Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 5.15 | Apr 19 2017

TOP STORY

UNC Researchers Identify a New HIV Reservoir

HIV cure research to date has focused on clearing the virus from T cells, a type of white blood cell that is an essential part of the immune system. Yet investigators have found the virus persists in HIV-infected macrophages. [Press release from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine discussing online prepublication in Nature Medicine] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

A Dose-Dependent Plasma Signature of the Safety and Immunogenicity of the rVSV-Ebola Vaccine in Europe and Africa

The recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus–vectored (rVSV) Zaire Ebola vaccine has shown marked immunogenicity and efficacy in humans but is reactogenic at higher doses. To understand its effects, scientists examined plasma samples from 115 healthy volunteers from Geneva who received low-dose or high-dose vaccine or placebo. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract

TCR Stimulation Strength Is Inversely Associated with Establishment of Functional Brain-Resident Memory CD8 T Cells during Persistent Viral Infection

The authors found that antigen stimulation strength was inversely associated with the function of memory CD8 T cells during a persistent viral infection. They further showed that CD8 tissue-resident memory cells recruited to the brain following systemic infection with viruses expressing epitopes with suboptimal stimulation strength respond more efficiently to challenge CNS infection with virus expressing cognate antigen. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article

Rational Development of a Protective P. vivax Vaccine Evaluated with Transgenic Rodent Parasite Challenge Models

Researchers report the development of a highly protective CSP-based Plasmodium vivax vaccine, a virus-like particle known as Rv21, able to provide 100% sterile protection against a stringent sporozoite challenge in rodent models to malaria, where IgG2a antibodies were associated with protection in absence of detectable PvCSP-specific T cell responses. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Cytomegalovirus Infection Exacerbates Autoimmune Mediated Neuroinflammation

Investigators demonstrated that cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory CD4⁺CD28^null T cells are only present in cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive donors and that CMV-specific Immunoglobulin G titers correlate with the percentage of these cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Uncompromised NK Cell Activation Is Essential for Virus-Specific CTL Activity during Acute Influenza Virus Infection

By comparing natural killer (NK) cell dynamics and activity under a sub-lethal dose and high dose of influenza virus infection, scientists showed that influenza virus PR8 directly infected NK cells during natural infection, which was consistent with previous findings obtained from an in vitro investigation of human NK cells. [Cell Mol Immunol] Abstract

Host Resistance to Plasmodium-Induced Acute Immune Pathology Is Regulated by IL-10 Receptor Signaling

The authors determined the contribution of interleukin-10 receptor (IL-10R) signaling to the regulation of immune responses during Plasmodium berghei ANKA-induced experimental cerebral malaria. [Infect Immun] Abstract | Full Article

CD4⁺ T Cells Support Establishment of RSV-Specific IgG and IgA Antibody Secreting Cells in the Upper and Lower Murine Respiratory Tract following RSV Infection

Experiments were performed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-infected nude mice that received CD4⁺ T cells by adoptive transfer. Researchers demonstrated that CD4⁺ T cells were necessary for the induction of mucosal and systemic RSV-specific antibodies, for the establishment of RSV-specific IgG and IgA antibody secreting cells in the upper and lower respiratory tract, and for RSV clearance. [Vaccine] Abstract

Universal Vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus A and B Subtypes

Scientists immunized mice with GcfAB plus cholera toxin as a mucosal adjuvant via intranasal (IN) or sublingual (SL) routes. The IN group showed higher levels of respiratory syncytial virus G-specific antibody responses, including serum IgG and mucosal IgA, compared with the SL group. [PLoS One] Full Article

HIV

BCG Vaccination Induces HIV Target Cell Activation in HIV-Exposed Infants in a Randomized Trial

Researchers examined whether Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination alters the levels of activated HIV target T cells in HIV-exposed South African infants. BCG vaccination induced immune changes in HIV-exposed infants, including an increase in the proportion of activated CCR5⁺CD4⁺ HIV target cells. [JCI Insight] Full Article

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Immune Checkpoints and their Inhibition in Cancer and Infectious Diseases

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been shown to enhance ex vivo effector T-cell responses from patients with chronic viral, bacterial or parasitic infection, including HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. Although the data from clinical trials in infectious diseases is still sparse, these inhibitors have great potential for treating chronic infections, especially when combined with therapeutic vaccines. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract

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Abeome and CDC to Collaborate on Zika Antibody Discovery

Abeome Corporation announced that it has signed a Research Collaboration Agreement with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the identification of novel antibodies binding to the Zika virus using Abeome’s proprietary AbeoMouse™ platform. [Abeome Corporation] Press Release

AHF Backs $300 Million Fund to Contain Future Infectious Disease Outbreaks

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) offered its backing for a special $300 million fund in the US Department of Health and Human Services to contain and eradicate future emerging infectious disease epidemics. [AIDS Healthcare Foundation] Press Release

What a Surprise General Election Could Mean for Higher Education

Theresa May’s plan to hold a general election on the 8^th of June raises implications for universities in terms of whether the Higher Education and Research Bill can continue, the vote’s status as the “Brexit election”, and the expected emergence of Labor’s plan to scrap tuition fees. [Times Higher Education] Editorial

French-Election Fears Unite Scientists in Defense of Liberal Democracy

For scientists in France, the presidential contest is often a chance to debate research and science-related issues. When Nicolas Sarkozy was elected a decade ago, for example, university reforms and environmental policy featured prominently in the campaigns. But this time, science has barely been mentioned — elbowed out by political scandals and the rise of Marine Le Pen’s far-right Front National party. [Nature News] Editorial

Republican Scientists Negotiate the Trump Era

Conservative academics face a growing tension between their politics and the liberal atmosphere on many US campuses. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Molecular Mechanisms of Immune Cell Development and Function
July 30-August 4, 2017
Snowmass Village, United States

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NEW Assistant Professor – Infectious Disease Epidemiology (The University of Warwick)

NEW Junior Research Group Leader – Infection Biology (Julius-Maximilians Universitat Wurzburg)

Faculty and Postdoctoral Positions – Molecular Pathogenesis (Nankai University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Functional Genomics of Virus-Host Interactions (University of Strasbourg)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow – Malaria (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

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)

Lecturer – Infectious Diseases (Virology)

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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