Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 7.07 | Feb 27 2019

TOP STORY

Human Anti-Fungal Th17 Immunity and Pathology Rely on Cross-Reactivity against Candida albicans

Scientists identified the mucocutaneous pathobiont C. albicans as the major direct inducer of human anti-fungal Th17 cells. Th17 cells directed against other fungi were induced by cross-reactivity to C. albicans. [Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Impact of Pre-Existing Dengue Immunity on Human Antibody and Memory B Cell Responses to Zika

Researchers comprehensively assessed memory B cell frequency and specificity alongside serum binding and neutralizing antibody responses to Zika virus ~2 weeks and ~8 months postinfection in 31 pediatric subjects with 0, 1 or >1 prior infections with the related dengue virus. [Nat Commun] Full Article

CD4⁺ T Help Promotes Influenza Virus-Specific CD8⁺ T Cell Memory by Limiting Metabolic Dysfunction

The authors assessed the quality of influenza A virus-specific CD8⁺ T cell memory established in the presence or absence of a concurrent CD4⁺ T cell response. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Most Viral Peptides Displayed by Class I MHC on Infected Cells Are Immunogenic

Investigators used peptide sequencing by high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify more than 170 vaccinia virus peptides presented by MHC class I presented on infected mouse cells. Next, they screened each peptide for immunogenicity in multiple virus-infected mice, revealing a wide range of immunogenicities. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

Influenza Vaccination Induces NK-Cell-Mediated Type-II IFN Response that Regulates Humoral Immunity in an IL-6-Dependent Manner

Scientists examined the function of infiltrated natural killer (NK) cells in the initiation of the inflammatory response triggered by inactivated influenza virus vaccine in the draining lymph node. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Magnitude and Functionality of the NS1-Specific Antibody Response Elicited by a Live-Attenuated Tetravalent Dengue Vaccine Candidate

Researchers developed an ELISA to measure Dengue virus (DENV) nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) IgG in sera from DENV-naive or pre-immune subjects pre- and post-vaccination with TAK-003 and evaluated the functionality of this response using in vitro models of endothelial permeability. [J Infect Dis] Full Article

Single Cell Profiling Reveals PTEN Overexpression in Influenza-Specific B Cells in Aging HIV-infected individuals on Anti-Retroviral Therapy

The authors used single cell gene expression analysis to evaluate antigen-specific memory B cells in peripheral blood of virally-suppressed HIV-infected individuals and healthy controls stratified by serum H1N1 antibody response three weeks post-administration of the seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Effective Delivery of the Anti-Mycobacterial Peptide NZX in Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Scientists analyzed the potential of mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) containing NZX for the treatment of tuberculosis. The MSPs released functional NZX gradually into simulated lung fluid and the peptide filled MSPs were easily taken up by primary macrophages. [PLoS One] Full Article

Recombinant Measles Vaccine Expressing Malaria Antigens Induces Long-Term Memory and Protection in Mice

Researchers produced recombinant measles viruses (rMV) expressing malaria “gold standard” circumsporozoïte antigen (CS) of Plasmodium berghei (Pb) and P. falciparum (Pf) to test proof of concept of this delivery strategy. Immunization with rMV expressing PbCS or PfCS induced high antibody responses in mice that did not decrease for at least 22 weeks post-prime, as well as rapid development of cellular immune responses. [npj Vaccines] Full Article

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Trained Innate Immunity and Resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

The authors describe the epidemiological evidence and biological concepts of early clearance and trained immunity, and the possible relation between these two processes through bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination. [Clin Microbiol Infect] Abstract

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CytoDyn to Present New Data from Study of Investigational HIV Therapy Leronlimab (PRO 140), a Long-Acting, Single-Agent Maintenance Therapy

CytoDyn Inc. announced that data from its study of leronlimab is scheduled to be presented. [Press release from CytoDyn Inc. discussing research to be presented at the 2019 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), Seattle] Press Release

Bavarian Nordic Announces Initiation of Phase I/IIa Clinical Trial of Therapeutic HPV Vaccine Regimen in Collaboration with Janssen

Bavarian Nordic A/S announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I/IIa clinical study evaluating a prime-boost vaccine regimen based on Janssen’s AdVac^® technology and Bavarian Nordic’s MVA-BN^® technology in female subjects with chronic infections with high risk subtypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV) of the cervix. [Bavarian Nordic A/S] Press Release

Themis Bioscience Receives FDA Fast Track Designation for Chikungunya Vaccine Candidate

Themis Bioscience announced that the FDA has granted fast track designation to the company’s lead vaccine candidate for the prevention of chikungunya, a debilitating disease with global outbreak potential. [Themis Bioscience (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

VUMC Chikungunya Antibody Set to Enter Clinical Trial

A monoclonal antibody against the chikungunya virus developed by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is the first monoclonal antibody encoded by messenger RNA to enter a clinical trial. [Vanderbilt University Medical Center] Press Release

$9M to Preempt Zoonotic Spillover Threats, Protect Military and Local Communities

The up-to $9.37 million award will be used over 3.5 years as part of DARPA’s Preventing Emerging Pathogenic Threats, or PREEMPT, program. PREEMPT seeks to improve medical preparedness, bolster the fight against emerging infectious disease and preserve the health of U.S. troops and communities around the world by containing high-risk zoonotic pathogens at their animal source. [University of California, Davis] Press Release

Researcher Gets $3.86 Million Grant to Develop Universal Flu Vaccine with Microneedle Patch

Dr. Baozhong Wang, associate professor in Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences, has received a five-year, $3.86 million federal grant to develop a universal flu vaccine using a microneedle patch that will protect against any strain of the influenza virus. [Georgia State University] Press Release

High-Profile Subscription Journals Critique Plan S

Publishers of highly selective scholarly journals — including Nature and Science — say that they cannot comply with Plan S, a European-led initiative that mandates free access to research results on publication from 2020, unless its rules are changed. [Nature News] Editorial

As Trump Calls for an End to HIV Epidemic, CDC Reports Progress Has Stalled

As the Trump administration rolls out its plans to stanch the HIV epidemic in the United States, a federal report released shows that the gradual declines in HIV infections witnessed in recent years have stalled. [STAT News] Editorial

Data Sharing Will Be a Major Thrust of Trump’s $500 Million Childhood Cancer Plan

President Donald Trump’s proposal in his State of the Union address to spend $500 million over 10 years on pediatric cancer research will begin in 2020 with a focus on sharing patients’ data, federal officials say. That plan is getting a mixed response from researchers and patient advocates, who also worry that the initiative will come at expense of other parts of the National Cancer Institute’s budget. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW 8th FIDSSA Congress 2019
November 7-9, 2019
Johannesburg, South Africa

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

NEW Professor – Basic Research in Biology of Infectious Diseases of Poverty (University of Basel)

Research Technologist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

PhD Position – Cellular Immune Responses to Latent and Persistent CMV Infection (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research)

Postdoctoral Positions – Human Immunology (University of California, San Francisco)

Research Chairs – Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (University of Ottawa)

Postdoctoral Position – Bacterium-Host Interaction (Universitätsklinikum Münster)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Virology/Cell Biology (Feinberg School of Medicine)

Junior Research Group Leader – Infectious Disease Research (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research)

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

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

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