Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 6.08 | Feb 28 2018

TOP STORY

Clonally Diverse CD38⁺HLA-DR⁺CD8⁺ T Cells Persist during Fatal H7N9 Disease

Researchers showed circulating CD8⁺ T-cell profiles from patients hospitalized with avian H7N9, seasonal influenza A virus, and influenza vaccinees. [Nat Commun] Full Article

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Expanded Cellular Clones Carrying Replication-Competent HIV-1 Persist, Wax, and Wane

Scientists showed that latently infected cells containing replication-competent HIV-1 can proliferate in response to T cell receptor agonists or cytokines that are known to induce homeostatic proliferation and that this can occur without virus production. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Large-Scale Arrayed Analysis of Protein Degradation Reveals Cellular Targets for HIV-1 Vpu

The authors describe a high-throughput platform developed to study cellular protein stability in a highly parallelized matrix format. They used this approach to identify cellular targets of the HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu through arrayed coexpression with 433 interferon-stimulated genes, followed by differential fluorescent labeling and automated image analysis. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

Treatment with Native Heterodimeric IL-15 Increases Cytotoxic Lymphocytes and Reduces SHIV RNA in Lymph Nodes

Investigators studied the effects of native heterodimeric IL-15 (hetIL-15) treatment on uninfected rhesus macaques and on macaques that had spontaneously controlled SHIV infection to low levels of chronic viremia. hetIL-15 increased effector CD8⁺ T lymphocytes with high granzyme B content in blood, mucosal sites and lymph nodes, including virus-specific MHC-peptide tetramer⁺ CD8⁺ cells in lymph nodes. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article

Distinct Susceptibility of HIV Vaccine Vector-Induced CD4 T Cells to HIV Infection

Researchers investigated the HIV susceptibility of vector-specific CD4 T cells induced by ALVAC, a canarypox viral vector tested in the Thai trial RV144, as compared to adenovirus 5 (Ad5) vector-specific CD4 T cells in the HVTN204 trial. They showed that while Ad5 vector-specific CD4 T cells were readily susceptible to HIV, ALVAC-specific CD4 T cells in RV144 peripheral blood mononuclear cells were substantially less susceptible to both R5 (CR5-tropic) and X4 (CXCR4-tropic) HIV in vitro. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article

Maraviroc Is Associated with Latent HIV-1 Reactivation through NF-κB Activation in Resting CD4⁺ T Cells from HIV-Infected Individuals on Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy

The authors showed that maraviroc may have a role in the activation of latent virus transcription through the activation of NF-κB as a result of binding CCR5. [J Virol] Abstract

Cytomegalovirus-Specific T-Cells Are Associated with Immune Senescence, but Not with Systemic Inflammation, in People Living with HIV

The effect of cytomegalovirus-specific immune responses on systemic inflammation, immune activation and T-cell senescence was evaluated in 53 people living with HIV treated with combination antiretroviral therapy. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Macrophages and Their Immunological Function in Response to Tuberculosis Infection

Macrophages derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS) were established via embryoid body formation by using feeder-free culture conditions, and the human monocyte cell line THP-1 was used as control. Investigators demonstrated that macrophages derived from hiPS perform the immunological function in response to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin infection by undergoing apoptosis, increasing the production of nitric oxide and expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Levels of Regulatory B Cells Do Not Predict Serological Responses to Hepatitis B Vaccine

Researchers investigated the immunomodulatory influence of IL10 producing B regulatory cells, to standard Twinrix^® vaccination. They also investigated HBsAg specific T-cell mediated IFN-β responses to Twinrix^®, which in theory could provide effective immunity despite low anti-HBs titer. [Hum Vaccin Immunother] Abstract

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Immune Responses to Dengue and Zika Viruses-Guidance for T Cell Vaccine Development

The authors summarize recent discoveries about cross-reactive B and T cell responses against dengue virus and Zika virus and propose guidelines for the development of safe and efficient T cell vaccines targeting both viruses. [Int J Environ Res Public Health] Full Article

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New Open-Access Data Resource Aims to Bolster Collaboration in Global Infectious Disease Research

An international team of researchers has launched the Clinical Epidemiology Database, an open-access online resource enabling investigators to maximize the utility and reach of their data and to make optimal use of information released by others. [Univesity of Pennsylvania] Press Release | Video

Sneaky Viruses: UNM Cancer Center Scientist to Learn about HPV Infection

Michelle Ozbun, PhD, was awarded two grants to study human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cell signaling. Her two-year, $960,000 grant from Johnson & Johnson will focus on the process HPV uses to infect cells. [University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center] Press Release

MYR Pharma Announces Completion of Active Treatment Phase in MYR 203 Clinical Trial of Myrcludex B

MYR Pharma GmbH announced the completion of the 48-week-long active treatment phase in MYR 203 clinical trial, a part of Phase IIb program investigating Myrcludex B in combination with pegylated interferon in chronic hepatitis delta infection. [MYR Pharma GmbH (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Promising Treatment for Ebola Virus to be Tested at Texas Biomed

During the West African Ebola outbreak that began in 2013, an experimental biopharmaceutical drug called ZMapp^™ was a glimmer of hope in the midst of a health crisis. Now, scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) in San Antonio have been awarded a $2 million dollar contract by the makers of ZMapp, Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc., to further test this promising new therapeutic. [Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio] Press Release

Promising HIV Vaccines Could Stall without Coordinated Research

Several vaccines and drugs for preventing the spread of HIV are showing signs of success in clinical trials, three decades after scientists began the search. But some researchers fear that progress will stall without a coordinated strategy to ensure that the most promising therapies to prevent infection win support from policymakers and reach the people who need them. [Nature News] Editorial

Canadian Science Wins Billions in New Budget

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration released its 2018 budget and scientists couldn’t be happier. It includes almost CAD 4 billion (USD 3.1 billion) in new funding for science over the next five years, a significant portion of which will go to the country’s three granting councils. [Nature News] Editorial

Europe’s Influential Science-Policy Chief on His Successes and Disappointments

Robert-Jan Smits is about to stand down from one of the most important science-policy jobs in Europe. After eight years, he will hand over his role as director-general of the European Commission’s research directorate to Jean-Eric Paquet, currently a deputy-secretary-general at the commission. [Nature News] Editorial

Here’s How the Scientists Running for Office Are Doing

They’re trained problem-solvers, but they have to learn to move beyond data to run successful campaigns. [The Atlantic] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Extracellular Vesicles
August 19-24, 2018
Newry, Maine, United States

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Host-Pathogen Interactions (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Research Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Faculty Position – Immunology (Northwestern University)

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

Professorship – Structural Biology of Infectious Processes (Kiel University)

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – HIV Research (Massachuesetts General Hospital)

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

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