Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 6.06 | Feb 14 2018

TOP STORY

Chemically Modified Drug Shows Promise for HIV Treatment and Elimination

In a significant breakthrough that could hasten an eventual HIV cure, a research team has changed the chemical structure of an existing antiviral drug to facilitate it in reaching cells and tissues where HIV resides. [Press release from the University of Nebraska Medical Center discussing online prepublication in Nature Communications] Press Release | Full Article

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Development of a Chimeric Zika Vaccine Using a Licensed Live-Attenuated Flavivirus Vaccine as Backbone

The authors report the development and characterization of a recombinant chimeric Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine candidate that expresses the prM-E proteins of ZIKV using the licensed Japanese encephalitis live-attenuated vaccine SA14-14-2 as the genetic backbone. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Pathology after Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Is Driven by Nonprotective Immune Cells that Are Distinct from Protective Populations

Researchers employed a mouse model to identify immune responses required for C. trachomatis-induced upper genital tract pathology and to determine whether these responses were also required for bacterial clearance. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

T Cell Receptors for the HIV KK10 Epitope from Patients with Differential Immunologic Control Are Functionally Indistinguishable

Scientists examined the hypothesis that superior function of CD8⁺ T cells from HIV controllers (HCs) is encoded by their T cell receptors (TCRs). They compared the functional properties of immunodominant HIV-specific TCRs obtained from HLA-B*2705 HCs and chronic progressors following expression in primary T cells. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Induction of Genotype-Cross Reactive, Hepatitis C Virus-Specific Cell Mediated Immunity in DNA-Vaccinated Mice

Researchers assessed responses to the multi-antigenic cocktail regimen in which a DNA vaccine cocktail encoding Gt1b and Gt3a NS3, NS4 and NS5B proteins were compared with the responses elicited by a single genotype NS3/4/5B DNA vaccine. [J Virol] Abstract

Laser Adjuvant-Assisted Peptide Vaccine Promotes Skin Mobilization of Dendritic Cells and Enhances Protective CD8⁺ TEM and TRM Cell Responses against Herpes Infection and Disease

The authors investigated the safety, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a laser adjuvant peptide vaccine (LAP vaccine) in the B6 mouse model of genital herpes. This LAP vaccine, and its laser-free peptide vaccine analog, contain the immunodominant herpes simplex viruses type 2 glycoprotein B CD8⁺ T cell epitope covalently linked with the promiscuous glycoprotein D CD4⁺ T helper cell epitope. [J Virol] Abstract

α4β7⁺ CD4⁺ Effector/Effector Memory T Cells Differentiate into Productively and Latently Infected Central Memory T Cells by TGFβ1 during HIV-1 Infection

Using in vitro induced α4β7⁺ gut-homing effector/effector memory T cells (T_EM), researchers found that α4β7⁺ T_EM differentiated into CCR7⁺CD4⁺ central memory T cells. This differentiation was HIV-1 independent but was inhibited by SB431542, a specific TGFβ receptor I kinase inhibitor. [J Virol] Abstract

Selective Tropism of Dengue Virus for Human Glycoprotein Ib

Flow cytometric data of dengue virus (DENV)-infected megakaryocytic cell line superficially expressing human glycoprotein Ib (CD42b) and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (CD41 and CD41a) was analyzed. RT- PCR and apoptosis assays showed that DENV was able to replicate itself and release its new progeny from the infected CD42b⁺ cells and eventually killed those cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Neutralization of Antibody-Enhanced Dengue Infection by VIS513, a Pan Serotype Reactive Monoclonal Antibody Targeting Domain III of the Dengue E Protein

Investigators tested the ability of VIS513, an engineered cross-neutralizing humanized antibody targeting the dengue virus E protein domain III, to overcome antibody-enhanced infection and high but brief viremia, which are commonly encountered in dengue patients, in various in vitro and in vivo models. [PLoS Negl Trop Dis] Full Article | Press Release

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HIV Persistence in Adipose Tissue Reservoirs

Researchers examine the evidence describing adipose tissue as a reservoir for HIV-1 and how this often expansive anatomic compartment contributes to HIV persistence. [Curr HIV/AIDS Rep] Abstract

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Novartis Forms Alliance to Develop Medicines for Treating Infectious Diarrheal Disease

Novartis and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have formed an alliance to advance development of Novartis’ drug candidate KDU731 for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis. [Novartis AG] Press Release

Inovio and The Wistar Institute Receive More Than $4.6 Million in R&D Funding to Advance Vaccines Against Tuberculosis & Malaria

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the company is collaborating with The Wistar Institute to advance two novel SynCon^® vaccine programs against tuberculosis and malaria, fully funded by more than $4.6 million in total grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. [Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Ploss receives New Jersey Health Foundation Innovation Grant for advancing hepatitis treatments

Alexander Ploss, an assistant professor of molecular biology at Princeton University, has been awarded an Innovation Grant from New Jersey Health Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation that supports health-related research and education programs in New Jersey. Ploss’ research focuses on deciphering the molecular mechanisms of acute and chronic hepatitis viruses. [The Trustees of Princeton University] Press Release

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approves Gilead’s Biktarvy^® (Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Alafenamide) for Treatment of HIV-1 Infection

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced that the U.S. FDA has approved Biktarvy^®, a once-daily single tablet regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. [Gilead Sciences, Inc.] Press Release

CureVac to Pursue Innovative mRNA Vaccines against Flu and Malaria

CureVac AG announced the awarding of two new grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The programs will leverage CureVac’s RNActive^® prophylactic vaccine technology to develop mRNA-based vaccines designed to prevent influenza and malaria infection. [CureVac AG] Press Release

Bavarian Nordic Announces Positive Results of Pivotal Phase III Study of IMVAMUNE^® Smallpox Vaccine

Bavarian Nordic A/S announced positive results from a Phase III pivotal study of its investigational, non-replicating smallpox vaccine, IMVAMUNE^®. The study achieved both of its primary endpoints, demonstrating IMVAMUNE’s efficacy in comparison to ACAM2000^®, the current U.S. licensed replicating smallpox vaccine. [Bavarian Nordic A/S] Press Release

Trump Science Budget Sows Confusion

US president makes last-minute decision to abandon proposal for major cuts to National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and Department of Energy’s science office. [Nature News] Editorial

Researchers Debate Whether Journals Should Publish Signed Peer Reviews

Scientific journals should start routinely publishing the text of peer reviews for each paper they accept, said attendees at a meeting of scientists, academic publishers, and funding organizations. But there was little consensus on whether reviewers should have to publicly sign their critiques, which traditionally are accessible only to editors and authors. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Microbial Stress Response
July 15-20, 2018
South Hadley, Massachusetts, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – Immunology of Chronic Infections (F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG)

NEW Professorship – Structural Biology of Infectious Processes (Kiel University)

Research Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – HIV Research (Massachuesetts General Hospital)

Staff Clinician Position – Infectious and Immunologic Diseases (National Institute of Health)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Microbiology & Immunology (Johns Hopkins University)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Microbiology and Immunology (SUNY Upstate Medical University)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Malaria and Other Chronic Infectious Diseases (James Cook University)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Immunology (The Infectious Disease Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology/Infection Biology/Vaccinology (German Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Training Opportunity – Infection and Immunity (Institut Pasteur of Shanghai – Chinese Academy of Sciences)

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