Browsing by Author "Shephard, E"

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    In Vitro tests for immunomodulatory effects of medicinal plants used in the treatment of Malaria in South Africa
    (2001) Qodi, Noluntu; Folb, Peter I; Shephard, E
    Using the ethno-medicinal data approach, nine South African plants used traditionally in the treatment of malaria were collected and evaluated for cytotoxic and lymphocyte-proliferating effects. These included Acokanthera oppositofolia, Zanthoxylum capense, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Harpephyllum caffrum, Lippia javanica, Pentanisia prunneloides, Psidium guajava, Typha capensis and Cannabis sativa. The cytotoxic effect of the aqueous, methanol and dichloromethane extracts of these plants was evaluated in vitro in Rat-1 fibroblasts there was no observable difference in cytotoxic activity between cold-and hot-water extracts of all the plants investigated. Cell proliferation greater than 80% was observed for aqueous extracts of A. oppositofolia, H. caffrum, L. javanica, P. prunneloides, P. guajava and T. capensis which would suggest are considered safe for consumption. However, high cytotoxic effect was exhibited by dichloromethane extracts of Z. capense, L. javanica, C. sativa and P. guajava at 100 μg/ml. These findings suggest that dichloromethane extracted compounds that are not normally extractable by traditional methods.
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    Induction of HIV-1 Gag-specific memory T cells in Chacma baboons by MVA prime and VLP boost vaccine regimen
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2012) Singh, V; Chege, G; Shephard, E; Williamson, A
    We previously reported induction of HIV-specific responses in Chacma baboons following immunization with SAAVI MVA-C (MVA) and HIV-1 Pr55 Gag virus-like particles (VLPs) in a prime-boost vaccination strategy. In the current study, we characterised the vaccine specific memory T cells by flow cytometry.
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    A pantothenate suxotroph of BCG rxpressing Gag confers enhanced HIV-specific immunogenicity compared to wildtype and perfingolysin expressing strains
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2012) Chetty, S; Shephard, E; Bowers, D; Darby, M; Horsnell, W; Chapman, R; Williamson, A
    In tuberculosis vaccine studies, perfingolysin expressing strains (pfo) of recombinant Mycobacterium bovis (rBCG) have been shown to enhance immunogenicity as compared to wildtype strains whilst pantothenate auxotrophic strains (ΔpanCD) have been shown to be safer and more immunogenic. Our group has recently shown that rBCGΔpanCD expressing HIV-1 Gag is more immunogenic than the wildtype Pasteur strain of BCG in the murine model. In this study, a wild type strain, a ΔpanCDstrain, a pfo strain and a ΔpanCD strain expressing perfringolysin (ΔpanCDpfo) of Danish BCG were used as vectors to express HIV-1 subtype C Gag. Gag specific immune responses induced by a prime with each rBCG-Gag vaccine and boost with modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) were compared.