CARs derived from broadly neutralizing, human monoclonal antibodies identified by single B cell sorting target hepatitis B virus-positive cells.

To design new CARs targeting hepatitis B virus (HBV), we isolated human monoclonal antibodies recognizing the HBV envelope proteins from single B cells of a patient with a resolved infection. HBV-specific memory B cells were isolated by incubating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with biotinylated hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), followed by single-cell flow cytometry-based sorting of live, CD19 IgG HBsAg cells. Amplification and sequencing of immunoglobulin genes from single memory B cells identified variable heavy and light chain sequences.

Dynamic, Helminth-Induced Immune Modulation Influences the Outcome of Acute and Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B develops more frequently in countries with high prevalence of helminth infections. The crosstalk between these 2 major liver-residing pathogens, Schistosoma mansoni and hepatitis B virus (HBV), is barely understood.

Methods: We used state-of-the-art models for both acute and chronic HBV infection to study the pathogen-crosstalk during the different immune phases of schistosome infection.

Concomitant Infection of S. mansoni and H. pylori Promotes Promiscuity of Antigen-Experienced Cells and Primes the Liver for a Lower Fibrotic Response.

Helicobacter pylori chronically colonizes the stomach and is strongly associated with gastric cancer. Its concomitant occurrence with helminths such as schistosomes has been linked to reduced cancer incidence, presumably due to suppression of H. pylori-associated pro-inflammatory responses.

Chronic schistosomiasis during pregnancy epigenetically reprograms T-cell differentiation in offspring of infected mothers.

Schistosomiasis is a nontransplacental helminth infection. Chronic infection during pregnancy suppresses allergic airway responses in offspring. We addressed the question whether in utero exposure to chronic schistosome infection (Reg phase) in mice affects B-cell and T-cell development.