Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 7.01 | Jan 16 2019

TOP STORY

FTSJ3 Is an RNA 2′-O-Methyltransferase Recruited by HIV to Avoid Innate Immune Sensing

HIV-1 viruses produced in FTSJ3 knockdown cells showed reduced 2′-O-methylation and trigger expression of type 1 interferons in human dendritic cells through the RNA sensor MDA5. [Nature] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Fever Promotes T Lymphocyte Trafficking via a Thermal Sensory Pathway Involving Heat Shock Protein 90 and α4 Integrins

Scientists report that fever promoted T lymphocyte trafficking through heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)-induced α4 integrin activation and signaling in T cells. By inducing selective binding of Hsp90 to α4 integrins, but not β2 integrins, fever increased α4-integrin-mediated T cell adhesion and transmigration. [Immunity] Full Article | Editorial | Graphical Abstract

Poly I:C-Based rHBVvac Therapeutic Vaccine Eliminates HBV via Generation of HBV-Specific CD8⁺ Effector Memory T Cells

Poly I:C was employed as an adjuvant for hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapeutic vaccine (pHBV-vaccine) and the feasibility and efficiency of pHBV-vaccine in chronic HB treatment were evaluated in HBV-carrier mice. [Gut] Abstract

Tuberculosis following PD-1 Blockade for Cancer Immunotherapy

Scientists describe a patient who succumbed to disseminated tuberculosis after programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) blockade for treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and they examined Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific immune responses in a patient with Merkel cell carcinoma who developed checkpoint blockade-associated tuberculosis and was successfully treated for the infection. [Sci Transl Med] Full Article

Virus-Induced Accumulation of Intracellular Bile Acids Activates the TGR5-β-Arrestin-SRC Axis to Enable Innate Antiviral Immunity

Investigators showed that viral infection induces immediate-early NF-κB activation independent of viral nucleic acid-triggered signaling, which triggers a rapid transcriptional induction of bile acid (BA) transporter and rate-limiting biosynthesis enzymes, as well as accumulation of intracellular BAs in divergent cell types. [Cell Res] Abstract

MRGPR-Mediated Activation of Local Mast Cells Clears Cutaneous Bacterial Infection and Protects against Reinfection

Mastoparan functions by activating connective tissue mast cells (CTMCs) via the Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor member X2 (MRGPRX2) receptor. Peripheral CTMC activation, in turn, enhances recruitment of bacteria-clearing neutrophils and wound-healing CD301b⁺ dendritic cells. [Sci Adv] Full Article

Vaccine Protection against SIVmac239 Acquisition

Researchers report significant protection against i.v. acquisition of SIVmac239 using a long-lasting approach to vaccination. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Adaptive Immune Responses in Humans during Nipah Virus Acute and Convalescent Phases of Infection

Scientists describe the longitudinal characteristics of cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to Nipah virus infection during the acute and convalescent phases in two human survivors. [Clin Infect Dis] Abstract

First-in-Human, Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial of Differentially Adjuvanted PAMVAC, a Vaccine Candidate to Prevent Pregnancy-Associated Malaria

Investigators developed a malaria vaccine candidate aiming at reducing sequestration of asexual “blood-stage” parasites in the placenta, the major virulence mechanism in pregnancy-associated malaria. [Clin Infect Dis] Full Article | Press Release

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

Vaccinia Virus-Mediated Cancer Immunotherapy: Cancer Vaccines and Oncolytics

The authors summarize the current understanding of virus biology and viral genes involved in host-virus interactions to further improve the utility of these agents in therapeutic applications. They discuss recent findings from basic and clinical studies using vaccinia viruses as cancer vaccines and oncolytic immunotherapies. [J Immunother Cancer] Full Article

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

Univercells Introduces Breakthrough Vaccine Manufacturing Platform

Univercells announced the commercial launch of its proprietary NevoLine™ bioproduction system for vaccines. [Univercells] Press Release

hVIVO Reports that the Phase IIb Viral Challenge Study for FLU-v (FLU-v004) Achieved the Primary Endpoint of a Statistically Significant Reduction in Mild to Moderate Influenza

hVIVO plc announced positive results for the primary endpoint, following completion of analysis of samples by NIAID and additional results from the Phase IIb viral challenge study of FLU-v. [hVIVO plc] Press Release

Blue Water Vaccines Announces Transaction for Universal Influenza Vaccine with Oxford University

Blue Water Vaccines, Inc. announced that the company has entered into an option agreement with the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom providing Blue Water Vaccines the option to exclusively license a novel and potentially revolutionary universal influenza vaccine. [Blue Water Vaccines, Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Fighting Ebola Is Hard. In Congo, Fake News Makes It Harder

The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is providing a natural experiment in fighting fake news. Occurring in a conflict zone, amid a controversial presidential election, the epidemic has proved to be fertile ground for conspiracy theories and political manipulation, which can hamper efforts to treat patients and fight the virus’s spread. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Government Shutdown Keeps Young Scientists in Limbo

With the lapse in government funding in its fourth week, early-career researchers tell The Scientist how their businesses, jobs, and research have been affected. [The Scientist] Editorial

Mass Student Protests Bring Down Albania’s Science Minister

Albania’s education and science minister has been replaced in a government reshuffle amid weeks of mass student protests that brought the country’s public universities to a halt. For years, students have been complaining about growing privatization of education, which, they say, has hiked fees without adding benefits. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conference: Translational Malaria Research in Patients & Populations
June 30-July 5, 2019
Les Diablerets, Switzerland

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology/Immunometabolism (Technische Universitat Braunschweig)

Project Research Scientist – Malaria (The Francis Crick Institute)

Senior Scientist and Postdoctoral Positions – HIV Molecular Virology (Buck Institute)

Full Professor – Molecular and Experimental Virology (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover)

PhD Student Positions – Infection Biology of Human Pathogens (The Max von Pettenkofer Institute)

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor – Virology (University of Maryland at Baltimore)

Lectureship – Infectious Diseases (King’s College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School)

Director – Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology, and Infection (Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science)

Postdoctoral Position – Natural Killer Cells (The Scripps Research Institute)

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.