Article
Parasitology
Mudassar N. N. Mughal, Christoph G. G. Grevelding, Simone Haeberlein
Summary: This study reveals that imatinib induces autophagy in Schistosoma parasites and demonstrates that co-treatment with the autophagy inhibitor bafilomycin A1 can reverse the autophagy induced by imatinib and its antischistosomal effects.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lifu Wang, Zifeng Zhu, Yao Liao, Lichao Zhang, Zilong Yu, Ruibing Yang, Ji Wu, Zhongdao Wu, Xi Sun
Summary: This study discovered the crucial role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) induced by extracellular vesicles (EVs) in schistosome infection, which can be counteracted by S. japonicum. WASL serves as a potential therapeutic target in schistosomiasis and other infectious diseases.
Article
Immunology
Jiling Ren, Yue Zhuo, Furong He, Lihui Lv, Man Xing, Yingying Guo, Yuchao Zhang, Jiaojiao Liu, Ying Li, Tinghui Bai, Yanan Chen, Guangru Li, Zhiqiang Qin, Dongming Zhou
Summary: This study reports the single-cell transcriptional landscape of BALB/c mouse splenocytes after Schistosoma japonicum infection. Exhausted CD4+ T cells, regulatory B cells, and myeloid cells were found to play important roles in the immunopathological process. The study also provides insights into the mechanism of liver fibrotic granulomatous response in schistosomiasis.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Federica De Santis, Ana Borrajo Lopez, Sara Virtuoso, Noemi Poerio, Patrizia Saccomandi, Tommaso Olimpieri, Leonardo Duca, Lucia Henrici De Angelis, Katia Aquilano, Marco Maria D'Andrea, Stefano Aquaro, Alessandra Borsetti, Francesca Ceccherini-Silberstein, Maurizio Fraziano
Summary: This study found that phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes can reduce the entry of HIV into human macrophages by decreasing the expression of the CD4 receptor. This may have implications for HIV transmission and pathogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Lucas A. de L. Paula, Mario F. C. Santos, Mariana C. Pagotti, Rodrigo C. S. Veneziani, Jairo K. Bastos, Conor R. Caffrey, Sergio R. Ambrosio, Lizandra G. Magalhaes
Summary: This study evaluates the anti-parasitic activity of Brazilian green propolis against Schistosoma mansoni, showing promising results in reducing worm burden, egg load, and hepatic granulomas. This highlights the potential of propolis as a treatment for schistosomiasis mansoni and calls for further detailed studies in animal models.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Wensel, Shawn Williams, David P. Dixon, Paris Ward, Patti McCormick, Nestor Concha, Eugene Stewart, Xuan Hong, Charles Mazzucco, Shreya Pal, Bo Ding, Christoph Fellinger, Mark Krystal
Summary: GSK3732394, a multi-specific biologic inhibitor of HIV entry, binds to CD4 and inhibits downstream actions of gp160. The adnectin interacts with domains D2-D3 of CD4, stabilizing a novel T-shaped conformation. Amino acid F202 forms a key interaction with the adnectin and L151 contributes to the specificity for binding to human CD4.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Takuya Kobayakawa, Kohei Tsuji, Kiju Konno, Ai Himeno, Ami Masuda, Tingting Yang, Kohei Takahashi, Yusuke Ishida, Nami Ohashi, Takeo Kuwata, Kaho Matsumoto, Kazuhisa Yoshimura, Hiromi Sakawaki, Tomoyuki Miura, Shigeyoshi Harada, Shuzo Matsushita, Hirokazu Tamamura
Summary: The study synthesized hybrid molecules of CD4 mimics and found that modification with a PEG unit was more suitable than a long alkyl chain, showing higher anti-HIV activity and lower cytotoxicity. In a rhesus macaque pharmacokinetics study, the hybrid compound had a better PK profile, with intramuscular injection being more effective than intravenous injection to maintain high blood concentration of the CD4 mimic.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Chao Zhang, Jin-Wen Song, Hui-Huang Huang, Xing Fan, Lei Huang, Jian-Ning Deng, Bo Tu, Kun Wang, Jing Li, Ming-Ju Zhou, Cui-Xian Yang, Qi-Wen Zhao, Tao Yang, Li-Feng Wang, Ji-Yuan Zhang, Ruo-Nan Xu, Yan-Mei Jiao, Ming Shi, Feng Shao, Rafick-Pierre Sekaly, Fu-Sheng Wang
Summary: Chronic HIV-1 infection leads to CD4(+) T cell loss, with distinct mechanisms affecting pyroptotic and apoptotic CD4(+) T cells. Pyroptosis is closely associated with inflammation and driven by NLRP3 inflammasome activation, while apoptosis is more related to T cell activation status.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Geraldine Vilmen, Anna C. Smith, Hector Cervera Benet, Rajni Kant Shukla, Ross C. Larue, Alon Herschhorn, Amit Sharma
Summary: Infection of rhesus macaques with simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs) is a key model for vaccine development, but most circulating HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins cannot infect macaques. This study found that the conformational state of HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins is a major determinant for rhesus CD4 usage, viral-host membrane fusion, and SHIV replication.
Article
Microbiology
Geraldine Vilmen, Anna C. Smith, Hector Cervera Benet, Rajni Kant Shukla, Ross C. Larue, Alon Herschhorn, Amit Sharma
Summary: Infection of rhesus macaques with SHIVs encoding HIV-1 Envs is a common model for vaccine development, but the challenge lies in the fact that most circulating HIV-1 Envs do not efficiently use the rhesus CD4 receptor for viral entry. By altering the conformational state of HIV-1 Envs, open Env conformations can overcome this barrier and enhance SHIV replication in rhesus lymphocytes, indicating that the conformational state of the Env is crucial for SHIV replication and viral entry in rhesus macaques.
Article
Microbiology
Helene Bauby, Christopher C. Ward, Rupert Hugh-White, Chad M. Swanson, Reiner Schulz, Caroline Goujon, Michael H. Malim
Summary: The interaction between HIV-1 and CD4(+) T cells have been studied through transcriptomics analysis, unveiling global changes in gene expression. The viral accessory protein Vpr plays a crucial role in these gene expression changes, highlighting its significance in infection and pathogenesis. This finding sheds new light on the interplay between HIV-1 and its host at the cellular level.
Article
Immunology
Pierre Gantner, Supranee Buranapraditkun, Amelie Pagliuzza, Caroline Dufour, Marion Pardons, Julie L. Mitchell, Eugene Kroon, Carlo Sacdalan, Nicha Tulmethakaan, Suteeraporn Pinyakorn, Merlin L. Robb, Nittaya Phanuphak, Jintanat Ananworanich, Denise Hsu, Sandhya Vasan, Lydie Trautmann, Remi Fromentin, Nicolas Chomont
Summary: During early stages of HIV infection, the virus initially targets a small population of proliferating memory CD4+ T cells with high surface expression of CCR5. Productively infected cells exhibit different phenotypes and TCR sequences depending on the stage of infection and location within the body. The TCR repertoire of infected cells is biased towards previously expanded and disseminated clones, suggesting independent infection events. Latent genetically intact proviruses are present early in infection, indicating simultaneous generation of latent infected cells.
Article
Immunology
Hongxia Yan, Tong Wu, Yue Chen, Hongliang Jin, Li Li, Yuanmei Zhu, Huihui Chong, Yuxian He
Summary: A bifunctional inhibitor, 2P23-iMab, was designed in this study by genetically conjugating a potent HIV fusion inhibitor, 2P23, to the scFv of ibalizumab. This new inhibitor showed significantly improved inhibitory activity against a broad panel of HIV-1 pseudoviruses and displayed potent activity against viruses resistant to iMab, T-20, or 2P23. The study provides insights into the development of novel bispecific HIV entry inhibitors with potent and broad-spectrum antiviral activity.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Virology
Qingbo Liu, Peng Zhang, Paolo Lusso
Summary: The entry of HIV-1 into host cells relies on interactions between the viral envelope spike and CD4 receptor, with complex conformational changes playing significant roles in the process. Understanding the quaternary nature of CD4-binding site in HIV-1 Env and its impact on interactions with CD4 receptor may offer insights for developing improved immunogens and antibodies targeting the CD4-binding site.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christopher J. Fritschi, Saumya Anang, Zhen Gong, Mohammadjavad Mohammadi, Jonathan Richard, Catherine Bourassa, Kenny T. Severino, Hannah Richter, Derek Yang, Hung -Ching Chen, Ta-Jung Chiu, Michael S. Seaman, Navid Madani, Cameron Abrams, Andres Finzi, Wayne A. Hendrickson, Joseph G. Sodroski, Amos B. Smith
Summary: Binding of HIV-1 to host cell receptors CD4 and CCR5/CXCR4 causes conformational changes in the viral envelope protein, promoting virus entry. CD4-mimetic compounds (CD4mcs) are small molecules that induce inactivating conformational changes in the viral envelope, making it susceptible to neutralization and ADCC. Novel CD4mcs based on an indoline scaffold demonstrate increased potency and breadth against HIV-1 variants, making them potential candidates for antiviral therapy.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Rodney K. Rousseau, Sharon L. Walmsley, Terry Lee, Ron Rosenes, Robert J. Reinhard, Fat Malazogu, Erika Benko, Sanja Huibner, Colin M. Kovacs, Joel Singer, Connie J. Kim, Rupert Kaul
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate whether probiotic supplementation could reduce immune activation in HIV-positive individuals with the immunologic nonresponder phenotype. The results showed that supplementation with probiotics did not reduce immune activation markers and may have increased CD4(+) T-cell activation.
JAIDS-JOURNAL OF ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROMES
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Linda Jaworski, Felix Sauer, Stephanie Jansen, Egbert Tannich, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, Ellen Kiel, Renke Luehken
Summary: This study compared the sampling success of different artificial resting sites for mosquitoes at different heights on deciduous or coniferous trees, with carbon dioxide-baited traps. While the Biogents Sentinel traps caught a higher number of specimens, resting sites had a higher proportion of males and blood-engorged females. Ground level resting sites were found to have the highest proportion of males and blood-engorged females, showing the potential for cost-effective mosquito collection and studies on host-feeding patterns.
MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ronald M. Galiwango, Daniel E. Park, Sanja Huibner, Abigail Onos, Maliha Aziz, Kelsey Roach, Aggrey Anok, James Nnamutete, Yahaya Isabirye, John Bosco Wasswa, Deo Male, Godfrey Kigozi, Aaron A. R. Tobian, Jessica L. Prodger, Cindy M. Liu, Rupert Kaul
Summary: The distal urethra in uncircumcised Ugandan men is immunologically rich with characteristics of an HIV-susceptible tissue site. Penile circumcision (PC) has no impact on urethral immunology and may reduce epithelial integrity, despite modest reductions in total bacteria and anaerobes.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Elissa G. Currie, Bryan Coburn, Elisa A. Porfilio, Ping Lam, Olga L. Rojas, Jan Novak, Stuart Yang, Raad B. Chowdhury, Lesley A. Ward, Pauline W. Wang, Khashayar Khaleghi, James An, Sarah Q. Crome, Michelle A. Hladunewich, Sean J. Barbour, Daniel C. Cattran, Rulan S. Parekh, Christoph Licht, Rohan John, Rupert Kaul, Kenneth Croitoru, Scott D. Gray-Owen, David S. Guttman, Jennifer L. Gommerman, Heather N. Reich
Summary: IgA nephropathy is a leading cause of kidney failure, and aberrant immune responses to mucosal microbiota, particularly Neisseria, may play a role in its pathogenesis. This study found increased carriage of Neisseria and elevated Neisseria-specific IgA levels in the tonsils of IgA nephropathy patients. Experimentally, mice with overexpression of BAFF and susceptible to Neisseria infection showed augmented levels of systemic Neisseria-specific IgA, as well as the presence of anti-Neisseria-specific IgA-secreting cells in the kidneys.
Correction
Microbiology
Konstantin Tanida, Andreas Hahn, Kirsten Alexandra Eberhardt, Egbert Tannich, Olfert Landt, Simone Kann, Torsten Feldt, Fred Stephen Sarfo, Veronica Di Cristanziano, Hagen Frickmann, Ulrike Loderstaedt
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Xuyang Tang, Abha Sharma, Maria Pasic, Patrick Brown, Karen Colwill, Hellen Gelband, H. Chaim Birnboim, Nico Nagelkerke, Isaac I. Bogoch, Aiyush Bansal, Leslie Newcombe, Justin Slater, Peter S. Rodriguez, Guowen Huang, Sze Hang Fu, Catherine Meh, Daphne C. Wu, Rupert Kaul, Marc-Andre Langlois, Ed Morawski, Andy Hollander, Demetre Eliopoulos, Benjamin Aloi, Teresa Lam, Kento T. Abe, Bhavisha Rathod, Mahya Fazel-Zarandi, Jenny Wang, Mariam Iskilova, Adrian Pasculescu, Lauren Caldwell, Miriam Barrios-Rodiles, Zahraa Mohammed-Ali, Nandita Vas, Divya Raman Santhanam, Eo Rin Cho, Kathleen Qu, Shreya Jha, Vedika Jha, Wilson Suraweera, Varsha Malhotra, Kathy Mastali, Richard Wen, Samir Sinha, Angus Reid, Anne-Claude Gingras, Pranesh Chakraborty, Arthur S. Slutsky, Prabhat Jha
Summary: This study aimed to assess the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among Canadian adults during the first two viral waves. The study found that the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Canada was low and lower than the levels of population immunity required to substantially reduce transmission of the virus. Ongoing vaccination efforts remain central to reducing viral transmission and mortality.
Article
Immunology
Feixue Wei, Ningshao Xia, Rebeca Ocampo, Marc T. Goodman, Nancy A. Hessol, Beatriz Grinsztejn, Ana P. Ortiz, Fanghui Zhao, Erna M. Kojic, Rupert Kaul, Isabelle Heard, Imran O. Morhason-Bello, Anna-Barbara Moscicki, Alexandra de Pokomandy, Joel M. Palefsky, Luana L. S. Rodrigues, Racheal S. Dube Mandishora, Reshmie A. Ramautarsing, Silvia Franceschi, Sheela Godbole, Fernanda K. Tso, Lynette J. Menezes, Chunqing Lin, Gary M. Clifford
Summary: Age-specific shifts in HPV16 prevalence from cervix to anus suggest that HPV infections may persist longer, or occur later in life, in the anus than cervix. This has important implications for using cervical screening results to direct anal cancer prevention.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Tamanna Yasmin, Phil Grayson, Margaret F. Docker, Sara V. Good
Summary: RNA-sequencing of sea lamprey gonads at different life-history stages identifies germline-specific genes that are highly expressed in males during spermatogenesis, suggesting a link between male-biased germline expression and sex differentiation in the sea lamprey.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alicja Beksinska, Emily Nyariki, Rhoda Kabuti, Mary Kungu, Hellen Babu, Pooja Shah, Chrispo Nyabuto, Monica Okumu, Anne Mahero, Pauline Ngurukiri, Zaina Jama, Erastus Irungu, Wendy Adhiambo, Peter Muthoga, Rupert Kaul, Janet Seeley, Helen A. Weiss, Joshua Kimani, Tara S. Beattie
Summary: Female sex workers are at a high risk of harmful alcohol and drug use, with a significant number reporting such behaviors. Occupational and socio-economic factors contribute to this risk. Childhood neglect and violence play a role in both entry into sex work and alcohol use. Interventions targeting individual and structural-level factors are needed to address harmful alcohol and drug use among female sex workers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Assem Ashimova, Askhat Myngbay, Sergey Yegorov, Baurzhan Negmetzhanov, Irina Kadyrova, Angelina Yershova, Ulpan Kart, Matthew S. Miller, Gonzalo Hortelano
Summary: This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a capsule-based cell system for the delivery of intact SARS-CoV-2 mAb, with potential therapeutic applications.
Review
Microbiology
Nurlan Sandybayev, Vyacheslav Beloussov, Vitaliy Strochkov, Maxim Solomadin, Joanna Granica, Sergey Yegorov
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased interest in understanding the complete repertoire of viruses - the virome - in both health and disease, particularly in infectious respiratory diseases. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is commonly used to study microorganisms, but the lack of standardization in methodological approaches and result processing formats is a challenge.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nurlan Sandybayev, Vyacheslav Beloussov, Vitaliy Strochkov, Maxim Solomadin, Joanna Granica, Sergey Yegorov
Summary: This pilot study investigated the etiological causes of respiratory tract infections (RTI) among adults during a low COVID-19 transmission period in 2021. The results showed that COVID-19 accounted for a small proportion of symptomatic RTI, while common community respiratory viruses, such as hPIV and hRV, were more prevalent. Therefore, the clinical management and prevention of adult RTI in the post-pandemic era should consider respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anar Turmukhambetova, Sergey Yegorov, Ilya Korshukov, Valentina Barkhanskaya, Svetlana Kolesnichenko, Dmitriy Klyuyev, Zhibek Zhumadilova, Aruzhan Pralieva, Laylim Absaghit, Ruslan Belyaev, Dmitriy Babenko, Gonzalo H. Hortelano, Matthew S. Miller, Dmitriy Vazenmiller, Irina Kadyrova
Summary: COVID-19 vaccines can lead to rare but severe thrombotic events. This study showed a significant increase in circulating endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels after the first dose of Gam-Covid-Vac, an adenoviral vectored COVID-19 vaccine, which was sustained after the second dose. Prior COVID-19 exposure and vaccination were associated with mild increases in plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) levels after the first dose. Elevated ET-1 levels persisted up to day 21 after the second dose, while other biomarkers, including platelet factor 4 IgG antibody, did not show significant changes.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Eric Armstrong, Anke Hemmerling, Steve Miller, Kerianne E. Burke, Sara J. Newmann, Sheldon R. Morris, Hilary Reno, Sanja Huibner, Maria Kulikova, Rachel Liu, Emily D. Crawford, Gloria R. Castaneda, Nico Nagelkerke, Bryan Coburn, Craig R. Cohen, Rupert Kaul
Summary: The study found that after BV treatment, the vaginal microbiota shifted to dominance by Lactobacillus species, but this change was primarily driven by a decrease in BV-associated bacteria. Although there were minor increases in Lactobacillus species after treatment, they were not independently associated with reduced inflammation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Sergey Yegorov, Daniel B. Celeste, Kimberly Braz Gomes, Jann C. Ang, Colin Vandenhof, Joanne Wang, Ksenia Rybkina, Vanessa Tsui, Hannah D. Stacey, Mark Loeb, Matthew S. Miller
Summary: This study describes the significant boosting of a durable bNAb response through repeated seasonal influenza vaccination in a pediatric cohort. The boosting of serological bNAb titers is comparable within inactivated and live attenuated vaccinees and declines with age.
CELL REPORTS MEDICINE
(2022)
