Article
Immunology
Wouter L. Smit, Sophie van Tol, Sanne van der Wal, Femke van Vulpen, Shannon la Grouw, Lenneke van Lelyveld, Gijs Limonard, Ailko Bossink, Gert-Jan Godeke, Sandhya Shrestha, Johan Reimerink, Dirk Eggink, Chantal Reusken, Michiel Heron, Steven Thijsen
Summary: In this study, we used a protein microarray platform to analyze the immune response in COVID-19 patients. We found that patients with severe disease had significantly higher IgG responses to spike protein and secretory IgA responses to endemic coronaviruses in their saliva. These findings suggest that heterologous immune responses may play a role in the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Blake M. Hauser, Maya Sangesland, Evan C. Lam, Jared Feldman, Alejandro B. Balazs, Daniel Lingwood, Aaron G. Schmidt
Summary: This study evaluated the immune responses to SARS-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) vaccine candidates in the context of pre-existing immunity. Boosting with the RBD resulted in increased reactivity to RBD epitopes, while both immunization regimens showed broad neutralization against diverse sarbecoviruses.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
David P. Maison, Lauren L. Ching, Sean B. Cleveland, Alanna C. Tseng, Eileen Nakano, Cecilia M. Shikuma, Vivek R. Nerurkar
Summary: This study evaluated sequencing data on two Hawai'i isolates and other SARS-CoV-2 variants using a rule-based algorithm to monitor virus evolution and emergence for vaccine design. The results showed that the worldwide spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 have led to variants containing mutations that decrease vaccine efficacy. The researchers developed an algorithm to monitor the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the context of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, based on spike protein changes. The algorithm showed a strong positive correlation between spike protein changes and predictive value, which can be utilized in designing vaccines with relevant immunogenic epitopes.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Natasha J. Norton, Danielle P. Ings, Kathleen E. Fifield, David A. Barnes, Keeley A. Barnable, Debbie O. A. Harnum, Kayla A. Holder, Rodney S. Russell, Michael D. Grant
Summary: Mucosal IgA is believed to provide protection against respiratory infections, but measuring and collecting mucosal samples can be challenging. This study found that intramuscular mRNA vaccination induces circulating IgA against SARS-CoV-2 S, and higher levels are associated with protection from breakthrough infection. Vaccination with ancestral S also influences circulating IgA responses after breakthrough infection with Omicron.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Carlos F. S. Costa, Armenio J. M. Barbosa, Ana Margarida G. C. Dias, Ana Cecilia A. Roque
Summary: This article summarizes natural, engineered, and designed affinity ligands targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, emphasizing key points in molecular recognition, and highlighting the importance of lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic in protein engineering.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Virology
Tingting Jia, Yuankai Wu, Guancheng Liao, Yuxuan Lei, Zhengyu Wu, Fangji Yang, Jiamin Chen, Qian Xie, Chuming Luo, Yutian Chong, Huanle Luo, Yuelong Shu
Summary: Research has found that SARS-recovered individuals who received three doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine produce higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies and spike-specific IgA and IgG antibodies. However, in SARS-naive individuals, the levels of neutralizing antibodies increase more rapidly after the third dose of the vaccine. Additionally, regardless of prior SARS infection, the Omicron subvariants show immune evasion. For SARS survivors, a single dose of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine provides protection against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and early variants of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) but not against Omicron subvariants. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the type and dosage of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for SARS survivors.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Kellsye P. Fabian, Anthony S. Malamas, Michelle R. Padget, Kristen Solocinski, Benjamin Wolfson, Rika Fujii, Houssein Abdul Sater, Jeffrey Schlom, James W. Hodge
Summary: The study demonstrates the effectiveness of combining multiple therapeutic drugs for immunologically cold solid tumors. Activating tumor-specific T cells, expanding and enhancing activated effector populations, and promoting effector-cell activity in the tumor microenvironment (TME) yields significant antitumor effects.
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ross C. Larue, Enming Xing, Adam D. Kenney, Yuexiu Zhang, Jasmine A. Tuazon, Jianrong Li, Jacob S. Yount, Pui-Kai Li, Amit Sharma
Summary: The study identified ACE2-derived peptides that can effectively inhibit Spike-mediated infection of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses. Some of these peptides demonstrated inhibition of infection in low millimolar range and were found to target an ACE2 motif crucial for SARS-CoV-2 inhibition. These findings suggest the potential for developing peptide-based inhibitors for the treatment of COVID-19.
BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohd Zulkifli Salleh, Jeremy P. Derrick, Zakuan Zainy Deris
Summary: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has posed significant challenges worldwide, resulting in millions of deaths. Mutations in the spike (S) glycoprotein may impact vaccine efficacy. Variants such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma have mutations in their spike proteins that enhance viral fitness.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis Queiros-Reis, Priscilla Gomes da Silva, Jose Goncalves, Andrea Brancale, Marcella Bassetto, Joao R. Mesquita
Summary: The article delves into the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 virus and human cells in COVID-19, exploring how they affect viral fitness and immune response mechanisms, with a focus on the structural interactions between the S protein and hACE2.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Yasemin Cosgun, Nergis Emanet, Ayten Oz Kamiloglu, Evelin Grage-Griebenow, Susann Hohensee, Sandra Saschenbrecker, Katja Steinhagen, Gulay Korukluoglu
Summary: This study analyzes the short-term humoral responses against the SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid protein in 50 Turkish adults after CoronaVac immunization. The results showed that two doses of CoronaVac vaccine significantly increased antibodies against the spike protein and nucleocapsid. The responses to the spike protein were stronger than those to the nucleocapsid.
Article
Immunology
Hongye Wang, Zengshuai Wang, Liang Ma, Xiaoyong Zhu, Bingxiang Li, Yuhang Huang, Jingwen Li, Ming Sun, Li Shi, Yufeng Yao
Summary: The study explored the immunogenicity of monovalent or bivalent spike (S) trimer subunit vaccines derived from SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 or/and B.1.618. Both types of vaccines induced anti-spike antibody responses, with alum adjuvant showing higher antibody levels than Addavax adjuvant. Low doses of the vaccines triggered high-titer antibodies and cross-activity to different SARS-CoV-2 variants in mice. The results showed that the vaccines elicited both humoral and cellular responses, with the monovalent vaccine inducing stronger broadly neutralizing antibodies against various variants.
Review
Immunology
Joseph Torresi, Melissa A. Edeling, Terry Nolan, Dale I. Godfrey
Summary: Our understanding of immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination has significantly improved since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. Vaccine boosters play a crucial role in reducing infections and deaths, benefitting both vaccinated individuals and those with natural immunity from prior infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ashish Patel, Malathi Rajendran, Ashish Shah, Harnisha Patel, Suresh B. Pakala, Prashanthi Karyala
Summary: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, shares similarities with 2002 SARS-CoV and both use similar mechanisms to enter host cells. This study explores the potential of curcumin and its derivatives as inhibitors of the spike protein, which plays a crucial role in viral entry. However, further research is needed to investigate their efficacy.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pedro F. N. Souza, Felipe P. Mesquita, Jackson L. Amaral, Patricia G. C. Landim, Karollyny R. P. Lima, Marilia B. Costa, Izabelle R. Farias, Monica O. Belem, Yago O. Pinto, Heline H. T. Moreira, Ilana C. L. Magalhaes, Debora S. C. M. Castelo-Branco, Raquel C. Montenegro, Claudia R. de Andrade
Summary: This article discusses the mutations of SARS-CoV-2 and how these mutations have led to the emergence of new variants that are more transmissible and aggressive. The crucial role of the S protein in SARS-CoV-2 infection and evolution is explored, along with the impact of mutations on its functions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wilfredo F. Garcia-Beltran, Kerri J. St Denis, Angelique Hoelzemer, Evan C. Lam, Adam D. Nitido, Maegan L. Sheehan, Cristhian Berrios, Onosereme Ofoman, Christina C. Chang, Blake M. Hauser, Jared Feldman, Alex L. Roederer, David J. Gregory, Mark C. Poznansky, Aaron G. Schmidt, A. John Iafrate, Vivek Naranbhai, Alejandro B. Balazs
Summary: Recent surveillance has identified the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which carries up to 36 mutations in the spike protein and has the potential to evade vaccine-induced immunity. This study found that individuals vaccinated with mRNA vaccines exhibited strong neutralization of the Omicron variant, while most vaccinees had weak neutralization. The study also revealed that the Omicron variant infects more efficiently than other tested variants.
Article
Immunology
David H. Canaday, Oladayo A. Oyebanji, Debbie Keresztesy, Michael Payne, Dennis Wilk, Lenore Carias, Htin Aung, Kerri St Denis, Evan C. Lam, Christopher F. Rowley, Sarah D. Berry, Cheryl M. Cameron, Mark J. Cameron, Brigid M. Wilson, Alejandro B. Balazs, Christopher L. King, Stefan Gravenstein
Summary: Antibody levels declined in nursing home residents and healthcare workers from 2 weeks to 6 months post-BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination, regardless of prior infection. Notably, 69% of infection-naive nursing home residents had neutralizing antibodies at or below the assay's limit of detection.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
M. Gordon Joyce, Hannah A. D. King, Ines Elakhal-Naouar, Aslaa Ahmed, Kristina K. Peachman, Camila Macedo Cincotta, Caroline Subra, Rita E. Chen, Paul Thomas, Wei-Hung Chen, Rajeshwer S. Sankhala, Agnes Hajduczki, Elizabeth J. Martinez, Caroline E. Peterson, William C. Chang, Misook Choe, Clayton Smith, Parker J. Lee, Jarrett A. Headley, Mekdi G. Taddese, Hanne A. Elyard, Anthony Cook, Alexander Anderson, Kathryn McGuckin Wuertz, Ming Dong, Isabella Swafford, James Brett Case, Jeffrey R. Currier, Kerri G. Lal, Sebastian Molnar, Manoj S. Nair, Vincent Dussupt, Sharon P. Daye, Xiankun Zeng, Erica K. Barkei, Hilary M. Staples, Kendra Alfson, Ricardo Carrion, Shelly J. Krebs, Dominic Paquin-Proulx, Nicos Karasavva, Victoria R. Polonis, Linda L. Jagodzinski, Mihret F. Amare, Sandhya Vasan, Paul T. Scott, Yaoxing Huang, David D. Ho, Natalia de Val, Michael S. Diamond, Mark G. Lewis, Mangala Rao, Gary R. Matyas, Gregory D. Gromowski, Sheila A. Peel, Nelson L. Michael, Diane L. Bolton, Kayvon Modjarrad
Summary: This study developed an adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, which was found to induce strong immune responses and effectively eliminate the virus when challenged with high doses in nonhuman primates.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Suzanne M. Scheaffer, Diana Lee, Bradley Whitener, Baoling Ying, Kai Wu, Chieh-Yu Liang, Hardik Jani, Philippa Martin, Nicholas J. Amato, Laura E. Avena, Daniela Montes Berrueta, Stephen D. Schmidt, Sijy O'Dell, Arshan Nasir, Gwo-Yu Chuang, Guillaume Stewart-Jones, Richard A. Koup, Nicole A. Doria-Rose, Andrea Carfi, Sayda M. Elbashir, Larissa B. Thackray, Darin K. Edwards, Michael S. Diamond
Summary: Bivalent vaccines induce broad immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, offering a customizable approach to protect against COVID-19 as new strains emerge.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer Cable, Erica Ollmann Saphire, Adrian C. Hayday, Timothy D. Wiltshire, Jarrod J. Mousa, David P. Humphreys, Esther C. W. Breij, Pierre Bruhns, Matteo Broketa, Genta Furuya, Blake M. Hauser, Matthieu Mahevas, Andrea Carfi, Tineke Cantaert, Peter D. Kwong, Prabhanshu Tripathi, Jonathan H. Davis, Neil Brewis, Bruce A. Keyt, Felix L. Fennemann, Vincent Dussupt, Arvind Sivasubramanian, Philip M. Kim, Reda Rawi, Eve Richardson, Daniel Leventhal, Rachael M. Wolters, Cecile A. W. Geuijen, Matthew A. Sleeman, Niccolo Pengo, Francesca Rose Donnellan
Summary: Therapeutic antibodies have a wide range of applications in various diseases, including oncology, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. Ongoing research aims to discover antibodies with therapeutic potential and to improve existing antibodies or design new ones. The Keystone symposium Antibodies as Drugs, held from April 27-30, 2022, brought together experts in antibody research from academia and industry to discuss the latest advancements in antibody therapeutics, repertoires and deep learning, bispecific antibodies, and engineering.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vikas Chonira, Young D. Kwon, Jason Gorman, James Brett Case, Zhiqiang Ke, Rudo Simeon, Ryan G. Cosner, Darcy R. Harris, Adam S. Olia, Tyler Stephens, Lawrence Shapiro, Michael F. Bender, Hannah Boyd, I-Ting Teng, Yaroslav Tsybovsky, Florian Krammer, Ningyan Zhang, Michael S. Diamond, Peter D. Kwong, Zhiqiang An, Zhilei Chen
Summary: We report the engineering and selection of two synthetic proteins, FSR16m and FSR22, for the potential treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These proteins exhibit broad-spectrum neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 strains and show promising results in mice, reducing viral burden and weight loss.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Arthur S. Kim, Michael S. Diamond
Summary: This Review provides an overview of the global epidemics caused by arthropod-transmitted RNA viruses known as alphaviruses. It highlights the host factors required for alphavirus entry, the mechanisms by which protective antibodies inhibit alphavirus infection, and the progress of clinical evaluation of candidate vaccines focusing on humoral immunity.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Laura P. Kincer, Sarah Beth Joseph, Maria M. Gilleece, Blake M. Hauser, Sabrina Sizemore, Shuntai Zhou, Clara Di Germanio, Henrik Zetterberg, Dietmar Fuchs, Steven G. Deeks, Serena Spudich, Magnus Gisslen, Richard W. Price, Ronald Swanstrom
Summary: HIV-1 can persist in a latent reservoir in individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy, and rebound virus can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid during treatment interruption. In this study, we found that high viral loads and clonally amplified viral lineages in the cerebrospinal fluid were correlated with the influx of white blood cells. Additionally, we did not observe rebound macrophage-tropic virus in the cerebrospinal fluid, indicating that the CNS may not be a source of this virus. We propose a model in which R5 T cell-tropic virus is released from infected T cells in the CNS during treatment interruption.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Glennys Reynoso, David N. Gordon, Anurag Kalia, Cynthia C. Aguilar, Courtney S. Malo, Maya Aleshnick, Kimberly A. Dowd, Christian R. Cherry, John P. Shannon, Sophia M. Vrba, Autumn C. Holmes, Yael Alippe, Sonia Maciejewski, Kenichi Asano, Michael S. Diamond, Theodore C. Pierson, Heather D. Hickman
Summary: To understand the initial steps in Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission, researchers investigated the virus's movement from the skin to the lymph nodes. Contrary to previous beliefs, migratory immune cells were not necessary for the virus to reach the lymph nodes or the bloodstream. Instead, a specific subset of macrophages in the lymph nodes, called CD169+ macrophages, were found to be rapidly infected by ZIKV and release the virus to infect other lymph nodes. These findings improve our understanding of ZIKV dissemination and identify a potential target for antiviral intervention.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michael G. Wuo, Amanda E. Dugan, Melanie Halim, Blake M. Hauser, Jared Feldman, Timothy M. Caradonna, Shuting Zhang, Lauren E. Pepi, Caroline Atyeo, Stephanie Fischinger, Galit Alter, Wilfredo F. Garcia-Beltran, Parastoo Azadi, Deb Hung, Aaron G. Schmidt, Laura L. Kiessling
Summary: Enveloped viruses modify their glycosylation patterns to affect host interactions and evade immune recognition. Predicting viral glycosylation changes and their impact on antibody protection is challenging based on genomic sequences alone. Researchers have developed a lectin fingerprinting method using the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein to rapidly detect variant glycosylation changes that are associated with antibody neutralization.
ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Samantha R. Mackin, Pritesh Desai, Bradley M. Whitener, Courtney E. Karl, Meizi Liu, Ralph S. Baric, Darin K. Edwards, Taras M. Chicz, Ryan P. McNamara, Galit Alter, Michael S. Diamond
Summary: Fc-Fc gamma receptor interactions and alveolar macrophages play a crucial role in controlling infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants in mice vaccinated with ancestral vaccines. While the spike protein antigenic changes in SARS-CoV-2 variants reduce the neutralizing efficiency of legacy vaccine-induced antibodies, vaccines like mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 still protect against severe disease and death, indicating the involvement of other aspects of immunity in controlling lung infection. Antibodies elicited by vaccines can bind Fc gamma receptors and exert effector functions against SARS-CoV-2 variants, and this property is associated with improved clinical outcomes. However, the causal relationship between Fc effector functions and vaccine-induced protection against infection needs further investigation.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Etsuro Nanishi, Francesco Borriello, Hyuk-Soo Seo, Timothy R. O'Meara, Marisa E. McGrath, Yoshine Saito, Jing Chen, Joann Diray-Arce, Kijun Song, Andrew Z. Xu, Soumik Barman, Manisha Menon, Danica Dong, Timothy M. Caradonna, Jared Feldman, Blake M. Hauser, Aaron G. Schmidt, Lindsey R. Baden, Robert K. Ernst, Carly Dillen, Jingyou Yu, Aiquan Chang, Luuk Hilgers, Peter Paul Platenburg, Sirano Dhe-Paganon, Dan H. Barouch, Al Ozonoff, Ivan Zanoni, Matthew B. Frieman, David J. Dowling, Ofer Levy
Summary: The development of vaccines that protect vulnerable populations from SARS-CoV-2 is a public health priority. This study tested different adjuvants and SARS-CoV-2 antigens to identify a combination that induces antibodies and protection in both young and aged mice. An oil-in-water emulsion containing carbohydrate fatty acid monosulphate derivative (CMS:O/W) was found to be the most effective in enhancing immune response and protection across age groups.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Samantha E. Hoffman, Saksham Gupta, Matthew O'Connor, Casey A. Jarvis, Maryann Zhao, Blake M. Hauser, Joshua D. Bernstock, Shayna Murphy, Siobhan M. Raftery, Karen Lane, E. Antonio Chiocca, Omar Arnaout
Summary: This study evaluated a novel clinical pathway that allows postoperative craniotomy patients to bypass routine intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, aiming to improve ICU resource utilization and reduce hospital costs and lengths of stay without compromising care quality and patient satisfaction. The results showed that patients in the pathway group had similar demographics and clinical characteristics compared to the control group. The pathway group had shorter MRI wait times, faster inpatient therapy evaluations, shorter total hospital stays, and lower total hospitalization charges, without an increased risk of early hospital readmission.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carolyn M. Boudreau, John S. Burke, Ashraf S. Yousif, Maya Sangesland, Sandra Jastrzebski, Chris Verschoor, George Kuchel, Daniel Lingwood, Harry Kleanthous, Iris De Bruijn, Victoria Landolfi, Saranya Sridhar, Galit Alter
Summary: Antibodies not only play a critical role in neutralizing the virus, but also leverage the antiviral power of the innate immune system to protect against and clear influenza infection. Analysis of the humoral immune response in older adults vaccinated against influenza revealed that NK cell activation is associated with protection. Selective induction of antibodies that activate NK cells against influenza may be needed for effective protection in older adults.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Tamarand L. Darling, Baoling Ying, Bradley Whitener, Laura A. VanBlargan, Traci L. Bricker, Chieh-Yu Liang, Astha Joshi, Gayan Bamunuarachchi, Kuljeet Seehra, Aaron J. Schmitz, Peter J. Halfmann, Yoshihiro Kawoaka, Sayda M. Elbashir, Darin K. Edwards, Larissa B. Thackray, Michael S. Diamond, Adrianus C. M. Boon
Summary: The study demonstrates that the mRNA-1273 and Ad26.COV2.S vaccines can provide protection against the B.1.621 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in mice and hamster models.