A Dietary Intervention of Bioactive Enriched Foods Aimed at Adults at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: Protocol and Results from PATHWAY-27 Pilot Study

Around a quarter of the global adult population have metabolic syndrome (MetS) and therefore increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and diabetes. Docosahexaenoic acid, oat beta-glucan and grape anthocyanins have been shown to be effective in reducing MetS risk factors when administered as isolated compounds, but their effect when administered as bioactive-enriched foods has not been evaluated. Objective: The overall aim of the PATHWAY-27 project was to evaluate the effectiveness of bioactive-enriched food consumption on improving risk factors of MetS. A pilot study was conducted to assess which of five bioactive combinations provided within three different food matrices (bakery, dairy or egg) were the most effective in adult volunteers. The trial also evaluated the feasibility of production, consumer acceptability and gastrointestinal tolerance of the bioactive-enriched food. Method: The study included three monocentric, parallel-arm, double-blind, randomised, dietary intervention trials without a placebo. Each recruiting centre tested the five bioactive combinations within a single food matrix. Results: The study was completed by 167 participants (74 male, 93 female). The results indicated that specific bioactive/matrix combinations have effects on serum triglyceride or HDL-cholesterol level without adverse effects. Conclusion: The study evidenced that bioactive-enriched food offers a promising food-based strategy for MetS prevention, and highlighted the importance of conducting pilot studies

Human rhinovirus infection blocks SARS-CoV-2 replication within the respiratory epithelium: implications for COVID-19 epidemiology

Virus-virus interactions influence the epidemiology of respiratory infections. However, the impact of viruses causing upper respiratory infections on SARS-CoV-2 replication and transmission is currently unknown. Human rhinoviruses cause the common cold and are the most prevalent respiratory viruses of humans. Interactions between rhinoviruses and co-circulating respiratory viruses have been shown to shape virus epidemiology at the individual host and population level. Here, we examined the replication kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 in the human respiratory epithelium in the presence or absence of rhinovirus. We show that human rhinovirus triggers an interferon response that blocks SARS-CoV-2 replication. Mathematical simulations show that this virus-virus interaction is likely to have a population-wide effect as an increasing prevalence of rhinovirus will reduce the number of new COVID-19 cases

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 serosurveillance in a patient population reveals differences in virus exposure and antibody-mediated immunity according to host demography and healthcare setting

Identifying drivers of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and quantifying population immunity is crucial to prepare for future epidemics. We performed a serial cross-sectional serosurvey throughout the first pandemic wave among patients from the largest health board in Scotland. Screening of 7480 patient sera showed a weekly seroprevalence ranging from 0.10% to 8.23% in primary and 0.21% to 17.44% in secondary care, respectively. Neutralisation assays showed that around half of individuals who tested positive by ELISA assay, developed highly neutralising antibodies, mainly among secondary care patients. We estimated the individual probability of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and quantified associated risk factors. We show that secondary care patients, males and 45-64-year-olds exhibit a higher probability of being seropositive. The identification of risk factors and the differences in virus neutralisation activity between patient populations provided insights into the patterns of virus exposure during the first pandemic wave and shed light on what to expect in future waves

SARS-CoV-2 evolution and patient immunological history shape the breadth and potency of antibody-mediated immunity

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, humans have been exposed to distinct SARS-CoV-2 antigens, either by infection with different variants, and/or vaccination. Population immunity is thus highly heterogeneous, but the impact of such heterogeneity on the effectiveness and breadth of the antibody-mediated response is unclear. We measured antibody-mediated neutralisation responses against SARS-CoV-2Wuhan, SARS-CoV-2α, SARS-CoV-2δ and SARS-CoV-2ο pseudoviruses using sera from patients with distinct immunological histories, including naive, vaccinated, infected with SARS-CoV-2Wuhan, SARS-CoV-2α or SARS-CoV-2δ, and vaccinated/infected individuals. We show that the breadth and potency of the antibody-mediated response is influenced by the number, the variant, and the nature (infection or vaccination) of exposures, and that individuals with mixed immunity acquired by vaccination and natural exposure exhibit the broadest and most potent responses. Our results suggest that the interplay between host immunity and SARS-CoV-2 evolution will shape the antigenicity and subsequent transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, with important implications for future vaccine design

Long-term adaptation following influenza A virus host shifts results in increased within-host viral fitness due to higher replication rates, broader dissemination within the respiratory epithelium and reduced tissue damage

The mechanisms and consequences of genome evolution on viral fitness following host shifts are poorly understood. In addition, viral fitness -the ability of an organism to reproduce and survive- is multifactorial and thus difficult to quantify. Influenza A viruses (IAVs) circulate broadly among wild birds and have jumped into and become endemic in multiple mammalian hosts, including humans, pigs, dogs, seals, and horses. H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) is an endemic virus of horses that originated in birds and has been circulating uninterruptedly in equine populations since the early 1960s. Here, we used EIV to quantify changes in infection phenotype associated to viral fitness due to genome-wide changes acquired during long-term adaptation. We performed experimental infections of two mammalian cell lines and equine tracheal explants using the earliest H3N8 EIV isolated (A/equine/Uruguay/63 [EIV/63]), and A/equine/Ohio/2003 (EIV/2003), a monophyletic descendant of EIV/63 isolated 40 years after the emergence of H3N8 EIV. We show that EIV/2003 exhibits increased resistance to interferon, enhanced viral replication, and a more efficient cell-to-cell spread in cells and tissues. Transcriptomics analyses revealed virus-specific responses to each virus, mainly affecting host immunity and inflammation. Image analyses of infected equine respiratory explants showed that despite replicating at higher levels and spreading over larger areas of the respiratory epithelium, EIV/2003 induced milder lesions compared to EIV/63, suggesting that adaptation led to reduced tissue pathogenicity. Our results reveal previously unknown links between virus genotype and the host response to infection, providing new insights on the relationship between virus evolution and fitness

Adaptation of avian-origin influenza virus to the horse

The mechanisms and consequences of evolution on viral fitness following interspecies transmission and long-term adaptation are poorly understood. Influenza A viruses (IAVs) circulate among wild birds and have been linked to the emergence of viruses of humans, pigs, dogs, and horses. Since the mid 1950s, equine influenza viruses (EIVs) have emerged in Europe (H7N7, in 1956), America (H3N8, in 1963) and Asia (H3N8, in 1989). All EIVs are thought to have originated in birds, and only the H3N8 EIV lineage that emerged in 1963 circulates today. I used EIVs to study changes in viral fitness following host shifts. To this end, I compared the in vitro and ex vivo infection phenotypes of A/equine/Lexington/1/1966 (EIV/66), a representative of the extinct H7N7 EIV lineage; A/equine/Jilin/1/1989 (EIV/89), also extinct; and two viruses of the currently circulating H3N8 EIV lineage: A/equine/Uruguay/1/1963 (EIV/63) and its descendant A/equine/Ohio/1/2003 (EIV/2003). I also studied A/ruddy shelduck/Mongolia/963v/2009 (AIV/2009), an avian influenza virus phylogenetically related to EIV/89. The results obtained showed that while each virus displayed a unique infection phenotype, EIV/2003 exhibited the highest overall fitness, consistent with the long-term circulation of this lineage among horses. Traits associated with increased fitness included enhanced viral replication, efficient cell-to-cell spread in cells and tissues, and resistance to interferon. Notably, transcriptomics revealed important differences among EIVs in terms of intracellular pathways affecting host immunity, inflammation, and cellular transcription. This study showed that within-host fitness is determined by the interplay between virus-host interactions and evolution. In turn, within-host fitness will likely impact long-term adaptation of IAV to mammals

Pathway-27 : Etude Pilote sur les effets de substances bioactives en lien avec des marqueurs du Syndrome Métabolique

Introduction et but de l’étude : Le projet Pathway-27 permettra d’évaluer l’efficacité de l’acide docosahexaénoïque (DHA), seul ou en combinaison avec deux autres composés bioactifs (B-glucane (BG) et anthocyanes (AC)), dans la réduction des facteurs de risque du Syndrome Métabolique (SM). Ces composés dits « bioactifs » (BEF) ont été incorporés dans 3 matrices alimentaires différentes (produits laitiers, produits céréaliers et produits à base d’oeufs) seuls ou en association DHA +/- BG ou DHA +/- AC.L’objectif est d’appréhender les synergies possibles et les interactions BEF – matrice. Ces différentes matrices seront utilisées lors d’une étude d’intervention nutritionnelle multicentrique. Le but de cette étude européenne, randomisée, en double aveugle, est d'identifier le BEF qui induit une modification la plus favorable des paramètres lipidiques. Le BEF sélectionné sera ensuite testé sur une cohorte de huit cents sujets.Matériel et méthodes : Soixante-dix hommes et femmes à risque de SM ont été recrutés au Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Auvergne (CRNH-Auvergne) de Clermont-Ferrand (France). Les volontaires ont été divisés en 5 groupes recevant, pendant 4 semaines, une matrice alimentaire enrichie en DHA, BG, ou AC seul ou en association. Les marqueurs cliniques du SM ont été mesurés. De plus, des approches « omiques » seront utilisées pour examiner les changements métaboliques et potentiellement identifier de nouveaux marqueurs d'effets.Conclusion : Les résultats obtenus permettront de comprendre l’effet matrice sur la bioactivité des nutriments testés

Identification of previously unknown genetic determinants of influenza A virus morphology

The dataset consists of raw micrographs (czi files), measurements (csv), figure images (tiff files), and sequences (fasta files). The purpose of this dataset is to provide open access to all data included in this work. Figure Data is too large to download (10GB) from this page directly and can be requested using the 'Request Data' button above

Les pratiques agricoles face à l'exigence de qualité des paysages et des produits : l'AOC Saint Nectaire

National audienceIn France, since about fifteen years, the agricultural produces with stamp of quality and origin grow. In same time, the social demand for agricultural maintenance of landscape increases and conditions more and more the farming activities. To study the future alternative to answer to this double demand on farms products and landscapes quality, a methodological and analytical work on a french AOC cheese aims to identify and analyze the farming practices and systems supporting this double demand. It is interested in: a) the landscape elements presented to promote the product, b) the farming areas, systems and practices linked to these elements in the AOC zone. The work is based on cheese promoters and producers photographs. Farm's surveys and landscape observations are locally developed to locate the areas, the practices and the stockbreeders contributing to maintain emblematic landscape elements of the AOC product, making possible an answer to the double demand for product and landscape quality.Depuis une quinzaine d'années, les produits agricoles sous signe de qualité se développent. Dans le même temps, les demandes d'entretien de l'espace par l'agriculture augmentent et conditionnent de plus en plus cette activité. Pour étudier les modes de réponse à cette double exigence de qualité des produits et des paysages, un travail méthodologique et analytique sur le fromage AOC Saint Nectaire a pour objectif de permettre d'identifier les pratiques agricoles impliquées dans l'élaboration du produit et de ses paysages emblématiques. Il s'intéresse : aux éléments paysagers mis en avant pour promouvoir ce produit, aux lieux, exploitations agricoles et pratiques sur l'espace correspondant à ces éléments dans la zone AOC. Le travail est effectué à partir de photographies de promoteurs et de producteurs comportant des paysages considérés comme emblématiques du produit. Des enquêtes en exploitations et des relevés de terrain sont aussi effectués pour repérer les lieux, les pratiques et les éleveurs contribuant à maintenir des éléments paysagers emblématiques, permettant de répondre à une double exigence de qualité du produit et du paysage