Article
Immunology
Aaroh Anand Joshi, Marc Vocanson, Jean-Francois Nicolas, Peter Wolf, Vijaykumar Patra
Summary: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that significantly affects the patient's quality of life. Disrupted skin barrier, type 2 cytokine-dominated inflammation, and microbial dysbiosis with increased Staphylococcus aureus colonization are critical components of AD pathogenesis. Decreased expression of AMPs in AD patients leads to increased colonization by Staphylococcus aureus. AMPs derived from the host and skin microbiome play a crucial role in defining the skin microbial landscape and maintaining immune homeostasis, making them potential therapeutics for AD.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Allergy
Verena Kopfnagel, Sylvia Dreyer, Jana Zeitvogel, Dietmar H. Pieper, Anna Buch, Beate Sodeik, Franziska Rademacher, Juergen Harder, Thomas Werfel
Summary: The increased amount of extracellular self-DNA in lesional skin of AD patients leads to the formation of complexes with antimicrobial peptides, significantly reducing their antibacterial and antiviral activities. Further research is needed to explore strategies to reduce extracellular DNA in AD for potential clinical applications.
Article
Microbiology
Allister Irvine, Darrin Mckenzie, Ciaran J. McCoy, Robert L. J. Graham, Ciaren Graham, Sharon A. Huws, Louise E. Atkinson, Angela Mousley
Summary: In contrast to nematodes, flatworms do not possess traditional antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), but they have a unique repertoire of cysteine-rich AMP-like peptides. In addition, a computational prediction approach identified eight novel helminth AMP-like peptides with antibacterial activities.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qingfeng Liu, Mengmeng Li, Na Wang, Chun He, Xian Jiang, Jingyi Li
Summary: This study demonstrated that topical application of CAPCS can improve skin inflammation and reduce scratching behavior in AD, by suppressing inflammatory cell infiltration and decreasing levels of inflammatory cytokines.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Dermatology
Raj Chovatiya, Jonathan I. Silverberg
Summary: DESCRIBE-AD is a novel framework that standardizes the assessment of atopic dermatitis (AD), capturing multiple factors such as morphology, disease progression, symptom severity, comorbidities, treatment response, lesion intensity, disease burden, and lesion extent. It provides a comprehensive approach to describe the heterogeneity of AD and guide treatment decisions.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hai Le Thanh Nguyen, Ge Peng, Juan Valentin Trujillo-Paez, Hainan Yue, Risa Ikutama, Miho Takahashi, Yoshie Umehara, Ko Okumura, Hideoki Ogawa, Shigaku Ikeda, Francois Niyonsaba
Summary: The article investigates the effects of the antimicrobial peptide derived from insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (AMP-IBP5) on the skin barrier and its role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). The study finds that AMP-IBP5 improves tight junction barrier function through activation of specific pathways and ameliorates AD-like inflammation and enhances skin barrier function through the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1). These findings suggest a potential role for AMP-IBP5 in the treatment of AD.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Dorota Chrobak-Chmiel, Anna Golke, Ewelina Kwiecien, Malgorzata J. Bieganska, Kourou Dembele, Malgorzata Dziekiewicz-Mrugasiewicz, Michal Czopowicz, Magdalena Kizerwetter-Swida, Magdalena Rzewuska
Summary: Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a common inflammatory skin disease in dogs, with secondary organisms overgrowth and skin infections. The causes of this disease are not fully understood, so lifelong symptomatic treatment is the only option.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Boris Vishnepolsky, Maya Grigolava, Grigol Managadze, Andrei Gabrielian, Alex Rosenthal, Darrell E. Hurt, Michael Tartakovsky, Malak Pirtskhalava
Summary: The evolution of drug-resistant microbial species is a global health concern. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potential candidates for addressing antibiotic resistance, and computational methods have been developed to predict their activity. However, most methods are not strain-specific, and only a few models have been developed due to limited data. To improve predictions, a novel approach based on AMP sequences and target microbial genome characteristics was developed. The new models, using machine learning algorithms, showed improved performance compared to sequence-based models. The MSS AMP predictor is freely accessible as part of the DBAASP database.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Malak Pirtskhalava, Boris Vishnepolsky, Maya Grigolava, Grigol Managadze
Summary: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have the potential to be novel biotherapeutics with interactions on the cell envelope, requiring comprehensive understanding for rational design. In-depth studies on the physicochemical, aggregative, and structural features of AMPs are essential for accurate classification and effective prediction methods. The knowledge of AMPs' physicochemical properties is crucial for the development of peptide-based antibiotics design tools.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Md Samiul Islam, Gamarelanbia Mohamed, Shakil Ahmed Polash, Md Amit Hasan, Razia Sultana, Noshin Saiara, Wubei Dong
Summary: Plants in natural ecosystems face threats from microbial diseases, but have developed a strong immune system to combat infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in plants are environmentally friendly, anti-pathogenic, and safe for humans. A new isolation technique using high-throughput cDNA libraries and the Bacillus subtilis expression system allows for large-scale screening of unique or homologous AMPs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Allergy
Jonathan Silverberg, Marjolein De Bruin-Weller, Thomas Bieber, Weily Soong, Kenji Kabashima, Antonio Costanzo, David Rosmarin, Charles Lynde, John Liu, Amy Gamelli, Jiewei Zeng, Barry Ladizinski, Alvina D. Chu, Kristian Reich
Summary: The study demonstrated that upadacitinib + TCS had long-term maintenance of efficacy and a favorable safety profile in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Dermatology
Domenico Santoro
Summary: This study aimed to measure the concentrations of beta-defensins (cBD3)-like and cathelicidin (cCath) host defence peptides (HDPs) in the ears of healthy and atopic dogs, and to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of the obtained HDPs. The results showed a significantly lower concentration of cBD3-like and cCath HDPs in the ears of atopic dogs compared to healthy dogs. The antimicrobial activity of the aural secretions was minimal to variable in both groups. These findings are important for understanding the changes in defence peptides in the ears of atopic dogs and developing new treatment strategies.
VETERINARY DERMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kaicheng Tang, Xiaoyou Wang, Miaomiao Niu, Xinyu Wang, Guanghua Zhou, Jinjin Shi, Yang Yu, Zhangbao Chen, Chong Li
Summary: The study introduces an affinity-filtering strategy to reduce off-target effects of AMPs, enhance specificity towards high-affinity pathogens, and improve stability. Through in vitro and in vivo studies on various fungal infection models, the strategy has been proven effective in reducing off-target toxicity and increasing survival rates.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel Juarez-Lopez, Estefania Morales-Ruiz, Leonardo D. D. Herrera-Zuniga, Zuriel Gonzalez-Carrera, Elizabeth Cuevas-Reyes, Gerardo Corzo, Alejandro Schcolnik-Cabrera, Elba Villegas
Summary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacteria with a large genome and multiple resistance mechanisms, making it a global concern. This review discusses the epidemiology and resistance mechanisms of resistant strains, as well as the potential use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The study presents 13 AMPs with theoretical action against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, suggesting their potential for in vitro evaluation.
CURRENT MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ankit Javia, Ambikanandan Misra, Hetal Thakkar
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of Omiganan liposomal gel compared to conventional formulations in mouse models of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Results showed that Omiganan liposomal gel had controlled release and better permeation, leading to reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and improved lesions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2022)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lars Andrup, Karen A. Krogfelt, Kristian Schultz Hansen, Anne Mette Madsen
Summary: This study systematically reviewed the literature on the transmission routes of human rhinoviruses. The results showed that indirect transmission through hands and fomites is the dominant route of transmission in indoor settings, while airborne transmission is also a major route of transmission.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Hans-Christian Slotved, Kurt Fuursted
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Simon Meski, Carsten Struve, Hengameh C. Mirsepasi-Lauridsen, Andreas M. Petersen, Lotte Jelsbak, Ole Skovgaard, Karen A. Krogfelt
Summary: This study reports the complete genome and plasmid sequences of three Escherichia coli isolates, C 237-04 (p7), C 236-04A (p10A), and C 691-04A (p19A), obtained from fecal samples from ulcerative colitis patients in Copenhagen, Denmark, revealing the potential role of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) in the etiology of ulcerative colitis.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Siv Fonnes, Tilde Rasmussen, Barbara Juliane Holzknecht, Christoffer Skov Olesen, Joachim Hjalde Halmsted Olsen, Line Schmidt, Rasmus Alder, Sara Gamborg Sorensen, Sengul Gulen, Louise Laurberg Klarskov, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, Henrik Westh, Jacob Rosenberg
Summary: This study investigated the presence of diarrhoea-causing bacteria in patients undergoing surgery for suspected appendicitis. The findings suggest that infection with Yersinia spp. and other diarrhoea-causing microorganisms is rare in these patients.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mette Frimodt Hansen, Pelle Korsbaek Sorensen, Anja Elaine Sorensen, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt
Summary: The perceived seriousness of tick bites and Lyme borreliosis significantly predicts the adoption of protective measures against ticks. The perceived likelihood of getting a tick bite or Lyme borreliosis also predicts the adoption of protection, although the impact is small.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Noah Obeng-Nkrumah, Dennis Schroder Hansen, Georgina Awuah-Mensah, Nana Kweiba Blankson, Niels Frimodt-Moller, Mercy Jemima Newman, Japheth Awuletey Opintan, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt
Summary: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in eight Ghanaian communities to investigate the extent of intestinal colonization with 3rd-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales. The study found that 50.4% of the participants carried 3rd-generation cepha-losporin-resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae. Most of these were ESBL-producing E. coli, carrying CTX-M genes, mainly CTX-M-15. The presence of a household toilet facility was significantly associated with a reduced risk of intestinal colonization.
DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Hans-Christian Slotved, Kurt Fuursted
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Michaela Tinggaard, Hans-Christian Slotved, Charlotte Svaerke Jorgensen, Gitte Kronborg, Thomas Benfield
Summary: Less than half of PLWH achieved an anti-pneumococcal seroprotective level after vaccination. Individuals with lower pre-vaccination antibody levels had increased odds of nonresponse.
Article
Microbiology
Helle Brander Eriksen, Kurt Fuursted, Anders Jensen, Christian Salgard Jensen, Xiaohui Nielsen, Jens Jorgen Christensen, Patricia Shewmaker, Ana Rita Rebelo, Frank Moller Aarestrup, Kristian Schonning, Hans-Christian Slotved
Summary: The susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae to beta-lactam drugs can be predicted from the amino acid sequence of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). A BLAST analysis can accurately predict the susceptibility of Danish S. pneumoniae isolates and some internationally collected MGS isolates. However, the current database is not effective in predicting the susceptibility of other MGS strains.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Ebenezer Krampah Aidoo, Frank Twum Aboagye, Felix Abekah Botchway, George Osei-Adjei, Michael Appiah, Ruth Duku-Takyi, Samuel Asamoah Sakyi, Linda Amoah, Kingsley Badu, Richard Harry Asmah, Bernard Walter Lawson, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt
Summary: Reactive case detection (RACD) is a recommended strategy for detecting and eliminating asymptomatic malaria. Through systematic review, this study found that individuals living in households with index cases were at a higher risk of malaria infection compared to neighbors of index cases. The identification and treatment of infectious reservoirs, including neighboring households, are critical for successful malaria elimination.
TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marc Westerholt, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, Ram Benny Dessau, Lukas Frans Ocias
Summary: Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a common tick-transmitted infection caused by bacteria. This study proposes a method for determining actual changes in IgG and examines antibody reactivity and decay. The results show that both IgG and IgM antibodies persisted for years, with longer seropositivity associated with high initial antibody levels and IgG-type antibodies.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anne Sofie Froekiaer Mathiasen, Lene Hyldgaard Bigum, Kim Hovgaard Andreassen, Hans-Christian Slotved, Dahlia Caroline Adjal Berring, Valeria Antsupova
Summary: This article presents a rare case of urosepsis caused by Haemophilus influenzae, a pathogen with specific growth requirements that should be considered in the diagnostic process. The patient was young and had nephrocalcinosis.
DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Anders Frische, Vithiagaran Gunalan, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, Anders Fomsgaard, Ria Lassauniere
Summary: This study identifies unique antibody targets associated with neutralization breadth through a combination of neutralizing antibody functional responses and B-cell epitope mapping. The results indicate that animals with intermediate and high cross-neutralization target fewer antigenic sites on the spike protein and focus on a specific epitope situated outside the receptor binding domain. The approach taken in this study can be applied to other viral vaccines and provides important insights for rational vaccine design against SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Medical Informatics
David Shaw, Raquel Abad, Zahin Amin-Chowdhury, Adriana Bautista, Desiree Bennett, Karen Broughton, Bin Cao, Carlo Casanova, Eun Hwa Choi, Yiu-Wai Chu, Heike Claus, Juliana Coelho, Mary Corcoran, Simon Cottrell, Robert Cunney, Lize Cuypers, Tine Dalby, Heather Davies, Linda de Gouveia, Ala-Eddine Deghmane, Walter Demczuk, Stefanie Desmet, Mirian Domenech, Richard Drew, Mignon du Plessis, Carolina Duarte, Helga Erlendsdottir, Norman K. Fry, Kurt Fuursted, Thomas Hale, Desiree Henares, Birgitta Henriques-Normark, Markus Hilty, Steen Hoffmann, Hilary Humphreys, Margaret Ip, Susanne Jacobsson, Christopher Johnson, Jillian Johnston, Keith A. Jolley, Anibal Kawabata, Jana Kozakova, Karl G. Kristinsson, Pavla Krizova, Alicja Kuch, Shamez Ladhani, Thien-Tri Lam, Maria Eugenia Leon, Laura Lindholm, David Litt, Martin C. J. Maiden, Irene Martin, Delphine Martiny, Wesley Mattheus, Noel Mccarthy, Mary Meehan, Susan Meiring, Paula Moelling, Eva Morfeldt, Julie Morgan, Robert Mulhall, Carmen Munoz-Almagro, David Murdoch, Joy Murphy, Martin Musilek, Alexandre Mzabi, Ludmila Novakova, Shahin Oftadeh, Amaresh Perez-Arguello, Maria Perez-Vazquez, Monique Perrin, Malorie Perry, Benoit Prevost, Maria Roberts, Assaf Rokney, Merav Ron, Olga Marina Sanabria, Kevin J. Scott, Carmen Sheppard, Lotta Siira, Vitali Sintchenko, Anna Skoczynska, Monica Sloan, Hans-Christian Slotved, Andrew J. Smith, Anneke Steens, Muhamed-Kheir Taha, Maija Toropainen, Georgina Tzanakaki, Anni Vainio, Mark P. G. van der Linden, Nina M. van Sorge, Emmanuelle Varon, Sandra Vohrnova, Anne von Gottberg, Jose Yuste, Rosemeire Zanella, Fei Zhou, Angela B. Brueggemann
Summary: This study analyzed the incidence and distribution of invasive diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus agalactiae during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed a sustained decrease in the incidence of these diseases during the pandemic, but an increase in cases was observed after pandemic restrictions were lifted in some countries in 2021.
LANCET DIGITAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Pi Westi Bondegaard, Anders Meyer Torp, Priscila Guerra, Katja Ann Kristensen, Juliane Fjelrad Christfort, Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, Line Hagner Nielsen, Kinga Zor, Anja Boisen, Martin Steen Mortensen, Martin Iain Bahl, Tine Rask Licht
Summary: The use of microcontainers did not provide a competitive advantage for the probiotic E. coli Nissle in colonizing the gut of mice. Alternative approaches are needed to enhance the competitive capacity of EcN in the gut.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Dermatology
Matthew J. Davis, Gokul Srinivasan, Rachael Chacko, Sophie Chen, Anish Suvarna, Louis J. Vaickus, Veronica C. Torres, Sassan Hodge, Eunice Y. Chen, Sarah Preum, Kimberley S. Samkoe, Brock C. Christensen, Matthew R. Leboeuf, Joshua J. Levy
Summary: The development and application of AI algorithms are of great significance for the removal of cSCC, as they can improve operational efficiency and accuracy, especially for moderately and poorly differentiated tumors/ neoplasms. Further improvement is needed to maintain sensitivity to surrounding tissue and determine anatomical positioning.
EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Dermatology
Lingjing Chen, Qing Yu, Feiying Guo, Xuewen Wang, Zhenying Cai, Qiang Zhou
Summary: This study investigated the role and mechanisms of NTS in stress-induced hair growth inhibition. The results demonstrated that NTS effectively counteracted hair growth inhibition caused by stress and regulated the expression of multiple genes related to hair growth at the transcriptional level.
EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY
(2024)