Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 6.28 | Jul 18 2018

TOP STORY

Multifunctional Pan-Ebolavirus Antibody Recognizes a Site of Broad Vulnerability on the Ebolavirus Glycoprotein

EBOV-520 mediated protection principally by direct virus neutralization and exhibited multifunctional properties. The authors identified a potent naturally occurring monoclonal antibody and defined key features of the human antibody response that may contribute to broad protection. [Immunity] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

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CD32 Expression Is Associated to T-Cell Activation and Is Not a Marker of the HIV-1 Reservoir

Researchers showed that stimulation of CD4⁺ T cells with IL-2, IL-7, PHA, and anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies induced T-cell proliferation, co-expression of CD32 and the activation of the markers HLA-DR and CD69. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Neutralization of the Plasmodium-Encoded MIF Ortholog Confers Protective Immunity against Malaria Infection

Using a novel RNA replicon-based vaccine, scientists showed the impact of PMIF immunoneutralization on the host response and observed improved control of liver and blood-stage Plasmodium infection, and complete protection from re-infection. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

CD4⁺ Regulatory T Cells Exert Differential Functions during Early and Late Stages of the Immune Response to Respiratory Viruses

Investigators showed that regulatory T cell depletion led to increased CD8⁺ T cell function and lower virus titer in mice infected with human metapneumovirus. [J Immunol] Abstract

Influenza A Virus Negative Strand RNA Is Translated for CD8⁺ T Cell Immunosurveillance

Recombinant influenza A virus encoding of SIINFEKL embedded in the negative strand of the neuraminidase-stalk coding sequence activated OT-I T cells in mice. [J Immunol] Abstract

Immature Particles and Capsid-Free Viral RNA Produced by Yellow Fever Virus-Infected Cells Stimulate Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells to Secrete Interferons

Researchers report that cells infected with Yellow fever virus, the prototypical flavivirus, stimulated plasmacytoid dendritic cells to produce interferons in a TLR7- and cell contact- dependent manner. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Zika Convalescent Macaques Display Delayed Induction of Anmanestic Cross-Neutralizing Antibody Responses after Dengue Infection

Investigators previously demonstrated that Zika virus exposed macaques significantly enhance dengue virus (DENV) viremia. They showed that this enhancement of DENV infection occurred in the presence of high levels of DENV cross-reactive IgG1 subclass of binding antibodies with low DENV neutralizing antibody activity. [Emerg Microbes Infect] Full Article

T Cell Subset Differentiation and Antibody Responses following Antiretroviral Therapy during SIV Infection

The authors evaluated CD4 and CD8 T cell responses by multiparameter flow cytometry; viral loads by quantitative RT–PCR by a two‐step process using simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-specific primers; and antibody neutralization function by luciferase-based TZM-bl assays. [Immunology] Abstract

In Vivo and In Vitro Immunogenicity of Novel MHC Class I Presented Epitopes to Confer Protective Immunity against Chronic HTLV-1 Infection

Researchers confirmed six novel MHC-I restricted epitopes that were capable of binding HLA-A2 and HLA-A24 alleles and used in vitro and in vivo methods to generate CD8⁺ T cells specific for each of these peptides. [Vaccine] Abstract

Characterization of T Cell Activation and Regulation in Children with Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum Infection

In a cross-sectional study, the levels of regulatory T cells and other T cell activation phenotypes were compared using flow cytometry in symptomatic, asymptomatic and uninfected children before and after stimulation with infected red blood cell lysates. In addition, the association between these T cell phenotypes and parasitaemia were investigated. [Malar J] Full Article

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Mechanisms of M. tuberculosis Immune Evasion as Challenges to TB Vaccine Design

The author discusses the mechanisms used by M. tuberculosis to evade innate and adaptive immunity and that likely limit the efficacy of vaccines developed to date. Despite multiple mechanisms of immune evasion, recent trials have indicated that effective TB vaccines remain an attainable goal. [Cell Host Microbe] Full Article

Overcoming Barriers in the Path to a Universal Influenza Virus Vaccine

To date, vaccines have focused on eliciting largely strain-specific immune responses toward the hemagglutinin (HA) head. However, novel universal influenza vaccines aim to refocus immunity toward the immunosubdominant but conserved influenza virus HA stalk domain. Such vaccines could provide heterologous protection against diverse influenza viruses. [Cell Host Microbe] Full Article

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Janelle Ayres Receives $1 Million from W. M. Keck Foundation for Infectious Disease Research

Associate Professor Janelle Ayres is the recipient of a $1 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation to study new ways to treat deadly infections including sepsis and the flu, both of which require novel therapies beyond antibiotics and antivirals to effectively combat. [Salk Institute for Biological Studies] Press Release

Janssen Announces U.S. FDA Approval of SYMTUZA (D/C/F/TAF), the First and Only Complete Darunavir-Based Single-Tablet Regimen for the Treatment of HIV-1 Infection

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced the FDA has approved SYMTUZA™, the first and only complete, darunavir-based single-tablet regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 in treatment-naïve and certain virologically suppressed adults. [Janssen Global Services, LLC] Press Release

Phase III CAPSTONE-2 Study Showed that Baloxavir Marboxil Reduced Symptoms in People at High Risk of Complications from the Flu

Roche announced that the Phase III CAPSTONE-2 study assessing the safety and efficacy of baloxavir marboxil in people at high risk of complications from the flu met the study’s primary objective, and showed superior efficacy in the primary endpoint of time to improvement of influenza symptoms versus placebo. [F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd] Press Release

CytoDyn Announces Positive Results from Completed Pivotal PRO 140 HIV Combination Trial

CytoDyn Inc. announced that approximately 81% of patients who completed the 25-week CD02 pivotal trial with PRO 140 in combination with existing highly active antiretroviral therapy showed viral load suppression with plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load of less than 50 copies/mL. [CytoDyn Inc.] Press Release

Hungarian Academy President Vows to Keep Fighting for Independence as Government Takes Control

Hungary’s parliament approved an amendment that makes it legally possible to transfer a large part of the budget of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest to the country’s newly established Ministry of Innovation and Technology. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Cancer Geneticist Quits after Harassment Allegations

Following numerous allegations that she harassed fellow employees, Nazneen Rahman, a cancer geneticist at the Institute of Cancer Research in the U.K., will leave her post. Rahman had already been on administrative leave since last November. Dozens of colleagues signed a letter last year describing bullying by Rahman. [The Scientist] Editorial

Questions Raised About “Breakthrough” Therapies’ Clinical Support

The FDAs “breakthrough therapy” designation has helped expedite the development and approval of more than 45 therapeutics in the last 5 years. But a study published in JAMA suggests that these interventions gain FDA approval on the basis of weaker clinical evidence than those that don’t have the breakthrough designation do—a finding that contrasts with public optimism about these drugs’ effectiveness. [The Scientist] Editorial

Leaky Pipeline for Women Scientists Dries Up after They Win First Big Grant

After they secure their first major research grant from the US National Institutes of Health, women are almost as successful as men at netting further awards from the agency, according to an analysis published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. [Nature News] Editorial

U.K. Votes to ‘Fully Participate’ in EMA after Brexit

British politicians have voted for the U.K. to try to remain close to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) after Brexit. The voted-for text tasks the government with seeking to secure the right for the U.K. to “fully participate” in the regional regulatory network after it leaves the European Union. [FierceBiotech] Editorial

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – HIV Transmission and Pathogenesis (University of California, San Francisco)

Research Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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Research Assistant/Associate – Respiratory Viral Infections (University of Glasgow)

Research Assistant/Associate – Hepatitis C (University of Glasgow)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow and PhD Positions – HIV Immunology (McGill University Health Centre)

Postdoctoral Research Fellows and PhD Positions – HIV Immunology (Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Monoclonal Antibody and Viral Vaccine (SRI Employment)

Faculty Position – Department of Microbiology & Immunology and Center for Vaccine Development (University of Maryland School of Medicine)

Chief Executive Officer – Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization)

Faculty Positions – Infectious Disease Research (Institut Pasteur of Shanghai)

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

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