Publications by authors named "Chieko Makino-Okamura"

This study investigates the neutralizing activity against the XBB1.5 variant and the ancestral strain in a population post-bivalent vaccination using a pseudo virus assay validated with authentic virus assay. While bivalent booster vaccination and past infections enhanced neutralization against the XBB 1.

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  • - Several antibody therapeutics exist for SARS-CoV-2, but their effectiveness has decreased against emerging variants, prompting researchers to explore new antibodies obtained from recovered COVID-19 patients' B cells.
  • - From 172 antibodies created using the Wuhan strain and Gamma variant, six were effective against earlier strains, while five showed some ability to combat Omicron sub-strains, indicating a potential for broader neutralization.
  • - Testing one promising antibody in hamsters showed a significant reduction in lung viral levels, demonstrating its potential as an antiviral treatment and underscoring the need for effective initial screening in developing such therapies.
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  • Researchers developed 494 monoclonal antibodies from COVID-19 convalescent patients and found some that effectively neutralize SARS-CoV-2, including its variants, similar to existing clinical antibodies.
  • The antibodies demonstrated varied effectiveness against different virus mutations and were validated through cell-based assays and cryo-electron microscopy.
  • Therapeutic tests in hamster and macaque models showed that these antibodies, especially in a cocktail form, significantly reduced viral levels and lung damage, indicating their potential as therapeutic options against COVID-19.
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Palmitoylation is a lipid modification involving the attachment of palmitic acid to a cysteine residue, thereby affecting protein function. We investigated the effect of palmitoylation of tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme in melanin synthesis, using a human three-dimensional skin model system and melanocyte culture. The palmitoylation inhibitor, 2-bromopalmitate, increased melanin content and tyrosinase protein levels in melanogenic cells by suppressing tyrosinase degradation.

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Neutrophils are generally considered as short-lived, homogenous, and terminally differentiated phagocytes that play crucial roles in conquering infection, although they occasionally cause severe collateral tissue damage or chronic inflammation. Recent reports have indicated that neutrophils also play a protective role in inflammation resolution and tissue repair. However, how terminally differentiated neutrophils have diverse functions remains unclear.

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Aluminum precipitates have long been used as adjuvants for human vaccines, but there is a clear need for safer and more effective adjuvants. Here we report in a mouse model that the psoriasis drug Oxarol ointment is a highly effective vaccine adjuvant. By applying Oxarol ointment onto skin, humoral responses and germinal center (GC) reactions were augmented, and the treated mice were protected from death caused by influenza virus infection.

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While two memory compartments, memory B cells and long-lived plasma cells, are thought to contribute to the successful establishment of memory recall responses, the unique roles of each cellular compartment are still unclear. Herein, by tracing influenza anti-hemagglutinin (HA)-specific antibodies in mice, we demonstrate that pre-existing antibodies secreted by long-lived plasma cells are essential for protection from reinfection with the same influenza virus, whereas protection from secondary infection with an antigenically distinct influenza virus requires memory B-cell activation. These activated memory B cells were largely specific for the conserved HA stem region, and generated sufficient levels of antibodies for protection from heterologous reinfection.

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Ly6C monocytes migrate to injured sites and induce inflammation in the acute phase of tissue injury. However, once the causes of tissue injury are eliminated, monocyte-derived macrophages contribute to the resolution of inflammation and tissue repair. It remains unclear whether the emergence of these immunoregulatory macrophages is attributed to the phenotypic conversion of inflammatory monocytes in situ or to the recruitment of bone marrow-derived regulatory cells de novo.

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  • Researchers studied how heparin, produced by mast cells, affects skin cells (keratinocytes) in terms of melanosome uptake and inflammation.
  • * Heparin was found to inhibit the process of phagocytosis in keratinocytes by blocking important signaling pathways (PI3k/Akt and MEK/ERK).
  • * The presence of heparin also reduced the expression of inflammation markers during phagocytosis, indicating its potential role in reducing inflammation in the skin.
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The Drosophila defense against pathogens largely relies on the activation of two signaling pathways: immune deficiency (IMD) and Toll. The IMD pathway is triggered mainly by Gram-negative bacteria, whereas the Toll pathway responds predominantly to Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. The activation of these pathways leads to the rapid induction of numerous NF-κB-induced immune response genes, including antimicrobial peptide genes.

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