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July 2012

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From:
"Diane St. Germain" <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:51:28 -0400
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Thesis Defense Announcement
To:  The George Mason University Community

*Candidate: Amy T. Turner
Program: Master of Science in Biology
*
*Date:   Thursday July 19, 2012
Time:   10:00 a.m.
Place:  George Mason University 
	    Occoquan Bldg., Room 203
	    Prince William campus <http://www.gmu.edu/resources/welcome/Directions-to-GMU.html>
	
 
*Thesis Chair: Dr. Yuntao Wu

Title: "PP1-alpha Knockdown by shRNA in CD4 T Cells Blocks HIV-1 Infection at the Levels
 of Nuclear Migration and Transcription"

A copy of the thesis is on reserve in the Johnson Center Library, 
Fairfax campus.  The thesis will not be read at the meeting, but should 
be read in advance. All members of the George Mason University community 
are invited to attend.

ABSTRACT:*
*During HIV-1 infection of human resting CD4 T cells, viral gp120 
engages the CXCR4 cellular co-receptor, inducing signal transduction and 
modulating cortical actin dynamics. This actin rearrangement is mediated 
by depolymerizing factor cofilin, which becomes activated upon 
dephosphorylation of serine 3 by phosphatases. It has previously been 
shown that cofilin is negatively regulated by LIM kinase-1 and 
positively regulated by phosphatases PP1, PP2A and SSH1. Here, we 
investigated the potential role of Protein Phosphatase 1, alpha isoform 
(PP1a) and SSH1 during gp120-induced cofilin activation. We created an 
shRNA vector to suppress SSH1 in human resting CD4 T cells, and found a 
slight increase in F-actin content, however the knockdown was too lethal 
to continue further studies. We also suppressed the catalytic subunit of 
PP1a and examined surface receptor expression, cofilin activation, actin 
change and overall viral infectivity in a stable CEM-SS derived cell 
line. We saw an increase in F-actin, an increase in phosphorylated 
cofilin, a decrease in CXCR4 surface expression and significant 
reduction in viral replication at the levels of nuclear migration and 
transcription. From this, we have concluded that PP1a is required for 
successful HIV-1 replication.

###** 



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