Review
Immunology
Karima Landelouci, Shruti Sinha, Genevieve Pepin
Summary: Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a genome instability syndrome caused by mutations in repair genes, leading to congenital abnormalities, premature aging, and bone marrow failure. There is a close relationship between genome instability, inflammation, and the production of type-I Interferon. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of type-I Interferon activation in FA may lead to the discovery of therapeutic targets for the associated inflammation and premature aging.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fabian Udden, Elisabeth Runow, Hans-Christian Slotved, Kurt Fuursted, Jonas Ahl, Kristian Riesbeck
Summary: This study investigated the serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae associated with mucosal infections in patients of all ages following the transition from PCV10 to PCV13. The results showed that 17% of isolates were covered by PCV13, with serotypes 3 and 19A being the most common. Nonvaccine serotypes such as 11A, 23B, 15A, and 35F were also identified, with certain serotypes showing multidrug resistance or penicillin nonsusceptibility.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ming-Zhu Xie, Mei Dong, Juan Du, Shan-Shan Zhang, Fang Huang, Qing-Bin Lu
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of S. pneumoniae in patients with acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in Beijing and provided reference evidence for prevention and control of S. pneumoniae. The results showed that the prevalence of S. pneumoniae in ARTI patients in Beijing from 2009 to 2020 was low but higher in elderly patients, outpatients, and patients without antibiotic therapy. Further research on the S. pneumoniae serotype and pneumococcal vaccine coverage is necessary to reduce the burden of pneumococcal diseases.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Supeng Yin, Mengmeng Yuan, Sirui Zhang, Hongdan Chen, Jing Zhou, Tongyu He, Gang Li, Yanlan Yu, Fan Zhang, Ming Li, Yan Zhao
Summary: This study reveals that SspA-1 from the highly virulent Streptococcus suis 2 strain induces excessive inflammatory response through TLR2 endosomal and type I IFN signaling, uncovering a novel role of type I IFN in S. suis infection.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jeffrey M. Pernica, Kristin Inch, Haifa Alfaraidi, Ania Van Meer, Redjana Carciumaru, Kathy Luinstra, Marek Smieja
Summary: The aim of the study was to compare nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization patterns in children with viral, bacterial, and indeterminate pneumonia. The results showed that children with viral and bacterial infections had similar patterns of pneumococcal colonization.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Zhiqiang Hu, Dan Wu, Jiansen Lu, Yufen Zhang, Shao-Meng Yu, Yingchao Xie, Hongyu Li, Jianwu Yang, De-Hua Lai, Ke Zeng, Huaji Jiang, Zhao-Rong Lun, Xiao Yu
Summary: In this study, the researchers found that inflammasome signaling is activated by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) of T. gondii, leading to a protective immune response against T. gondii invasion by suppressing the production of type I interferon (IFN-I). The study also revealed that inflammasome-coupled IL-1 beta signaling triggers the expression of negative regulator SOCS1, which binds to IRF3 to inhibit IFN-I production. This research provides new insights into the mechanisms of host immunity against toxoplasmosis and highlights the importance of the cross talk between innate immune signaling in infectious disease prevention.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Viktoria Lilla Balazs, Lilla Nagy-Radvanyi, Rita Filep, Erika Kerekes, Bela Kocsis, Marianna Kocsis, Agnes Farkas
Summary: The study investigated the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of Hungarian black locust, linden, and sunflower honeys against respiratory tract pathogens. Linden honey was found to be the most effective in both antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities, highlighting its potential role in treating respiratory tract infections caused by biofilm-forming bacteria.
Article
Immunology
Yue Yin, Jinglin Ma, Cliff Van Waesberghe, Bert Devriendt, Herman W. W. Favoreel
Summary: This study investigates whether PRV triggers the expression of type I and III interferons and whether these interferons have antiviral activity against PRV in different porcine epithelial cells. The results show that the antiviral response and activity of type I and III interferons depend on the type of epithelial cells used, and it is the first time that type III interferon displays antiviral activity against PRV in respiratory and intestinal epithelial cells.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Xiaoxin Ji, Wei Meng, Zichuan Liu, Xin Mu
Summary: This article summarizes the roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in modulating the RNA-activated IFN-I signaling pathway. By analyzing the event order during the signaling, the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in this pathway are revealed.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Shanti S. D'Souza, Yuanyue Zhang, Jacob T. Bailey, Ivan T. H. Fung, Marcy L. Kuentzel, Sridar Chittur, Qi Yang
Summary: Research has shown that physiological lung aging leads to increased interferon signaling and elevated chemokine concentrations, which exacerbate monocyte infiltration into the lung parenchyma, including a novel subset dependent on type-1 interferon signaling. Treatment with anti-IFNAR1 neutralizing antibodies can rapidly eradicate this subset of monocytes, reduce airway chemokine concentrations, and suppress the accumulation of monocytes in the aged lung parenchyma.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chang Hyun Song, Young Ho Kim, Manisha Naskar, Byron W. Hayes, Mathew A. Abraham, Joo Hwan Noh, Gyeongseo Suk, Min Jung Kim, Kyu Sang Cho, Minhye Shin, Eun-Jin Lee, Soman N. Abraham, Hae Woong Choi
Summary: This study found that compared to healthy women, female patients with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) have significantly reduced population of Lactobacilli in the bladder. Exposing infected human bladder epithelial cells to L. crispatus in vitro greatly reduced the intracellular load of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). The adherence of Lactobacilli to bladder epithelial cells increased the production of type I interferon (IFN), which enhanced the expression of cathepsin D within lysosomes containing UPECs, leading to their elimination.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexandra M. Moore, Lei Zhou, Jing Cui, Luyi Li, Nanping Wu, Alice Yu, Soumya Poddar, Keke Liang, Evan R. Abt, Stephanie Kim, Razmik Ghukasyan, Nooneh Khachatourian, Kristina Pagano, Irmina Elliott, Amanda M. Dann, Rana Riahi, Thuc Le, David W. Dawson, Caius G. Radu, Timothy R. Donahue
Summary: Emerging evidence suggests that intratumoral interferon signaling can trigger targetable vulnerabilities in PDAC by reducing NAD levels through up-regulating NAD-consuming enzymes. This sensitizes PDAC cells to NAMPT inhibition, leading to decreased cell proliferation and invasion in vitro, as well as suppression of tumor growth and metastases in vivo.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jingxuan Sun, Yujie Bai, Eric Y. Yu, Guanyu Ding, Haili Zhang, Ming Duan, Pei Huang, Mengyao Zhang, Hongli Jin, Ryan TK. Kwok, Yuanyuan Li, Guo-Gang Shan, Ben Zhong Tang, Hualei Wang
Summary: This study developed a self-cleaning mask based on an aggregation-induced emission photosensitizer that can generate reactive oxygen species to destroy respiratory pathogens. The mask demonstrated efficacy in inactivating influenza virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae within 10 minutes of low-power light irradiation. This self-cleaning strategy has potential for combating airborne pathogens.
Article
Immunology
Sunil Palani, Shruti Bansal, Atul K. Verma, Christopher Bauer, Shengjun Shao, Md Bashir Uddin, Keer Sun
Summary: Postinfluenza bacterial pneumonia is a significant cause of hospitalization and death in humans. This study reveals that both IFN-I and IFN-gamma signaling pathways contribute to the initial suppression of antibacterial immunity, but IFN-gamma plays a dominant role in disease deterioration.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Fernanda Raya Tonetti, Mikado Tomokiyo, Ramiro Ortiz Moyano, Sandra Quilodran-Vega, Hikari Yamamuro, Paulraj Kanmani, Vyacheslav Melnikov, Shoichiro Kurata, Haruki Kitazawa, Julio Villena
Summary: This study demonstrated that nasal administration of Dolosigranulum pigrum 040417 increased resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in infant mice, modulated respiratory cytokine production, and reduced lung injuries. The immunomodulatory properties of D. pigrum were strain-specific, with certain strains showing potential as next-generation probiotics.
Article
Immunology
Michelle J. Vaz, Sheryl A. Purrier, Maryam Bonakdar, Anna B. Chamby, Adam J. Ratner, Tara M. Randis
Summary: Maternal GBS-specific antibodies protect newborns from early-onset disease, but their impact on GI colonization and late-onset disease is unexplored. Maternal vaccination with a whole-cell GBS vaccine induces production of GBS-specific IgG in dams, which is vertically transmitted to their offspring but does not decrease the duration of GBS intestinal colonization or reduce late-onset mortality. Both perinatal and postnatal murine models of GBS acquisition closely recapitulate the human disease state, demonstrating endogenous production of anti-GBS IgG and vertical transfer of antibodies to offspring. These models provide a platform to study critical host-pathogen interactions that mediate late-onset GBS disease.
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2021)
Review
Pediatrics
Vijaya L. Soma, Gail F. Shust, Adam J. Ratner
Summary: This review summarizes current knowledge about multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), focusing on clinical presentation, management, and challenges in diagnosis. MIS-C is characterized by significant inflammation, with common features including fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, cardiac dysfunction, and hypotension. The approach to diagnosis and management is highly variable, and multidisciplinary involvement is recommended for complicated cases. Further studies are needed to better understand the long-term outcomes and refine diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for MIS-C.
CURRENT OPINION IN PEDIATRICS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Perri Klass, Adam J. Ratner
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Allison N. Dammann, Anna B. Chamby, Francisco J. Gonzalez, Molly E. Sharp, Karina Flores, Ifrah Shahi, Sophia Dongas, Thomas A. Hooven, Adam J. Ratner
Summary: This study found that specific capsule types may provide an advantage in GBS vaginal colonization, but the success of certain GBS lineages may involve both capsule and non-capsule genetic elements.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Perri Klass, Adam J. Ratner
Summary: The article discusses Peter Ludvig Panum's investigation of a measles epidemic in the Faroe Islands in 1846, highlighting the unique geography and isolated population that facilitated the analysis of disease spread. It also mentions the potential lessons for studying Covid-19 in the Faroes today.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Rheumatology
Susan MacLauchlan, Katherine A. Fitzgerald, Ellen M. Gravallese
Summary: Evidence has shown that DNA plays a unique role in distinguishing between endogenous and foreign DNA, posing a challenge in disease discrimination. Autoinflammatory diseases resulting from gene mutations or DNA sensing pathway activation provide insight into the role of DNA in inflammation. This review discusses the current understanding of intracellular DNA sensing and its relevance to various diseases, as well as the development of therapies targeting these pathways.
ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Marie E. Wang, Adam J. Ratner
JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Felicia Kuperwaser, Gal Avital, Michelle J. Vaz, Kristen N. Noble, Allison N. Dammann, Tara M. Randis, David M. Aronoff, Adam J. Ratner, Itai Yanai
Summary: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a pathobiont that ascends to the placenta and causes adverse pregnancy outcomes by producing the toxin beta-hemolysin/cytolysin (beta-h/c). This study shows that GBS modulates the state of innate immune cells by subverting host inflammation through beta-h/c, leading to worse outcomes.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
John S. S. Mattick, Paulo P. P. Amaral, Piero Carninci, Susan Carpenter, Howard Y. Y. Chang, Ling-Ling Chen, Runsheng Chen, Caroline Dean, Marcel E. E. Dinger, Katherine A. A. Fitzgerald, Thomas R. R. Gingeras, Mitchell Guttman, Tetsuro Hirose, Maite Huarte, Rory Johnson, Chandrasekhar Kanduri, Philipp Kapranov, Jeanne B. B. Lawrence, Jeannie T. T. Lee, Joshua T. T. Mendell, Timothy R. R. Mercer, Kathryn J. J. Moore, Shinichi Nakagawa, John L. L. Rinn, David L. L. Spector, Igor Ulitsky, Yue Wan, Jeremy E. E. Wilusz, Mian Wu
Summary: Genes encoding lncRNAs are abundant in complex organisms and are transcribed by RNA polymerase I, II, and III, as well as processed introns. The classification and annotation of lncRNAs are challenging due to their various functions, isoforms, and interactions with other genes. These lncRNAs evolve rapidly, are cell type-specific, and regulate multiple cellular processes, including gene expression and translation control.
NATURE REVIEWS MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Immunology
Michelle A. Kelliher, Katherine A. Fitzgerald
Summary: Resistance mechanisms have hindered the effectiveness of immune checkpoint blockade therapies, but inhibition of TBK1 can restore their efficacy by sensitizing tumors to RIPK1 kinase-dependent cell death.
TRENDS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Kevin MingJie Gao, Katherine A. Fitzgerald
Summary: Endoplasmic-reticulum-associated degradation of the adaptor STING by SEL1L-HRD1 regulates steady-state STING levels to limit STING-driven inflammation, according to the study by Jie et al.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Jonathan J. J. Miner, Katherine A. A. Fitzgerald
Summary: Next-generation sequencing has revolutionized the field of genetics and has allowed for the discovery of rare autoinflammatory diseases and their corresponding mutations. This has opened up opportunities for personalized medicine and has shed light on more common forms of autoimmunity and autoinflammation. The rapid and cost-effective sequencing of individual genomes is changing the practice of rheumatology.
NATURE REVIEWS RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Sarah Geoghegan, Francia Acosta, Laura C. Stephens, Hanah Gillan, Sandra Valera, Richard J. Drew, Maeve Eogan, Adam J. Ratner, Andrew P. Steenhoff, Karina M. Butler, Kristen A. Feemster
Summary: This study investigated the attitudes of maternity care providers towards the introduction of a GBS vaccine in three countries, showing variability in provider attitudes influenced by geographic and provider type. There is an opportunity to improve awareness and recommendation for GBS vaccine through targeted educational efforts with antenatal providers.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Michal Paret, Rebecca Trillo, Jennifer Lighter, Ilan Youngster, Adam J. Ratner, Rebecca Pellett Madan
Summary: Large outbreaks of measles occurred in Israel and New York City during 2018-2019, mainly due to travel of unimmunized children between the two communities. The majority of measles cases occurred in eligible but unvaccinated children. Moreover, over 25% of children in both measles-positive and -negative groups remained unimmunized for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine one year after the outbreak.
JOURNAL OF THE PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ifrah Shahi, Cristina N. Llaneras, Sofya S. Perelman, Victor J. Torres, Adam J. Ratner
Summary: This study conducted a CRISPR-Cas9 forward genetic screen to identify host genes involved in beta hc pore formation and cell death, but no clear candidate genes were found. The results suggest that beta hc may not require a single nonessential host factor for cell death.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)