Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 6.29 | Jul 25 2018

TOP STORY

Prevention of M. tuberculosis Infection with H4:IC31 Vaccine or BCG Revaccination

In this Phase II trial, the authors randomly assigned 990 adolescents in a high-risk setting who had undergone neonatal bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination to receive the H4:IC31 vaccine, BCG revaccination, or placebo. All the participants had negative results on testing for M. tuberculosis infection on the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube assay and for the human immunodeficiency virus. [N Engl J Med] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Cytotoxic CD8⁺ T Cells Recognize and Kill Plasmodium vivax-Infected Reticulocytes

P. vivax infects reticulocytes that retain the protein translation machinery. The authors showed that P. vivax-infected reticulocytes express human leukocyte antigen class I. [Nat Med] Abstract

Tumor Innate Immunity Primed by Specific Interferon-Stimulated Endogenous Retroviruses

Scientists identified a subclass of endogenous retroviruses that engages innate immune signaling in these cells. Stimulated 3 prime antisense retroviral coding sequences are oriented inversely in 3′ untranslated regions of specific genes enriched for regulation by STAT1 and EZH2. [Nat Med] Abstract

Analysis of CD8⁺ T Cell Response during the 2013-2016 Ebola Epidemic in West Africa

The authors investigated immune responses of individuals infected with Ebola virus (EBOV) during the 2013-2016 West Africa epidemic in Sierra Leone, where the majority of the >28,000 EBOV disease cases occurred. They examined T cell memory responses to seven of the eight Ebola proteins and associated HLA expression in survivors. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

Myeloid Dendritic Cells Induce HIV Latency in Proliferating CD4⁺ T Cells

Researchers compared the establishment and maintenance of latent infection in nonproliferating and proliferating human CD4⁺ T cells cocultured with syngeneic myeloid dendritic cells (mDC). Resting CD4⁺ T cells were labeled with the proliferation dye eFluor 670 and cultured alone or with mDC, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, or monocytes in the presence of staphylococcal enterotoxin B. [J Immunol] Abstract

Type I Interferon Potentiates IgA Immunity to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection during Infancy

Investigators showed in a mouse model of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection that IFN-α plays a dual role as an antiviral and immune modulator and age-related differences in IgA production upon RSV infection can be overcome by IFN-α administration. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Neutrophils Enhance Early Trypanosoma brucei Infection Onset

Trypanosoma brucei was naturally transmitted to mice through the bites of infected Glossina morsitans tsetse flies. Neutrophils were recruited rapidly to the bite site, whereas monocytes were attracted more gradually. Expression of inflammatory cytokines, il10 and neutrophil chemokines was transiently up-regulated at the site of parasite inoculation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Toll-Like Receptor agonist R848 Blocks Zika Virus Replication by Inducing the Antiviral Protein Viperin

To identify host innate immune response proteins that restrict Zika virus (ZIKV) replication, investigators treated monocytes and macrophages with toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists. Of those tested, the TLR7/8 agonist R848 was the most potent inhibitor of ZIKV replication. [Virology] Abstract

The Impact of IL-10 Dynamic Modulation on Host Immune Response against Visceral Leishmaniasis

Scientists took advantage of a transgenic mouse model that expresses high levels of IL-10 upon zinc sulfate administration (pMT-10). They addressed the role of IL-10 during the initial stages of L. donovani infection by analyzing the parasite burden in the spleen and liver of the infected pMT-10 and WT mice as well as the histopathological alterations upon IL-10 induction. [Cytokine] Abstract

Subscribe to our sister publications: Human Immunology News & Immune Regulation News.

Natural Killer Cell Specificity for Viral Infections

The authors discuss the numerous modes for the specific recognition of viral antigens and peptides by natural killer (NK) cells and the implications of this for the composition of the NK cell repertoire as well as for the the selection of viral variants. [Nat Immunol] Abstract

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

Assembly Biosciences Announces FDA Fast Track Designation Granted to ABI-H0731 for the Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Assembly Biosciences, Inc. announced that the FDA has granted Fast Track designation to ABI-H0731 for the treatment of patients with chronic Hepatitis B infection. [Assembly Biosciences, Inc.] Press Release

ContraVir Pharmaceuticals Reports Progress in Phase I/IIA Trial of CRV431

ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has completed dosing of the first cohort in Part 1 of the Phase I/IIA trial of CRV431. [ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

New Evidence USCIS Policies Increased Denials of H-1B Visas

New data show that in 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denied many more H-1B petitions and issued numerous costly Requests for Evidence to stop highly educated foreign nationals from working in America. [Forbes Media LLC] Editorial

Third Retraction for Harvard Cancer Biologist

Nature has issued a retraction of a cancer study, seven years after its publication, citing issues with two figures and the unavailability of original data for them. The paper, led by Harvard Medical School biologist Sam Lee, is among several publications from his group to be retracted. [The Scientist] Editorial

NIH Delays Controversial Clinical Trials Policy for Some Studies

Basic brain and behavioral researchers will get more than a year to comply with a new U.S. policy that will treat many of their studies as clinical trials. The announcement from the NIH appears to defuse, for now, a yearlong controversy over whether basic research on humans should follow the same rules as studies testing drugs. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW 24^th World Congress of Dermatology
June 10-15, 2019
Milan, Italy

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

NEW PhD Student/Postdoctoral Position – Infection and Cancer Immunology (Heinrich-Heine University)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow/Assistant Professor – Host-Pathogen Interaction (Utrecht University)

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)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Immunology of Infectious Disease News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.