Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 7.38 | Oct 2 2019

TOP STORY

Isolation and Structure of an Antibody that Fully Neutralizes Isolate SIVmac239 Reveals Functional Similarity of SIV and HIV Glycan Shields

Investigators report the isolation, structure, and glycan interactions of antibody ITS90.03, a monoclonal antibody that completely neutralized the highly neutralization-resistant isolate, SIVmac239. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

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Zika Virus Enhances Monocyte Adhesion and Transmigration Favoring Viral Dissemination to Neural Cells

Scientists showed that Zika virus-infected monocytes represent suitable carriers for viral dissemination to the central nervous system using human primary monocytes, cerebral organoids derived from embryonic stem cells, organotypic mouse cerebellar slices, a xenotypic human-zebrafish model, and human fetus brain samples. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Cowpox Virus Encodes a Protein That Binds B7.1 and B7.2 and Subverts T Cell Costimulation

Recombinant M2 and culture supernatants from wild-type but not M2-deficient cowpox virus-infected cells could potently suppress B7 ligand-mediated T cell proliferation and interleukin-2 production. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

LGP2 Binds to PACT to Regulate RIG-I- and MDA5-Mediated Antiviral Responses

Investigators identified a direct protein-protein interaction between LGP2 and the type I interferon-inducible, double-stranded RNA binding protein PACT. The LGP2-PACT interaction was mediated by the regulatory C-terminal domain of LGP2 and was necessary for inhibiting RIG-I-dependent responses and for amplifying MDA5-dependent responses. [Sci Signal] Abstract

Long-Term Surviving Influenza Infected Cells Evade CD8⁺ T Cell Mediated Clearance

The authors investigated how survivor cells evaded CD8⁺ T cell killing and observed that survivor cells upregulated the inhibitory ligand PD-L1, but survivor cells did not use PD-L1 to evade CD8⁺ T cell killing. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article

ROCK1 Induces Dopaminergic Nerve Cell Apoptosis via the Activation of Drp1-Mediated Aberrant Mitochondrial Fission in Parkinson’s Disease

ROCK1 was activated in an MPP⁺-induced Parkinson’s disease cell model and that ROCK1 knockdown and the specific ROCK1 activation inhibitor Y-27632 blocked dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated aberrant mitochondrial fission and apoptosis of dopaminergic nerve cells by suppressing Drp1 dephosphorylation/activation. [Exp Mol Med] Abstract

HCV p7 as a Novel Vaccine-Target Inducing Multifunctional CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-Cells Targeting Liver Cells Expressing the Viral Antigen

Scientists demonstrated that hepatitis C virus (HCV) p7 derived from genotype 1a and 1b sequences were highly immunogenic in mice when employed as overlapping peptides formulated as nanoparticles with the cross-priming adjuvant, CAF09. [Sci Rep] Full Article

mTORC1-Mediated Polarization of M1 Macrophages and Their Accumulation in the Liver Correlate with Immunopathology in Fatal Ehrlichiosis

Researchers investigated the contribution of macrophages to Ehrlichia-induced sepsis using murine models of mild and fatal ehrlichiosis. Lethally-infected mice showed accumulation of M1 macrophages in the liver. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed Death 1 (PD-1) Mediated Regulation of Mono- and Dual Functional CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-Cell Responses in a Chronic Helminth Infection

Investigators determined the role of CTLA-4 and PD-1 in regulating CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell responses and examined the frequencies of mono and dual functional Th1/Tc1, Th17/Tc17, Th2/Tc2 and Th9/Tc9 cells in Strongyloides stercoralis infection in 15 infected individuals stimulated with parasite antigen following CTLA-4 or PD-1 blockade. [Infect Immun] Abstract

An Antibody against the F Glycoprotein Inhibits Nipah and Hendra Virus Infections

Scientists describe the isolation and humanization of a potent monoclonal antibody cross-neutralizing Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV). Cryo-electron microscopy, triggering and fusion studies showed the antibody bound to a prefusion-specific quaternary epitope, conserved in NiV and HeV fusion (F) glycoproteins, and prevented membrane fusion and viral entry. [Curr Issues Mol Biol] Abstract

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Role of Memory B Cells in Hemagglutinin-Specific Antibody Production following Human Influenza A Virus Infection

The authors provide a comprehensive picture of an adult’s hemagglutinin-specific antibody response to influenza virus infection. [Pathogens] Abstract

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NIH Forms New Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Research Network

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has initiated the Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers program, a new network of research centers that will work together in a coordinated, multidisciplinary effort to develop more durable, [National Institutes of Health] Press Release

NIH Awards Contracts to Advance Tuberculosis Immunology Research

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has awarded $30 million in first-year funding to establish new centers for immunology research to accelerate progress in tuberculosis vaccine development. [National Institutes of Health] Press Release

Themis Bioscience and ZIKAVAX Consortium Announce Initiation of Phase I Zika Vaccine Trial

Themis Bioscience announced the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial of a second-generation Zika vaccine. [Themis Bioscience] Press Release

US Health Officials Urge Influenza and Pneumococcal Disease Vaccination

New data released by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) revealed that only 52 percent of US adults plan to get vaccinated against influenza this season. Representatives from NFID and other leading public health and medical organizations urged the public and healthcare professionals to follow the CDC recommendation for everyone age 6 months and older to get vaccinated against flu annually. [National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Editorial

Flu Vaccine Selections May Be an Ominous Sign for This Winter

The selections that officials made last week for the next Southern Hemisphere vaccine suggest that two of four viruses in the Northern Hemisphere vaccine that doctors and pharmacies are now pressing people to get may not be optimally protective this winter. Those two are influenza A/H3N2 and the influenza B/Victoria virus. [STAT News] Editorial

‘There’s No Taboo, No Bad Ideas’: Anyone Can Help Shape European Union’s New €94 Billion Research Program

These encouraging words were spoken here last week at the European Research and Innovation Days, where policy bigwigs working with the European Commission invited the audience to help shape Europe’s next seven-year research funding program, Horizon Europe, set to begin in 2021. Their message: Anyone can help “cocreate” the program’s outlines. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Targeting Immunometabolism in Autoimmune Diseases and Inflammation
October 22, 2019
New York, New York, United States

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NEW Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor – Virology (The University of Melbourne)

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

Postdoctoral Scientist – Flavivirus Infection (Pasteur Institute of Cambodia)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Immunology (University of Massachusetts)

Faculty Position – Life Sciences (University of Michigan)

Staff Clinician – Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology (The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Assistant Professor – Microbiology and Immunology (Stanford University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Respiratory Pathogens (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Senior Investigator and Laboratory Chief – Infectious Diseases (The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Senior Scientist – Infectious Disease (The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Director – Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (Gladstone Institutes)

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