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Toll like-receptor agonist Pam 3 Cys modulates the immunogenicity of liposomes containing the tuberculosis vaccine candidate H56
AbstractA major roadblock in the development of novel vaccines is the formulation and delivery of the antigen. Liposomes composed of a dimethyldioctadecylammonium (DDA) backbone and the adjuvant trehalose-6-6-dibehenate (TDB, termed “cationic adjuvant formulation (CAF01)”, promote immunogenicity and protective efficacy of vaccines, most notably against infection withMycobacterium tuberculosis. Specifically, the multicomponent antigen H56 delivered by CAF01 protects against tuberculosis in mice. Here we investigated whether the inclusion of immune-modulatory adjuvants into CAF01 modulates the immunogenicity of H56/CAF01...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - February 3, 2020 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Mouse adaptation of the H9N2 avian influenza virus causes the downregulation of genes related to innate immune responses and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis in mice
AbstractH9N2 avian influenza viruses sporadically infect humans worldwide. These viruses have also contributed internal genes to H5N1, H5N6, H7N9, and H10N8 viruses, which have been isolated from humans with infections and are a substantial public health threat. To investigate the potential pathogenic mechanism of the H9N2 virus, we performed serial lung-to-lung passage of an avirulent H9N2 avian influenza virus (A/Chicken/Shandong/416/2016 [SD/416]) in mice to increase the pathogenicity of this virus. We generated a mouse-adapted (MA) virus that exhibited increased viral titers in the lungs, caused severe lung damage in m...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - January 24, 2020 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

FISH and chips: a review of microfluidic platforms for FISH analysis
AbstractFluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) allows visualization of specific nucleic acid sequences within an intact cell or a tissue section. It is based on molecular recognition between a fluorescently labeled probe that penetrates the cell membrane of a fixed but intact sample and hybridizes to a nucleic acid sequence of interest within the cell, rendering a measurable signal. FISH has been applied to, for example, gene mapping, diagnosis of chromosomal aberrations and identification of pathogens in complex samples as well as detailed studies of cellular structure and function. However, FISH protocols are complex,...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - January 20, 2020 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Advances in high-throughput methods for the identification of virus receptors
AbstractViruses have evolved many mechanisms to invade host cells and establish successful infections. The interaction between viral attachment proteins and host cell receptors is the first and decisive step in establishing such infections, initiating virus entry into the host cells. Therefore, the identification of host receptors is fundamental in understanding pathogenesis and tissue tropism. Furthermore, receptor identification can inform the development of antivirals, vaccines, and diagnostic technologies, which have a substantial impact on human health. Nevertheless, due to the complex nature of virus entry, the redun...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - December 20, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Recent advances in the understanding of trimeric autotransporter adhesins
AbstractAdhesion is the initial step in the infection process of gram-negative bacteria. It is usually followed by the formation of biofilms that serve as a hub for further spread of the infection. Type V secretion systems engage in this process by binding to components of the extracellular matrix, which is the first step in the infection process. At the same time they provide protection from the immune system by either binding components of the innate immune system or by establishing a physical layer against aggressors. Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are of particular interest in this family of proteins as they ...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - December 20, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Innovative training networks: a new way of collaboration-propped PhD training
(Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - December 6, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Functional characterization and evaluation of protective efficacy of EA752 –862 monoclonal antibody against B. anthracis vegetative cell and spores
AbstractThe most promising means of controlling anthrax, a lethal zoonotic disease during the early infection stages, entail restricting the resilient infectious form, i.e., the spores from proliferating to replicating bacilli in the host. The extractible antigen (EA1), a major S-layer protein present on the vegetative cells and spores ofBacillus anthracis, is highly immunogenic and protects mice against lethal challenge upon immunization. In the present study, mice were immunized with r-EA1C, the C terminal crystallization domain of EA1, to generate a neutralizing monoclonal antibody EA752 –862, that was evaluated fo...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - December 5, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Multiresistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae : a new threat in second decade of the XXI century
AbstractNeisseria gonorrhoeae is an etiologic agent of gonorrhoea, one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases caused by bacteria. For many years, infections caused byN. gonorrhoeae were considered to be relatively easy to treat; however, resistance has emerged successively to all therapeutic agents used in treatment of the disease, e.g., penicillin, ciprofloxacin or azithromycin. Currently, the global problem is the emergence and a threat of spread ofN. gonorrhoeae strains resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC), such as injectable ceftriaxone and oral-used cefixime. Especially, dangerous are multi-re...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - December 3, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Immunogenicity of trimeric autotransporter adhesins and their potential as vaccine targets
AbstractThe current problem of increasing antibiotic resistance and the resurgence of numerous infections indicate the need for novel vaccination strategies more than ever. In vaccine development, the search for and the selection of adequate vaccine antigens is the first important step. In recent years, bacterial outer membrane proteins have become of major interest, as they are the main proteins interacting with the extracellular environment. Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are important virulence factors in many Gram-negative bacteria, are localised on the bacterial surface, and mediate the first adherence to ho...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - November 30, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Human adenovirus binding to host cell receptors: a structural view
AbstractHuman Adenoviruses (HAdVs) are a family of clinically and therapeutically relevant viruses. A precise understanding of their host cell attachment and entry mechanisms can be applied in inhibitor design and the construction of targeted gene delivery vectors. In this article, structural data on adenovirus attachment and entry are reviewed. HAdVs engage two types of receptors: first, an attachment receptor that is bound by the fibre knob protein protruding from the icosahedral capsid, and next, an integrin entry receptor bound by the pentameric penton base at the capsid vertices. Adenoviruses use remarkably diverse at...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - November 28, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Differences and overlaps between Phd studies in diagnostic microbiology in industrial and academic settings
AbstractIndustrial and academic needs for innovation and fundamental research are essential and not widely different. Depending on the industrial setting, research and development (R&D) activities may be more focused on the developmental aspects given the need to ultimately sell useful products. However, one of the biggest differences between academic and industrial R&D will usually be the funding model applied and the priority setting between innovative research and product development. Generalizing, companies usually opt for development using customer- and consumer-derived funds whereas university research is dri...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - November 28, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Brexit in the channel: Europe cut off: a young German scientist ’s perspective
(Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - November 28, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Alternative pathway of complement activation has a beneficial role against Chandipura virus infection
AbstractThe complement system is a critical component of both innate and adaptive immune responses. It has both protective and pathogenic roles in viral infections. There are no studies regarding the role of complement system in Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection. The current study has investigated the role of complement pathways in the in vitro neutralization of CHPV in Vero E6 cells. Using normal human serum (NHS), heat-inactivated serum (HIS), human serum deficient of complement factor, respective reconstituted serum, assays like in vitro neutralization, real-time PCR, and flow cytometry-based tissue culture-based limite...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - November 27, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Alternative complement pathway is activated in the brains of scrapie-infected rodents
AbstractActivation of complement system in central nervous system (CNS) of the patients suffering from prion diseases or animal models infected with prion agents experimentally is reported repeatedly, but which pathways are involved in the complement system during prion infection is not well documented. Here, we evaluated the level of complement factor B (CFB), which is the key factor that triggers alterative pathway (AP) of complement in the brain tissues of scrapie-infected mice with various methodologies. We found that the levels of mRNA and protein of CFB significantly increased in the brain tissues of scrapie-infected...
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - November 11, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

A new multi-epitope peptide vaccine induces immune responses and protection against Leishmania infantum in BALB/c mice
This study could be promising in gaining insight towards the potential of peptide epitope-based vaccines as effective protective approaches againstLeishmania species. (Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology)
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - November 5, 2019 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research