A Phosphomimetic-Based Mechanism of Dengue Virus to Antagonize Innate Immunity Scientists found that the NS3 protein of dengue virus (DV) bound to 14-3-3ε and prevented translocation of RIG-I to the adaptor MAVS and thereby blocked antiviral signaling. A recombinant mutant DV deficient in binding to 14-3-3ε showed impairment in antagonism of RIG-I and elicited a markedly augmented innate immune response and enhanced T cell activation. [Nat Immunol] Abstract The Live Attenuated Dengue Vaccine TV003 Elicits Complete Protection against Dengue in a Human Challenge Model To better assess the protective efficacy of TV003, a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which recipients of TV003 or placebo were challenged six months later with a DENV-2 strain, rDEN2Δ30, was conducted. The primary endpoint of the trial was protection against dengue infection, defined as rDEN2Δ30 viremia. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release Rapid and Long-Term Immunity Elicited by DNA Encoded Antibody Prophylaxis and DNA Vaccination against Chikungunya Virus An antibody-based prophylaxis/therapy entailing the electroporation-mediated delivery of synthetic plasmids, encoding biologically active anti-Chikungunya virus envelope mAb, was designed and evaluated for anti-viral efficacy as well as for the ability to overcome shortcomings inherent with conventional active vaccination by a novel passive immune-based strategy. [J Infect Dis] Abstract | Press Release HIV Guanylate Binding Protein (GBP) 5 Is an Interferon-Inducible Inhibitor of HIV-1 Infectivity Researchers showed that GBP5 potently restricts HIV-1 and other retroviruses. GBP5 is expressed in the primary target cells of HIV-1, where it impairs viral infectivity by interfering with the processing and virion incorporation of the viral envelope glycoprotein. [Cell Host Microbe] Full Article | Graphical Abstract In Vivo Molecular Dissection of the Effects of HIV-1 in Active Tuberculosis Scientists hypothesized that HIV-1 and antiretroviral therapy exert widespread changes to cell mediated immunity, which may compromise the optimal host protective response to tuberculosis and provide novel insights into the correlates of immune protection and pathogenesis. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article | Press Release HIV-1 Cellular and Tissue Replication Patterns in Infected Humanized Mice Researchers examined tissue sites for viral infection in bone marrow, blood, spleens, liver, gut, brain, kidney and lungs of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cell engrafted virus-infected NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ mice. The cell distribution and viral life cycle were found dependent on the tissue compartment and time of infection. [Sci Rep] Full Article A Long-Acting Formulation of the Integrase Inhibitor Raltegravir Protects Humanized BLT Mice from Repeated High-Dose Vaginal HIV Challenges Long-acting injectable antiretroviral drugs provide sustained systemic drug exposures over many weeks and can improve adherence due to infrequent parenteral administration. Investigators evaluated a new long-acting formulation of raltegravir for prevention of vaginal HIV transmission. [J Antimicrob Chemother] Abstract | Press Release Maturational Characteristics of HIV-Specific Antibodies in Viremic Individuals HIV-infected individuals with chronic HIV viremia have elevated numbers of nonconventional tissue-like memory B cells that predominate in blood over conventional resting memory B cells. Accordingly, scientists investigated affinity maturation in these two memory B cell populations. [JCI Insight] Full Article | Press Release 1 | Press Release 2 Innate Immune Reconstitution with Suppression of HIV-1 Using a cohort of patients with multiple samplings before and after antiretroviral therapy initiation, investigators demonstrated increased responses to innate immune stimuli following viral suppression, as measured by the production of inflammatory cytokines. [JCI Insight] Full Article | Press Release Subscribe to our sister publications: Human Immunology News and Immune Regulation News! |