Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 6.39 | Oct 3 2018

TOP STORY

RAB11FIP5 Expression and Altered Natural Killer Cell Function Are Associated with Induction of HIV Broadly Neutralizing Antibody Responses

Investigators performed a transcriptome analysis of blood mononuclear cells from 47 HIV-1-infected individuals who made broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) and 46 HIV-1-infected individuals who did not and identified in bnAb individuals upregulation of RAB11FIP5, encoding a Rab effector protein associated with recycling endosomes. [Cell] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

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NONO Detects the Nuclear HIV Capsid to Promote cGAS-Mediated Innate Immune Activation

Researchers found that NONO was an essential sensor of the HIV capsid in the nucleus. NONO protein directly binds capsid with higher affinity for weakly pathogenic HIV-2 than highly pathogenic HIV-1. [Cell] Abstract

Prime and Target Immunization Protects against Liver-Stage Malaria in Mice

Scientists describe an alternative “prime and target” vaccination strategy aimed specifically at inducing high numbers of tissue-resident memory T cells present in the liver at the time of hepatic infection. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Editorial

Optimal Protection against Salmonella Infection Requires Noncirculating Memory

Using an epitope-tagged vaccine strain of Salmonella, the authors found that effective protection correlated with expanded Salmonella-specific memory CD4 T cells in circulation and nonlymphoid tissues. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

IL-15 Regulates Susceptibility of CD4⁺ T Cells to HIV Infection

Scientists investigated the molecular and cellular impact of IL-15 on CD4⁺ T-cell infection. They found that IL-15 stimulation induces SAM domain and HD domain-containing protein 1 phosphorylation due to cell cycle entry, relieving an early block to infection. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Type I Interferon Receptor Signaling of Neurons and Astrocytes Regulates Microglia Activation during Viral Encephalitis

Upon intranasal vesicular stomatitis virus instillation, researchers showed an accumulation of activated microglia and monocytes in the olfactory bulb. Depletion of microglia during encephalitis results in enhanced virus spread and increased lethality. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Interleukin-21 Reinvigorates the Antiviral Activity of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-Specific CD8⁺ T Cells in Chronic HBV Infection

The authors investigated the effect of IL-21 on CD8⁺ T cell responses by phenotypic and functional analysis of samples from patients with chronic HBV infection and mouse model with HBV expression. [J Infect Dis] Abstract

Pre-ART HIV-1 DNA in CD4⁺ T Cells Correlates with Baseline Viro-Immunological Status and Outcome in Patients under First-Line ART

Four hundred and thirty-three patients from the ICONA cohort, starting first-line ART after the year 2000, were analyzed. Pre-ART HIV DNA was quantified with the modified COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 Test and normalized by CD4⁺ T cells. [J Antimicrob Chemother] Abstract

CD32⁺ and PD-1⁺ Lymph Node CD4 T Cells Support Persistent HIV-1 Transcription in Treated Aviremic Individuals

The authors investigated the distribution of CD32⁺ CD4 T cells in blood and lymph nodes of HIV-1-uninfected subjects and viremic untreated and long-term-treated HIV-1-infected individuals and their relationship with PD-1⁺ CD4 T cells. [J Virol] Abstract | Full Article

CD4 T Cells, CD8 T Cells, and Monocytes Coordinate to Prevent Rift Valley Fever Virus Encephalitis

Depleting C57BL/6 mice of CD4 T cells prior to DelNSsRVFV infection resulted in encephalitis in 30% of mice; in encephalitic mice, investigators noted infiltration of T cells and inflammatory monocytes into the brain. [J Virol] Abstract

Serum Deprivation/Starvation Leads to Reactivation of HIV-1 in Latently Infected Monocytes via Activating ERK/JNK Pathway

Researchers investigated the role of serum starvation in regulating HIV-1 latency. The impact of serum starvation on HIV-1 latency was assessed in latently infected monocytes U1 and T-cells J1.1. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Exposure to Plasmodium vivax Is Associated with the Increased Expression of Exhaustion Markers on γδ T Lymphocytes

Scientists examined both the percentages and expression of markers associated with immune exhaustion in γδ T cells in individuals living in a P. vivax endemic region by flow cytometry. The percentage of γδ T cells in the blood was significantly higher both in acute P. vivax-positive patients and in individuals from an endemic region in comparison to control uninfected adults. [Parasite Immunol] Abstract

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Interplay between Cellular Metabolism and Cytokine Responses during Viral Infection

The authors summarize the current understanding of the cross-talk between metabolic reprogramming and cytokine responses, and highlight future potential research topics. [Viruses] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

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Gilead Announces 96-Week Results from Phase III Study of Biktarvy^® (Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Alafenamide) for the Treatment of HIV-1 in Adults New to HIV Therapy

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced 96-week results from a Phase III, randomized, double-blinded study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Biktarvy^® for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in treatment-naïve adults. [Press release from Gilead Sciences, Inc. discussing research presented at IDWeek 2018, San Francisco] Press Release

ABL Awarded Long-Running National Cancer Institute Contract to Continue Groundbreaking Retroviral Research

ABL, Inc. announced it was awarded the “Support for Research on Retroviral Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention” contract by the National Cancer Institute to conduct studies that advance the development of effective AIDS vaccines and other preventive therapeutic modalities. [ABL, Inc.] Press Release

NIH Funds UNC Study to Investigate Maternal-Fetal Transmission of Zika

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and collaborators in Nicaragua have been given a five-year, $2.7 million R01 award from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to better understand the epidemiology of Zika virus in pregnancy and the impact the virus has on infant neurodevelopment. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine] Press Release

At NEJM, a Change at the Top Offers a Chance to Reshape the World’s Oldest Medical Journal

The retirement of Dr. Jeffrey Drazen as editor of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has created an opportunity to bring a new perspective to what is arguably the world’s most prestigious medical journal. [STAT News] Editorial

U.K. Scientists ‘Are Going to Be All Right,’ after Brexit, Science Minister Promises

In January, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Sam Gyimah as science and universities minister as a part of a broader cabinet reshuffle. During his visit, Gyimah spoke with Science about the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, a topic that is causing a great deal of anxiety among U.K. scientists. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Finland Joins Europe’s Bold Open-Access Push

Finland’s national research funder has signed up to Plan S — a push by a group of European organizations to make a radical change to the way that research results are published. [Nature News] Editorial

Biologists Irate at NSF’s New One-Proposal Cap

The National Science Foundation (NSF) in Alexandria, Virginia, has made several tweaks to its grant proposal policies in recent years to keep staff and reviewers from being overwhelmed by the rising number of submissions. But some biologists say the latest change goes too far. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Hundreds of Academics at Top UK Universities Accused of Bullying

Hundreds of academics have been accused of bullying students and colleagues in the past five years, prompting concerns that a culture of harassment and intimidation is thriving in Britain’s leading universities. [The Guardian] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conference: Viruses and Cells
May 26-31, 2019
Lucca, Italy

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NEW Research Fellow – Immunology (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

NEW Assistant Professor – Immunology (Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard)

Research Technologist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Faculty Positions – Infectious Disease Research (The Public Health Research Institute of New Jersey Medical School)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Virus Research (University of Glasgow)

Associate/Full Specialist – Host-Pathogen Interactions (University of California, San Francisco)

Graduate Training Program – RNA & Infection (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research)

PhD Positions – Infection Biology and Immunology (ZIBI Graduate School Berlin)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Hepatitis B Infection (The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine)

Assistant/Associate Member Faculty Position – Viral Diseases (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Infection and Immunity (Charite – Universitatsmedizin Berlin)

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