Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Alex J. Warr, Christine Anterasian, Javeed A. Shah, Stephen C. De Rosa, Felicia K. Nguyen, Elizabeth Maleche-Obimbo, Lisa M. Cranmer, Daniel Matemo, Jerphason Mecha, John Kinuthia, Sylvia M. LaCourse, Grace C. John-Stewart, Thomas R. Hawn
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between immune cell responses after BCG vaccination and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection in HIV-exposed but uninfected infants, as well as their impact on tuberculin skin test (TST) induration. The results show that a monofunctional TNF+ CD4+ effector memory T-cell response at 6-10 weeks of age is associated with Mtb infection at 14 months, while mycobacterial antigen-specific polyfunctional effector memory Th1 responses at 6-10 weeks correlate positively with TST induration in infants without evidence of Mtb infection, which is attenuated by INH therapy.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Carmine Izzo, Annunziata Monica, Giuseppe De Matteis, Sebastiana De Biasi, Anna De Chiara, Antonio Maria Pagano, Eleonora Mezzetti, Fabio Del Duca, Alice Chiara Manetti, Raffaele La Russa, Marco Di Paolo, Aniello Maiese
Summary: This study conducted a cross-sectional study in three Southern Italian prisons to determine the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among inmates. The results showed that the prevalence of LTBI was 4.2%. The study confirmed that incarceration increases the risk of tuberculous infection, and non-EU nationality and a history of drug addiction were identified as major risk factors in the prison setting.
Article
Immunology
Muki Shehu Shey, Avuyonke Balfour, Nomawethu Masina, Abulele Bekiswa, Charlotte Schutz, Rene Goliath, Rachel Dielle, Patrick DMC. Katoto, Katalin Andrea Wilkinson, David Lewinsohn, Deborah Anne Lewinsohn, Graeme Meintjes
Summary: In this study, it was found that individuals who showed resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection despite sustained exposure had lower secretion of IFN-gamma, a cytokine traditionally associated with Mtb infection. However, these individuals showed similar secretion levels of other immune response-related cytokines and chemokines, indicating their ability to mount non-IFN-gamma immune responses to Mtb infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Stephanie Fischinger, Deniz Cizmeci, Sally Shin, Leela Davies, Patricia S. Grace, Aida Sivro, Nonhlanhla Yende-Zuma, Hendrik Streeck, Sarah M. Fortune, Douglas A. Lauffenburger, Kogieleum Naidoo, Galit Alter
Summary: South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV and tuberculosis co-infection globally, with HIV infected individuals having a greater likelihood of developing recurrent TB. This study investigated the humoral response in HIV co-infected individuals with and without recurrent TB, finding differences in antibody profiles, particularly decreased Mtb-antigen specific IgG3 titers in individuals with recurrent TB. These findings suggest a potential role for Mtb-specific IgG3 responses as biomarkers or mediators of protective immunity against Mtb recurrence.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Krystallenia Paniskaki, Margarethe J. Konik, Moritz Anft, Toni L. Meister, Corinna Marheinecke, Stephanie Pfaender, Jasmin Jaeger, Adalbert Krawczyk, Markus Zettler, Sebastian Dolff, Timm H. Westhoff, Hana Rohn, Ulrik Stervbo, Oliver Witzke, Nina Babel
Summary: Emerging variants of concern pose challenges for shaping vaccination strategies and controlling the pandemic. Our study showed that individuals who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 and received mRNA vaccination produced a superior humoral response against different variants (alpha, delta, omicron) compared to those who only received mRNA vaccination or were unvaccinated. However, the T cell response that can cross-recognize these variants was observed in all groups without significant differences. These findings have implications for current vaccination strategies.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christian Gaebler, Lilian Nogueira, Elina Stoffel, Thiago Y. Oliveira, Gaelle Breton, Katrina G. Millard, Martina Turroja, Allison Butler, Victor Ramos, Michael S. Seaman, Jacqueline D. Reeves, Christos J. Petroupoulos, Irina Shimeliovich, Anna Gazumyan, Caroline S. Jiang, Nikolaus Jilg, Johannes F. Scheid, Rajesh Gandhi, Bruce D. Walker, Michael C. Sneller, Anthony Fauci, Tae-Wook Chun, Marina Caskey, Michel C. Nussenzweig
Summary: Immunotherapy with anti-HIV-1 antibodies has the potential to suppress infection and increase the rate of clearance of infected cells. A clinical study showed that 76% of HIV-infected individuals who received a combination of antibodies maintained virologic suppression for at least 20 weeks without antiretroviral therapy. The administration of antibodies affected the HIV-1 reservoir, but further research is needed to define the precise effect of antibody immunotherapy.
Article
Immunology
Katherine O'Flaherty, Jo-Anne Chan, Julia C. Cutts, Sophie G. Zaloumis, Elizabeth A. Ashley, Aung Pyae Phyo, Damien R. Drew, Arjen M. Dondorp, Nicholas P. Day, Mehul Dhorda, Rick M. Fairhurst, Pharath Lim, Chanaki Amaratunga, Sasithon Pukrittayakamee, Tran Tinh Hien, Ye Htut, Mayfong Mayxay, M. Abul Faiz, Olugbenga A. Mokuolu, Marie A. Onyamboko, Caterina Fanello, Eizo Takashima, Takafumi Tsuboi, Michael Theisen, Francois Nosten, James G. Beeson, Julie A. Simpson, Nicholas J. White, Freya J. Fowkes
Summary: The study found that Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 antibodies are associated with patent gametocytemia and increasing gametocyte density across multiple malaria endemic settings, including regions with emerging artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Marco P. La Manna, Mojtaba Shekarkar-Azgomi, Giusto D. Badami, Bartolo Tamburini, Costanza Dieli, Paola Di Carlo, Teresa Fasciana, Vito Marciano, Bruna Lo Sasso, Rosaria Giglio, Anna Giammanco, Marcello Ciaccio, Francesco Dieli, Nadia Caccamo
Summary: This study analyzed the characteristics of B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with active tuberculosis and latent infection, compared to healthy donors. The results showed a slight reduction in the number of circulating B lymphocytes in active tuberculosis and latent infection patients compared to healthy controls. Latent infection patients had a higher proportion of atypical B cells and a lower proportion of naive and switched memory B cells.
Article
Immunology
Robert Kakaire, Noah Kiwanuka, Sarah Zalwango, Juliet N. Sekandi, Trang Ho Thu Quach, Maria Eugenia Castellanos, Frederick Quinn, Christopher C. Whalen
Summary: Although households of tuberculosis cases are a key setting for tuberculosis transmission, household exposure only accounts for a small fraction of community transmission. Most first-degree social network members of TB cases do not have additional risk for infection and appear to acquire infection through exposure to infectious cases in the community.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Paul Stewart, Shivani Patel, Andrew Comer, Shafi Muneer, Uzma Nawaz, Violet Quann, Mira Bansal, Vishwanath Venketaraman
Summary: Historically, research on the immunologic response to M. tb infection has mainly focused on T cells and macrophages, disregarding the role of B cells. However, recent studies have shown that B cells play varying roles during different stages of mycobacterial infection. A better understanding of the role of B cells in defense against TB could contribute to the development of effective vaccines and therapies to reduce the burden of disease.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kritee Mehdiratta, Shubham Singh, Sachin Sharma, Rashmi S. Bhosale, Rahul Choudhury, Dattatraya P. Masal, Alzu Manocha, Bhushan Dilip Dhamale, Naseem Khan, Vivekanand Asokachandran, Pooja Sharma, Melanie Ikeh, Amanda C. Brown, Tanya Parish, Anil K. Ojha, Joy Sarojini Michael, Mohammed Faruq, Guruprasad R. Medigeshi, Debasisa Mohanty, D. Srinivasa Reddy, Vivek T. Natarajan, Siddhesh S. Kamat, Rajesh S. Gokhale
Summary: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) produces a type of low-molecular-weight zinc-binding compounds called kupyaphores as a strategy to acquire zinc, which helps the pathogen survive and infect in the human body. These kupyaphores are tightly regulated and support Mtb survival under conditions of both nutritional deprivation and intoxication. A deficiency in kupyaphores leads to insufficient zinc mobilization and reduced fitness of Mtb upon infection.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zheng Liu, Sha Diao, Linan Zeng, Dan Liu, Xuefeng Jiao, Zhe Chen, Xiao Cheng, Xiaofeng Ni, Siyi He, Bin Wu, Deying Kang, Chaomin Wan, Rongsheng Zhao, Huiqing Wang, Lingli Zhang
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein (EC) and tuberculin pure protein derivative (TB-PPD) for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in the Chinese population. The results showed that, compared with TB-PPD, EC was a cost-utility and cost-effective intervention in the short term.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Ying Luo, Ying Xue, Yimin Cai, Qun Lin, Guoxing Tang, Huijuan Song, Wei Liu, Liyan Mao, Xu Yuan, Yu Zhou, Weiyong Liu, Shiji Wu, Ziyong Sun, Feng Wang
Summary: Inadequate tuberculosis diagnostics, especially in discriminating between active TB and latent TB infection, are major obstacles in disease burden reduction. The study investigated the role of lymphocyte non-specific function detection for TB diagnosis. Results show that CD4(+) T cell non-specific function has the potential for differentiating T-SPOT results, and the three-index diagnostic model is a potent tool for identifying different events in TB infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
W. Henry Boom, Ulrich E. Schaible, Jacqueline M. Achkar
Summary: Humans have been suffering from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection for thousands of years. While most infected individuals remain asymptomatic, some can clear the infection. Successful control of Mtb infection requires the involvement of various immune mechanisms due to Mtb's ability to evade the immune system.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Yosef Tsegaye, Wasihun Admassu, Abebe Edao, Samuel Kinde, Meaza Gentu, Markos Negash, Tadelo Wondmagegn, Addisu Gize, Martha Zewdie, Kidist Bobosha, Liya Wassie
Summary: Effective control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection involves both the endocrine and immune system. Profiling hormones and antibodies in different stages of TB provides insight in the pathogenesis of the disease. The levels of these biomarkers significantly vary across the spectrum of TB illness, suggesting their key roles in TB pathogenesis and potential as effective biomarkers for TB treatment monitoring or diagnostics.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Vivian E. Saper, Michael J. Ombrello, Adriana H. Tremoulet, Gonzalo Montero-Martin, Sampath Prahalad, Scott Canna, Chisato Shimizu, Gail Deutsch, Serena Y. Tan, Elaine F. Remmers, Dimitri Monos, Timothy Hahn, Omkar K. Phadke, Elaine Cassidy, Ian Ferguson, Vamsee Mallajosyula, Jianpeng Xu, Jaime S. Rosa Duque, Gilbert T. Chua, Debopam Ghosh, Ann Marie Szymanski, Danielle Rubin, Jane C. Burns, Lu Tian, Marcelo A. Fernandez-Vina, Elizabeth D. Mellins, Jill A. Hollenbach
Summary: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) can occur in Still's disease patients treated with IL-1/IL-6 inhibitors, with features such as eosinophilia, liver enzyme elevation, and persistent rash. HLA-DRB1*15 haplotypes are significantly enriched in Still's disease with DRESS. Pre-prescription HLA typing and vigilance for serious reactions to these drugs are recommended.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Robert M. Moldwin, Vishaan Nursey, Oksana Yaskiv, Siddhartha Dalvi, Eric J. Macdonald, Michael Funaro, Chengliang Zhang, William DeGouveia, Marina Ruzimovsky, Horacio R. Rilo, Edmund J. Miller, Souhel Najjar, Inna Tabansky, Joel N. H. Stern
Summary: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with Hunner lesions (HL) show local inflammatory events and increased levels of immune cells. Urinary levels of different cytokines are also elevated in HL patients, indicating different disease processes compared to patients without HL.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luciana de Brito Vargas, Marcia H. Beltrame, Brenda Ho, Wesley M. Marin, Ravi Dandekar, Gonzalo Montero-Martin, Marcelo A. Fernandez-Vina, A. Magdalena Hurtado, Kim R. Hill, Luiza T. Tsuneto, Mara H. Hutz, Francisco M. Salzano, Maria Luiza Petzl-Erler, Jill A. Hollenbach, Danillo G. Augusto
Summary: The KIR genes in humans exhibit high diversity, particularly in South American populations, and play a regulatory role in HLA interactions. Studies show that indigenous populations in South America have lower numbers of KIR-HLA interactions, with most relying on a few HLA-C molecules.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Kazutoyo Osoegawa, Steven G. E. Marsh, Rhonda Holdsworth, Sebastiaan Heidt, Gottfried Fischer, Cathi Murphey, Martin Maiers, Marcelo A. Fernandez Vina
Summary: HLA serological specificities were defined by the reactivity of HLA molecules with sets of sera and monoclonal antibodies. Many recently identified alleles defined by molecular typing lack their serotype assignment. The correlation between the reactivity of serologic reagents and AA residues was studied, and specific epitopes were identified for different HLA loci. Automated serotype assignments to HLA alleles were developed using HATS software, and additional DEP patterns were identified that do not correspond to any known serologic specificities.
Review
Immunology
Neng Yu, Medhat Askar, Kim Wadsworth, Loren Gragert, Marcelo A. Fernandez-Vina
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive and practical approach to HLA testing to support HCT and highlights donor selection considerations and available online tools.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lynette Miroslava Pacheco-Hernandez, Jazmin Ariadna Ramirez-Noyola, Itzel Alejandra Gomez-Garcia, Sergio Ignacio-Cortes, Joaquin Zuniga, Jose Alberto Choreno-Parra
Summary: There are similarities and differences in the immunopathology of COVID-19 and pandemic influenza. Comparing the cytokine profiles can identify targets for immunotherapy against shared pathogenic mechanisms, while also revealing specific immune alterations exploitable for each infection.
JOURNAL OF INTERFERON AND CYTOKINE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Sadia Akter, Kuldeep S. Chauhan, Micah D. Dunlap, JoseAlberto Choreno-Parra, Lan Lu, Ekaterina Esaulova, Joaquin Zuniga, Maxim N. Artyomov, Deepak Kaushal, Shabaana A. Khader
Summary: Using single-cell RNA sequencing, this study reveals the enrichment of type I interferon signature and heat shock responses in lymphoid cell clusters and natural killer cells from Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected mouse lungs. Ly6A is identified as a lymphoid cell activation marker, and its upregulation in activated lymphoid cells following infection is confirmed. Cross-analysis of type I interferon signature in human TB-infected peripheral blood samples further validates these findings.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dolores Adriana Ayon-Nunez, Jacquelynne Cervantes-Torres, Carlos Cabello-Gutierrez, Sergio Rosales-Mendoza, Diana Rios-Valencia, Leonor Huerta, Raul J. Bobes, Julio Cesar Carrero, Rene Segura-Velazquez, Nora Alma Fierro, Marisela Hernandez, Joaquin Zuniga-Ramos, Gerardo Gamba, Graciela Cardenas, Emmanuel Frias-Jimenez, Luis Alonso Herrera, Gladis Fragoso, Edda Sciutto, Francisco Suarez-Guemes, Juan Pedro Laclette
Summary: COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and evolving worldwide, and monitoring population immunity is crucial for decision-making on returning to normality. This article describes the development of an RBD-based ELISA method for detecting specific antibodies, which can provide an indication of protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Victor Alberto Hernandez-Hernandez, Anjarath Lorena Higuera-Iglesias, Gabriel Palma-Cortes, Daniela Tapia-Trejo, Santiago Avila-Rios, Ruben Roberto Gonzalez-Fernandez, Luis Angel Perez-Moreno, Joaquin Alejandro Zuniga-Ramos, Cristobal Guadarrama-Perez, Jose Luis Sandoval-Gutierrez, Carlos Cabello-Gutierrez
Summary: This study evaluated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) and mutations of influenza viruses in the Mexican population in early 2018. The results showed that the VE for the influenza A(H3N2) subtype was the lowest, possibly due to the co-circulation of multiple viral subtypes and subclades.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jose Alberto Choreno-Parra, Joaquin Zuniga
JOURNAL OF INTERFERON AND CYTOKINE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Mariana Esther Martinez-Sanchez, Jose Alberto Choreno-Parra, Elena R. Alvarez-Buylla, Joaquin Zuniga, Yalbi Itzel Balderas-Martinez
Summary: We used a dynamic and multistable Boolean regulatory network to explain the lymphopenia and dysregulation of CD4+ T cell subsets in COVID-19 and identified potential therapeutic targets. Simulations of cytokine micro-environments in different severity levels of COVID-19 revealed a decrease in antiviral Th1 cells and an increase in Th1-like regulatory and exhausted cells. Addition of TGF-beta and IL-10 cytokines shifted the balance towards Th17 and regulatory subsets by destabilizing the Th1 attractor.
Article
Immunology
Ute V. Solloch, Anette S. Giani, Maria Ignacia Pattillo Garnham, Juergen Sauter, Stefanie N. Bernas, Vinzenz Lange, Francisco Barriga, Marcelo A. Fernandez-Vina, Alexander H. Schmidt
Summary: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation often requires unrelated stem cell donors matched in HLA genes. The extensive allelic variability of the HLA system complicates donor search, hence the need for large registries. This study analyzed HLA allele and haplotype frequencies of DKMS Chile donors, identifying alleles more abundant in the Chilean subpopulations, particularly in the Mapuche. The study also revealed limited benefits for Chilean patients from non-Chilean donor registries, emphasizing the need for ongoing donor recruitment efforts in Chile.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Maneesh Kumar Misra, Jerome G. Weidner, Rebecca L. Upchurch, Arianne M. Mankey, Marcelo A. Fernandez-Vina, Susana G. Marino
Summary: This study presents a novel approach of using SPT-EDTA serum treatment to reduce background interference in Luminex HLA antibody testing. The effectiveness of SPT-EDTA treatment was compared with ADS and SC-treated sera, and SPT-EDTA treatment showed better results in reducing high background.
Meeting Abstract
Cell Biology
Kerry Kizer, Danillo Augusto, Gonzalo Montero-Martin, Noelle Schlenk, Jacquelyn Horgan, Kristen Wade, Jorge Oksenberg, Marcelo Fernandez-Vina, Jennifer Frankovich, Jill A. Hollenbach
Meeting Abstract
Cell Biology
Katerina Sikorova, Martina Doubkova, Adam Strnad, Lenka Kocourkova, Jana Petrkova, Kazutoyo Osoegawa, Marcelo A. Fernandez-Vina, Martin Petrek
