Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 5.42 | Oct 25 2017

TOP STORY

Ectopic Colonization of Oral Bacteria in the Intestine Drives T_H1 Cell Induction and Inflammation

Researchers showed that strains of Klebsiella spp. isolated from the salivary microbiota are strong inducers of T helper 1 (T_H1) cells when they colonize in the gut. [Science] Abstract

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ILC1 Confer Early Host Protection at Initial Sites of Viral Infection

Scientists showed that tissue-resident type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1) serve an essential early role in host immunity through rapid production of interferon-γ following viral infection. Ablation of Zfp683-dependent liver ILC1 lead to increased viral load in the presence of intact adaptive and innate immune cells critical for mouse cytomegalovirus clearance. [Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Early Transcriptional Divergence Marks Virus-Specific Primary Human CD8⁺ T Cells in Chronic versus Acute Infection

Investigators employed an integrative systems immunology approach to identify transcriptional commonalities and differences between virus-specific CD8⁺ T cells from patients with persistent and spontaneously resolving hepatitis C virus infection during the acute phase. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression Licenses Type-2 Helper T Cells to Function in a T Cell Receptor-Independent Fashion

Scientists showed that, as a prerequisite for interleukin-33-induced IL-13 secretion, type-2 helper T cells cells required the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and of its ligand, amphiregulin, for the formation of a signaling complex between T1/ST2 (the IL-33R) and EGFR. [Immunity] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

PTEN-L Promotes Type I Interferon Responses and Antiviral Immunity

Researchers demonstrated that phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten with a long N-terminal (PTEN-L) promotes type I interferon responses and antiviral innate immunity during viral infection in a phosphatase activity-dependent manner. Compared with canonical PTEN, PTEN-L also exerts its antiviral function when it is applied exogenously in protein form. This finding was confirmed in cell cultures and mouse infection models. [Cell Mol Immunol] Abstract

Helicobacter pylori γ-Glutamyl Transferase Contributes to Colonization and Differential Recruitment of T Cells during Persistence

Scientists researched how H. pylori γ-glutamyl transferase (gGT) supports gastric colonization and how its specific effects on the host’s innate and adaptive immune responses contribute to colonization and pathology. They compared mice showing similar bacterial load after infection with gGT-proficient or gGT-deficient H. pylori to analyze the specific role of the enzyme during infection. [Sci Rep] Full Article

MAGT1-Mediated Disturbance of Mg²⁺ Homeostasis Lead to Exhausted of HBV-Infected NK and CD8⁺ T Cells

The authors identified the effects of magnesium transporter 1 (MAGT1)-mediated disturbance of Mg²⁺ homeostasis on chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected natural killer (NK) and CD8⁺ T cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

HIV

The β20–β21 of gp120 Is a Regulatory Switch for HIV-1 Env Conformational Transitions

Investigators developed chemical probes that block CD4-induced conformational changes in viral envelope glycoproteins (Env) and used them to identify a potential control switch for Env structural rearrangements. They identified the gp120 β20–β21 element as a major regulator of Env transitions. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Induction of Vaginal-Resident HIV-Specific CD8 T Cells with Mucosal Prime–Boost Immunization

The authors demonstrate that HIV-specific CD8 tissue-resident memory cells can be established in the murine vaginal mucosa using a combined intranasal and intravaginal mucosal immunization with recombinant influenza-HIV vectors. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

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Beyond Binding: Antibody Effector Functions in Infectious Diseases

Investigators review mechanisms by which antibody effector functions contribute to the balance between microbial clearance and pathology and discuss tractable lessons that may guide rational vaccine and therapeutic design to target gaps in the infectious disease armamentarium. [Nat Rev Immunol] Abstract

Viral-Specific T-Cell Transfer from HSCT Donor for the Treatment of Viral Infections or Diseases after HSCT

The authors report a review of published studies that focus on prophylactic and/or curative therapy by donor viral-specific T cells transfer for post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) common viral infections. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the immunology of infectious disease research field.

TG1050 Is Well Tolerated and Induces a Strong Specific Immune Response in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Transgene presented a poster on TG1050 first promising clinical results. [Press release from Transgene S.A. discussing research presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Liver Meeting 2017, Washington D.C.] Press Release

Eiger Announces Positive Phase II Interim 24-Week Data with Pegylated Interferon Lambda in Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) Infection

Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc., announced positive interim 24-week data with pegylated interferon lambda (Lambda) in the Phase II Lambda Interferon MonoTherapy in Hepatitis Delta Virus Study. [Press release from Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. discussing research presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Liver Meeting 2017, Washington D.C.] Press Release

Investigational Darunavir-Based Single-Tablet Regimen Shows Positive Results in Previously Untreated HIV Patients in Pivotal Phase III AMBER Clinical Trial

Janssen Pharmaceutica, NV announced that the pivotal Phase III AMBER study achieved its primary endpoint, which focused on virologic response rate, and demonstrated that the investigational single-tablet regimen containing darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide was non-inferior to darunavir/cobicistat plus emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in previously untreated HIV-1 positive adults. [Press release from Janssen Pharmaceutica, NV discussing research to be presented at the 6^th European AIDS Conference, Milan] Press Release

FluGen Awarded $14.4 Million by the Department of Defense to Test Universal Flu Vaccine against Mismatched Strains

FluGen Inc., announced that it has been awarded a grant of $14.4 million through the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program’s mechanism to conduct clinical challenge-studies against mismatched influenza strains with its lead universal flu vaccine, RedeeFlu^™. [FluGen Inc.] Press Release

IGeneX Inc. Introduces New Diagnostic Tests for Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever

IGeneX Inc. announced the launch of three new tests that are more inclusive and specific for aiding in diagnosis of Borreliosis. [IGeneX Inc.] Press Release

United States Should Dramatically Retool Animal Research Rules, Groups Say

The Association of American Medical Colleges and three allied groups are pushing for sweeping changes to animal research rules. In a report, the groups call for moving all oversight to a single, unnamed agency, conducting less frequent lab inspections, and giving researchers greater say in crafting new rules. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

French Scientists in Uproar over Changes to Medical-Research Clusters

A group of French scientists is due to meet government officials in a bid to resolve a row that has left many of the country’s leading biomedical researchers furious. Scientists were shocked when the government unexpectedly postponed a call for applications to create a new crop of medical-research clusters just days before the closing date, and said that it would slash the budget earmarked for the project. [Nature News] Editorial

Iranian Scholar Sentenced to Death

A judge in Tehran has ordered the death penalty for Iranian researcher Ahmadreza Djalali, according to his wife and diplomatic sources in Italy. Djalali is affiliated with the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and the University of Eastern Piedmont in Novara, Italy. A resident of Sweden with his family, Djalali was arrested in April 2016 on an academic visit to Tehran and accused of “collaboration with a hostile government”. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW American Society for Microbiology (ASM) 14^th Conference on Candida and Candidiasis
April 15-19, 2018
Providence, Rhode Island, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Research Assistant – Intestinal Immune Responses to Infection (University of Dundee)

Scientist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Immunotherapy (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Assistant Professor – Mammalian Virology (University of California, Riverside)

Full Professorship – Systems Immunology (Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg)

Postdoctoral Position – Immune Responses against HIV (DIACCURATE)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Immunology (Western Michigan University School of Medicine)

Assistant Professor – Infectious Disease (J. Craig Venter Institute)

Professor – Clinical Infectious Diseases (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster)

Full Professorship – Infection, Inflammation and Cancer (German Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow/Staff Scientist – Tuberculosis Research (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (Johns Hopkins University)

Postdoctoral Position – Autophagy (University of New Mexico)

PhD Positions – Cancer, Infection and Immunity, and Tissue Regeneration Research (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Mouse Scientist – T Cell-Based Therapy (Tessa Therapeutics Pte. Ltd.)

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