Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Patrick Sean Sullivan, Cory R. Woodyatt, Oskian Kouzouian, Kristen J. Parrish, Jennifer Taussig, Chris Conlan, Harold Phillips
Summary: The Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) plan aims to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030. To achieve this, timely and accessible data is needed to assess progress. The America's HIV Epidemic Analysis Dashboard (AHEAD) is a data visualization tool that displays relevant HIV indicators to monitor progress at the local level. It provides stakeholders with data to measure national and local progress and make data-informed decisions. The Dashboard has been visited by thousands of users since its launch, indicating its importance in tracking and ending the HIV epidemic.
JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raphael A. Reyes, Kathleen Clarke, S. Jake Gonzales, Angelene M. Cantwell, Rolando Garza, Gabriel Catano, Robin E. Tragus, Thomas F. Patterson, Sebastiaan Bol, Evelien M. Bunnik
Summary: The research found subtle differences in the memory B cell response after non-severe and severe COVID-19, indicating that the memory B cell response elicited during non-severe COVID-19 may be of higher quality than the response after severe disease.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Carrie J. Chen, Anna F. Hudson, Allison S. Jia, Caitlin R. Kunchur, Andrew J. Song, Edward Tran, Chris J. Fisher, Davide Zanchi, Lucia Lee, Stephen Kargotich, Mary Romeo, Ana Koperniku, Ravinder D. Pamnani, Daria Mochly-Rosen
Summary: The study developed a method to extract and purify IgY antibodies from eggs of immunized hens, providing a fast and affordable prophylaxis option for resource-limited settings. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of IgY preparation were successfully validated, with potential applications in different laboratory settings in low- and middle-income countries.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Aurelien Sokal, Giovanna Barba-Spaeth, Ignacio Fernandez, Matteo Broketa, Imane Azzaoui, Andrea de La Selle, Alexis Vandenberghe, Slim Fourati, Anais Roeser, Annalisa Meola, Magali Bouvier-Alias, Etienne Crickx, Laetitia Languille, Marc Michel, Bertrand Godeau, Sebastien Gallien, Giovanna Melica, Yann Nguyen, Virginie Zarrouk, Florence Canoui-Poitrine, France Pirenne, Jerome Megret, Jean-Michel Pawlotsky, Simon Fillatreau, Pierre Bruhns, Felix A. Rey, Jean-Claude Weill, Claude-Agnes Reynaud, Pascal Chappert, Matthieu Mahevas
Summary: This study examined the MBC responses in recovered and naive individuals after mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, finding that the MBC pool in recovered individuals expanded selectively, matured further, and had potent neutralizers against VOCs. Naive individuals displayed weaker neutralizing serum responses, but a significant portion of their RBD-specific MBCs showed high affinity to multiple VOCs, suggesting potential efficient response to VOCs in naive vaccinees.
Article
Immunology
Eleonora Melzi, Jordan R. Willis, Krystal M. Ma, Ying-Cing Lin, Sven Kratochvil, Zachary T. Berndsen, Elise A. Landais, Oleksandr Kalyuzhniy, Usha Nair, John Warner, Jon M. Steichen, Anton Kalyuzhniy, Amber Le, Simone Pecetta, Manfredo Perez, Kathrin Kirsch, Stephanie R. Weldon, Samantha Falcone, Sunny Himansu, Andrea Carfi, Devin Sok, Andrew B. Ward, William R. Schief, Facundo D. Batista
Summary: Eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies is essential for HIV vaccine design, and research has shown that high-affinity ApexGT immunogens are crucial for activating and selecting mature bnAb mutations. Additionally, mRNA-LNP is a suitable approach for significantly improving B cell responses.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Justin Brown, Korakrit Poonsuk, Ting-Yu Cheng, Chris Rademacher, Erin Kalkwarf, Liying Tian, Lauren A. McKeen, Chong Wang, Luis Gimenez-Lirola, David Baum, Locke A. Karriker
Summary: Antibodies can be transmitted from a sow to her piglets through milk, and their levels can be monitored in the sow's serum to determine if they can provide protection for the piglets. This study compared two diagnostic assays for the detection of antibodies for a specific virus in pigs, and found moderate agreement between the assays. The high-throughput neutralization assay showed advantages over the fluorescent focus neutralization assay in terms of specificity and result discrimination.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Abdul A. Waheed, Yanan Zhu, Eva Agostino, Lwar Naing, Yuta Hikichi, Ferri Soheilian, Seung- Wan Yoo, Yun Song, Peijun Zhang, Barbara S. Slusher, Norman J. Haughey, Eric O. Freed
Summary: This study demonstrates the essential role of nSMase2 in the morphogenesis and maturation of HIV-1 particles, as well as other primate lentiviruses. Inhibition or depletion of nSMase2 results in the production of immature and non-infectious viral particles.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Jeffrey C. Umotoy, Steven W. de Taeye
Summary: Despite the improvements in life expectancy for people living with HIV-1 through antiretroviral therapy, a cure for HIV/AIDS remains elusive. The emergence of drug resistance has led to increased treatment failures, highlighting the need for novel strategies for HIV-1 cure. Antibody conjugates (ACs) show promise in addressing limitations of current ART, reducing off-target effects, toxicity, and production costs, and are being explored for their potential in HIV-1 cure.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Sai Pooja Mahajan, Jeffrey A. Ruffolo, Rahel Frick, Jeffrey J. Gray
Summary: Antibodies are important therapeutics for treating cancer, infectious disease, and inflammation, and their target affinity needs to be improved through engineering. This study proposes the F(v)Hallucinator pipeline based on deep learning to design antibody sequences, resulting in the generation of inexpensive, diverse, and targeted antibody libraries enriched in binders for the target antigen. This provides a new approach for antibody affinity maturation.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rory Henderson, Ye Zhou, Victoria Stalls, Kevin Wiehe, Kevin O. Saunders, Kshitij Wagh, Kara Anasti, Maggie Barr, Robert Parks, S. Munir Alam, Bette Korber, Barton F. Haynes, Alberto Bartesaghi, Priyamvada Acharya
Summary: Antibody affinity maturation plays a crucial role in adaptive immune responses to pathogens. This study focuses on the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies against rapidly mutating pathogens such as HIV-1. By determining the structures of antibodies at different stages of development, the researchers identify key mutations and potential solutions for improving affinity maturation, which can inform the design of effective vaccines.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Alyssa G. Robillard, Carmen H. Julious, Stacy W. Smallwood, Mark Douglas, Bambi W. Gaddist, Tyler Singleton
Summary: Community-based organizations (CBOs) are crucial in achieving the goal of ending the HIV epidemic, but they face threats from structural inequities that hinder their survival and growth. The role of HIV CBOs in public health should be recognized, and steps should be taken to promote structural equity.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Amanda Y. Hammack, Jacquelyn N. Bickham, Isaac Gilliard, William T. Robinson
Summary: The community health worker team in East Baton Rouge Parish successfully facilitated access to HIV prevention and treatment for priority populations through outreach, rapid testing, linkage to care, and assistance with pre-exposure prophylaxis initiation.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jianbo Liu, Hongyan Shi, Jianfei Chen, Xin Zhang, Da Shi, Zhaoyang Ji, Zhaoyang Jing, Li Feng
Summary: A neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb), 5F7, against the S2 protein of PEDV was obtained and found to neutralize both new variant genotype 2 and genotype 1 PEDV strains.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Zunyou Wu, Jennifer M. McGoogan, Roger Detels
Summary: China's HIV/AIDS epidemic shows no signs of slowing down, with increasing new cases and deaths each year. The complexity of epidemic data presents challenges to control efforts, emphasizing the need for a new research agenda to better understand and address the situation.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Patrick S. Sullivan, Anna Satcher Johnson, Elizabeth S. Pembleton, Rob Stephenson, Amy C. Justice, Keri N. Althoff, Heather Bradley, Amanda D. Castel, Alexandra M. Oster, Eli S. Rosenberg, Kenneth H. Mayer, Chris Beyrer
Summary: The HIV epidemic in the USA is now concentrated in the Southern regions and there are profound disparities across regions and by race or ethnicity. This is likely driven by restricted Medicaid expansion, healthcare provider shortages, low health literacy, and HIV stigma. Overall, HIV diagnoses decreased from 2009-2018, but increased among individuals aged 25-34 years, with stable rates among White MSM, increasing rates among Black MSM, and Hispanic or Latino MSM. Surveillance data indicates ongoing disparities in HIV cases, with disproportionate impact among people in the South, racial or ethnic minorities, and MSM.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Deborah Cromer, Megan Steain, Arnold Reynaldi, Timothy E. Schlub, Adam K. Wheatley, Jennifer A. Juno, Stephen J. Kent, James A. Triccas, David S. Khoury, Miles P. Davenport
Summary: By analyzing data on in-vitro neutralization and clinical protection, the study found that neutralizing activity against the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 is highly correlated with neutralization of variants of concern, and can still predict the vaccine's protection against these variants. Simulation results suggest that booster vaccination for previously infected individuals can provide higher levels of protection compared to primary vaccination. Although the protection may decrease within the first year after vaccination, the current vaccines can still offer robust protection in the medium term.
Article
Immunology
Marios Koutsakos, Wen Shi Lee, Arnold Reynaldi, Hyon-Xhi Tan, Grace Gare, Paul Kinsella, Kwee Chin Liew, George Taiaroa, Deborah A. Williamson, Helen E. Kent, Eva Stadler, Deborah Cromer, David S. Khoury, Adam K. Wheatley, Jennifer A. Juno, Miles P. Davenport, Stephen J. Kent
Summary: This study investigates the early kinetics of spike-specific humoral and cellular immunity after vaccination and breakthrough infections of seropositive individuals. The findings reveal that vaccination of seropositive individuals induces robust recall of immune responses, while recall of vaccine-elicited responses in breakthrough infections is delayed and variable, depending on the infecting variant.
Article
Immunology
Hyon-Xhi Tan, Kathleen M. Wragg, Hannah G. Kelly, Robyn Esterbauer, Benjamin J. Dixon, Jillian S. Y. Lau, Katie L. Flanagan, Carolien E. van de Sandt, Katherine Kedzierska, James H. McMahon, Adam K. Wheatley, Jennifer A. Juno, Stephen J. Kent
Summary: This study demonstrates that germinal center responses develop in the tonsils of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, indicating their potential role in the long-term development of immunity.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Kathleen M. Wragg, Wen Shi Lee, Marios Koutsakos, Hyon-Xhi Tan, Thakshila Amarasena, Arnold Reynaldi, Grace Gare, Penny Konstandopoulos, Kirsty R. Field, Robyn Esterbauer, Helen E. Kent, Miles P. Davenport, Adam K. Wheatley, Stephen J. Kent, Jennifer A. Juno
Summary: Wragg and colleagues tracked clonal populations of spike-specific CD4(+) cT(FH) cells using MHC class II tetramers and TCR beta sequencing in convalescent individuals with COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated individuals. They found that both infection and vaccination induced CD4(+) T cell responses to the spike protein and that these responses correlated with neutralizing antibodies. Secondary exposure led to the recall of CD4(+) T cells with a transitory CXCR3(+) phenotype and expansion of cT(FH) cells temporarily expressing ICOS, CD38, and PD-1. The study demonstrates that stable pools of cT(FH) and memory CD4(+) T cells established by infection and/or vaccination can be efficiently recalled and may contribute to long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Immunology
Nagendrakumar B. Singanallur, Petrus Jansen van Vuren, Alexander J. McAuley, Matthew P. Bruce, Michael J. Kuiper, Stella M. Gwini, Shane Riddell, Sarah Goldie, Trevor W. Drew, Kim R. Blasdell, Mary Tachedjian, Shruthi Mangalaganesh, Simran Chahal, Leon Caly, Julian D. Druce, Jennifer A. Juno, Stephen J. Kent, Adam K. Wheatley, Seshadri S. Vasan
Summary: Plasma samples from donors who received AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were assessed in virus neutralization assays. The results showed a significant increase in neutralizing antibody titres against Delta and VIC31 after the third dose, while neutralization of Omicron was observed only after the third dose.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Anouk von Borstel, Thi H. O. Nguyen, Louise C. Rowntree, Thomas M. Ashhurst, Lilith F. Allen, Lauren J. Howson, Natasha E. Holmes, Olivia C. Smibert, Jason A. Trubiano, Claire L. Gordon, Allen C. Cheng, Stephen J. Kent, Jamie Rossjohn, Katherine Kedzierska, Martin S. Davey
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause severe COVID-19 in some individuals. The immune system, particularly effector gamma delta T cells, plays a role in the defense against SARS-CoV-2. Our study shows an association between effector populations of gamma delta T cells and acute COVID-19 in unvaccinated individuals.
IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Immunology
Bruce D. Wines, Liriye Kurtovic, Halina M. Trist, Sandra Esparon, Ester Lopez, Klasina Chappin, Li-Jin Chan, Francesca L. Mordant, Wen Shi Lee, Nicholas A. Gherardin, Sheila K. Patel, Gemma E. Hartley, Phillip Pymm, James P. Cooney, James G. Beeson, Dale I. Godfrey, Louise M. Burrell, Menno C. van Zelm, Adam K. Wheatley, Amy W. W. Chung, Wai-Hong Tham, Kanta Subbarao, Stephen J. Kent, P. Mark Hogarth
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Kirsty R. Field, Kathleen M. Wragg, Wen Shi Lee, Marc Rigau, Adam P. Uldrich, Stephen J. Kent, Jennifer A. Juno
Summary: V?9Vd2 T cells can recognize various molecules associated with cellular stress or transformation, providing a unique avenue for the treatment of cancers or infectious diseases. Enhancing the cytotoxic effector function of V?9Vd2 T cells is one potential avenue through which the immunotherapeutic potential of this subset may be improved.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David S. Khoury, Steffen S. Docken, Kanta Subbarao, Stephen J. Kent, Miles P. Davenport, Deborah Cromer
Summary: Booster vaccination is necessary to combat waning immunity and variants of SARS-CoV-2. Data on neutralization titers from multiple sources suggest that using ancestral vaccines can enhance protection against symptomatic and severe disease caused by variant viruses. Variant-modified vaccines may provide additional benefits. This study provides evidence-based guidance for future COVID-19 vaccine regimens.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Deborah Cromer, Megan Steain, Arnold Reynaldi, Timothy E. Schlub, Shanchita R. Khan, Sarah C. Sasson, Stephen J. Kent, David S. Khoury, Miles P. Davenport
Summary: The study demonstrates a strong correlation between neutralising antibody titres and vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Predicted neutralising antibody titres are strongly correlated with observed vaccine effectiveness, and the loss of neutralising antibodies over time and to new variants is predictive of observed vaccine protection against severe COVID-19.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Mai N. Vu, Emily H. Pilkington, Wen Shi Lee, Hyon-Xhi Tan, Thomas P. Davis, Nghia P. Truong, Stephen J. Kent, Adam K. Wheatley
Summary: Using monoclonal antibodies to target vaccine antigens to specific immune cells within lymph nodes can enhance immune responses. The authors developed a system using self-assembling ferritin nanoparticles to attach antibodies to the nanoparticles, allowing for rapid screening of different targeting antibodies. By targeting Clec9a, the authors observed higher antibody titers and increased germinal center formation, leading to robust antibody responses. However, the effectiveness of immune cell targeting depends on the antigen, with variation observed for different immunogens.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Georgia Deliyannis, Nicholas A. Gherardin, Chinn Yi Wong, Samantha L. Grimley, James P. Cooney, Samuel J. Redmond, Paula Ellenberg, Kathryn C. Davidson, Francesca L. Mordant, Tim Smith, Marianne Gillard, Ester Lopez, Julie McAuley, Chee Wah Tan, Jing J. Wang, Weiguang Zeng, Mason Littlejohn, Runhong Zhou, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Zhi-wei Chen, Airn E. Hartwig, Richard Bowen, Jason M. Mackenzie, Elizabeth Vincan, Joseph Torresi, Katherine Kedzierska, Colin W. Pouton, Tom P. Gordon, Lin-fa Wang, Stephen J. Kent, Adam K. Wheatley, Sharon R. Lewin, Kanta Subbarao, Amy W. Chung, Marc Pellegrini, Trent Munro, Terry Nolan, Steven Rockman, David C. Jackson, Damian F. J. Purcell, Dale I. Godfrey
Summary: Researchers have developed a protein subunit vaccine to address the variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The vaccine induces strong neutralizing antibody responses and provides durable immunity against upper and lower airway infections. It has the potential to complement existing vaccines and is currently in a phase I clinical trial.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eva Stadler, Martin T. Burgess, Timothy E. Schlub, Shanchita R. Khan, Khai Li Chai, Zoe K. McQuilten, Erica M. Wood, Mark N. Polizzotto, Stephen J. Kent, Deborah Cromer, Miles P. Davenport, David S. Khoury
Summary: Multiple monoclonal antibodies have been effective for both prophylaxis and therapy for SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aggregates data from randomized controlled trials to model the dose-response relationship of monoclonal antibodies for prophylaxis. The estimated 50% protection from COVID-19 is achieved with a concentration of 96-fold of the in vitro IC50.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
David S. Khoury, Timothy E. Schlub, Deborah Cromer, Megan Steain, Youyi Fong, Peter B. Gilbert, Kanta Subbarao, James A. Triccas, Stephen J. Kent, Miles P. Davenport
Summary: Multiple studies have demonstrated a correlation between neutralizing antibody levels and protection from COVID-19, estimating the relationship between the two. However, estimates of the required level of neutralizing antibodies for protection vary across these studies. By normalizing antibody titers, it has been found that there is a consistent relationship between antibody levels and protection from COVID-19. This finding is crucial for future vaccine planning, assessing population immunity, and mitigating the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Ebene R. Haycroft, Timon Damelang, Ester Lopez, Mark A. Rodgers, Bruce D. Wines, Mark Hogarth, Cassaundra L. Ameel, Stephen J. Kent, Charles A. Scanga, Shelby L. O'Connor, Amy W. Chung
Summary: This study used a macaque model of tuberculosis and HIV co-infection to investigate the humoral responses. They found that antibody responses to tuberculosis were impaired during HIV co-infection. The study suggests that humoral immunity and antibody glycosylation may play a role in the control and progression of tuberculosis.
CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)