Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 7.29 | Jul 31 2019

TOP STORY

Antibody Lineages with Vaccine-Induced Antigen-Binding Hotspots Develop Broad HIV Neutralization

The vaccine-mediated elicitation of antibodies (Abs) capable of neutralizing diverse HIV-1 strains has been a long-standing goal. To understand how broadly neutralizing antibodies can be elicited, the authors identified, characterized, and tracked five neutralizing Ab lineages targeting the HIV-1-fusion peptide in vaccinated macaques over time. [Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Safety and Immunogenicity of an Anti-Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus DNA Vaccine: A Phase I, Open-Label, Single-Arm, Dose-Escalation Trial

The GLS-5300 MERS coronavirus vaccine was well tolerated with no vaccine-associated serious adverse events. Immune responses were dose-independent, detected in more than 85% of participants after two vaccinations, and durable through one year of follow-up. [Lancet Infect Dis] Abstract

Neuropeptide CGRP Limits Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell Responses and Constrains Type 2 Inflammation

Investigators found Calca-encoding calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) to be a context-dependent negative regulatory factor that shaped innate lymphocyte responses to alarmins and neuropeptides during type 2 innate immune responses. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Protection against Influenza Infection Requires Early Recognition by Inflammatory Dendritic Cells through C-Type Lectin Receptor SIGN-R1

The authors report that inflammatory dendritic cells (IDCs) were recruited to the trachea shortly after influenza infection through type I interferon-mediated production of the chemokine CCL2. They showed that recruited IDCs expressed the C-type lectin receptor SIGN-R1, which mediated direct recognition of the virus by interacting with N-linked glycans present in glycoproteins of the virion envelope. [Nat Microbiol] Abstract

DNA Mismatch Repair Is Required for the Host Innate Response and Controls Cellular Fate after Influenza Virus Infection

Using a loss-of-function screening approach, scientists discovered that the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway was essential for club cell survival of influenza A virus infection. Repair of virally induced oxidative damage by the DNA MMR pathway not only allowed cell survival of infection, but also facilitated host gene transcription, including the expression of antiviral and stress response genes. [Nat Microbiol] Abstract

The Salmonella Virulence Protein Mgtc Promotes Phosphate Uptake inside Macrophages

The removal of MgtC’s effect on the ability to transport phosphate rendered Salmonella hypervirulent and decreased a non-replicating population inside macrophages, indicating that MgtC-mediated phosphate transport is required for normal Salmonella pathogenesis. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Repeat Vaccination Reduces Antibody Affinity Maturation across Different Influenza Vaccine Platforms in Humans

Prior year vaccination of subjects receiving repeat vaccinations demonstrated reduced antibody-affinity maturation to hemagglutinin 1 of all three influenza virus strains irrespective of the vaccine platform. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Neutrophil Recruitment and Activation Are Differentially Dependent on MyD88/TRIF and MAVS Signaling during RSV Infection

Investigators showed that MyD88/TRIF signaling was essential for lung neutrophil recruitment while MAVS signaling, leading to type I IFN production, was necessary for neutrophil activation. [Mucosal Immunol] Full Article

A CRISPR Activation Screen Identifies Genes that Protect against Zika Virus Infection

Researchers highlighted a set of interferon-stimulated genes directly relevant for rescuing cells from Zika virus infection or its associated cell death and substantiate CRISPR activation screens as a tool to identify host factors impeding pathogen infection. [J Virol] Abstract | Press Release

Synergy of Therapeutic Heterologous Prime-Boost Hepatitis B Vaccination with CpG-Application to Improve Immune Control of Persistent HBV Infection

Investigators report that therapeutic heterologous HBcore-protein-prime/Modified-Vaccinia-Virus-Ankara boost vaccination followed by CpG-application augmented vaccine-induced HBcAg-specific CD8 T cell-function in the liver. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Interaction of PIAS1 with PRRS Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Mediates NF-κB Activation and Triggers Proinflammatory Mediators during Viral Infection

Scientists examined the ability of all 22 PRRSV genes for NF-κB regulation and determined the nucleocapsid protein as the NF-κB activator. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Alveolar Macrophages Generate a Noncanonical NRF2-Driven Transcriptional Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis In Vivo

Scientists demonstrated that the initial macrophage response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the lung was far less inflammatory than has previously been described by in vitro systems and may impede the overall host response to infection. [Sci Immunol] Full Article

Subscribe to our sister publications: Human Immunology News & Immune Regulation News.

Hepatitis C Virus as a Unique Human Model Disease to Define Differences in the Transcriptional Landscape of T Cells in Acute versus Chronic Infection

With additional transcriptional studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD4 and CD8 T-cells in different stages of infection currently underway, the authors expect HCV infection to become a valuable model disease to study human immunity to viruses. [Viruses] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the immunology of infectious disease research field.

CEPI Awards up to US$23.4 Million to Valneva for Late-Stage Development of a Single-Dose Chikungunya Vaccine

Valneva SE and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced a new partnering agreement. With support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, CEPI will provide Valneva up to US$23.4 million for vaccine manufacturing and late-stage clinical development of a single-dose, live-attenuated vaccine against Chikungunya. [Valneva SE] Press Release

Emergent BioSolutions Announces Exercise by BARDA of the First Contract Option, Valued at $261 Million, to Procure Doses of AV7909 Anthrax Vaccine Candidate for the Strategic National Stockpile

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has exercised its first contract option valued at $261 million to procure doses of AV7909 for delivery into the Strategic National Stockpile over 12 months. [Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release

GeoVax Announces 100% Protection Data from Marburg Virus Vaccine Study

GeoVax Labs, Inc. announced positive results from preclinical challenge studies of its Marburg virus is vaccine candidate; Marburg virus a critical medical threat against which there is currently no available vaccine or treatment. [GeoVax Labs, Inc.] Press Release

SCYNEXIS Announces Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) Agreement with FDA for Phase III Study Evaluating Oral Ibrexafungerp for the Prevention of Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) (CANDLE Study)

SCYNEXIS, Inc. announced that it has reached an agreement with the FDA under a SPA on the design, trial population, endpoints and statistical analysis of the CANDLE study, its pivotal Phase III clinical trial of oral ibrexafungerp for the prevention of recurrent VVC. [SCYNEXIS, Inc.] Press Release

New Startup Biotech Company Plans to Test Promising Herpes Vaccine for Both HSV-1 and HSV-2

Excell Biotech LLC announced that it has developed a vaccine for the Herpes Simplex virus. The EXD-12 vaccine is a live attenuated virus vaccine. [Excell Biotech LLC (PR Newswire Association LLC)] Press Release

Alarming Surge in Drug-Resistant HIV Uncovered

Surveys by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that, in the past 4 years, 12 countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas have surpassed acceptable levels of drug resistance against two drugs that constitute the backbone of HIV treatment: efavirenz and nevirapine. [Nature News] Editorial

The World Health Organization Says No More Gene-Edited Babies

Eight months after a rogue Chinese scientist revealed he had secretly created the world’s first gene-edited children, the World Health Organization is asking countries to put a stop to any experiments that would lead to the births of more gene-edited humans. On Friday, the WHO’s director-general put out a statement urging “that regulatory authorities in all countries should not allow any further work in this area until its implications have been properly considered. [Wired] Press Release

NEW 3^rd Annual Meeting of the Upper Rhine Immunology Group
October 19, 2019
Basel, Switzerland

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Innovation Scholar – Neglected Diseases (Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research)

Scientific Communications Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Immune Cell Culture (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Influenza (University of Georgia)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Antibody-Mediated Protection of EBV (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Senior Staff Fellow – Viral Vaccines (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research)

Postdoctoral Position – Mucosal Immunology (University of California, San Diego)

Postdoctoral Position – Infectious Disease (National Institute of Health)

Postdoctoral Positions – Infectious Disease (The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine)

Scientist – Infectious Diseases (Genentech, Inc.)

Research Associate – Immunology (Evotec)

Postdoctoral Position – Innate Immune Signaling in Spirochetal Diseases (UConn Health)

Postdoctoral Associate Positions – Infectious Diseases (University of Minnesota)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Immunology of Infectious Disease News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.