Publications by authors named "John A Dessaint"
Article Synopsis
- Recent research has advanced our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and antibody responses, but the detailed composition of circulating antibodies remains largely unexplored.
- A study using Ig-Seq analyzed the antibody profiles specific to SARS-CoV-2's spike protein and its receptor binding domain in four subjects over six months after infection, revealing that about 50% of RBD-specific IgG did not recognize the spike protein in its stabilized form.
- The study also evaluated monoclonal antibodies from infected individuals, finding that while some neutralized the virus, others showed limited binding to different variants, highlighting the complexities of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2.
Various pathogens use differing strategies to evade host immune response including modulating the host's epigenome. Here, we investigate if EVs secreted from alter DNA methylation in human lung macrophages, thereby potentially contributing to a dysfunctional innate immune response. Using a genome-wide DNA methylation approach, we demonstrate that EVs alter certain host cell DNA methylation patterns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF, a Gram-negative bacterium, is one of the most common pathogens colonizing the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contain LPS and other virulence factors that modulate the host's innate immune response, leading to an increased local proinflammatory response and reduced pathogen clearance, resulting in chronic infection and ultimately poor patient outcomes. Lung macrophages are the first line of defense in the airway innate immune response to pathogens.
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- Several pulmonary diseases, like cystic fibrosis and smoking-related COPD, show a pattern of being more prevalent in the upper lobes of the lungs, which differ physiologically and metabolically from the lower lobes.
- The study investigated whether regional differences in the lung could lead to DNA methylation changes in lung macrophages, which may affect their response to environmental challenges.
- Using advanced DNA methylation techniques, the researchers found 95 specific CpG loci with significant methylation differences, linking these changes to inflammatory processes and metabolic variations in lung macrophages.
Cigarette smoke inhalation exposes the respiratory system to thousands of potentially toxic substances and causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is characterized by cycles of inflammation and infection with a dysregulated immune response contributing to disease progression. While smoking cessation can slow the damage in COPD, lung immunity remains impaired.
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- Lung macrophages play a crucial role in the immune response in the lungs, but in cystic fibrosis (CF), they show dysfunctional behavior, leading to excessive inflammation.
- This study examines DNA methylation changes in lung macrophages from CF patients compared to healthy individuals using advanced techniques like the MethylationEPIC array and next-generation sequencing.
- Findings reveal significant differences in DNA methylation patterns, with many CpG sites being hypo-methylated in CF, suggesting these epigenetic alterations contribute to the dysfunction of immune cells in the CF lung.
There are currently no standardized protocols for pre-analytical handling of urine to best preserve small RNA for miRNA profiling studies. miRNA is an attractive candidate as a potential biomarker because of the high level of stability in body fluids and its ability to be quantified on multiple high-throughput platforms. We present a comparison of small RNA recovery and stability in urine under alternate pre-analytical handling conditions and extend recommendations on what conditions optimize yield of miRNA from cell-free urine and urine extracellular vesicles (EVs).
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