Nanobodies' duo facilitates ultrasensitive serum HER-2/neu immunoassays via enhanced avidity interactions.

Background: Existing liquid biopsy assays for protein biomarkers of cancer are mostly based on antibodies (Ab) contributing unfavorably to their high cost. Easy to express and modify in vitro, nanobodies may be a cost-effective alternative to Ab.

Results: We show that serum HER-2/neu, a biomarker and target of aggressive HER-2/neu(+) cancers, can be accurately detected in a 1.

Origin and evolution of West Nile virus lineage 1 in Italy.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that can infect humans, equids, and many bird species, posing a threat to their health. It consists of eight lineages, with Lineage 1 (L1) and Lineage 2 (L2) being the most prevalent and pathogenic. Italy is one of the hardest-hit European nations, with 330 neurological cases and 37 fatalities in humans in the 2021-2022 season, in which the L1 re-emerged after several years of low circulation.

Plug-and-play nucleic acid-mediated multimerization of biparatopic nanobodies for molecular imaging.

In cancer molecular imaging, selecting binders with high specificity and affinity for biomarkers is paramount for achieving high-contrast imaging within clinical time frames. Nanobodies have emerged as potent candidates, surpassing antibodies in pre-clinical imaging due to their convenient production, rapid renal clearance, and deeper tissue penetration. Multimerization of nanobodies is a popular strategy to enhance their affinity and pharmacokinetics; however, traditional methods are laborious and may yield heterogeneous products.

An amplicon-based sequencing approach for Usutu virus characterization.

Usutu virus (USUV), an arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family, genus Flavivirus, has recently gained increasing attention because of its potential for emergence. After his discovery in South Africa, USUV spread to other African countries, then emerged in Europe where it was responsible for epizootics. The virus has recently been found in Asia.