Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Fiona M. Gribble, Stephen O'Rahilly
Summary: Obese non-diabetic patients receiving semaglutide in a large randomized placebo-controlled trial lost and maintained around 15% of their body weight for over a year, potentially indicating a new era of anti-obesity drugs based on brain appetite suppression.
Article
Microbiology
Jennifer J. Jenks, Sharmi Amin, Madeline M. Sponholtz, Amit Kumar, Daniel J. Wrapp, Sravani Venkatayogi, Joshua Tu, Krithika S. Karthigeyan, Sarah Valencia, Megan R. Connors, Melissa Harnois, Bhavna F. Hora, Eric Rochat, Jason F. McLellan, Kevin Wiehe, Sallie F. Permar
Summary: This study identified a rare heavy chain mutation that confers neutralizing function and plays a key role in the gB AD-2S1 epitope. Lineage-based vaccine design may be used to induce potent neutralizing antibodies against CMV gB AD-2S1.
Review
Immunology
Sara Scarpini, Francesca Morigi, Ludovica Betti, Arianna Dondi, Carlotta Biagi, Marcello Lanari
Summary: hCMV is a common cause of congenital infection, leading to potential permanent impairment and severe disease in immunocompromised individuals. Research on hCMV vaccines is ongoing, but challenges in development include the virus's ability to evade immune response and identifying target populations for vaccination.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Mona Kamal Saadeldin, Amal Kamal Abdel-Aziz, Ahmed Abdellatif
Summary: Immunotherapy, particularly dendritic cell (DC) vaccine therapy, is a promising approach for combating cancer and potentially treating diseases like COVID-19. Clinical trials are ongoing to explore the efficacy of DC vaccine therapy in combination with other interventions. This personalized treatment option may benefit vulnerable populations, such as cancer patients with compromised immune systems.
MEDICAL HYPOTHESES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Michael Schwendinger, Georges Thiry, Beatrice De Vos, Geert Leroux-Roels, Jacques Bruhwyler, Ariane Huygens, Corinne Ganeff, Heidemarie Buchinger, Klaus K. Orlinger, Daniel D. Pinschewer, Thomas P. Monath, Anders E. Lilja
Summary: This study describes the first-in-man study of a replication-deficient arenavirus-based vector, HB-101, expressing cytomegalovirus gB and pp65. Consecutive administrations of HB-101 were well tolerated and elicited gB-binding and neutralizing antibodies as well as cytomegalovirus-specific CD8 T-cell responses in healthy volunteers.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Yong-Qiang Deng, Na-Na Zhang, Yi-Fei Zhang, Xia Zhong, Sue Xu, Hong-Ying Qiu, Tie-Cheng Wang, Hui Zhao, Chao Zhou, Shu-Long Zu, Qi Chen, Tian-Shu Cao, Qing Ye, Hang Chi, Xiang-Hui Duan, Dan-Dan Lin, Xiao-Jing Zhang, Liang-Zhi Xie, Yu-Wei Gao, Bo Ying, Cheng-Feng Qin
Summary: The study presents a rapid and cost-effective platform for in vivo delivery of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. A single administration of the mRNA antibodies provided long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 and prevented its transmission in animal models.
Article
Microbiology
Irina Matveeva, Olga Karpova, Nikolai Nikitin, Oleg Akilin, Vasiliy Yelnikov, Irina Litenkova, Roman Melnik, Nikolai Melnik, Karim Asimov, Aleksey Zaberezhny, Yriy Fyodorov, Evgeniya Markova
Summary: The core of reindeer rabies eradication strategy is regular vaccination to achieve and maintain sufficient coverage for stopping rabies virus transmission. The study found that a single dose of 3 ml inactivated rabies vaccine induced stable production of specific neutralizing antibodies in reindeer, and two doses with a 30-day interval established a strong immunity for at least 2 years. The data did not support the benefit of an adjuvanted vaccine for preventing rabies in reindeer.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Mohammed Ali Bakkari
Summary: In this study, immune epitopes of the Human Cytomegalovirus were screened and combined to construct multi epitope-based vaccine constructs. The functionality of each vaccine construct was evaluated through tertiary vaccine structure modelling and validations. Physio-chemical properties and receptor specific affinity were also predicted and tested.
Editorial Material
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Marleen Julia Meyer-Toennies, Mladen Vassilev Tzvetkov
Summary: SLC22 transporters play a versatile role in drug elimination and distribution in organs. The first cryo-EM structure of SLC22A3 (OCT3) has been determined by the Sitte and Korkhov groups. This structure provides insights into the function of OCT3 and sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the polyspecificity of the entire SLC22 family.
TRENDS IN PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rui Tian, Kaitao Li, Yanjun Lin, Chao Lu, Xue Duan
Summary: This review provides an overview of the characterization strategies for the different stages of polymer aging, including the generation of radicals, variation of functional groups, chain scission, formation of low-molecular products, and deterioration in macro-performances. The structure-property relationship and lifetime prediction for aged polymers are highlighted. This review is expected to be valuable for researchers in materials science and chemistry.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Eleanor C. Semmes, Itzayana G. Miller, Courtney E. Wimberly, Caroline T. Phan, Jennifer A. Jenks, Melissa J. Harnois, Stella J. Berendam, Helen Webster, Jillian H. Hurst, Joanne Kurtzberg, Genevieve G. Fouda, Kyle M. Walsh, Sallie R. Permar
Summary: This study found that high-avidity IgG binding and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) were associated with reduced risk of congenital HCMV infection. It was also determined that HCMV-specific IgG activation of Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RII was enhanced in non-transmitting dyads and that increased ADCP responses were mediated through both Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RIIA expressed on human monocytes. These findings provide insights for future studies on immune correlates against congenital HCMV transmission and inform the development of HCMV vaccine and immunotherapy.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jielin Chen, Mingpan Cheng, Gilmar F. Salgado, Petr Stadlbauer, Xiaobo Zhang, Samir Amrane, Aurore Guedin, Fangni He, Jiri Sponer, Huangxian Ju, Jean-Louis Mergny, Jun Zhou
Summary: Research has shown that the addition of nucleotides in oligodeoxynucleotides forming intramolecular G4 structures favors the formation of a parallel fold, especially when added at the 5'end, known as the "flanking effect". This effect depends on loop arrangement and was confirmed through NMR experiments and molecular dynamics simulations.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Virology
Anna Schmidt, Dennis Lapuente
Summary: Current flu vaccines mainly rely on strain-specific antibodies which may not protect against drifted or newly emerged strains. Therefore, research on universal flu vaccines that target conserved parts of the virus is a top priority. Tissue-resident memory T cells in the respiratory tract play a crucial role in providing efficient heterologous immunity, making them key components of universal flu vaccines. Recent studies on T cell-based flu immunity, along with preclinical and clinical trials of T cell-evoking vaccines, are crucial for the development of effective flu vaccine policies.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Upasana Ray, Robert Z. Orlowski
Summary: Multiple myeloma is often treated with monoclonal antibodies targeting specific markers or as antibody-drug conjugates. There are several approved antibodies for treatment, such as daratumumab and isatuximab targeting CD38, elotuzumab targeting Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family member 7, and teclistamab targeting BCMA. Belantamab mafodotin is an ADC that gained attention but faced withdrawal due to negative Phase III results. Despite this setback, there are other ADCs in development targeting BCMA or other plasma cell surface markers. Overall, ADCs have potential as part of chemotherapy against myeloma.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeffrey Lazarus, Diana Romero, Christopher J. Kopka, Salim Abdool Karim, Laith J. Abu-Raddad, Gisele Almeida, Ricardo Baptista-Leite, Joshua A. Barocas, Mauricio L. Barreto, Yaneer Bar-Yam, Quique Bassat, Carolina Batista, Morgan Bazilian, Shu-Ti Chiou, Carlos del Rio, Gregory J. Dore, George F. Gao, Lawrence O. Gostin, Margaret Hellard, Jose L. Jimenez, Gagandeep Kang, Nancy Lee, Mojca Maticic, Martin McKee, Sabin Nsanzimana, Miquel Oliu-Barton, Bary Pradelski, Oksana Pyzik, Kenneth Rabin, Sunil Raina, Sabina Faiz Rashid, Magdalena Rathe, Rocio Saenz, Sudhvir Singh, Malene Trock-Hempler, Sonia Villapol, Peiling Yap, Agnes Binagwaho, Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Ayman El-Mohandes
Summary: Despite scientific and medical advances, political, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors continue to undermine the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Delphi study involving a diverse panel of experts from 112 countries and territories developed a set of recommendations across various domains to address this global threat to public health.
