Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 3.36 | Sep 23 2015

Flt3 Ligand Is Essential for Survival and Protective Immune Responses during Toxoplasmosis
The cytokine Flt3 ligand (Flt3L) is critical for the generation and maintenance of dendritic cells, and Flt3L^−/− mice were found to be highly susceptible to acute toxoplasmosis. This phenotype correlated with decreased production of IL-12 and IFN-γ, as well as impaired NK cell responses. [J Immunol] Abstract | Full Article

Transient Loss of Protection Afforded by a Live Attenuated Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Vaccine in Mice Co-infected with Malaria
Researchers investigated whether a live, attenuated Salmonella vaccine could be protective in mice, in the setting of concurrent malaria. Surprisingly, mice acutely infected with the nonlethal malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL exhibited a profound loss of protective immunity to non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars, but vaccine-mediated protection was restored after resolution of malaria. [PLoS Negl Trop Dis] Full Article

B Cells and Programmed Death-Ligand 2 Signaling Are Required for Maximal Interferon-γ Recall Response by Splenic CD4⁺ Memory T Cells of Mice Vaccinated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ag85B
Since emerging evidence indicates that B cells can modulate T cell responses to M. tuberculosis infection, researchers investigated the contribution of B cells in regulating interferon-γ recall response by memory T helper 1 cells specific for Ag85B, a leading candidate for tuberculosis sub-unit vaccines. [PLoS One] Full Article

Ex Vivo Lymphocyte Phenotyping during Plasmodium falciparum Sporozoite Immunization in Humans
Investigators performed the first longitudinal assessment of lymphocyte activation and differentiation kinetics during sporozoite immunization in 15 volunteers by ex vivo lymphocyte flow cytometry analysis. Both CD4 and CD8 T cells as well as γδT cells, NK cells and CD3⁺CD56⁺ cells showed increased activation and proliferation following immunization. [Parasite Immunol] Abstract

HIV

IFITM Proteins Restrict HIV-1 Infection by Antagonizing the Envelope Glycoprotein
Scientists provide evidence that interferon-induced transmembrane (IFITM) proteins, particularly IFITM2 and IFITM3, specifically antagonize the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env), thereby inhibiting viral infection. IFITM proteins interact with HIV-1 Env in viral producer cells, leading to impaired Env processing and virion incorporation. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

The Depsipeptide Romidepsin Reverses HIV-1 Latency In Vivo
Investigators report a proof-of-concept Phase Ib/IIa trial where six aviremic HIV-1 infected adults received intravenous romidepsin once weekly for three weeks while maintaining antiretroviral treatment. Romidepsin did not decrease the number of HIV-specific T cells or inhibit T cell cytokine production. [PLoS Pathog]
Full Article | Press Release

Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection of Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Shares Features of Both Pathogenic and Non-Pathogenic Lentiviral Infections
Previously, the natural simian immunodeficiency virus infection of one chimpanzee, and the experimental infection of six chimpanzees was reported, with limited follow-up. Here, the authors present a long-term study of these seven animals, with a retrospective re-examination of the early stages of infection. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article

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TAXIS Pharmaceuticals Demonstrates Synergistic Efficacy against MRSA and Low Resistance Frequency with TXA709/Cefdinir Combination
In a poster presentation, researchers presented pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo data showing that TXA709 acts synergistically with cefdinir against isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) while also showing that the combination reduces the frequency of resistance, a measure of the degree of antibiotic resistance. [Press release from TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC) discussing research presented at the 55^th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), San Diego] Press Release

Melinta Therapeutics Demonstrates Potency of Delafloxacin against Bacteria Associated with Respiratory Tract Infections
Melinta Therapeutics announced in vitro results demonstrating delafloxacin’s activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. [Press release from Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (Globe Newswire) discussing research presented at the 55^th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), San Diego] Press Release

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HIV Cure, Better Therapies Subjects of $6.3 Million in Grants to Pitt’s Center for Vaccine Research Scientists
A husband-wife team researching a cure for HIV/AIDS at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research recently received $6.3 million total in two grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grants are the latest in the team’s successful run garnering NIH support for their HIV research, now totaling $23 million since they came to Pitt six years ago. [University of Pittsburgh Medical Center] Press Release

Scripps Florida Scientists Awarded $6 Million to Develop Alternative HIV/AIDS Vaccine
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have been awarded up to nearly $6 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a revolutionary HIV/AIDS alternative vaccine that has demonstrated great potential in animal models. [The Scripps Research Institute] Press Release

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Postdoctoral Scientist – Membrane Structural Biology and Virus-Host Interactions (Harbin Institute of Technology)

Assistant Professor – Immunology (Erasmus University Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Host-Pathogen Interactions (Cedars-Sinai)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Molecular Immunology (GlaxoSmithKline)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology and Virology (Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research)

Faculty Positions – Virology (NYU School of Medicine)

PhD Positions – Infection Biology and Immunology (ZIBI Graduate School)

Postdoctoral Position – HIV Vaccine Immunology (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Viral Immunology (Emory University)

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