Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 7.21 | Jun 5 2019

TOP STORY

To Fight TB Infection, Early Protection Is Crucial

In the first days after the tuberculosis (TB) bacteria infect the body, a flurry of immune cells are activated to fight the infection. Now, researchers have identified a master cell that coordinates the body’s immune defenses in those crucial early days, according to a new study. [Press release from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release | Abstract

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Novel Correlates of Protection against Pandemic H1N1 Influenza A Virus Infection

Scientists performed a household transmission study to identify alternative correlates of protection from infection and disease in naturally exposed individuals. Using this study, they determined 50% protective titers and levels for hemagglutination inhibition, full-length hemagglutinin, neuraminidase and hemagglutinin stalk-specific antibodies. [Nat Med] Abstract | Press Release

Anti-Siglec-1 Antibodies Block Ebola Viral Uptake and Decrease Cytoplasmic Viral Entry

The authors found that Ebola virus entry into activated dendritic cells requires the sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 1, which recognizes sialylated gangliosides anchored to viral membranes. [Nat Microbiol] Abstract

CD8⁺ T Cells Retain Protective Functions Despite Sustained Inhibitory Receptor Expression during Epstein-Barr Virus Infection In Vivo

Researchers investigated whether changes in T cell function, as frequently characterized by PD-1 up-regulation, occurred during infectious mononucleosis due to the prolonged exposure to high antigen levels. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article | Editorial

H7N9 Influenza A Virus Activation of Necroptosis in Human Monocytes Links Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses

Investigators showed that extensive phosphorylation of mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein occurred concurrently with the activation of caspases-8, -9 and -3 in H7N9-infected monocytes at 6 h post infection, indicating that apoptosis and necroptosis pathways were simultaneously activated. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Protein, p7, Suppresses Inflammatory Responses to Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α via Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT)3 and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK)-Mediated Induction of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS)3

The authors showed that the HCV protein, p7, enhances both SOCS3 mRNA and protein expression. A p7 inhibitor reduced SOCS3 induction, indicating that p7’s ion channel activity was required for optimal up-regulation of SOCS3. [FASEB J] Abstract | Press Release

M. tuberculosis Infection and Antigen Specific Cytokine Response in Healthcare Workers Frequently Exposed to Tuberculosis

Scientists conducted a cross-sectional study investigating M. tuberculosis infection status and comparing the release profiles of cytokines GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-12 (p70), IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, in community controls and healthy healthcare workers highly exposed to tuberculosis. [Sci Rep] Full Article

HIV Therapeutic Vaccine Enhances Non-Exhausted CD4⁺ T Cells in a Randomized Phase II Trial

This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II clinical trial enroled between January 2014 and March 2015 HIV-1-infected patients under ART with plasma HIV RNA levels below 50 copies/mL and CD4 counts between 200 and 500 cells/μL. [npj Vaccines] Full Article

Qß Virus-Like Particle-Based Vaccine Induces Robust Immunity and Protects against Tauopathy

The authors demonstrated that vaccination with pT181-Qß was sufficient to induce a robust and long-lived anti-pT181 antibody response in the sera and the brains of both non-Tg and rTg4510 mice. [npj Vaccines] Full Article

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Vaccines and the Regulatory Arm of the Immune System. An Overview from the Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Model

Researchers summarize and discuss available data related to the role of cellular components, like myeloid derived suppressor cells and Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells, during T. cruzi infection, and the potential utility of those populations as additional targets for the rational design of vaccines [Vaccine] Abstract

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Vaccitech Universal Flu Vaccine Passes Phase IIb Clinical Development Milestones

Vaccitech Ltd. announced that it has administered its pandemic universal influenza A vaccine MVA-NP+M1 to the first participants in a Flu 010 study – a Phase IIb, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, influenza challenge study being conducted in Antwerp, Belgium. [Vaccitech Ltd.] Press Release

Altimmune Announces Important Additions to its Patent Portfolio for HepTcell and ALT-702 Programs

Altimmune, Inc. announced that it has received additional patent protection for its HepTcell and ALT-702 programs in the United States. [Altimmune, Inc.] Press Release

Emergent BioSolutions Awarded 10-Year HHS Contract Valued at Approximately $535 Million to Deliver Vaccinia Immune Globulin Intravenous (VIGIV) in Support of Smallpox Preparedness

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. announced a contract award by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) valued at approximately $535 million over 10 years for the continued supply of VIGIV into the US Strategic National Stockpile in support of smallpox preparedness. [Emergent BioSolutions Inc.] Press Release

CEPI Awards Up to US$21 Million to Themis Bioscience for Phase III Chikungunya Vaccine Development

Themis Bioscience and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced a second partnering agreement under which CEPI, with support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, will provide up to US$21 million of non-dilutive capital for Themis’ Phase III-ready Chikungunya vaccine. [Themis Bioscience] Press Release

New $2 Million DOD Grant Funds Zika Vaccine Testing at Texas Biomed

The Department of Defense (DOD) is trying to speed up the process of finding an effective vaccine, particularly for pregnant women. As part of a program called the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, the DOD is awarding Texas Biomedical Research Institute $2 million over the next three years to study a promising experimental Zika vaccine. [Texas Biomedical Research Institute] Press Release

Algeria and Argentina Declared Malaria-Free

The World Health Organization declared Argentina and Algeria malaria-free on 22 May, after the two countries reported zero transmission of the disease for more than three years. The success brings the total number of malaria-free countries to 38. [Nature News] Editorial

NIH Has Referred 16 Allegations of Foreign Influence on US Research to Investigators

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has referred 16 allegations related to foreign influence of US-funded research to investigators and contacted 61 research institutions about such concerns, federal health officials said at a hearing. [STAT News] Editorial

Hungarians Protest against Proposed Government Takeover of Science

Thousands of scientists and their supporters marched through the streets of Budapest on 2 June to protest against a proposed law that would give the Hungarian government direct control of the country’s top research institutes. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Infectious Diseases in Primary Care
October 28-30, 2019
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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

NEW Faculty Opportunity – Genomics and Computational Biology (Duke Human Vaccine Institute)

NEW Research Associate – Vaccines (University of Bristol)

NEW Postdoctoral Associate Positions – Infectious Diseases (University of Minnesota)

PhD Position – Infection Biology/Mucosal Immunology (RWTH University Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – Computational Biology, Virology, and Glycoproteomics (University of Missouri-Columbia)

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader/Professor – Vaccinology and Immunotherapy (University of Bristol)

Junior Professor – Mucosal Infection Biology (Aachen University)

Research Scientist – Immunology/HBV (Gilead Sciences, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Vaccine Research (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Research Scholar – HIV Research (Northern California Institute for Research and Education)

Postdoctoral Fellows – HIV Research (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Malaria (Seattle Children’s)

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