Review
Microbiology
Rogier W. Sanders, John P. Moore
Summary: Most viral vaccines work by inducing neutralizing antibodies against the virus envelope or spike glycoproteins, which are engineered for stability and presentation of key epitopes to optimize vaccine performance. This technique emerged during HIV-1 Env vaccine development and has been widely applied to other viral vaccines, including SARS-CoV-2.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shimon Amar, Yonat Shemer Avni, Norm O'Rourke, Tal Michael
Summary: The study examines the incidence rates of infectious diseases after a successful COVID-19 vaccination campaign and the lifting of social restrictions in Israel. The results suggest that the rates of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections have increased, indicating that similar trends could occur in other countries.
Article
Immunology
Zaid Haddadin, Stockton Beveridge, Kailee Fernandez, Danielle A. Rankin, Varvara Probst, Andrew J. Spieker, Tiffanie M. Markus, Laura S. Stewart, William Schaffner, Mary Lou Lindegren, Natasha Halasa
Summary: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in hospitalized children. RSV-positive children were more likely to be hospitalized, require intensive care unit admission, and receive oxygen compared with children positive for other viruses. Higher viral load, White race, younger age, and higher severity score were independently associated with hospitalization in RSV-positive children.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Kim Chiok, Swechha M. Pokharel, Indira Mohanty, Lindsay Grace Miller, Shou-Jiang Gao, Arthur L. Haas, Kim C. Tran, Michael N. Teng, Santanu Bose
Summary: Understanding the interaction between RSV and the host is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study identifies the RSV nonstructural protein NS2 as the key component in activating autophagy by modulating the ISGylation of Beclin1.
Article
Microbiology
Kim Chiok, Swechha M. Pokharel, Indira Mohanty, Lindsay Grace Miller, Shou-Jiang Gao, Arthur L. Haas, Kim C. Tran, Michael N. Teng, Santanu Bose
Summary: Paramyxoviruses like RSV are a leading cause of viral pneumonia in infants. This study identified the viral protein NS2 as mediating autophagy induction by RSV, providing a potential target for interventions against RSV.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jocelyn Moyes, Stefano Tempia, Sibongile Walaza, Meredith L. McMorrow, Florette Treurnicht, Nicole Wolter, Anne von Gottberg, Kathleen Kahn, Adam L. Cohen, Halima Dawood, Ebrahim Variava, Cheryl Cohen
Summary: Based on a study in South African children, the burden of RSV-associated illness was estimated, with newborns and infants being the most affected group. Implementing maternal vaccination and monoclonal antibody products for this group can help reduce the disease burden.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Laura L. Hammitt, Ron Dagan, Yuan Yuan, Manuel Baca Cots, Miroslava Bosheva, Shabir A. Madhi, William J. Muller, Heather J. Zar, Dennis Brooks, Amy Grenham, Ulrika Wahlby Hamren, Vaishali S. Mankad, Pin Ren, Therese Takas, Michael E. Abram, Amanda Leach, M. Pamela Griffin, Tonya Villafana
Summary: A single injection of nirsevimab administered before the RSV season protected healthy late-preterm and term infants from medically attended RSV-associated lower respiratory tract infection.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jason R. Gantenberg, Robertus van Aalst, Nicole Zimmerman, Brendan Limone, Sandra S. Chaves, William V. La Via, Christopher B. Nelson, Christopher Rizzo, David A. Savitz, Andrew R. Zullo
Summary: RSV is a major cause of infant hospitalization in the United States. While preterm infants and those with specific comorbidities are at high risk, 80% of RSV infections occur in term infants without comorbidities. Future prevention efforts should target all infants.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Alaa Ahmad, Kingsley Eze, Nicolas Noulin, Veronika Horvathova, Bryan Murray, Mark Baillet, Laura Grey, Julie Mori, Nathalie Adda
Summary: The study demonstrated that EDP-938 was superior to placebo in reducing RSV viral load, total symptom scores, and mucus weight, with a favorable safety profile.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Yishu Wang, Yiling Chen, Ying Lin, Yingqin Quan, Xiaoping Xiao, Renli Zhang
Summary: RSV infection is a major cause of lower respiratory tract disease, with no effective treatments found yet. Recent studies have shown that TRIM family member TRIM22 plays a crucial role in resisting RSV infection. RSV infection induces TRIM22 expression through the activation of JAK-STAT1/2 signaling.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Li Wang, Qihui Zhu, Kunlun Xiang, Yaling Zhang, Baocun Li, Xin Yu, Guang Yang, Chungen Liang, Hongying Yun, Meifang Zhang, Ning Qin, Lu Gao
Summary: A novel triazole-oxadiazole derivative named triazole-1 was discovered as an inhibitor of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) replication. Triazole-1 showed potent inhibition of both RSV A and B subtypes and specifically targeted RSV transcription, with resistance observed due to a single point mutation in the RSV genome.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Teresia W. Maina, Elizabeth A. Grego, Scott Broderick, Randy E. Sacco, Balaji Narasimhan, Jodi L. McGill
Summary: Researchers determined the effectiveness of a nanovaccine based on polyanhydride, encapsulating the BRSV post-fusion F and G glycoproteins and CpG, in the neonatal calf model. The nanovaccine, delivered via heterologous or homologous immunization, demonstrated clinical and virological protection in the calves, comparable to a commercial modified-live vaccine.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Laxmi Iyer Ravi, Timothy J. Tan, Boon Huan Tan, Richard J. Sugrue
Summary: The distributions and functions of rac1, rhoA, and cdc42 proteins were examined in RSV-infected cells. Rac1 protein was found to be localized throughout virus filaments and played a direct role in RSV assembly process. This study provided evidence of the involvement of rac1 protein in virus morphogenesis.
Article
Microbiology
Shuying Chen, Fan Yang, Zixiang Zhu, Weijun Cao, Kaiqi Lian, Wei Zhang, Zhijian Zhu, Jijun He, Jianhong Guo, Xiangtao Liu, Bin Zhou, Haixue Zheng
Summary: The study reveals that foot-and-mouth disease virus can enter cells through endocytosis and endosomal pathways, even in the absence of integrin and heparan sulfate receptors. Inhibition of endocytosis can block viral internalization, while the acidic environment and the presence of dynamin are crucial for infection.
VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sherri A. Powledge, Taylor B. McAtee, Amelia R. Woolums, T. Robin Falkner, John T. Groves, Merilee Thoresen, Robert Valeris-Chacin, John T. Richeson
Summary: Vaccination with modified-live virus (MLV) did not have a clear impact on the health or growth of high-risk calves, but intranasal MLV vaccination was associated with increased carriage of Histophilus somni (Hs) in the naris and reduced culture of Mannheimia haemolytica (Mh) from lung tissue samples. This suggests that intranasal MLV vaccination can alter the microbial community in the respiratory tract of cattle.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Sriram Kumar, Dawn Yeo, Nisha Harur Muralidharan, Soak Kuan Lai, Cathlyn Tong, Boon Huan Tan, Richard J. Sugrue
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sean Wei Xiang Ong, Kristen K. Coleman, Po Ying Chia, Koh Cheng Thoon, Surinder Pada, Indumathi Venkatachalam, Dale Fisher, Yian Kim Tan, Boon Huan Tan, Oon Tek Ng, Brenda Sze Peng Ang, Yee-Sin Leo, Michelle Su Yen Wong, Kalisvar Marimuthu
Summary: This review summarises the available evidence on the transmission modes of SARS-CoV-2, highlighting the importance of infection control policies and outlining future research directions. Environmental contamination and airborne transmission are both potential modes of transmission, but decontamination protocols and personal protective equipment have been effective in reducing the risk.
SINGAPORE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sean Wei Xiang Ong, Pei Hua Lee, Yian Kim Tan, Li Min Ling, Benjamin Choon Heng Ho, Ching Ging Ng, Dong Ling Wang, Boon Huan Tan, Yee-Sin Leo, Oon-Tek Ng, Michelle Su Yen Wong, Kalisvar Marimuthu
Summary: The study found that environmental contamination in the ICU was lower than in general wards, and the use of mechanical ventilation or high-flow nasal oxygen did not lead to greater surface contamination. The risk of transmission via environmental surfaces in the ICU is likely low, but infection control practices should still be reinforced.
INFECTION CONTROL AND HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eleanor Martin, Rossana Girardello, Gunnar Dittmar, Alexander Ludwig
Summary: Cell polarity is a fundamental property of most animal cells and is crucial for development and tissue functions. Key processes in establishing a polarized epithelial phenotype include rearrangements of the cell cytoskeleton, membrane trafficking, and cell signaling pathways, with Par, Crumbs, and Scribble modules at the core of this regulatory network.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sean Wei Xiang Ong, Yian Kim Tan, Kristen Kelli Coleman, Boon Huan Tan, Yee-Sin Leo, Dong Ling Wang, Ching Ging Ng, Oon-Tek Ng, Michelle Su Yen Wong, Kalisvar Marimuthu
Summary: Although SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid can be readily detected in aerosols, virus culture remains challenging, despite optimized sampling methodologies for preserving virus viability. Further studies are needed to determine the best strategies for aerosol-based transmission and control of SARS-CoV-2.
INFECTION CONTROL AND HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sai Wang, Vinod K. Vogirala, Aghil Soman, Nikolay V. Berezhnoy, Zhehui Barry Liu, Andrew S. W. Wong, Nikolay Korolev, Chun-Jen Su, Sara Sandin, Lars Nordenskioeld
Summary: Linker histones are crucial in regulating and maintaining the dynamic chromatin structure in higher eukaryotes. Study on human histone H1.0 revealed its influence on nucleosome structure and resulting chromatosome biophysical properties. The different shapes of the chromatosome compared to the nucleosome suggest an impact of linker histones on nucleosome stacking and DNA conformation properties.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Virology
Laxmi Iyer Ravi, Timothy J. Tan, Boon Huan Tan, Richard J. Sugrue
Summary: The distributions and functions of rac1, rhoA, and cdc42 proteins were examined in RSV-infected cells. Rac1 protein was found to be localized throughout virus filaments and played a direct role in RSV assembly process. This study provided evidence of the involvement of rac1 protein in virus morphogenesis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Barbara Hubner, Eric von Otter, Bilal Ahsan, Mei Ling Wee, Sara Henriksson, Alexander Ludwig, Sara Sandin
Summary: This study provides ultrastructural insight into the architecture of telomeres using correlative light and electron microscopy. The researchers discovered marked differences in telomere size, shape, and chromatin compaction between cancer and non-cancer cells. They also found that telomeres are in direct contact with other heterochromatin regions.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ronni A. G. da Silva, Wei Hong Tay, Foo Kiong Ho, Frederick Reinhart Tanoto, Kelvin K. L. Chong, Pei Yi Choo, Alexander Ludwig, Kimberly Kline
Summary: This study describes the intracellular survival mechanisms of Enterococcus faecalis, a pathogen frequently found in chronic wounds. The researchers found that E. faecalis can survive and replicate inside immune cells and non-immune cells during wound infection, potentially contributing to chronic infections. The bacteria are taken up by host cells primarily through macropinocytosis and manipulate the endosomal pathway to avoid lysosomal degradation and death. The findings provide insights into E. faecalis pathogenesis and highlight the diversity of mechanisms bacteria use to evade host-mediated killing.
Article
Cell Biology
Stine Kjaer Morthorst, Camilla Nielsen, Pietro Farinelli, Zeinab Anvarian, Christina Birgitte R. Rasmussen, Andrea Serra-Marques, Ilya Grigoriev, Maarten Altelaar, Nicoline Furstenberg, Alexander Ludwig, Anna Akhmanova, Soren Tvorup Christensen, Lotte Bang Pedersen
Summary: A new interactor of KIF13B, Ap80, has been identified, which promotes the binding of PALS1 to KIF13B and regulates ciliary length, composition and signaling.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Conrad En-Zuo Chan, Ching-Ging Ng, Angeline Pei-Chew Lim, Shirley Lay-Kheng Seah, De-Hoe Chye, Steven Ka-Khuen Wong, Jie-Hui Lim, Vanessa Zi-Yun Lim, Soak-Kuan Lai, Pui-San Wong, Kok-Mun Leong, Yi-Chun Liu, Richard J. Sugrue, Boon-Huan Tan
Summary: A panel of human monoclonal antibodies was isolated from convalescent patients and used to study the S protein in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. The study found that the S protein undergoes a conformational change in the Golgi complex, enabling the binding of antibodies to the receptor binding domain (RBD). These findings provide insights into the early stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Thuan Beng Saw, Xumei Gao, Muchun Li, Jianan He, Anh Phuong Le, Supatra Marsh, Keng-hui Lin, Alexander Ludwig, Jacques Prost, Chwee Teck Lim
Summary: This study investigates how the homeostasis of epithelial tissues is modified when a transepithelial potential difference different from the natural one is imposed on them. The researchers find that when the field direction matches the natural one, the perfect confluence of the epithelial layer can be restored and active-cell response is induced. However, when the field is opposite, the homeostasis of the tissue is disrupted.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Wei Long Ng, Teck Choon Ayi, Yi-Chun Liu, Swee Leong Sing, Wai Yee Yeong, Boon-Huan Tan
Summary: In this study, human triple-layered alveolar lung models were fabricated using the drop-on-demand (DOD) 3D bioprinting technique, which improved repeatability by achieving consistent cell output over time with different human alveolar cells. The 3D bioprinting platform offers an attractive tool for highly repeatable and scalable fabrication of 3D in-vitro human alveolar lung models.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOPRINTING
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Benedict Tan, Suat Peng, Siti Maryam J. M. Yatim, Jayantha Gunaratne, Walter Hunziker, Alexander Ludwig