermediate means for transmission between birds and alligators. These findings indicate potential mechanisms for maintenance of WNV outside of the primary bird–mosquito transmission cycle. Supported by ORIP (T32OD010437) and NIAID.

Expression, Activity, and Regulation of Phosphorylating Enzymes in Tissues and Cells Relevant to HIV-1 Sexual Transmission

Hu et al., AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. 2022.

https://www.doi.org/10.1089/AID.2020.0250

Phosphorylating enzymes (PEs) are critical for activating nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (e.g., tenofovir [TFV]), but limited information is available about the expression of PEs in the female genital tract and colon tissue. Investigators compared the mRNA expression of seven PEs involved in metabolism of TFV in cervicovaginal and colon tissues. This work involved human, pigtailed macaque, and rabbit tissues; human cervicovaginal epithelial cell lines; T cell lines; and primary CD4+ T cells. Taken together, this study suggests that TFV activation differs among immune cells and local tissues under varying conditions. Additionally, the variability of PE expression levels found across species provides critical information to assist with the interpretation of data obtained using these animal models. Supported by ORIP (P51OD010425) and NIAID.