Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 3.07 | Feb 25 2015

Critical Role of IL-33 Receptor ST2 in Experimental Cerebral Malaria Development
Researchers showed that IL-33 expression is increased in brain undergoing experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) and addressed the role of the IL-33/ST2 pathway in ECM development. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract

Leishmania infantum Amastigotes Trigger a Subpopulation of Human B Cells with an Immunoregulatory Phenotype
The authors report that incubation of human B cells with L. infantum amastigotes resulted in upregulation of multiple cell surface activation markers and a dose-dependent secretion of IL-10. Conditioned media from B cells incubated with L. infantum amastigotes were shown to strongly inhibit CD4⁺ T-cell activation, proliferation and function. [PLoS Negl Trop Dis] Full Article

Telocinobufagin Enhances the Th1 Immune Response and Protects against Salmonella typhimurium Infection
Researchers investigated whether telocinobufagin (TBG) enhances the Th1 immune response to ovalbumin (OVA) and formalin-inactivated S. typhimurium (FIST) in mice. TBG augmented serum OVA- and FIST-specific IgG and IgG2a and the production of IFNγ by antigen-restimulated splenocytes. [Int Immunopharmacol] Abstract

HIV

CD8 T Cell Response Maturation Defined by Anentropic Specificity and Repertoire Depth Correlates with SIVΔnef-Induced Protection
Investigators exploited deep sequencing technology and comprehensive CD8 T cell epitope mapping to deconstruct the CD8 T cell response, to identify the regions of immune pressure and viral escape, and to delineate the effect of epitope escape on the evolution of the CD8 T cell response in SIVΔnef-vaccinated animals. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article

Blimp-1, an Intrinsic Factor that Represses HIV-1 Proviral Transcription in Memory CD4⁺ T Cells
The authors report that B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1), a critical regulator of B and T cell differentiation, is highly expressed in memory CD4⁺ T cells compared with naïve CD4⁺ T cells and represses basal and Tat-mediated HIV-1 transcription. [J Immunol] Abstract

The HIV-1 Gp120/CXCR4 Axis Promotes CCR7 Ligand-Dependent CD4 T Cell Migration: CCR7 Homo- and CCR7/CXCR4 Hetero-Oligomer Formation as a Possible Mechanism for Up-Regulation of Functional CCR7
Scientists report that a recombinant form of a viral CXCR4 ligand, X4-tropic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 gp120, enhanced the CD4 T cell response to CCR7 ligands in a manner dependent on CXCR4 and CD4, and that this effect was recapitulated by HIV-1 virions. [PLoS One] Full Article

miR-146a Controls CXCR4 Expression in a Pathway that Involves PLZF and Can Be Used to Inhibit HIV-1 Infection of CD4⁺ T Lymphocytes
Investigators found that PLZF mediates suppression of miR-146a to control increases of CXCR4 and TRAF6 protein levels in human primary CD4⁺ T lymphocytes. They showed that miR-146a upregulation by AMD3100 treatment or PLZF silencing, decreases CXCR4 protein expression and prevents HIV-1 infection of leukemic monocytic cell line and CD4⁺ T lymphocytes. [Virology] Full Article

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Polio Vaccination with Microneedle Patches Receives Funding for Patch Development, Clinical Trial
The Georgia Institute of Technology and Micron Biomedical have been awarded $2.5 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance the development of dissolvable microneedle patches for polio immunization. [Georgia Institute of Technology] Press Release

Cyclenium Pharma and Fundación MEDINA Announce Drug Discovery and Collaboration Agreement
Cyclenium Pharma Inc. announced the signing of a drug discovery and collaboration agreement. The collaboration will utilize Cyclenium’s proprietary QUEST Library™ of next generation macrocyclic molecules and associated hit-to-clinical candidate optimization capabilities in concert with the extensive expertise and experience of Fundación MEDINA in infective disease research. [Cyclenium Pharma Inc.] Press Release

NIH-Supported Clinical Trials to Evaluate Long-Acting, Injectable Antiretroviral Drugs to Prevent HIV Infection
Two new clinical trials are examining the safety and acceptability of antiretroviral medicines administered via injection as a means of protecting against HIV infection. [National Institutes of Health] Press Release

NIH-Sponsored HIV Vaccine Trial Launches in South Africa
A clinical trial called HVTN 100 has been launched in South Africa to study an investigational HIV vaccine regimen for safety and the immune responses it generates in study participants. [National Institutes of Health] Press Release

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

Scientist – Recombinant Molecules and Antibodies (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Infection and Immunity (Wuhan Institute of Virology)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cytokine Signaling (Inserm)

PhD Studentship – Characterization of the Immediate Early Response of Human Dendritic Cells to Candida albicans (International Leibniz Research School)

Director – Vector Production (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Senior Process Development Engineer (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Innate and Adaptive Immune Mechanisms of Viral Persistence and Cancer (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre)

Postdoctoral Position – Innate Immune Signaling in Pathogen Infection (Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Mechanisms of HIV-1 Immune Control and Dendritic Cell Immunopathology in HIV-1 Infection (Massachusetts General Hospital)

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