Article
Virology
Shufang Fan, Chunyang Gu, Huihui Kong, Lizheng Guan, Gabriele Neumann, Yoshihiro Kawaoka
Summary: Small animal models are crucial for studying the properties of seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses, but they do not always replicate human influenza viruses efficiently. Researchers have developed a high-yield vaccine virus backbone that can increase the replication of seasonal influenza viruses in Syrian hamsters, providing a useful tool for evaluating the biological properties of influenza viruses.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Anja Geisler, Babette Dieringer, Leslie Elsner, Karin Klingel, Robert Klopfleisch, Hans-Peter Vornlocher, Jens Kurreck, Henry Fechner
Summary: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of stabilized small interfering RNA (siRNA) encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for inhibiting hepatic adenovirus 5 (hAd5) infection. The siRNA effectively reduced viral titers, liver injury, and inflammation. This research provides a new strategy for the treatment of hAd infections.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rakesh Kulkarni, Wen-Ching Chen, Ying Lee, Chi-Fei Kao, Shiu-Lok Hu, Hsiu-Hua Ma, Jia-Tsrong Jan, Chun-Che Liao, Jian-Jong Liang, Hui-Ying Ko, Cheng-Pu Sun, Yin-Shoiou Lin, Yu-Chiuan Wang, Sung-Chan Wei, Yi-Ling Lin, Che Ma, Yu-Chan Chao, Yu-Chi Chou, Wen Chang
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 causes severe illness and mortality, highlighting the urgent need for vaccines. The development of stable lyophilized vaccines is crucial for global vaccination to combat the virus and potential variants. Additionally, promising candidate vaccines based on viral strains have shown to induce strong immune responses in animal models, providing hope for future development.
Article
Immunology
Charles B. Stauft, Million Tegenge, Surender Khurana, Youri Lee, Prabhuanand Selvaraj, Hana Golding, Tony Wang, Basil Golding
Summary: This study investigates the impact of viral replication on the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of a hyperimmune severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin (CoVIG) in treating SARS-CoV-2 infection using an adult Syrian hamster model. The results suggest that the presence of actively replicating SARS-CoV-2 virus alters the pharmacokinetic parameters of CoVIG, indicating a need for dose adjustment based on viral load.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jin Young Yoon, Min Seob Kwak, Jung Won Jeon, Jae Myung Cha
Summary: This study found that compared to the standard triple therapy, RBC pretreatment for 2 weeks may achieve higher H. pylori eradication rates with excellent safety and tolerability. However, the study was discontinued early due to concerns over N-nitrosodimethylamine in ranitidine, highlighting the need for further research validation.
TOHOKU JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Caroline S. Foo, Rana Abdelnabi, Suzanne J. F. Kaptein, Xin Zhang, Sebastiaan ter Horst, Raf Mols, Leen Delang, Joana Rocha-Pereira, Lotte Coelmont, Pieter Leyssen, Kai Dallmeier, Valentijn Vergote, Elisabeth Heylen, Laura Vangeel, Arnab K. Chatterjee, Pieter P. Annaert, Patrick F. Augustijns, Steven De Jonghe, Dirk Jochmans, Mieke Gouwy, Seppe Cambier, Jennifer Vandooren, Paul Proost, Christine van Laer, Birgit Weynand, Johan Neyts
Summary: Nelfinavir, an HIV protease inhibitor, shows antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and can improve lung pathology induced by the virus in hamsters. It enhances the number and functionality of neutrophils and promotes their migration. Another combination of HIV protease inhibitors, Lopinavir/Ritonavir, also has a similar protective effect in this model.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Gilman Kit-Hang Siu, Shuofeng Yuan, Jonathan Daniel Ip, Jian-Piao Cai, Allen Wing-Ho Chu, Wan-Mui Chan, Syed Muhammad Umer Abdullah, Cuiting Luo, Brian Pui-Chun Chan, Terrence Tsz-Tai Yuen, Lin-Lei Chen, Kenn Ka-Heng Chik, Ronghui Liang, Hehe Cao, Vincent Kwok-Man Poon, Chris Chung-Sing Chan, Kit-Hang Leung, Anthony Raymond Tam, Owen Tak-Yin Tsang, Jacky Man-Chun Chan, Wing-Kin To, Bosco Hoi-Shiu Lam, Lam-Kwong Lee, Hazel Wing-Hei Lo, Ivan Tak-Fai Wong, Jake Siu-Lun Leung, Evelyn Yin-Kwan Wong, Hin Chu, Cyril Chik-Yan Yip, Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng, Kwok-Hung Chan, Herman Tse, David Christopher Lung, Kenneth Ho-Leung Ng, Albert Ka-Wing Au, Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung, Kwok-Yung Yuen, Kelvin Kai-Wang To
Summary: This study investigated a pet shop-related COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong, revealing potential hamster-to-human transmission and highlighting the role of pet trading in the international spread of the pandemic virus.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemical Research Methods
Hin Chu, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Kwok-Yung Yuen
Summary: This article discusses the main animal models that have played a key role in our understanding of the immune and viral dynamics of SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Immunology
Anthony Raymond Tam, Ricky Ruiqi Zhang, Kwok Cheung Lung, Raymond Liu, Ka Yi Leung, Danlei Liu, Yujing Fan, Lu Lu, Athene Hoi Ying Lam, Tom Wai Hin Chung, Cyril Chik Yan Yip, Jenny Lo, Alan Ka Lun Wu, Rodney Lee, Simon Sin, Pauline Yeung Ng, Wai Ming Chan, Hoi Ping Shum, Wing Wa Yan, Jasper Fuk Woo Chan, Vincent Chi Chung Cheng, Chak Sing Lau, Kelvin Kai-Wang, Kwok Hung Chan, Kwok Yung Yuen, Ivan Fan Ngai Hung
Summary: Combined treatment with interferon beta-1b and remdesivir is more effective than remdesivir alone in the treatment of COVID-19, providing relief for symptoms, reducing viral shedding and hospitalization time, and inducing earlier antibody response in high-risk patients.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Man Chun Chiu, Cun Li, Xiaojuan Liu, Yifei Yu, Jingjing Huang, Zhixin Wan, Ding Xiao, Hin Chu, Jian-Piao Cai, Biao Zhou, Ko-Yung Sit, Wing-Kuk Au, Kenneth Kak-Yuen Wong, Gang Li, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Kelvin Kai-Wang To, Zhiwei Chen, Shibo Jiang, Hans Clevers, Kwok Yung Yuen, Jie Zhou
Summary: Researchers have successfully established a bipotential organoid culture system that can expand the entire human respiratory epithelium in vitro and model respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
Article
Cell Biology
Hanjun Zhao, Kelvin Kai-Wang To, Hoiyan Lam, Chuyuan Zhang, Zheng Peng, Xinjie Meng, Xiankun Wang, Anna Jinxia Zhang, Bingpeng Yan, Jianpiao Cai, Man Lung Yeung, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Kwok-Yung Yuen
Summary: The human-derived peptide 4H30 demonstrates broad antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, inhibiting viral entry, fusion, and release.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huan Zhao, Litao Wang, Yuhong Bai, Ying Li, Teng Tang, Hong Liang, Dawen Gao
Summary: In this study, acid-modified chestnut inner shell biochar was used to immobilize white-rot fungal crude enzyme for the remediation of PAHs-contaminated soil. The maximum immobilization rate of crude enzyme reached 97.25% under optimal conditions. Immobilization enhanced the stability of the crude enzyme, with a relative activity increase of 59.32% and 49.73% after 5 weeks of storage at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C, respectively. The chestnut-based immobilized crude enzyme successfully degraded 37% of benzo[a]pyrene in 10 days for PAHs-contaminated soils. Overall, this study explores an efficient, feasible, and low-cost remediation method for PAHs-contaminated soils and provides technical support for the application of crude enzymes in organic contaminated soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Chon Phin Ong, Zi-Wei Ye, Kaiming Tang, Ronghui Liang, Yubin Xie, Hongzhuo Zhang, Zhenzhi Qin, Haoran Sun, Tong-Yun Wang, Yun Cheng, Hin Chu, Jasper F. -W. Chan, Dong-Yan Jin, Shuofeng Yuan
Summary: The study compared the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.12.1 and BA.5.2 variants in cell culture and hamster models. It found that the BA.5.2 variant exhibited stronger replication ability in vitro and in vivo, and was not affected by immune selection pressure from vaccine-induced antibodies. By constructing a mutant SARS-CoV-2, it was discovered that the F486V substitution was not the sole factor contributing to the dominance of BA.5.2, but a combination of multiple mutations.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Virology
Haoran Sun, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Shuofeng Yuan
Summary: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, replicates in the cytoplasm and utilizes various proteins to counteract the host immune response. This review explores the interaction between the virus and host innate immunity, focusing on host sensors and viral countermeasures. The insights gained from this study may contribute to the development of novel strategies for modulating host inflammation and antiviral responses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Xiner Huang, Bingjie Hu, Yue Chai, Hongyu Shi, Tianrenzheng Zhu, Terrence Tsz-Tai Yuen, Yuanchen Liu, Huan Liu, Jialu Shi, Lei Wen, Huiping Shuai, Yuxin Hou, Chaemin Yoon, Jian-Piao Cai, Anna Jinxia Zhang, Jie Zhou, Feifei Yin, Shuofeng Yuan, Bao-Zhong Zhang, Melinda A. Brindley, Zheng-Li Shi, Kwok-Yung Yuen, Hin Chu
Summary: It has been discovered that several members of the membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase families can mediate SARS-CoV-2 entry, and inhibition of these proteases significantly reduces viral replication. Additionally, the Omicron BA.1 variant has an increased efficiency in utilizing matrix metalloproteinases, while exhibiting altered efficiency in utilizing transmembrane serine proteases compared to the ancestral SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Virology
Jian-Piao Cai, Cuiting Luo, Kun Wang, Hehe Cao, Lin-Lei Chen, Xiaojuan Zhang, Yuting Han, Feifei Yin, Anna Jinxia Zhang, Hin Chu, Shuofeng Yuan, Kin-Hang Kok, Kelvin Kai-Wang To, Honglin Chen, Zhiwei Chen, Dong-Yan Jin, Kwok-Yung Yuen, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
Summary: The development of vaccines specific against the dominant circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2 is being outpaced by the emergence of new immune-evasive variants and subvariants. In this study, researchers explored the hypothesis that intranasal boosting after intramuscular priming could provide a broader level of protection. They found that intranasal boosts with the Fc-linked trimeric spike receptor-binding domain from wild-type SARS-CoV-2 induced significantly higher serum neutralizing antibodies against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and the Omicron subvariants, compared to vaccination with the inactivated whole virion vaccine. This approach could potentially lengthen the interval required for changing the vaccine immunogen from months to years.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Yanxia Chen, Wenchen Song, Can Li, Jiaxuan Wang, Feifei Liu, Zhanhong Ye, Peidi Ren, Yihan Tong, Junhua Li, Zhihua Ou, Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee, Jian-Piao Cai, Bosco Ho-Yin Wong, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Kwok-Yung Yuen, AnnaJin-Xia Zhang, Hin Chu
Summary: Obesity is a risk factor for severe manifestations of COVID-19, and this study investigated the effects of COVID-19 mRNA vaccination on immune responses and reinfection in obese mice. The findings showed impaired adaptive immune responses to COVID-19 infection and vaccination in obese mice, leading to higher susceptibility to reinfection and lower vaccine efficacy. However, vaccinated obese mice were still protected from lung damage during reinfection and showed increased production of interferons. This suggests that COVID-19 mRNA vaccination enhances innate antiviral responses in obesity when adaptive immunity is suboptimal.
Article
Cell Biology
Shuofeng Yuan, Xiaopan Gao, Kaiming Tang, Jian-Piao Cai, Menglong Hu, Peng Luo, Lei Wen, Zi-Wei Ye, Cuiting Luo, Jessica Oi-Ling Tsang, Chris Chun-Yiu Chan, Yaoqiang Huang, Jianli Cao, Ronghui Liang, Zhenzhi Qin, Bo Qin, Feifei Yin, Hin Chu, Dong-Yan Jin, Ren Sun, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Sheng Cui, Kwok-Yung Yuen
Summary: The study identifies a noncovalent lead inhibitor, F0213, with broad-spectrum antiviral activity against various coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The compound provides protection in animal models and exhibits dual therapeutic functionality by inhibiting viral polyprotein cleavage and promoting antiviral immunity. The mode of inhibition differs between SARS2-PLpro and MERS-PLpro. These findings suggest that targeting the papain-like protease domain could be a potential strategy for developing pan-coronaviral therapeutics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sho Iketani, Lihong Liu, Yicheng Guo, Liyuan Liu, Jasper F-W Chan, Yiming Huang, Maple Wang, Yang Luo, Jian Yu, Hin Chu, Kenn K-H Chik, Terrence T-T Yuent, Michael T. Yin, Magdalena E. Sobieszczyk, Yaoxing Huang, Kwok-Yung Yuen, Harris H. Wang, Zizhang Sheng, David D. Ho
Summary: The identification of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Botswana in November 2021 sparked concern due to the spike protein alterations that could potentially evade antibodies. Further studies showed that the Omicron sublineages, BA.1+R346K and BA.2, are antigenically similar to the wild-type virus and pose similar risks to the effectiveness of current vaccines. BA.2 also demonstrated resistance to many neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, highlighting the challenges in developing effective therapeutic options.