Characterisation of specific responses to three models of viral antigens in immunocompetent older adults.

Background: Memory responses to the antigens that an individual encounters throughout life may vary with the intensity and duration of antigen contacts or even with changes in immune status over time. This work aims to characterise specific responses to latent CMV, seasonal influenza and novel SARS-CoV-2 infections in immunocompetent individuals over 60 years of age. Specific cellular and humoral responses were identified by IFN-γ and granzyme B release by ELISpot and antibody level measurement.

Surviving Older Patients Show Preserved Cellular and Humoral Immunological Memory Several Months After SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Understanding how older people respond to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical if we are to confront the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and establish effective vaccination strategies. Immunosenescence reduces the ability to respond to neoantigens and may compromise the life of infected individuals. Here, we analyzed the immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 in 102 recovered patients aged over 60 years several months after the infection had been resolved.

Purification of human alpha-L-fucosidase precursor expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein.

Alpha-L-fucosidase (FUC) is a glycosidase involved in the degradation of fucose-containing glycoconjugates. A cDNA representing the complete sequence of human FUC was inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-2T. High levels of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein were detected in Escherichia coli cells after induction with isopropyl thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside.