93 research outputs found

    The intestinal virome in children with cystic fibrosis differs from healthy controls.

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    Intestinal bacterial dysbiosis is evident in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and intestinal viruses may be contributory, given their influence on bacterial species diversity and biochemical cycles. We performed a prospective, case-control study on children with CF and age and gender matched healthy controls (HC), to investigate the composition and function of intestinal viral communities. Stool samples were enriched for viral DNA and RNA by viral extraction, random amplification and purification before sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). Taxonomic assignment of viruses was performed using Vipie. Functional annotation was performed using Virsorter. Inflammation was measured by calprotectin and M2-pyruvate kinase (M2-PK). Eight CF and eight HC subjects were included (50% male, mean age 6.9 ± 3.0 and 6.4 ± 5.3 years, respectively, p = 0.8). All CF subjects were pancreatic insufficient. Regarding the intestinal virome, no difference in Shannon index between CF and HC was identified. Taxonomy-based beta-diversity (presence-absence Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) was significantly different between CF and HC (R2 = 0.12, p = 0.001). Myoviridae, Faecalibacterium phage FP Taranis and unclassified Gokushovirinae were significantly decreased in CF compared with HC (q<0.05). In children with CF (compared to HC), the relative abundance of genes annotated to (i) a peptidoglycan-binding domain of the peptidoglycan hydrolases (COG3409) was significantly increased (q<0.05) and (ii) capsid protein (F protein) (PF02305.16) was significantly decreased (q<0.05). Picornavirales, Picornaviridae, and Enterovirus were found to positively correlate with weight and BMI (r = 0.84, q = 0.01). Single-stranded DNA viruses negatively correlated with M2-PK (r = -0.86, q = 0.048). Children with CF have an altered intestinal virome compared to well-matched HC, with both taxonomic and predicted functional changes. Further exploration of Faecalibacterium phages, Gokushovirinae and phage lysins are warranted. Intestinal viruses and their functions may have important clinical implications for intestinal inflammation and growth in children with CF, potentially providing novel therapeutic targets

    Multiplication and Growth Inhibition Activity Assays for the Zoonotic Malaria Parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi.

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    Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Clinical symptoms of the disease arise from the growth and multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within the blood of the host. Thus in vitro assays to determine how drug, antibody and genetic perturbations affect the growth rate of Plasmodium parasites are essential for the development of new therapeutics and improving our understanding of parasite biology. As both P. falciparum and P. knowlesi can be maintained in culture with human red blood cells, the effect of antimalarial drugs and inhibitory antibodies that target the invasion capacity of Plasmodium parasites are routinely investigated by using multiplication assays or growth inhibition assays against these two species. This protocol gives detailed step-by-step procedures to carry out flow cytometry-based multiplication assays and growth inhibition activity assays to test neutralizing antibodies based on the activity of the parasite enzyme lactate dehydrogenase of Plasmodium knowlesi adapted to human red blood cell culture. Whilst similar assays are well established for P. falciparum, P. knowlesi is more closely related to all other human infective species ( Pacheco et al., 2018 ) and so can be used as a surrogate for testing drugs and vaccines for other malaria species such as P. vivax, which is the most widespread cause of malaria outside of Africa, but cannot yet be cultured under laboratory conditions

    Coxsackievirus B5 infection induces dysregulation of microRNAs predicted to target known type 1 diabetes risk genes in human pancreatic islets

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    Extensive research has identified enterovirus (EV) infections as key environmental triggers of type 1 diabetes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms via which EVs contribute to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes remain unclear. Given that EVs dysregulate host microRNAs (miRNAs), which function as key regulators of β-cell biology, we investigated the impact of coxsackievirus B5 (CVB5) infection on the cellular expression of miRNAs within human islets. Using high-throughput quantitative PCR nanofluidics arrays, the expression of 754 miRNAs was examined in CVB5-infected human pancreatic islets. In total, 33 miRNAs were significantly dysregulated (≥ threefold difference) in the infected compared with control islets (P < 0.05). Subsequently, these differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted to target mRNAs of 57 known type 1 diabetes risk genes that collectively mediate various biological processes, including the regulation of cell proliferation, cytokine production, the innate immune response, and apoptosis. In conclusion, we report the first global miRNA expression profiling of CVB5-infected human pancreatic islets. We propose that EVs disrupt the miRNA-directed suppression of proinflammatory factors within β-cells, thereby resulting in an exacerbated antiviral immune response that promotes β-cell destruction and eventual type 1 diabetes

    Multimodality local consolidative treatment versus conventional care of advanced lung cancer after first-line systemic anti-cancer treatment: study protocol for the RAMON multicentre randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot

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    Introduction Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide and most patients present with extensive disease. One-year survival is improving but remains low (37%) despite novel systemic anti-cancer treatments forming the current standard of care. Although new therapies improve survival, most patients have residual disease after treatment, and little is known on how best to manage it. Therefore, residual disease management varies across the UK, with some patients receiving only maintenance systemic anti-cancer treatment while others receive local consolidative treatment (LCT), alongside maintenance systemic anti-cancer treatment. LCT can be a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and/or ablation to remove all remaining cancer within the lung and throughout the body. This is intensive, expensive and impacts quality of life, but we do not know if it results in better survival, nor the extent of impact on quality of life and what the cost might be for healthcare providers. The RAMON study (RAdical Management Of Advanced Non-small cell lung cancer) will evaluate the acceptability, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of LCT versus no LCT after first-line systemic treatment for advanced lung cancer. Methods and analysis RAMON is a pragmatic open multicentre, parallel group, superiority randomised controlled trial. We aim to recruit 244 patients aged 18 years and over with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer from 40 UK NHS hospitals. Participants will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive LCT alongside maintenance treatment, or maintenance treatment alone. LCT will be tailored to each patient’s specific disease sites. Participants will be followed up for a minimum of 2 years. The primary outcome is overall survival from randomisation. Ethics and dissemination The West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee (22/WS/0121) gave ethical approval in August 2022 and the Health Research Authority in September 2022. Participants will provide written informed consent before participating in the study. Findings will be presented at international meetings, in peer-reviewed publications, through patient organisations and notifications to patients. Trial registration number ISRCTN11613852

    A systematic analysis of the human immune response to Plasmodium vivax

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    Background. The biology of Plasmodium vivax is markedly different from that of P. falciparum; how this shapes the immune response to infection remains unclear. To address this shortfall, we inoculated human volunteers with a clonal field isolate of P. vivax and tracked their response through infection and convalescence. Methods. Participants were injected intravenously with blood-stage parasites and infection dynamics were tracked in real time by quantitative PCR. Whole blood samples were used for high dimensional protein analysis, RNA sequencing, and cytometry by time of flight, and temporal changes in the host response to P. vivax were quantified by linear regression. Comparative analyses with P. falciparum were then undertaken using analogous data sets derived from prior controlled human malaria infection studies. Results. P. vivax rapidly induced a type I inflammatory response that coincided with hallmark features of clinical malaria. This acute-phase response shared remarkable overlap with that induced by P. falciparum but was significantly elevated (at RNA and protein levels), leading to an increased incidence of pyrexia. In contrast, T cell activation and terminal differentiation were significantly increased in volunteers infected with P. falciparum. Heterogeneous CD4+ T cells were found to dominate this adaptive response and phenotypic analysis revealed unexpected features normally associated with cytotoxicity and autoinflammatory disease. Conclusion. P. vivax triggers increased systemic interferon signaling (cf P. falciparum), which likely explains its reduced pyrogenic threshold. In contrast, P. falciparum drives T cell activation far in excess of P. vivax, which may partially explain why falciparum malaria more frequently causes severe disease. Trial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03797989. Funding. The European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, the Wellcome Trust, and the Royal Society

    Comparative analysis of the lambda-interferons IL-28A and IL-29 regarding their transcriptome and their antiviral properties against hepatitis C virus.

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    Specific differences in signaling and antiviral properties between the different Lambda-interferons, a novel group of interferons composed of IL-28A, IL-28B and IL-29, are currently unknown. This is the first study comparatively investigating the transcriptome and the antiviral properties of the Lambda-interferons IL-28A and IL-29. Expression studies were performed by microarray analysis, quantitative PCR (qPCR), reporter gene assays and immunoluminometric assays. Signaling was analyzed by Western blot. HCV replication was measured in Huh-7 cells expressing subgenomic HCV replicon. All hepatic cell lines investigated as well as primary hepatocytes expressed both IFN-λ receptor subunits IL-10R2 and IFN-λR1. Both, IL-28A and IL-29 activated STAT1 signaling. As revealed by microarray analysis, similar genes were induced by both cytokines in Huh-7 cells (IL-28A: 117 genes; IL-29: 111 genes), many of them playing a role in antiviral immunity. However, only IL-28A was able to significantly down-regulate gene expression (n = 272 down-regulated genes). Both cytokines significantly decreased HCV replication in Huh-7 cells. In comparison to liver biopsies of patients with non-viral liver disease, liver biopsies of patients with HCV showed significantly increased mRNA expression of IL-28A and IL-29. Moreover, IL-28A serum protein levels were elevated in HCV patients. In a murine model of viral hepatitis, IL-28 expression was significantly increased. IL-28A and IL-29 are up-regulated in HCV patients and are similarly effective in inducing antiviral genes and inhibiting HCV replication. In contrast to IL-29, IL-28A is a potent gene repressor. Both IFN-λs may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of chronic HCV

    Rapid and iterative genome editing in the malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi provides new tools for P. vivax research.

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    Tackling relapsing Plasmodium vivax and zoonotic Plasmodium knowlesi infections is critical to reducing malaria incidence and mortality worldwide. Understanding the biology of these important and related parasites was previously constrained by the lack of robust molecular and genetic approaches. Here, we establish CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in a culture-adapted P. knowlesi strain and define parameters for optimal homology-driven repair. We establish a scalable protocol for the production of repair templates by PCR and demonstrate the flexibility of the system by tagging proteins with distinct cellular localisations. Using iterative rounds of genome-editing we generate a transgenic line expressing P. vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBP), a lead vaccine candidate. We demonstrate that PvDBP plays no role in reticulocyte restriction but can alter the macaque/human host cell tropism of P. knowlesi. Critically, antibodies raised against the P. vivax antigen potently inhibit proliferation of this strain, providing an invaluable tool to support vaccine development

    Repeat controlled human malaria infection of healthy UK adults with blood-stage plasmodium falciparum:Safety and parasite growth dynamics

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    In endemic settings it is known that natural malaria immunity is gradually acquired following repeated exposures. Here we sought to assess whether similar acquisition of blood-stage malaria immunity would occur following repeated parasite exposure by controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). We report the findings of repeat homologous blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 clone) CHMI studies VAC063C (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03906474) and VAC063 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02927145). In total, 24 healthy, unvaccinated, malaria-naïve UK adult participants underwent primary CHMI followed by drug treatment. Ten of these then underwent secondary CHMI in the same manner, and then six of these underwent a final tertiary CHMI. As with primary CHMI, malaria symptoms were common following secondary and tertiary infection, however, most resolved within a few days of treatment and there were no long term sequelae or serious adverse events related to CHMI. Despite detectable induction and boosting of anti-merozoite serum IgG antibody responses following each round of CHMI, there was no clear evidence of anti-parasite immunity (manifest as reduced parasite growth in vivo) conferred by repeated challenge with the homologous parasite in the majority of volunteers. However, three volunteers showed some variation in parasite growth dynamics in vivo following repeat CHMI that were either modest or short-lived. We also observed no major differences in clinical symptoms or laboratory markers of infection across the primary, secondary and tertiary challenges. However, there was a trend to more severe pyrexia after primary CHMI and the absence of a detectable transaminitis post-treatment following secondary and tertiary infection. We hypothesize that this could represent the initial induction of clinical immunity. Repeat homologous blood-stage CHMI is thus safe and provides a model with the potential to further the understanding of naturally acquired immunity to blood-stage infection in a highly controlled setting. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03906474, NCT02927145

    Diagnosis Across the Spectrum of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Syndrome

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    IMPORTANCE: Patients with atypical parkinsonian syndromes (APS), including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), may be difficult to distinguish in early stages and are often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease (PD). The diagnostic criteria for PSP have been updated to encompass a range of clinical subtypes, but have not been prospectively studied. OBJECTIVE: To define the distinguishing features of PSP and CBS, and to assess their usefulness in facilitating early diagnosis and separation from PD. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Cohort study which recruited APS and PD patients from movement disorder clinics across the UK from September 2015 to December 2018, and will follow up patients over 5 years. APS patients were stratified into PSP-Richardson syndrome, PSP-subcortical (including PSP-parkinsonism and PSP-progressive gait freezing cases), PSP-cortical (including PSP-frontal and PSP/CBS overlap cases), MSA-parkinsonism, MSA-cerebellar, CBS-Alzheimer’s and CBS-non-Alzheimer’s groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline group comparisons were conducted using: 1) Clinical trajectory; 2) Cognitive screening scales; 3) Serum neurofilament light chain (NF-L); 4) TRIM11, ApoE and MAPT genotypes; 5) Volumetric MRI. RESULTS: 222 APS cases (101 PSP, 55 MSA, 40 CBS and 26 indeterminate) were recruited (58% male; mean age at recruitment, 68.3 years). Age-matched controls (n=76) and PD cases (n=1967) were also included. Concordance between the ante-mortem clinical diagnosis and pathological diagnosis was achieved in 12/13 (92%) of PSP and CBS cases coming to post-mortem. Applying the MDS PSP diagnostic criteria almost doubled the number of patients diagnosed with PSP. 49/101 (49%) of reclassified PSP patients did not have classical PSP-Richardson syndrome. PSP-subcortical patients had a longer diagnostic latency and a more benign clinical trajectory than PSP-Richardson syndrome and PSP-cortical (p<0.05). PSP-subcortical was distinguished from PSP-cortical and PSP-Richardson syndrome by cortical volumetric MRI measures (AUC 0.84-0.89), cognitive profile (AUC 0.80-0.83), serum NF-L (AUC 0.75-0.83) and TRIM11 rs564309 genotype. Midbrain atrophy was a common feature of all PSP subtypes. 8/17 (47%) of CBS patients with CSF analysis were identified as having CBS-Alzheimer’s. CBS-Alzheimer’s patients had a longer diagnostic latency, relatively benign clinical trajectory, greater cognitive impairment and higher APOE-ε4 allele frequency than CBS-non-Alzheimer’s (p<0.05, AUC 0.80-0.87). Serum NF-L levels distinguished PD from PSP and CBS (p<0.05, AUC 0.80). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Clinical, therapeutic and epidemiological studies focusing on PSP-Richardson syndrome are likely to miss a large number of patients with underlying PSP-tau pathology. CSF analysis defines a distinct CBS-Alzheimer’s subgroup. PSP and CBS subtypes have distinct characteristics that may enhance their early diagnosis
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