Studies of feline leukemia virus drug susceptibility and antiviral mechanism of action

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Persistent link to this item

Statistics
View Statistics

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Title

Studies of feline leukemia virus drug susceptibility and antiviral mechanism of action

Published Date

2013-12

Publisher

Type

Thesis or Dissertation

Abstract

Antiretroviral drugs have saved and extended the lives of millions of individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The major classes of anti-HIV-1 drugs include reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, integrase inhibitors and entry/fusion inhibitors. While antiretroviral drug regimens are commonly used to treat other types of retroviral infections, there are instances where there is a perceived need for re-evaluation of the benefits of new antiretroviral therapy. One case in point is that of feline leukemia virus (FeLV), an infection of domesticated felines. While vaccines exist to prevent FeLV infection and spread, they have not eliminated FeLV infection. For FeLV-infected felines and their human companions, antiretroviral therapy would be desirable and of practical importance if good options were available. The goal of this dissertation was to 1) determine the susceptibility of FeLV to drugs that could be amendable to clinical translation, and 2) explore the anti-FeLV mechanism of action of these drugs. FeLV was found to be susceptible to two anticancer drugs (i.e., decitabine and gemcitabine) as well as two anti-HIV-1 drugs (raltegravir and tenofovir). FeLV, but not HIV-1, was also found to be susceptible to cyclopentenyl cytosine. Mechanism of action studies suggested that decitabine and gemcitabine did not enhance FeLV mutagenesis, which is contrary to previous observations of enhanced HIV-1 mutagenesis observed with these drugs. Cyclopentenyl cytosine did not enhance viral mutagenesis, was observed to reduce dCTP levels in the Crandell-Rees feline kidney cell line, and FeLV susceptibility to cyclopentenyl cytosine was enhanced by a mutation in a conserved region of reverse transcriptase. These studies 1) support the further exploration of the clinical translation of decitabine, gemcitabine and cyclopentenyl cytosine for the treatment of FeLV infection, and 2) suggest differences in the antiviral mechanisms of action of decitabine, gemcitabine and cyclopentenyl cytosine between FeLV and HIV-1.

Description

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation.December 2013. Major: Comparative and Molecular Biosciences. Advisor: Louis Mansky. 1 computer file (PDF); xi, 107 pages.

Related to

Replaces

License

Collections

Series/Report Number

Funding information

Isbn identifier

Doi identifier

Previously Published Citation

Suggested citation

Greggs, Willie. (2013). Studies of feline leukemia virus drug susceptibility and antiviral mechanism of action. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/177163.

Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.