Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Imene Ammam, Camille D. Brunet, Nouria Boukenaoui-Ferrouk, Julien Peyroux, Sylvie Berthier, Jean Boutonnat, Karim Rahal, Idir Bitam, Max Maurin
Summary: This study demonstrates the existence of tularemia in wild lagomorphs in Algeria, highlighting the need for investigations into the presence of this disease among the human population of the country.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Rachel L. Markley, Katherine H. Restori, Bhuvana Katkere, Sarah E. Sumner, McKayla J. Nicol, Anastasia Tyryshkina, Shaneice K. Nettleford, David R. Williamson, David E. Place, Kalyan K. Dewan, Ashley E. Shay, Bradley A. Carlson, Santhosh Girirajan, K. Sandeep Prabhu, Girish S. Kirimanjeswara
Summary: This study showed that F. tularensis lacks the ability to utilize selenium effectively, while mice deficient in selenium are more susceptible to bacterial infections and have shorter survival times. Host selenoproteins found in macrophages were able to restrict bacterial replication, indicating a potential key role in combating bacterial infections.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Aurelie Hennebique, Fabienne Gas, Helene Batina, Cecilia De Araujo, Karine Bizet, Max Maurin
Summary: The Biotoxis qPCR detection kit showed good performance in detecting Francisella tularensis in various biological and environmental samples, with potential crossamplification of F. tularensis subsp. novicida to be considered. This plate format assay could be useful for testing a large number of clinical or environmental specimens, especially in the context of natural or intentional tularemia outbreaks.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Lea Ponderand, Thomas Guimard, Estibaliz Lazaro, Henry Dupuy, Olivia Peuchant, Nathalie Roch, Philippe Deroche, Tristan Ferry, Max Maurin, Aurelie Hennebique, Sandrine Boisset, Isabelle Pelloux, Yvan Caspar
Summary: Three cases of prosthetic joint infection caused by Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica were reported in France during 2016-2019. A total of 5 other cases of Francisella-related prosthetic joint infections worldwide were identified. Clinical symptoms appeared 7 days to 19 years after joint placement, and were not specific to tularemia. All 8 patients had positive cultures for F. tularensis, with two patients initially identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Surgical treatment combined with long-term antimicrobial therapy resulted in favorable outcomes, with no relapses after 6 months of follow-up.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Letter
Immunology
Aurelie Hennebique, Yvan Caspar, Max Maurin, Sandrine Boisset, Isabelle Pelloux, Maria Pilar Gallego-Hernanz, Christophe Burucoa, France Cazenave-Roblot, Chloe Plouzeau, Blandine Rammaert
Summary: We report a case of human cutaneous infection with bacteremia caused by a Francisella species recently identified from seawater and fishes in an immunocompromised patient in France.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brady A. Travis, Kathryn M. Ramsey, Samantha M. Prezioso, Thomas Tallo, Jamie M. Wandzilak, Allen Hsu, Mario Borgnia, Alberto Bartesaghi, Simon L. Dove, Richard G. Brennan, Maria A. Schumacher
Summary: This study reveals a unique mechanism for Ft pathogenesis involving a virulence-specialized RNAP that employs two (MglA-SspA)-based strategies to activate virulence genes.
Article
Cell Biology
Chui-Yoke Chin, Jinshi Zhao, Anna C. Llewellyn, Igor Golovliov, Anders Sjostedt, Pei Zhou, David S. Weiss
Summary: The study reveals the important role of an uncharacterized protein FlmX in the intracellular pathogen Francisella, affecting bacterial virulence and resistance to antibiotics by regulating LPS modification process. FlmX may represent a potential novel drug target for reducing bacterial virulence and increasing sensitivity to innate antimicrobials and antibiotics, with its conservation in other intracellular pathogens also noted.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Nadezhda A. Byzova, Anatoly V. Zherdev, Alexey A. Gorbatov, Anton G. Shevyakov, Sergey F. Biketov, Boris B. Dzantiev
Summary: This paper presents the development and characterization of a new bioanalytical test system for rapid detection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and whole cells of Francisella tularensis in water samples. The test system utilizes gold nanoparticles coated with anti-LPS monoclonal antibodies, which can detect the presence of the analyte through a shift in absorption spectra. The assay is rapid, sensitive, and can be used to distinguish different strains of F. tularensis.
Article
Microbiology
Jian-Hao Xu, Lin Kang, Bing Yuan, Zi-Han Feng, Shi-Qing Li, Jing Wang, Ya-Ru Wang, Wen-Wen Xin, Shan Gao, Jia-Xin Li, Yan-Song Sun, Jing-Lin Wang, Yuan Yuan
Summary: Francisella tularensis is a dangerous pathogen that poses a severe threat to public health. In this study, a two-pronged rapid and ultrasensitive diagnostic method for detecting F. tularensis was developed using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and CRISPR/Cas12a system. The assay showed high sensitivity and specificity, and could successfully detect F. tularensis in simulated blood and sewage samples.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Klara Kubelkova, Ales Macela
Summary: This article summarizes the current knowledge on the innate and acquired humoral immune responses initiated by Francisella infection and their relationships with the immune defense systems.
Article
Microbiology
Roberto De Pascalis, Varunika Bhargava, Scott Espich, Terry H. Wu, H. Carl Gelhaus, Karen L. Elkins
Summary: Identifying suitable animal models and standardizing preclinical methods are crucial for developing vaccines against Francisella tularensis. Non-human primates are important animal models for evaluating vaccine efficacy, while Fischer 344 rats are valuable for initial immune response studies and vaccine screening. This study compared three Fischer rat substrains and confirmed their suitability as models for studying Francisella infection and immunity.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Immunology
Carl Boodman, Quinlan Richert, Sylvain Lother, Ken Kasper, Sergio Fanella, Philippe Lagace-Wiens, Yoav Keynan
Summary: Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis, a gram-negative coccobacillus, which is a Biosafety Level 3 pathogen and potential bioterrorism agent. In Manitoba, Canada, there were two cases of perigenital ulcer disease caused by Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica, leading to inadvertent exposure among laboratory personnel.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Mengsu Zhao, Yanfang Zhai, Xiaodong Zai, Yunyun Mao, Enbo Hu, Zhaodong Wei, Yan Li, Kai Li, Yanhong Liu, Junjie Xu, Rui Yu, Wei Chen
Summary: No FDA-approved vaccines are available for tularemia, a highly contagious disease caused by Francisella tularensis. This study identified potential protective antigens for vaccine development, including Tul4, OmpA, FopA, and DnaK, and found that using an adenovirus vector encoding these proteins can induce protective immunity against Ft infection. Intramuscular vaccination with Ad5-Tul4 effectively eliminated Ft colonization in multiple organs and provided high levels of protection, while intranasal vaccination only protected against intranasal challenge.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Lauren C. Kinkead, Samantha J. Krysa, Lee-Ann H. Allen
Summary: This study investigated the contributions of ERK and p38 MAP kinase, PI3K, AKT, and NF-kappa B to neutrophil survival. The results showed that p38 alpha, PI3K alpha, and NF-kappa B play important roles in the delayed apoptosis of infected cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Maha Alqahtani, Zhuo Ma, Jacob Miller, Jen Yu, Meenakshi Malik, Chandra Shekhar Bakshi
Summary: This study investigated the mechanisms of Aim2 inflammasome activation in macrophages infected with Francisella novicida and the Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS). The results showed that LVS-infected macrophages exhibited lower levels of Aim2-dependent IL-1 beta compared to novicida-infected macrophages, which was attributed to the suppression of the cGAS-STING DNA-sensing pathway. Additionally, damaged mitochondria-derived DNA might contribute to the robust Aim2-dependent IL-1 beta levels observed in novicida-infected macrophages.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Reza Khodadadi, Manouchehr Eghbal, Hamideh Ofoghi, Alireza Balaei, Ali Tamayol, Karen Abrinia, Amir Sanati-Nezhad, Mohamadmahdi Samandari
Summary: This paper introduces an integrated portable centrifugal microfluidic system that automates cell and fluid manipulation for complete blood counting (CBC) analysis at the point-of-care (POC). The system utilizes a specially designed microfluidic disc for cell separation, solution metering and mixing, and cell counting, and is equipped with a custom script for automated quantification of cells. The proposed method shows a strong correlation with the gold standard hematology analyzer for various blood parameters. The portable system offers simplicity, affordability, and low power consumption, making it a potential solution for improving healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings and remote areas.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Nabil H. Bhuiyan, Joon S. Shim
Summary: Developing herd immunity is crucial for changing the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. An AI-driven point-of-care testing platform has been proposed for analyzing the body's response to SARS-CoV-2, and it has been successfully used for quantifying viral proteins and antibodies in blood samples. A data-receptive web-based dashboard system has also been developed for real-time analysis of herd immunity progress.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Alexiane Godain, Timothy M. Vogel, Pascal Fongarland, Naoufel Haddour
Summary: This study provides comprehensive insights into the intricate relationship between shear stress and electroactive biofilms in microbial fuel cells, highlighting the pivotal role of shear stress in influencing the growth kinetics, electrical performance, and physical structure of the biofilms. The study also emphasizes the complexities of extracellular electron transfer mechanisms and the need for complementary metaproteomic analyses.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Linjie Wang, Yixin Chen, Yang Ji, Shujun Zheng, Fei Wang, Caolong Li
Summary: A paper-based biosensor incorporating surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and colorimetric detection has been developed for efficient quantification of intracellular glutathione (GSH). The biosensor exhibits excellent selectivity, stability, and precision, with low detection limits in both SERS and colorimetric modes. It has been successfully utilized for intracellular GSH detection and validated against a commercial GSH assay kit.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Quan Zhou, Jing Wang, Zhen Zhang, Alain Wuethrich, Richard J. Lobb, Matt Trau
Summary: This study presents a biosensor for sensitive detection of EMT-associated biomarkers on extracellular vesicles (EVs) surfaces during targeted therapy. Through longitudinal monitoring of patients, the biosensor shows its ability to identify the EMT-like phenotype switching on circulating EVs during the development of resistance.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Review
Biophysics
Pratika Rai, Sabrina N. Hoba, Celine Buchmann, Robert J. Subirana-Slotos, Christian Kersten, Tanja Schirmeister, Kristina Endres, Bernd Bufe, Alexey Tarasov
Summary: Proteases have been proposed as potential biomarkers for various pathological conditions. The development of protease biosensors offers a more efficient way to investigate dysregulated proteases. This review article presents different optical and electrochemical detection methods for designing biosensors for all major protease families.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Chengxin Liu, Xu Shen, Li Yan, Runlian Qu, Yue Wang, Yaqin He, Zixuan Zhan, Piaopiao Chen, Feng Lin
Summary: In this study, a homogeneous rapid electrochemical aptasensor was developed to quantitatively detect CTCs in lung cancer patients. The aptasensor utilized a DNA nanosphere structure and a complementary aptamer to specifically detect mucin 1 as a marker for CTCs. The assay exhibited high specificity and sensitivity, and the results were consistent with other detection methods.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Danni Xue, Xing Dai, Jialong Zhao, Jiayao Zhang, Huan Liu, Kui Liu, Tao Xu, Chenjie Gu, Xingfei Zhou, Tao Jiang
Summary: In this study, a dual-enhancement SERS substrate based on Ti3C2TX and Ag nanocubes was fabricated for precise quantification of ritonavir and ibrutinib in serum. The formation of numerous electromagnetic hotspots between Ag nanocubes facilitated effective photo-induced charge transfer. The composite substrate showed excellent sensitivity, achieving low detection limits and high recoveries, making it promising for monitoring and identification of clinical blood drug concentration.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Tenghua Zhang, Zihui Xie, Xiaohe Zheng, Yuxin Liang, Yao Lu, Hankang Zhong, Feiyang Qian, Yuqing Zhu, Ruiting Sun, Yan Sheng, Jiaming Hu
Summary: This study reports a technology based on cationic lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for efficient extracellular vesicle (EV) enrichment and in-situ detection of internal microRNAs. The technology demonstrates high EV enrichment efficiency and sensitive internal RNA detection, making it potentially useful for early pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Wenjie Dai, Gaoxu Chen, Xiaoyan Wang, Shujun Zhen, Chengzhi Huang, Lei Zhan, Yuanfang Li
Summary: In this study, a novel metal organic gel (MOG) with dual electrochemiluminescence (ECL) properties was prepared by simple mixing. The MOG exhibited strong and stable anodic and cathodic ECL signals. By utilizing this MOG, an ECL resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) biosensor was constructed for ultrasensitive detection of a specific gene. The study developed a straightforward technique for obtaining a single luminescent material with dual signals and expanded the analytical application of MOGs in the realm of ECL.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Lais Canniatti Brazaca, Amanda Hikari Imamura, Rodrigo Vieira Blasques, Jessica Rocha Camargo, Bruno Campos Janegitz, Emanuel Carrilho
Summary: The use of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (muPADs) for medical diagnosis is a growing trend due to their low cost, easy use, simple manufacturing, and potential for application in low-resource settings. This review focuses on the advances in muPADs for medical diagnostics, discussing their use in detecting various biomarkers in common human biofluids. The challenges of biomarker detection in each sample are examined, along with innovative techniques to overcome these limitations. The commercialization difficulties of muPADs are also considered, along with future trends such as wearable devices and integrated platforms.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Minghong Jian, Xudong Sun, Hua Zhang, Xiaotong Li, Shasha Li, Zhenxin Wang
Summary: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are attractive biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and treatment, but their low abundance in biological samples, especially in the early stages of tumors, makes it challenging to precisely analyze MMP activities. In this study, a peptide microarray-based metal-enhanced fluorescence assay (PMMEFA) is proposed as a sensitive and specific method to simultaneously detect MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, -9, and -13 activities. The PMMEFA showed excellent sensitivity and was capable of detecting MMP activities in various matrices.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Kyung Ho Kim, Eunsu Ryu, Zinah Hilal Khaleel, Sung Eun Seo, Lina Kim, Yong Ho Kim, Hyun Gyu Park, Oh Seok Kwon
Summary: We have developed a novel strategy for discriminative detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants using the plasmonic photothermal effect of gold nanofilms and digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) technology. With this method, we were able to detect the delta and omicron variants with high sensitivity within 25 minutes from COVID-19 patients' clinical samples, making it a rapid and accurate point-of-care testing tool.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Zepeng Kang, Yuanming Wang, Haiyan Song, Xueli Wang, Job Zhang, Zhiguang Zhu
Summary: By designing a wearable and flexible lactic-acid/O2 EBFC with an air-breathing biocathode, the limitations of biocathode are effectively solved. The optimal performance conditions are determined through experiments, and the EBFC is successfully applied to power a low-power device.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Huayun Chen, Zhiheng You, Yuhui Hong, Xiao Wang, Mingming Zhao, Yushi Luan, Yibin Ying, Yixian Wang
Summary: This study developed a colorimetric sensor array using gas-responsive two-dimensional metal-organic framework (MOF) composites for highly sensitive detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The dye/Zn-2(bim)(4) composites-based sensor arrays showed enhanced sensitivity and anti-interference properties. The findings demonstrate the potential use of dye/Zn-2(bim)(4) sensor arrays for early perception of plant diseases.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2024)