Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 5.12 | Mar 29 2017

TOP STORY

Influenza Vaccines Differentially Regulate the Interferon Response in Human Dendritic Cell Subsets

The authors showed that trivalent Fluzone 2009–2010 vaccine (TIV-09) induces monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs), blood conventional DCs (cDCs), and plasmacytoid DCs to express CD80, CD83, and CD86 and secrete cytokines. TIV-09 stimulated the secretion of type I interferons (IFNs) IFN-α and IFN-β and type III IFN interleukin-29 by moDC and cDC subsets. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract

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Hypoxia Enhances Antibody-Dependent Dengue Virus Infection

Researchers showed that monocytes adapted to 3% O₂ show greater susceptibility to antibody-dependent enhancement of Dengue virus infection. Low oxygen level induced HIF1α-dependent upregulation of fragment crystallizable gamma receptor IIA as well as HIF1α-independent alterations in membrane ether lipid concentrations. [EMBO J] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Th1 Differentiation Drives the Accumulation of Intravascular, Non-Protective CD4 T Cells during Tuberculosis

Scientists examined the role of Th1-polarizing factors in the generation of protective and non-protective subsets of Mtb-specific Th1 cells. They found that IL-12/23p40 promotes Th1 cell expansion and maturation beyond the CD73⁺CXCR3⁺T-bet^dim stage, and T-bet prevents deviation of Th1 cells into Th17 cells. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Different Antiviral Effects of IFNα Subtypes in a Mouse Model of HBV Infection

Application of most interferon alpha (IFNα) subtype proteins inhibited HBV replication in vivo, with IFNα4 and IFNα5 being the most effective subtypes. Decreased viral loads after therapeutic application of IFNα4 and IFNα5 correlated with expanded effector cell populations of NK cells and T cells in both liver and spleen. [Sci Rep] Full Article

MiR-23a-5p Modulates Mycobacterial Survival and Autophagy during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection through TLR2/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway by Targeting TLR2

Appreciating the potential of host-directed therapies designed to control autophagy during mycobacterial infection, the authors focused on the influence of microRNA (miR)-23a-5p on the activation of macrophage autophagy during M. tuberculosis infection in bone marrow-derived macrophages and murine RAW264.7 cells. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract

EBV Induces Persistent NF-κB Activation and Contributes to Survival of EBV-Positive Neoplastic T- or NK-Cells

Investigators examined NF-κB activation in Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-positive T or NK cell lines, SNT8, SNT15, SNT16, SNK6, and primary EBV-positive and clonally proliferating T/NK cells obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with chronic active EBV infection. [PLoS One] Full Article

Screening for Immune Response against Dengue Virus in Vietnamese Non-Human Primates: Implications for Vaccine Developers

Researchers presented the results from the screening of 55 rhesus monkeys housed in an animal breeding facility at Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. They evaluated the neutralizing antibody response by plaque reduction neutralization test and determined the levels of interferon γ-secretion after the viral stimulation of monkey-peripheral blood mononuclear cells, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. [Clin Transl Immunol] Full Article

HIV

CCR5 Promoter Activity Correlates with HIV Disease Progression by Regulating CCR5 Cell Surface Expression and CD4 T Cell Apoptosis

Scientists determined the relationship between CCR5 promoter polymorphisms and CD4 decline and other immunopathological features like immune activation and CD4⁺ T cell apoptosis in HIV patients. [Sci Rep] Full Article

BST-2 Expression Modulates Small CD4 Mimetic Sensitization of HIV-1-Infected Cells to ADCC

Researchers showed that BST-2 upregulation by IFN-β and IL-27 also increases the surface expression of Env and thus boosts the ability of CD4mc to sensitize HIV-1-infected cells to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by sera from HIV-1-infected individuals. [J Virol] Abstract

HIV-1 Susceptibility of Transgenic Rat-Derived Primary Macrophage/T Cells and a T Cell Line that Express Human Receptors, CyclinT1 and CRM1 Genes

The authors developed transgenic (Tg) rats that express human CD4, CCR5, CXCR4, CyclinT1, and CRM1 genes. Tg rat macrophages were efficiently infected with HIV-1 and supported production of infectious progeny virus. [Genes Cells] Abstract

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Lessons Learned from Human HIV Vaccine Trials

Characterization of the functional capabilities of monoclonal antibodies isolated from a HIV-1 vaccine trial with modest efficacy has revealed mechanisms by which non-neutralizing antibodies are presumed to have mediated protection. [Curr Opin HIV AIDS] Abstract

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TB Alliance Sublicenses Promising Anti-Tuberculosis Drug from the Medicines Patent Pool

TB Alliance and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) announced a licensing agreement for the clinical development of sutezolid, an antibiotic drug candidate which demonstrated encouraging results in early studies. The sublicense pertains to the development of sutezolid in combination with other TB drugs and follows the MPP’s license for the treatment signed with patent holder The Johns Hopkins University in January. [TB Alliance and the Medicines Patent Pool] Press Release

New CDISC Data Standard Aids Development of Therapies for Ebola Virus

The Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) and the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory announced the availability of a new standard to assist in the collection, aggregation and analysis of Ebola virus disease (EVD) research data. This standard is for use in EVD trials, leading to potential treatments and public health surveillance for this disease. [The Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium] Press Release

European Commission Considering Leap into Open-Access Publishing

One of Europe’s biggest science spenders could soon branch out into publishing. The European Commission, which spends more than €10 billion annually on research, may follow two other big league funders, the Wellcome Trust and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and set up a “publishing platform” for the scientists it funds, in an attempt to accelerate the transition to open-access publishing in Europe. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Europe Says University of California Deserves Broad Patent for CRISPR

The European Patent Office announced its “intention to grant a patent” to the University of California (UC) for its broad-based claims about the genome-editing tool popularly known as CRISPR. UC, on behalf of several parties, has been in a pitched battle with the Broad Institute of Cambridge, Massachusetts, over CRISPR patents, and the new decision marks a sharp departure from the position of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Playing No Trump at AAAS Policy Forum

The relationship between U.S. scientists and the Trump administration hit a new low after organizers of a major annual science policy conference were unable to find anyone willing to discuss the president’s priorities. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW BioMalPar XIII: Biology and Pathology of the Malaria Parasite
May 29-31, 2017
Heidelberg, Germany

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow Position – Translational Immunology (The University of Utah)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Malaria (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Research Technologist – Cell Separation & Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Infection Biology (Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology)

Doctoral Researcher – Infection Biology (Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Autophagy Viral Infection & Antiviral Immunity (AstraZeneca)

Lecturer – Infectious Diseases (Virology)

Research Investigator – Immuno-Oncology (Bristol-Meyers Squibb)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – CAR T Cell Therapy for HIV Infection (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Viral Infection Modeling (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Quantitative Infectious Disease Methods (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

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