[Advances in epigenetic regulation of the dioxygenase TET1].

Ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) protein is an alpha-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) and Fe-dependent dioxygenase. It plays a role in the active demethylation of DNA by hydroxylation of 5-methyl-cytosine (5-mC) to 5-hydroxymethyl-cytosine (5-hmC). Ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) protein is involved in maintaining genome methylation homeostasis and epigenetic regulation.

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on liver function in patients with hepatitis B.

Objective: To investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on liver function and prognosis in patients with HBV infection.

Methods: A total of 154 HBV-positive patients (HBV ( +) group) and 154 HBV-negative patients (HBV (-) group) diagnosed with COVID-19 at Taizhou Hospital between December 10, 2022, and January 31, 2023, were included in this study. Clinical characteristics, treatment, and laboratory findings were collected from patients at three time points: before (T1), during (T2), and at the time of discharge (T3) from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Defining the features and structure of neutralizing antibody targeting the silent face of the SARS-CoV-2 spike N-terminal domain.

Research on virus/receptor interactions has uncovered various mechanisms of antibody-mediated neutralization against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, understanding of neutralization by antibodies targeting the silent face, which recognize epitopes on glycan shields, remains limited, and their potential protective efficacy in vivo is not well understood. This study describes a silent face neutralizing antibody, 3711, which targets a non-supersite on the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike protein.

[Advancements in the regulatory effects and mechanisms of the immune metabolite itaconate in diseases].

Itaconate is a pivotal intermediate metabolite in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle of immune cells. It is produced by decarboxylation of -aconitic acid under the catalysis of aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1), which is encoded by the immune response gene 1 (IRG1). Itaconate has become a focal point of research on immunometabolism.

Antimicrobial polyketides from an endophytic fungus HJ-7 from Hance.

Eleven polyketide derivatives, including two new compounds, xanthoradone D () and arisochromophilone (), were isolated from HJ-7, a Chinese medicinal plant Hance-associated fungus. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and ECD (Electronic Circular Dichroism) calculations. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the compounds were evaluated.

Antibody dynamics for heterologous boosters with aerosolized Ad5-nCoV following inactivated COVID-19 vaccines.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored vaccination as a crucial strategy for reducing disease severity and preventing hospitalizations. Heterologous boosters using aerosolized Ad5-nCoV following two doses of inactivated vaccine have demonstrated superior antibody responses. However, the comprehensive dynamics of this antibody boost and the optimal timing for heterologous boosters are still not fully understood.

Single-cell analysis reveals T cell dysfunction driven by macrophages and differential expression of transposable elements in severe COVID-19 patients.

The vastly spreading COVID-19 pneumonia is caused by SARS-CoV-2. Lymphopenia and cytokine levels are tightly associated with disease severity. However, virus-induced immune dysregulation at cellular and molecular levels remains largely undefined.

White matter substrates underlying morphological awareness deficit in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia.

Background: Morphological awareness (MA) deficit is strongly associated with Chinese developmental dyslexia (DD). However, little is known about the white matter substrates underlying the MA deficit in Chinese children with DD.

Methods: In the current study, 34 Chinese children with DD and 42 typical developmental (TD) children were recruited to complete a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scan and cognitive tests for MA.

Harnessing T-Cells for Enhanced Vaccine Development against Viral Infections.

Despite significant strides in vaccine research and the availability of vaccines for many infectious diseases, the threat posed by both known and emerging infectious diseases persists. Moreover, breakthrough infections following vaccination remain a concern. Therefore, the development of novel vaccines is imperative.

Discovery of natural catechol derivatives as covalent SARS-CoV-2 3CL inhibitors.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose a threat to public health, and extensive research by scientists worldwide has also prompted the development of antiviral therapies. The 3C-like protease (3CL) is critical for SARS-CoV-2 replication and acts as an effective target for drug development. To date, numerous of natural products have been reported to exhibit inhibitory effects on 3CL, which encourages us to identify other novel inhibitors and elucidate their mechanism of action.

Identification of a highly conserved neutralizing epitope within the RBD region of diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The constant emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants continues to impair the efficacy of existing neutralizing antibodies, especially XBB.1.5 and EG.

SARS-CoV-2 immunity in animal models.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a worldwide health crisis due to its transmissibility. SARS-CoV-2 infection results in severe respiratory illness and can lead to significant complications in affected individuals. These complications encompass symptoms such as coughing, respiratory distress, fever, infectious shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and even multiple-organ failure.

Identification of a broad sarbecovirus neutralizing antibody targeting a conserved epitope on the receptor-binding domain.

Omicron, as the emerging variant with enhanced vaccine tolerance, has sharply disrupted most therapeutic antibodies. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to the subgenus Sarbecovirus, members of which share high sequence similarity. Herein, we report one sarbecovirus antibody, 5817, which has broad-spectrum neutralization capacity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) and SARS-CoV, as well as related bat and pangolin viruses.

P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1)-mediated cytoskeleton rearrangement promotes SARS-CoV-2 entry and ACE2 autophagic degradation.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has had a significant impact on healthcare systems and economies worldwide. The continuous emergence of new viral strains presents a major challenge in the development of effective antiviral agents. Strategies that possess broad-spectrum antiviral activities are desirable to control SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Plasma cell-free DNA promise monitoring and tissue injury assessment of COVID-19.

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a complex disease that affects billions of people worldwide. Currently, effective etiological treatment of COVID-19 is still lacking; COVID-19 also causes damages to various organs that affects therapeutics and mortality of the patients. Surveillance of the treatment responses and organ injury assessment of COVID-19 patients are of high clinical value.

Successful clearance of persistent SARS-CoV-2 asymptomatic infection following a single dose of Ad5-nCoV vaccine.

Persistent asymptomatic (PA) SARS-CoV-2 infections have been identified. The immune responses in these patients are unclear, and the development of effective treatments for these patients is needed. Here, we report a cohort of 23 PA cases carrying viral RNA for up to 191 days.

Mouse models susceptible to HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63 and cross protection from challenge with SARS-CoV-2.

Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) and NL63 (HCoV-NL63) are endemic causes of upper respiratory infections such as the "common cold" but may occasionally cause severe lower respiratory tract disease in the elderly and immunocompromised patients. There are no approved antiviral drugs or vaccines for these common cold coronaviruses (CCCoV). The recent emergence of COVID-19 and the possible cross-reactive antibody and T cell responses between these CCCoV and SARS-CoV-2 emphasize the need to develop experimental animal models for CCCoV.

Virus-Specific Regulatory T Cells Persist as Memory in a Neurotropic Coronavirus Infection.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical for regulating immunopathogenic responses in a variety of infections, including infection of mice with JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus (JHMV), a neurotropic coronavirus that causes immune-mediated demyelinating disease. Although virus-specific Tregs are known to mitigate disease in this infection by suppressing pathogenic effector T cell responses of the same specificity, it is unclear whether these virus-specific Tregs form memory populations and persist similar to their conventional T cell counterparts of the same epitope specificity. Using congenically labeled JHMV-specific Tregs, we found that virus-specific Tregs persist long-term after murine infection, through at least 180 d postinfection and stably maintain Foxp3 expression.