Immunology of Infectious Disease News Volume 8.07 | Feb 26 2020

TOP STORY

An Immune-Cell Signature of Bacterial Sepsis

Researchers used single-cell RNA-sequencing to profile the blood of people with sepsis across three clinical cohorts with corresponding controls. They profiled total peripheral blood mononuclear cells and dendritic cells across all subjects and, on the basis of clustering of their gene-expression profiles, defined 16 immune-cell states. [Nat Med] Abstract

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Xenosiderophore Utilization Promotes Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Resilience During Colitis

Scientists identified B. thetaiotaomicron genes that were upregulated during Salmonella-induced gut inflammation and were predicted to be involved in iron uptake. Mutants in the xusABC locus were defective for xenosiderophore-mediated iron uptake in vitro. [Cell Host Microbe] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Type I Interferon Response Dysregulates Host Iron Homeostasis and Enhances Candida glabrata Infection

Researchers report that interferons (IFNs)-I promoted the dysregulation of iron homeostasis in macrophages during systemic infections with the intracellular pathogen Candida glabrata, leading to fungal survival and persistence. By engaging JAK1, IFNs-I disturbed the balance of the transcriptional activator NRF2 and repressor BACH1 to induce downregulation of the key iron exporter Fpn1 in macrophages. [Cell Host Microbe] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

A Quantitative Genetic Interaction Map of HIV Infection

A viral host-dependency epistasis map provided an expansive view of the genetic dependencies underlying HIV infection and could be used to identify drug targets and study viral mutations. Scientists found that the RNA deadenylase complex, CNOT, was a central player in the vE-MAP and showed that knockout of CNOT1, 10, and 11 suppressed HIV infection in primary T cells by upregulating innate immunity pathways. [Mol Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Salmonella Typhimurium Biofilm Disruption by a Human Antibody That Binds a Pan-Amyloid Epitope on Curli

Investigators showed that a human monoclonal antibody with pan-amyloid-binding activity could disrupt biofilms formed by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in vitro and in vivo. The antibody disrupted the biofilm structure, enhancing biofilm eradication by antibiotics and immune cells. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Chronic Virus Infection Drives CD8 T Cell-Mediated Thymic Destruction and Impaired Negative Selection

The authors demonstrated that chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection rapidly triggered severe thymic depletion, mediated by CD8 T cell-intrinsic type I interferon and signal transducer and activator of transcription 2 signaling. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Subordinate Effect of -21M HLA-B Dimorphism on NK Cell Repertoire Diversity and Function in HIV-1 Infected Individuals of African Origin

Researchers investigated the effect of a genetic polymorphism at position -21 of HLA-B on the phenotype and functional capacity of peripheral blood NK cells in a cohort of 36 African individuals with HIV type 1/human cytomegalovirus co-infection. [Front Immunol] Full Article

Specific Memory B Cell Response in Humans Upon Infection with Highly Pathogenic H7N7 Avian Influenza Virus

Scientists investigated an epizootic of the highly pathogenic A(H7N7) in the Netherlands, which in 2003 led to infection of 89 peoples and one fatal case. Subtype-specificity of antibodies were determined for confirmed H7N7 infected individuals, contacts of these cases and a comparison group controls, by microarray, using recombinant hemagglutinin 1 proteins. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Leucine-Rich Alpha 2 Glycoprotein Is a New Marker for Active Disease of Tuberculosis

Researchers investigated whether leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG), a new inflammatory biomarker, could be used to assess active disease of tuberculosis (TB). Cynomolgus macaques pretreated with or without Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination were inoculated with Mycobacterium TB to induce active TB. Blood was collected over time from these animals and levels of LRG as well as CRP and ESR were quantified. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Human Antibody Repertoire following Ebola Virus Infection and Vaccination

Higher antibody binding and affinity to GP was observed in survivors compared with vaccinated plasma that correlated with Ebola virus neutralization. Surprisingly, a predominant IgM response was generated after prime-boost vaccination whereas survivors demonstrated IgG dominant antibody response. [iScience] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Granzyme B Attenuates Bacterial Virulence by Targeting Secreted Factors

Investigators showed that granzyme B degraded multiple secreted virulence mediators from Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium and Mycobacteria tuberculosis. Pathogenic bacteria, when infected in presence of granzyme B or granzyme-secreting killer cells, failed to grow in human macrophages and epithelial cells due to their crippled virulence. [iScience] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

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Chytrid Fungi and Global Amphibian Declines

Scientists describe how the use of multidisciplinary biological approaches has been essential to pinpointing the origins of amphibian-parasitizing chytrid fungi, including Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, as well as to timing their emergence, tracking their cycles of expansion and identifying the core mechanisms that underpin their pathogenicity. [Nat Rev Microbiol] Abstract

Considering the Immune System during Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Clostridioides difficile Infection

The authors discuss recent advancements in understanding the interplay between immune cells and the microbiota and how they may relate to recovery from Clostridioides difficile through fecal microbiota transplantation therapy. [Trends Mol Med] Full Article

Trypanosoma Cruzi Calreticulin: Immune Evasion, Infectivity, and Tumorigenesis

Trypanosoma cruzi calreticulin (TcCalr) is a multifunctional, endoplasmic reticulum-resident chaperone that, translocated to the external microenvironment, mediates crucial host-parasite interactions. TcCalr binds and inactivates C1 and mannose-binding lectin/ficolins, important pattern- recognition receptors of the complement system. [Trends Parasitol] Abstract

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Institute of Human Virology and OncoImmune Launch Clinical Trial to Lessen Effects of HIV Later in Infection

The Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and OncoImmune, Inc. launched a new Phase II clinical trial called CALIBER, which will test whether OncoImmune’s lead product, CD24Fc, can reduce late effects of HIV infection, such as inflammatory abnormalities including cardiovascular disease. [University of Maryland School of Medicine (BusinessWire, Inc.)] Press Release

Harvard, Guangzhou Institute Launch $115M Coronavirus Research Collaboration

Researchers at Harvard University and the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health in China will partner to develop therapies designed to prevent new infections and treat existing ones, through a $115 million research collaboration funded by Chinese real estate giant China Evergrande Group. [Harvard University (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News)] Press Release

Clover and GSK Announce Research Collaboration to Evaluate Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine Candidate with Pandemic Adjuvant System

Clover Biopharmaceuticals announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with GSK for its protein-based coronavirus vaccine candidate. GSK will provide Clover with its pandemic adjuvant system for further evaluation of S-Trimer in pre-clinical studies. [Clover Biopharmaceuticals] Press Release

Pediatric Researchers in Montreal Unite to Tackle Infection and Immunity on Two Different Fronts

Researchers at the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Center and the CHU Sainte-Justine are coming together within the scope of two new projects, funded under the auspices of the McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity: improving the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial pneumonia and better understanding rare immune disorders. [McGill University] Press Release

Moderna Ships mRNA Vaccine against Novel Coronavirus (mRNA-1273) for Phase I Study

Moderna, Inc. announced that it has released the first batch of mRNA-1273, the company’s vaccine against the novel coronavirus, for human use. Vials of mRNA-1273 have been shipped to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a part of the National Institutes of Health to be used in the planned Phase I study in the US. [Moderna, Inc.] Press Release

Five Prime Therapeutics Licenses Antibodies to Seattle Genetics for Use in Novel Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) Programs

Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. announced a global license agreement with Seattle Genetics, Inc. to develop and commercialize novel ADC therapies using monoclonal antibodies developed by Five Prime. [Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Time to Use the P-Word? Coronavirus Enters Dangerous New Phase

The spread of the new coronavirus could soon become unstoppable, say scientists who are concerned about a rapid surge in the number and size of outbreaks outside China. Some are even muttering the p-word: pandemic. [Nature News] Editorial

Coronavirus Latest: Brazil Reports First Case in South America

A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Brazil — the first in South America. On 26 February, Brazil’s minister of health, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, confirmed that a man who traveled to northern Italy between 9 and 21 February has the disease. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW World Vaccine Congress
April 6-9, 2020
Washington, DC, United States

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NEW Project Leader – Innate Immune Sensing and Bacterial RNA (Helmholtz-Institut für RNA-Basierte Infektionsforschung)

Scientist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Department Chair – Microbiology and Immunology (Western University)

Postdoctoral Research – Cellular, Molecular, and Digital Medicine (Research Center for Molecular Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Innate Immune Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (The Francis Crick Institute)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Pathogen/Host Cell Interactions (University Hospital of Müenster)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Microtubules in Viral Infection (Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – HIV (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Vaccine Research (University of Rhode Island)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Tuberculosis Research (Texas Biomedical Research Institute)

Research Associate – Immunology (University Hospital of Muenster)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)

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