-
Journal of the American Academy of... Mar 2020
Topics: Adult; Child; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; Humans; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Skin; Surgical Instruments; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30797842
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2019.02.042 -
Viruses Nov 2023Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is characterized by skin lesions containing the highly contagious molluscum contagiosum poxvirus (MCV). MCV primarily infects children, with...
Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is characterized by skin lesions containing the highly contagious molluscum contagiosum poxvirus (MCV). MCV primarily infects children, with one US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug-device treatment in use but no approved medications. Assessing antivirals is hindered by the inability of MCV to replicate in vitro. Here, we use vaccinia virus as a surrogate to provide evidence of the anti-poxvirus properties of berdazimer sodium, a new chemical entity, and the active substance in berdazimer gel, 10.3%, a nitric oxide-releasing topical in phase 3 development for the treatment of MC. We show that berdazimer sodium reduced poxvirus replication and, through a novel methodology, demonstrate that cells infected with drug-treated MCV virions have reduced early gene expression. Specifically, this is accomplished by studying the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-kB)-blocking protein MC160 as an example of an early gene. The results provide a plausible unique antiviral mechanism of action supporting increased MCV resolution observed in patients treated with berdazimer gel, 10.3% and describe a novel methodology that overcomes limitations in investigating MCV response in vitro to a potential new MC topical medication.
Topics: United States; Child; Humans; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Molluscum Contagiosum; Siloxanes; Antiviral Agents
PubMed: 38140601
DOI: 10.3390/v15122360 -
Cutis Sep 2018Predisposition to cutaneous viral infections is known to be a minor criterion of Hanifin and Rajka's diagnostic standard of atopic dermatitis (AD); however, the causal...
Predisposition to cutaneous viral infections is known to be a minor criterion of Hanifin and Rajka's diagnostic standard of atopic dermatitis (AD); however, the causal relationship between molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) infection and AD onset or aggravation has not been widely explored. The objective of this study was to identify pediatric patients with AD onset or flare triggered by MCV infection as well as to characterize the setting under which MCV may trigger AD onset or flares in children. Fifty children with prior or current MCV infection presenting sequentially to an outpatient pediatric dermatology practice over a 1-month period were evaluated. Results indicated that children who contract MCV infection may be targets for skin care interventions to prevent and/or control AD.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatitis, Atopic; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus
PubMed: 30372710
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of the American Academy of... Jun 2018
Topics: Eyelid Diseases; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Surgical Instruments; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 29274346
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2017.12.036 -
The Journal of General Virology Feb 2018Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) causes persistent, benign skin neoplasm in children and adults. MCV is refractive to growth in standard tissue culture and there is no... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) causes persistent, benign skin neoplasm in children and adults. MCV is refractive to growth in standard tissue culture and there is no relevant animal model of infection. Here we investigated whether another poxvirus (vaccinia virus; VACV) could be used to examine MCV immunoevasion protein properties in vivo. The MCV MC159L or MC160L genes, which encode NF-κB antagonists, were inserted into an attenuated VACV lacking an NF-κB antagonist (vΔA49), creating vMC159 and vMC160. vMC160 slightly increased vΔA49 virulence in the intranasal and intradermal routes of inoculation. vMC159 infection was less virulent than vΔA49 in both inoculation routes. vMC159-infected ear pinnae did not form lesions, but virus replication still occurred. Thus, the lack of lesions was not due to abortive virus replication. This system provides a new approach to examine MCV immunoevasion proteins within the context of a complete and complex immune system.
Topics: Administration, Intranasal; Animals; Child; Female; Humans; Injections, Intradermal; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Molluscum contagiosum virus; NF-kappa B; Vaccinia virus; Viral Proteins; Virulence
PubMed: 29393023
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001006 -
The Journal of General Virology Aug 2020Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is a common cause of benign skin lesions in young children and currently the only endemic human poxvirus. Following the infection of...
Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is a common cause of benign skin lesions in young children and currently the only endemic human poxvirus. Following the infection of primary keratinocytes in the epidermis, MCV induces the proliferation of infected cells and this results in the production of wart-like growths. Full productive infection is observed only after the infected cells differentiate. During this prolonged replication cycle the virus must avoid elimination by the host immune system. We therefore sought to investigate the function of the two major histocompatibility complex class-I-related genes encoded by the MCV genes mc033 and mc080. Following insertion into a replication-deficient adenovirus vector, codon-optimized versions of mc033 and mc080 were expressed as endoglycosidase-sensitive glycoproteins that localized primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum. MC080, but not MC033, downregulated cell-surface expression of endogenous classical human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I and non-classical HLA-E by a transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP)-independent mechanism. MC080 exhibited a capacity to inhibit or activate NK cells in autologous assays in a donor-specific manner. MC080 consistently inhibited antigen-specific T cells being activated by peptide-pulsed targets. We therefore propose that MC080 acts to promote evasion of HLA-I-restricted cytotoxic T cells.
Topics: Antigen Presentation; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cell Line; Down-Regulation; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Immune Evasion; Keratinocytes; Killer Cells, Natural; Molluscum contagiosum virus; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; Viral Proteins
PubMed: 32510303
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001417 -
The British Journal of Dermatology Jul 2018
Topics: Case-Control Studies; Cell Cycle Proteins; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Nuclear Proteins; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Skin; Trans-Activators; Transcription Factors; Transcriptional Coactivator with PDZ-Binding Motif Proteins
PubMed: 29330849
DOI: 10.1111/bjd.16333 -
The Journal of General Virology May 2017Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is the sole member of the Molluscipoxvirus genus and causes a highly prevalent human disease of the skin characterized by the formation...
Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is the sole member of the Molluscipoxvirus genus and causes a highly prevalent human disease of the skin characterized by the formation of a variable number of lesions that can persist for prolonged periods of time. Two major genotypes, subtype 1 and subtype 2, are recognized, although currently only a single complete genomic sequence corresponding to MCV subtype 1 is available. Using next-generation sequencing techniques, we report the complete genomic sequence of four new MCV isolates, including the first one derived from a subtype 2. Comparisons suggest a relatively distant evolutionary split between both MCV subtypes. Further, our data illustrate concurrent circulation of distinct viruses within a population and reveal the existence of recombination events among them. These results help identify a set of MCV genes with potentially relevant roles in molluscum contagiosum epidemiology and pathogenesis.
Topics: Child; Cluster Analysis; Genome, Viral; Healthy Volunteers; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Phylogeny; Recombination, Genetic; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology
PubMed: 28555548
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000759 -
International Journal of STD & AIDS Dec 2020A man in his 20s with a history of unprotected sex with a commercial sex worker three months before presented with a solitary slowly-growing, well-defined, non-tender,...
A man in his 20s with a history of unprotected sex with a commercial sex worker three months before presented with a solitary slowly-growing, well-defined, non-tender, oval, verrucous lesion on the mucosal aspect of his prepuce. Dermoscopy revealed a polylobular, pinkish-white, amorphous structure in the centre with a surrounding crown of vessels that did not cross the centre of the lobules, and histopathology showed keratinocytes containing intracytoplasmic faintly granular eosinophilic inclusions and peripherally-pushed nuclei. A diagnosis of agminated genital molluscum contagiosum was reached on the basis of the above findings. Molluscum contagiosum can present with several atypical morphologies mimicking other dermatoses. Agminated molluscum contagiosum can closely mimic a genital wart especially if it is involving the ano-genital region. Awareness among clinicians regarding the atypical presentations of molluscum contagiosum is imperative for early diagnosis and management of this infectious condition.
Topics: Condylomata Acuminata; Humans; Male; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Young Adult
PubMed: 32438855
DOI: 10.1177/0956462420920410 -
Biology Feb 2024is a family of large, complex, enveloped, and double-stranded DNA viruses. The members of this family are ubiquitous and well known to cause contagious diseases in...
is a family of large, complex, enveloped, and double-stranded DNA viruses. The members of this family are ubiquitous and well known to cause contagious diseases in humans and other types of animals as well. Taxonomically, the family is classified into two subfamilies, namely (affecting vertebrates) and (affecting insects). The members of the subfamily are further divided into 18 genera based on the genome architecture and evolutionary relationship. Of these 18 genera, four genera, namely Molluscipoxvirus, Orthopoxvirus, Parapoxvirus, and Yatapoxvirus, are known for infecting humans. Some of the popular members of are variola virus, vaccine virus, Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), cowpox, etc. There is still a pressing demand for the development of effective vaccines against poxviruses. Integrated immunoinformatics and artificial-intelligence (AI)-based methods have emerged as important approaches to design multi-epitope vaccines against contagious emerging infectious diseases. Despite significant progress in immunoinformatics and AI-based techniques, limited methods are available to predict the epitopes. In this study, we have proposed a unique method to predict the potential antigens and T-cell epitopes for multiple poxviruses. With PoxiPred, we developed an AI-based tool that was trained and tested with the antigens and epitopes of poxviruses. Our tool was able to locate 3191 antigen proteins from 25 distinct poxviruses. From these antigenic proteins, PoxiPred redundantly located up to five epitopes per protein, resulting in 16,817 potential T-cell epitopes which were mostly (i.e., 92%) predicted as being reactive to CD8+ T-cells. PoxiPred is able to, on a single run, identify antigens and T-cell epitopes for poxviruses with one single input, i.e., the proteome file of any poxvirus.
PubMed: 38392343
DOI: 10.3390/biology13020125