CÓRDOBA NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

                                        FACULTY OF MEDICAL SCIENCE

                                                VIROLOGY INSTITUTE

                                    

                                          VIRUS-CELL INTERACTIONS LABORATORY

 

RESEARCH AND TEACHING

                                         Dr. Severo Paglini – Consult Professor in Activity

Dr. María Gabriela Paglini – Chief of Practical Work – Member of the Research Career                          

                          of the National Research Council of the Argentina (CONICET)

Contact Addres:

Dr. Severo Paglini – Instituto de Virología Ciudad Universitaria – 5000 Córdoba – R. Argentina – E-mail: spaglini@fcm.unc.edu.ar  -  spaglini@cmefcm.uncor.edu

 

June 16, 2007

This web site has been developed to inform, receive and exchange experiences related to virus and cellular receptors to which the viruses bind as a preliminary step to get inside the cell. Also, we are studying the virus-cell interactions, especially with the cytoplasm components like the cytoskeleton, mitochondrias and endosomes.
The virus model used in our lab is Pixuna, Togaviridae family, alfa genus, Venezuelan complex, that has the advantage that does not produce illness in human being.

We have isolated and studied a receptor present in the brain of 10 days-old Swiss albino mice. The presence of gangliosides could be determined, which have the ability to inhibit the hemagglutination of Pixuna virus as well as that of other members of the genus. We have been able to prove that the sialic acid is the active group and to demonstrate that that viruses bind to 2-3 linked sialic acid present in the GM1 ganglioside.  

Another receptor studied is the present in erythrocytes of 1 day-old chicken (Paglini, S. Pereyra, E. del C.: Caracterización parcial de un receptor para el virus Pixuna present en eritrocitos de pollos de 1 día de edad. Rev. Arg. Microbiol. 29: 92-97, 1997.

The Lab has studied the receptor present in 10 days old chicken embryo fibroblasts. With the purified receptor poly and monoclonal antibodies has been prepared and Inmunofluorescence studies were performed. Electron microscopic studies together with the inmunofluorescence has showed that the receptor is a membranous structure. The Western blot test has demonstrated 2 proteic bands of around 60 kD that correspond to the receptor. This study has been recently published: Paglini, MG, Pereyra, E del C. and Paglini, S. Cellular receptor for Pixuna virus in chicken embryonic fibroblasts. Med. Microbiol. Immunol. 195, 85-92 2006.

The Lab is studying the mitochondrias, the endosomes and the cytoskeleton participation in the Pixuna virus replication. Using Mito Tracker and electron microscopy we were able to show the mitochondrias participation in the nucleocapside formation. The drug glucosamina was able to modify the pH of the endosomes. At the moment we are experiencing the drug Bafilomycin A1 to study the proton pump in the Pixuna virus replication.

A recent book:
VIRUS RECEPTORES Y CORRECEPTORES CELULARES.
Severo Paglini with the collaboration of: Aldo R. Eynard y Reyna O. Calderón.
Editorial: CTM, Servicios Bibliográficos S.A.
Junín 925 - 1133 Ciudad de Buenos Aires - R. Argentina.
 

[Home] [Spanish Version]