Publications by authors named "Kai Ying Hong"
Article Synopsis
- - Viremic non-progressors (VNPs) are a rare group of HIV-1 individuals who maintain normal CD4 T cell counts despite high viral loads, resembling natural hosts of simian immunodeficiency virus, but the reasons for this are not fully understood.
- - A study using single-cell and multiomics methods examined 16 VNPs and 29 HIV+ progressors, revealing genetic factors like CCR5Δ32 heterozygosity and lower CCR5 expression, alongside reduced intestinal disruption and immune responses in VNPs.
- - The research highlights various traits contributing to the immune stability in VNPs, indicating important insights for potential HIV treatment strategies in the future.
Article Synopsis
- Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has extended the lives of individuals with HIV-1, but ongoing treatment is necessary, making research into potential cure strategies essential, including using analytic treatment interruption (ATI) to evaluate viral rebound.
- A study examined biomarkers in HIV controllers—those who maintain low HIV levels without ART—looking at immune, glycomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic markers to determine their effect on outcomes during ATI.
- Results indicated that higher levels of specific immune cells and certain glycan types were linked with quicker HIV rebound, while specific lipids and glycan structures were associated with delaying rebounding, suggesting complex interactions in the body's response to HIV.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection alters the immunological profiles of natural killer (NK) cells. However, whether NK antiviral functions are impaired during severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and what host factors modulate these functions remain unclear. We found that NK cells from hospitalized COVID-19 patients degranulate less against SARS-CoV-2 antigen-expressing cells (in direct cytolytic and antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity [ADCC] assays) than NK cells from mild COVID-19 patients or negative controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The human endogenous protein galectin-9 (Gal-9) reactivates latently HIV-infected cells in vitro and ex vivo , which may allow for immune-mediated clearance of these cells. However, Gal-9 also activates several immune cells, which could negatively affect HIV persistence by promoting chronic activation/exhaustion. This potential 'double-edged sword' effect of Gal-9 raises the question of the overall impact of Gal-9 on HIV persistence in vivo .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLong COVID, a type of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), has been associated with sustained elevated levels of immune activation and inflammation. However, the mechanisms that drive this inflammation remain unknown. Inflammation during acute coronavirus disease 2019 could be exacerbated by microbial translocation (from the gut and/or lung) to blood.
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