Article
Microbiology
Pia Fittje, Angelique Hoelzemer, Wilfredo F. Garcia-Beltran, Sarah Vollmers, Annika Niehrs, Kerri Hagemann, Gloria Martrus, Christian Korner, Frank Kirchhoff, Daniel Sauter, Marcus Altfeld
Summary: This study identified the binding of KIR2DL5 with the poliovirus receptor (PVR, CD155) rather than HLA class I or class II molecules. It demonstrated that HIV-1 decreases CD155 expression on infected CD4(+) T cells via a Nef-dependent mechanism, leading to enhanced anti-viral activity of KIR2DL5(+) NK cells against HIV-1-infected cells.
Article
Immunology
Sarah Vollmers, Annabelle Lobermeyer, Annika Niehrs, Pia Fittje, Daniela Indenbirken, Jacqueline Nakel, Sanamjeet Virdi, Sebastien Brias, Timo Trenkner, Gabriel Sauer, Sven Peine, Georg M. N. Behrens, Clara Lehmann, Anja Meurer, Ramona Pauli, Nils Postel, Julia Roider, Stefan Scholten, Christoph D. Spinner, Christoph Stephan, Eva Wolf, Christoph Wyen, Laura Richert, Paul J. Norman, Juergen Sauter, Alexander H. Schmidt, Angelique Hoelzemer, Marcus Altfeld, Christian Koerner
Summary: NK cells play a crucial role in antiviral immunity, and KIR receptors regulate NK cell activity and recognition of target cells. HLA-C serves as the primary ligand for KIRs, and interactions between HLA-C and inhibitory KIR2DL receptors may contribute to HIV-1 immune evasion. This study found significant changes in the NK cell receptor repertoire in HIV-1-infected individuals and suggested that KIR/HLA-C genotypes may impact HIV-1 immune escape.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shanmugapriya Shanmugapriya, Eveline Santos da Silva, Jackson A. Campbell, Marie-Philipe Boisjoli, Mojgan H. Naghavi
Summary: HIV-1 utilizes dynein and associated proteins for infection, but avoids binding to DCTN1, possibly to evade its negative impact on viral infection. DCTN1 inhibits early HIV-1 infection by interfering with the interaction between viral cores and essential host factors, revealing a negative regulatory role in HIV-1 pathogenesis.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chiara Stefani, Antonella Sangalli, Elena Locatelli, Tania Federico, Giovanni Malerba, Maria Grazia Romanelli, Gustavo Adolfo Arganaraz, Bosco Christiano Maciel Da Silva, Alberto Jose Duarte Da Silva, Jorge Casseb, Enrique Roberto Arganaraz, Alessandra Ruggiero, Donato Zipeto
Summary: This study found a correlation between unstable HLA-C variants and rapid progression to AIDS, providing new insights into the impact of host genetic factors on AIDS progression.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura C. Ristow, Andrew J. Jezewski, Benjamin J. Chadwick, Mark A. Stamnes, Xiaorong Lin, Damian J. Krysan
Summary: Cryptococcus spp. must adapt to high host CO2 concentrations to cause life-threatening meningitis. The TOR pathway and Ypk1 play critical roles in C. neoformans' adaptation to host CO2 by influencing the phosphatidylserine membrane structure. Additionally, a transporter protein called PDR9 has been identified, which suppresses CO2-induced membrane remodeling and increases susceptibility to host CO2 concentrations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Abdirahman Abdi, Fiona Achcar, Lauriane Sollelis, Joao Luiz Silva-Filho, Kioko Mwikali, Michelle Muthui, Shaban Mwangi, Hannah W. Kimingi, Benedict Orindi, Cheryl Andisi Kivisi, Manon Alkema, Amrita Chandrasekar, Peter C. Bull, Philip Bejon, Katarzyna Modrzynska, Teun Bousema, Matthias Marti
Summary: The malaria parasite life cycle involves asexual replication in human blood and differentiation into gametocytes for transmission to mosquitoes. Host factors influence the commitment to differentiate into gametocytes, but the exact mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we analyzed data from 828 children in Kenya over 18 years to understand the relationship between host immunity, parasite growth, and transmission investment. We found that reduced plasma lysophosphatidylcholine levels, which are associated with inflammatory responses, are correlated with increased transmission investment and reduced asexual replication.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wei Ping Teoh, Xi Chen, Irina Laczkovich, Francis Alonzo
Summary: During infection, pathogenic microbes such as Staphylococcus aureus adapt to the host's nutritional environment by scavenging necessary nutrients, including lipoic acid, and enzymes required for metabolism. The ability to acquire lipoic acid and unsaturated fatty acids from the host environment is crucial for the pathogen's virulence in different infection sites. The findings emphasize the importance of host lipid assimilation for bacterial survival and suggest challenges in targeting bacterial lipogenesis as an antibacterial strategy.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Virology
Yu Zhang, Takayuki Chikata, Nozomi Kuse, Hayato Murakoshi, Hiroyuki Gatanaga, Shinichi Oka, Masafumi Takiguchi
Summary: This study found that specific T cells restricted by the rare protective allele HLA-B*67:01 are associated with immune control of HIV-1. Some specific T cells targeting conserved or cross-reactive epitopes contribute to good clinical outcomes.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Lijun Cong, Scott M. Sugden, Pascal Leclair, Chinten James Lim, Tram N. Q. Pham, Eric A. Cohen
Summary: The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu modulates macrophage infection by downregulating CD47 expression on infected cells, promoting phagocytosis. This mechanism enhances the susceptibility of macrophages to viral infection and allows for efficient infection by weakly macrophage-tropic virus strains. The findings provide new insights into intercellular transmission of HIV-1 to macrophages and have implications for viral reservoir establishment and early dissemination in vivo.
Review
Microbiology
Sooin Jang, Alan N. Engelman
Summary: The HIV-1 capsid interacts with a variety of host factors during cell entry and nuclear transport, and the timing and location of capsid uncoating are still debated. Recent research suggests that the capsid remains largely intact during nuclear import and may require structural remodeling for nuclear pore complex traversal. Host factors like CPSF6 bind to the capsid using peptide sequences located within prion-like domains. Understanding capsid-host interactions is important for studying HIV-1 infection and has led to the development of drugs like lenacapavir that target the same capsid binding pocket as host factors.
MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kamil Wiecek, Heng-Chang Chen
Summary: The genetic integrity of HIV-1 proviruses is crucial for curing infection, but intact proviruses are not common in HIV-1 reservoirs. A recent concept of a revised HIV-1 deeply latent reservoir suggests that the establishment of HIV-1 reservoirs is influenced by immune-mediated selection, resulting in genetically intact proviruses that are best suited to evade clearance.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Iart Luca Shytaj, Francesco Andrea Procopio, Mohammad Tarek, Irene Carlon-Andres, Hsin-Yao Tang, Aaron R. Goldman, MohamedHusen Munshi, Virender Kumar Pal, Mattia Forcato, Sheetal Sreeram, Konstantin Leskov, Fengchun Ye, Bojana Lucic, Nicolly Cruz, Lishomwa C. Ndhlovu, Silvio Bicciato, Sergi Padilla-Parra, Ricardo Sobhie Diaz, Amit Singh, Marina Lusic, Jonathan Karn, David Alvarez-Carbonell, Andrea Savarino
Summary: The study reveals that latent HIV-1 infection downregulates glycolysis and relies on the pentose phosphate pathway for maintaining latency. Reactivation of the virus can revert this effect and decrease proviral DNA in infected cells.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Marcos V. P. Gondim, Scott Sherrill-Mix, Frederic Bibollet-Ruche, Ronnie M. Russell, Stephanie Trimboli, Andrew G. Smith, Yingying Li, Weimin Liu, Alexa N. Avitto, Julia C. DeVoto, Jesse Connell, Angharad E. Fenton-May, Pierre Pellegrino, Ian Williams, Emmanouil Papasavvas, Julio C. C. Lorenzi, D. Brenda Salantes, Felicity Mampe, M. Alexandra Monroy, Yehuda Z. Cohen, Sonya Heath, Michael S. Saag, Luis J. Montaner, Ronald G. Collman, Janet M. Siliciano, Robert F. Siliciano, Lindsey J. Plenderleith, Paul M. Sharp, Marina Caskey, Michel C. Nussenzweig, George M. Shaw, Persephone Borrow, Katharine J. Bar, Beatrice H. Hahn
Summary: Type 1 interferons (IFN-I) have potent antiviral effects against HIV-1, but their resistance in later stages of infection remains high. A study of 500 clonally derived HIV-1 isolates found that resistance to IFN-I decreases in the first year after infection, increases with CD4(+) T cell loss, and is highest during viral rebound after treatment interruption. This dynamic interplay between host innate responses and the evolving HIV-1 quasispecies affects the control of HIV-1 by IFN-I.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Eric Alves, Marwah Al-Kaabi, Niamh M. Keane, Shay Leary, Coral-Ann M. Almeida, Pooja Deshpande, Jennifer Currenti, Abha Chopra, Rita Smith, Alison Castley, Simon Mallal, Spyros A. Kalams, Silvana Gaudieri, Mina John
Summary: This study highlights the importance of the initial CD8(+) T cell immune response to HIV in driving viral adaptation, and how viral adaptations impact the population level, shedding light on which changes have the greatest impact on HIV evolution.
Article
Ecology
Jiaojiao Wang, Laikun Ma, Xiangyang Chen, Canchao Yang
Summary: Cuckoo nestlings adapt their begging behavior to reduce the risk of being heard by predators. However, research on how parasite nestlings respond to alarm calls of their host parents is lacking. A study on common cuckoo and oriental reed warbler found that both cuckoo and host nestlings reduced their begging intensity after hearing the playback of alarm calls, without differentiating between the different alarm call playbacks.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Andrology
Jorge Hallak, Thiago A. Teixeira, Felipe S. Bernardes, Felipe Carneiro, Sergio A. S. Duarte, Juliana R. Pariz, Sandro C. Esteves, Esper Kallas, Paulo H. N. Saldiva
Summary: The rapid spread of the COVID-19 outbreak has led to a significant number needing hospitalization, with a small percentage of patients in critical conditions. This study aims to summarize the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the male genitourinary tract, including impacts on the urinary system, kidney injury, and reproductive system. Further international scientific efforts are needed to understand the role of the urogenital system in clinical settings during the pandemic.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dennis C. Copertino, Bruno C. Casado Lima, Rodrigo R. R. Duarte, Timothy R. Powell, Christopher E. Ormsby, Timothy Wilkin, Roy M. Gulick, Miguel de Mulder Rougvie, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has led to a rapidly increasing number of deaths worldwide. Urgent studies are ongoing to identify new antiviral drugs, repurpose existing drugs, or find drugs that can target the overactive immune response. Some research suggests certain antiretroviral drugs may offer protection against the progression of COVID-19.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Luke B. Snell, Chloe L. Fisher, Usman Taj, Oliver Stirrup, Blair Merrick, Adela Alcolea-Medina, Themoula Charalampous, Adrian W. Signell, Harry D. Wilson, Gilberto Betancor, Mark Tan Kia Ik, Emma Cunningham, Penelope R. Cliff, Suzanne Pickering, Rui Pedro Galao, Rahul Batra, Stuart J. D. Neil, Michael H. Malim, Katie J. Doores, Sam T. Douthwaite, Gaia Nebbia, Jonathan D. Edgeworth, Ali R. Awan
Summary: Analysis of viral genome sequences and epidemiological data in a large healthcare institution during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed 44 transmission clusters, with genomics playing a crucial role in accurately resolving these clusters. Evidence suggests that unidentified cases, such as healthcare workers or asymptomatic patients, may be important vectors of transmission.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nathaniel Hupert, Daniela Marin-Hernandez, Bo Gao, Ricardo Aguas, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: COVID-19 remains a global health threat, and non-COVID-19 vaccines may have nonspecific effects that enhance population immunity and provide some protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mathematical modeling suggests that heterologous vaccine interventions could reduce the spread and mortality of COVID-19, and these findings may be applicable to future viral pandemics.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Matthew L. Bendall, Jasmine H. Francis, Alexander N. Shoushtari, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: The study identified four HERV-based subgroups in uveal melanoma, providing clear delineation of risk outcome and supporting other molecular subtypes. Intergenic HERVs with coding potential may represent potential therapeutic targets in tumor classification.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas Dopkins, Morgan M. O'Mara, Elsa Lawrence, Tongyi Fei, Santiago Sandoval-Motta, Douglas F. Nixon, Matthew L. Bendall
Summary: Germ cells can be infected by exogenous retroviruses, causing the integration of retroviral gene sequences into the genome. These integrated retroviruses, known as ERVs, are commonly found in mammalian genomes and have been co-opted for complex physiological processes. However, unregulated ERV transposition and expression pose a threat to cell fitness and genomic integrity, necessitating the control of ERVs through pre- and post-transcriptional mechanisms.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas Dopkins, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: A new study by Yoh et al. revealed that the host factor PQBP1 enhances immune recognition of retroviral DNA by recruiting the cytosolic DNA scavenger cGAS to the HIV-1 capsid, leading to the production of interferons. These findings highlight the significance of innate immune sensing in HIV-1 infection.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas Dopkins, Morgan M. O'Mara, Bhavya Singh, Jez L. Marston, Matthew L. Bendall, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: The composition of the microbiota is closely related to human health and disease. Recent evidence suggests that endogenous retroviruses play a role in facilitating communication between the host and microbiota to shape immunity.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Teresa H. Evering, Jez L. Marston, Li Gan, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta (A beta) plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau, which trigger the abnormal transcription of transposable elements (TE) by microglia and astrocytes. This forum presents new data linking dysregulated TE expression to AD pathogenesis.
TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Nicholas Dopkins, Bhavya Singh, Stephanie Michael, Morgan M. O'Mara, Jez L. Marston, Tongyi Fei, Matthew L. Bendall, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genomic sequences that constitute a significant portion of the human genome. They can be induced by immunostimulatory cues and play a role in host-microbiota interaction. This study demonstrates that toll-like receptor activation alters the expression of retrotransposons and that reverse transcriptase inhibitor delivery can ameliorate the inflammatory response.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Esther B. Florsheim, Nathaniel D. Bachtel, Jaime L. Cullen, Bruna G. C. Lima, Mahdieh Godazgar, Fernando Carvalho, Carolina P. Chatain, Marcelo R. Zimmer, Cuiling Zhang, Gregory Gautier, Pierre Launay, Andrew Wang, Marcelo O. Dietrich, Ruslan Medzhitov
Summary: In addition to protecting the body from pathogens, the immune system can also affect behavior. In this study using mouse models of food allergy, it was found that allergic sensitization leads to antigen-specific avoidance behavior. The avoidance of allergens activates certain brain areas involved in aversive stimuli response. IgE antibodies and mast cells are necessary for allergen avoidance, and cysteinyl leukotrienes and growth and differentiation factor 15 play a role in promoting avoidance. Genetic background also influences avoidance behavior. These findings suggest that antigen-specific behavioral modifications may have evolved to avoid unfavorable environments.
Review
Cell Biology
Nicholas Dopkins, Douglas F. Nixon
Summary: This review discusses the importance of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), how they have influenced human evolution and physiology, and how they are regulated. It has been found that these viruses play a crucial role in human health, but their study is still underrepresented.
NATURE REVIEWS MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Danielle E. Lyons, Priti Kumar, Nadia R. Roan, Patricia A. Defechereux, Cedric Feschotte, Ulrike C. Lange, Niren Murthy, Pauline Sameshima, Eric Verdin, Julie A. Ake, Matthew S. Parsons, Avindra Nath, Sara Gianella, Davey M. Smith, Esper G. Kallas, Thomas J. Villa, Richard Strange, Betty Mwesigwa, Robert L. Furler O'Brien, Douglas F. Nixon, Lishomwa C. Ndhlovu, Susana T. Valente, Melanie Ott
Summary: This article proposes a novel approach to cure HIV-1 infection by silencing viral expression for long-term control without antiretroviral therapy. The approach is based on research into HIV-1 latency mechanisms, lessons from latency reversing agents, and knowledge of retroviral evolution. Insights from elite controllers and advanced genome engineering technologies offer potential routes to a rapid cure for HIV-1.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Wania Ferraz Pereira-Manfro, Giselle Pereira da Silva, Priscilla Ramos Costa, Dayane Alves Costa, Bianca da Silva Ferreira, Daniela Mena Barreto, Ana Cristina Cisne Frota, Cristina Barroso Hofer, Esper Georges Kallas, Lucimar Goncalves Milagres
Summary: This study investigated immune exhaustion and senescence in pediatric patients with HIV. Flow cytometry was used to examine the activation/exhaustion and senescent phenotype of CD8 T cells in these patients, revealing higher frequencies of TIGIT+, PD-1+, or CD57+ CD8 T cells in untreated patients compared to treated patients or uninfected individuals. CD8 T cells co-expressing CD38/HLA-DR/TIGIT or CD38/HLA-DR/PD-1 were also more prevalent in untreated patients. Additionally, the expression of CD38/DR/TIGIT or CD38/DR/PD-1 on CD8 T cells was inversely associated with the CD4/CD8 ratio and positively correlated with viral load.
REVISTA DO INSTITUTO DE MEDICINA TROPICAL DE SAO PAULO
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Frederico J. S. Correa, Marina Paula Andres, Taina Pezzin Rocha, Ana Eduarda Z. Carvalho, Thiago P. A. Aloia, Marcus V. N. Corpa, Esper G. Kallas, Cristovao L. P. Mangueira, Edmund C. Baracat, Karina Carvalho, Mauricio S. Abrao
Summary: The frequencies of iNKT cells and their subsets were evaluated in patients with deep endometriosis. The study found a lower number of iNKT and DN iNKT cells in the blood of endometriosis patients, and an increase in the secretion of IL-17. These findings suggest that iNKT cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.