Single-cell analyses reveal that monocyte gene expression profiles influence HIV-1 reservoir size in acutely treated cohorts.

Elimination of latent HIV-1 is a major goal of AIDS research but the host factors determining the size of these reservoirs are poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether differences in host gene expression modulate the size of the HIV-1 reservoir during suppressive ART. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from fourteen individuals initiating ART during acute infection who demonstrated effective viral suppression but varying magnitude of total HIV-1 DNA were characterized by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq).

Attenuated replication and damaging effects of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in an intestinal epithelial barrier model.

Many COVID-19 patients suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms and impaired intestinal barrier function is thought to play a key role in Long COVID. Despite its importance, the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on intestinal epithelia is poorly understood. To address this, we established an intestinal barrier model integrating epithelial Caco-2 cells, mucus-secreting HT29 cells and Raji cells.

Replication competent HIV-guided CRISPR screen identifies antiviral factors including targets of the accessory protein Nef.

Innate antiviral factors are essential for effective defense against viral pathogens. However, the identity of major restriction mechanisms remains elusive. Current approaches to discover antiviral factors usually focus on the initial steps of viral replication and are limited to a single round of infection.

Surface functionalization affects the retention and bio-distribution of orally administered mesoporous silica nanoparticles in a colitis mouse model.

Besides the many advantages of oral drug administration, challenges like premature drug degradation and limited bioavailability in the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) remain. A prolonged residence time in the GIT is beneficial for enhancing the therapeutic outcome when treating diseases associated with an increased intestinal clearance rate, like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we synthesized rod-shaped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) or hyaluronic acid (HA) and investigated their bio-distribution upon oral administration in vivo.

Acetylation of the NS3 helicase by KAT5γ is essential for flavivirus replication.

Direct targeting of essential viral enzymes such as proteases, polymerases, and helicases has long been the major focus of antiviral drug design. Although successful for some viral enzymes, targeting viral helicases is notoriously difficult to achieve, demanding alternative strategies. Here, we show that the NS3 helicase of Zika virus (ZIKV) undergoes acetylation in its RNA-binding tunnel.