Systems biology analysis reveals distinct molecular signatures associated with immune responsiveness to the BNT162b COVID-19 vaccine.

Background: Human immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines display a large heterogeneity of induced immunity and the underlying immune mechanisms for this remain largely unknown.

Methods: Using a systems biology approach, we longitudinally profiled a unique cohort of female high and low responders to the BNT162b vaccine, who were known from previous COVID-19 vaccinations to develop maximum and minimum immune responses to the vaccine. We utilized high dimensional flow cytometry, bulk and single cell mRNA sequencing and 48-plex serum cytokine analyses.

MCK2-mediated MCMV infection of macrophages and virus dissemination to the salivary gland depends on MHC class I molecules.

Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection of macrophages relies on MCMV-encoded chemokine 2 (MCK2), while infection of fibroblasts occurs independently of MCK2. Recently, MCMV infection of both cell types was found to be dependent on cell-expressed neuropilin 1. Using a CRISPR screen, we now identify that MCK2-dependent infection requires MHC class Ia/β-2-microglobulin (B2m) expression.

BNT162b2-boosted immune responses six months after heterologous or homologous ChAdOx1nCoV-19/BNT162b2 vaccination against COVID-19.

Heterologous prime/boost vaccination with a vector-based approach (ChAdOx-1nCov-19, ChAd) followed by an mRNA vaccine (e.g. BNT162b2, BNT) has been reported to be superior in inducing protective immunity compared to repeated application of the same vaccine.

Longitudinal Tracking of Immune Responses in COVID-19 Convalescents Reveals Absence of Neutralization Activity Against Omicron and Staggered Impairment to Other SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern.

Evaluating long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in convalescing individuals is of high clinical relevance. In this prospective study of a cohort of 46 SARS-CoV-2 patients infected with the Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 we longitudinally analyzed changes in humoral and cellular immunity upon early and late convalescence. Antibody neutralization capacity was measured by surrogate virus neutralization test and cellular responses were investigated with 31-colour spectral flow cytometry.

Robust induction of neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant after homologous Spikevax or heterologous Vaxzevria-Spikevax vaccination.

Sera of vaccines were assessed by surrogate virus neutralization tests for their capacity to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. Homologous prime-boost immunization with Moderna's Spikevax as well as heterologous immunization with AstraZeneca's Vaxzevria followed by Moderna's Spikevax were identified as highly potent vaccination regimens for the induction of Delta-neutralizing antibodies.

Intranasal Delivery of MVA Vector Vaccine Induces Effective Pulmonary Immunity Against SARS-CoV-2 in Rodents.

Antigen-specific tissue-resident memory T cells (Trms) and neutralizing IgA antibodies provide the most effective protection of the lungs from viral infections. To induce those essential components of lung immunity against SARS-CoV-2, we tested various immunization protocols involving intranasal delivery of a novel Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA)-SARS-2-spike vaccine candidate. We show that a single intranasal MVA-SARS-CoV-2-S application in mice strongly induced pulmonary spike-specific CD8 T cells, albeit restricted production of neutralizing antibodies.

Case Report: Convalescent Plasma Therapy Induced Anti-SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Expansion, NK Cell Maturation and Virus Clearance in a B Cell Deficient Patient After CD19 CAR T Cell Therapy.

Here, we described the case of a B cell-deficient patient after CD19 CAR-T cell therapy for refractory B cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma with protracted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For weeks, this patient only inefficiently contained the virus while convalescent plasma transfusion correlated with virus clearance. Interestingly, following convalescent plasma therapy natural killer cells matured and virus-specific T cells expanded, presumably allowing virus clearance and recovery from the disease.

Immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants after heterologous and homologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/BNT162b2 vaccination.

Currently approved viral vector-based and mRNA-based vaccine approaches against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) consider only homologous prime-boost vaccination. After reports of thromboembolic events, several European governments recommended using AstraZeneca's ChAdOx1-nCov-19 (ChAd) only in individuals older than 60 years, leaving millions of already ChAd-primed individuals with the decision to receive either a second shot of ChAd or a heterologous boost with mRNA-based vaccines. However, such combinations have not been tested so far.

Low serum neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody levels in mildly affected COVID-19 convalescent patients revealed by two different detection methods.

Neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) block severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) entry into cells via surface-expressed angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). We used a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) and SARS-CoV-2 S protein-pseudotyped vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vector-based neutralization assay (pVNT) to assess the degree to which serum antibodies from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent patients interfere with the binding of SARS-CoV-2 S to ACE2. Both tests revealed neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibodies in the sera of ~90% of mildly and 100% of severely affected COVID-19 convalescent patients.

Control of primary mouse cytomegalovirus infection in lung nodular inflammatory foci by cooperation of interferon-gamma expressing CD4 and CD8 T cells.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection share many characteristics. Therefore infection of mice with MCMV is an important tool to understand immune responses and to design vaccines and therapies for patients at the risk of severe CMV disease. In this study, we investigated the immune response in the lungs following acute infection with MCMV.

Structural and functional characterization of the Curli adaptor protein CsgF.

Curli are functional amyloids that form a major part of the biofilm produced by many enterobacteriaceae. A multiprotein system around the outer membrane protein CsgG is in charge of the export and controlled propagation of the main Curli subunits, CsgA and CsgB. CsgF is essential for the linkage of the main amyloid-forming proteins to the cell surface.

Segmental Isotope Labeling of Insoluble Proteins for Solid-State NMR by Protein Trans-Splicing.

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy (ssNMR) is uniquely suited for atomic-resolution structural investigations of large protein assemblies, which are notoriously difficult to study due to their insoluble and non-crystalline nature. However, assignment ambiguities because of limited resolution and spectral crowding are currently major hurdles that quickly increase with the length of the polypeptide chain. The line widths of ssNMR signals are independent of proteins size, making segmental isotope labeling a powerful approach to overcome this limitation.

Surface Binding of TOTAPOL Assists Structural Investigations of Amyloid Fibrils by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization NMR Spectroscopy.

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR can enhance sensitivity but often comes at the price of a substantial loss of resolution. Two major factors affect spectral quality: low-temperature heterogeneous line broadening and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) effects. Investigations by NMR spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and EPR revealed a new substantial affinity of TOTAPOL to amyloid surfaces, very similar to that shown by the fluorescent dye thioflavin-T (ThT).

Structure determination of helical filaments by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

The controlled formation of filamentous protein complexes plays a crucial role in many biological systems and represents an emerging paradigm in signal transduction. The mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) is a central signal transduction hub in innate immunity that is activated by a receptor-induced conversion into helical superstructures (filaments) assembled from its globular caspase activation and recruitment domain. Solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy has become one of the most powerful techniques for atomic resolution structures of protein fibrils.

Untangling a Repetitive Amyloid Sequence: Correlating Biofilm-Derived and Segmentally Labeled Curli Fimbriae by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy.

Curli are functional bacterial amyloids produced by an intricate biogenesis machinery. Insights into their folding and regulation can advance our understanding of amyloidogenesis. However, gaining detailed structural information of amyloids, and their tendency for structural polymorphisms, remains challenging.

The 3D structure of Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus LANA C-terminal domain bound to DNA.

Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) persists as a latent nuclear episome in dividing host cells. This episome is tethered to host chromatin to ensure proper segregation during mitosis. For duplication of the latent genome, the cellular replication machinery is recruited.

Constitutive production of c-di-GMP is associated with mutations in a variant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with altered membrane composition.

Most bacteria can form multicellular communities called biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces. This multicellular response to surface contact correlates with an increased resistance to various adverse environmental conditions, including those encountered during infections of the human host and exposure to antimicrobial compounds. Biofilm formation occurs when freely swimming (planktonic) cells encounter a surface, which stimulates the chemosensory-like, surface-sensing system Wsp and leads to generation of the intracellular second messenger 3',5'-cyclic-di-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP).

Unambiguous assignment of short- and long-range structural restraints by solid-state NMR spectroscopy with segmental isotope labeling.

We present an efficient method for the reduction of spectral complexity in the solid-state NMR spectra of insoluble protein assemblies, without loss of signal intensity. The approach is based on segmental isotope labeling by using the split intein DnaE from Nostoc punctiforme. We show that the segmentally (13)C, (15)N-labeled prion domain of HET-s exhibits significantly reduced spectral overlap while retaining the wild-type structure and spectral quality.

Solid-state NMR resonance assignments of the filament-forming CARD domain of the innate immunity signaling protein MAVS.

The mitochondrial antiviral signalling protein (MAVS) is a central signal transduction hub in the innate immune response against viral infections. Viral RNA present in the cytoplasm is detected by retinoic acid inducible gene I like receptors, which then activate MAVS via heterotypic interactions between their respective caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARD). This leads to the formation of active, high molecular weight MAVS complexes formed by homotypic interactions between the single N-terminal CARDs of MAVS.

The PqsR and RhlR transcriptional regulators determine the level of Pseudomonas quinolone signal synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by producing two different pqsABCDE mRNA isoforms.

Regulation of gene expression plays a key role in bacterial adaptability to changes in the environment. An integral part of this gene regulatory network is achieved via quorum sensing (QS) systems that coordinate bacterial responses under high cellular densities. In the nosocomial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the 2-alkyl-4-quinolone (pqs) signaling pathway is crucial for bacterial survival under stressful conditions.

A structural basis for BRD2/4-mediated host chromatin interaction and oligomer assembly of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and murine gammaherpesvirus LANA proteins.

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) establishes a lifelong latent infection and causes several malignancies in humans. Murine herpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) is a related γ2-herpesvirus frequently used as a model to study the biology of γ-herpesviruses in vivo. The KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (kLANA) and the MHV68 mLANA (orf73) protein are required for latent viral replication and persistence.

Discovery and biophysical characterization of 2-amino-oxadiazoles as novel antagonists of PqsR, an important regulator of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence.

The human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa employs alkyl quinolones for cell-to-cell communication. The Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) regulates various virulence factors via interaction with the transcriptional regulator PqsR. Therefore, we consider the development of PqsR antagonists a novel strategy to limit the pathogenicity of P.

Structural basis for intrinsic thermosensing by the master virulence regulator RovA of Yersinia.

Pathogens often rely on thermosensing to adjust virulence gene expression. In yersiniae, important virulence-associated traits are under the control of the master regulator RovA, which uses a built-in thermosensor to control its activity. Thermal upshifts encountered upon host entry induce conformational changes in the RovA dimer that attenuate DNA binding and render the protein more susceptible to proteolysis.

The mechanism of prion inhibition by HET-S.

HET-S (97% identical to HET-s) has an N-terminal globular domain that exerts a prion-inhibitory effect in cis on its own prion-forming domain (PFD) and in trans on HET-s prion propagation. We show that HET-S fails to form fibrils in vitro and that it inhibits HET-s PFD fibrillization in trans. In vivo analyses indicate that beta-structuring of the HET-S PFD is required for HET-S activity.