Association of T-Cell Phenotypes With Peri-Coronary Inflammation in People With and Without HIV and Without Cardiovascular Disease.

Background: Persistent immune activation is linked to elevated cardiovascular diseases in people with HIV on antiretroviral therapy. The fat attenuation index (FAI) is a measure of peri-coronary inflammation that independently predicts cardiovascular disease risk in people without HIV. Whether FAI is associated with immune activation is unknown.

Tracking coreceptor switch of the transmitted/founder HIV-1 identifies co-evolution of HIV-1 antigenicity, coreceptor usage and CD4 subset targeting: the RV217 acute infection cohort study.

Background: The CCR5 (R5) to CXCR4 (X4) coreceptor switch in natural HIV-1 infection is associated with faster progression to AIDS, but the mechanisms remain unclear. The difficulty in elucidating the evolutionary origin of the earliest X4 viruses limits our understanding of this phenomenon.

Methods: We tracked the evolution of the transmitted/founder (T/F) HIV-1 in RV217 participants identified in acute infection.

Transmission of highly virulent CXCR4 tropic HIV-1 through the mucosal route in an individual with a wild-type CCR5 genotype.

Nearly all transmitted/founder (T/F) HIV-1 are CCR5 (R5)-tropic. While previous evidence suggested that CXCR4 (X4)-tropic HIV-1 are transmissible, detection was not at the earliest stages of acute infection. Here, we identified an X4-tropic T/F HIV-1 in a participant in acute infection cohort.

Transmission of highly virulent CXCR4 tropic HIV-1 through the mucosal route in an individual with a wild-type CCR5 genotype.

Nearly all transmitted/founder (T/F) HIV-1 are CCR5 (R5)-tropic. While previous evidence suggested that CXCR4 (X4)-tropic HIV-1 are transmissible, detection was not at the earliest stages of acute infection. Here, we identified an X4-tropic T/F HIV-1 in a participant in acute infection cohort.

Tracking coreceptor switch of the transmitted/founder HIV-1 identifies co-evolution of HIV-1 antigenicity, coreceptor usage and CD4 subset targeting.

The CCR5 (R5) to CXCR4 (X4) coreceptor switch in natural HIV-1 infection is associated with faster progression to AIDS, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The difficulty in capturing the earliest moment of coreceptor switch limits our understanding of this phenomenon. Here, by tracking the evolution of the transmitted/founder (T/F) HIV-1 in a prospective cohort of individuals at risk for HIV-1 infection identified very early in acute infection, we investigated this process with high resolution.

Vγ2Vδ2 T cell Costimulation Increases NK cell Killing of Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells.

Interactions between NK and dendritic cells (DC) affect maturation and function of both cell populations, including NK killing of DC (editing) that is important for controlling the quality of immune responses. We also know that antigen-stimulated Vγ2Vδ2 T cells costimulate NK cells via 4-1BB to enhance killing of tumor cell lines but we do not know what regulates 4-1BB expression or whether other NK effector functions including DC killing, might also be influenced by NK:γδ T cell cross talk. Here we show that antigen-stimulated γδ T cells costimulate NK through ICOS:ICOSL and this signal increases NK killing of autologous DC.

Content of 8-oxodG in chromosomal DNA of Sparus aurata fish as biomarker of oxidative stress and environmental pollution.

The 8-oxodG content has been measured in chromosomal DNA of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) by HPLC-EC. Susceptibility of different tissues to oxidative DNA damage was studied by exposing fish to model pollutants. Cu(II), paraquat (PQ) and malathion failed to promote DNA oxidation in liver, while dieldrin significantly increased the 8-oxodG content in this organ, but not in gills or blood.

Mutagenic activation of aromatic amines by molluscs as a biomarker of marine pollution.

Mutagenic activation of arylamines by mollusc S9 fractions was evaluated as a biomarker for marine pollution. Two bivalve species were used as bioindicators, the common mussel (Mytilus edulis) and the striped venus (Chameleo gallina). A strain of Salmonella typhimurium overproducing O-acetyltransferase was used as indicator of mutagenicity.

Metabolic activation of carcinogenic aromatic amines by fish exposed to environmental pollutants.

Activation of arylamines to mutagenic metabolites by hepatic S9 fractions has been evaluated as a biomaker of fish exposure to pollutants, using gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), a valuable fish species from the Spanish South Atlantic littoral, as model organism. To obtain maximal sensitivity to the mutagenic action of aromatic amines, a strain of Salmonella typhimurium overproducing O-acetyltransferase was used. Fish were treated with Aroclor 1254, pesticides (malathion and dieldrin), or copper(II), and compared to Aroclor 1254-treated rats.