Antibiotic Susceptibility and Molecular Typing of Invasive Isolates, with Emergence of Ciprofloxacin Resistance, 2017-2021, Italy.

invasive disease is a severe infection that needs rapid antibiotic therapy. The aim of the study was to perform and evaluate the serotype distribution, antibiotic susceptibility and molecular characteristics of 392 invasive isolates collected during 2017-2021 in Italy. The majority of isolates were NTHi (305/392, 77.

Inhibition of cholesterol transport impairs Cav-1 trafficking and small extracellular vesicles secretion, promoting amphisome formation in melanoma cells.

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is a fundamental constituent of caveolae, whose functionality and structure are strictly dependent on cholesterol. In this work the U18666A inhibitor was used to study the role of cholesterol transport in the endosomal degradative-secretory system in a metastatic human melanoma cell line (WM266-4). We found that U18666A induces a shift of Cav-1 from the plasma membrane to the endolysosomal compartment, which is involved, through Multi Vesicular Bodies (MVBs), in the formation and release of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs).

Exploring the nature of interaction between shiga toxin producing (STEC) and free-living amoeba - sp.

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed protozoa in nature, known to cause severe eye infections and central nervous system disorders. There is growing attention to the potential role that these protozoa could act as reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria and, consequently, to the possibility that, the persistence and spread of the latter may be facilitated, by exploiting internalization into amoebae. Shiga toxin-producing strains of (STEC) are zoonotic agents capable of causing serious diseases, such as hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

First detection of SARS-CoV-2 lineage A.27 in Sardinia, Italy.

Introduction: Multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2, since the end of 2020 have emerged in many geographical areas and are currently under surveillance worldwide highlighting the continuing need for genomic monitoring to detect variants previously not yet identified.

Methods: In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and phylogenetic analysis to investigate A.27 lineage SARS-CoV-2 from Sardinia, Italy.

HIV-1 Nef Protein Affects Cytokine and Extracellular Vesicles Production in the GEN2.2 Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Line.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a unique dendritic cell subset specialized in type I interferon production, whose role in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and pathogenesis is complex and not yet well defined. Considering the crucial role of the accessory protein Nef in HIV pathogenicity, possible alterations in intracellular signalling and extracellular vesicle (EV) release induced by exogenous Nef on uninfected pDCs have been investigated. As an experimental model system, a human plasmacytoid dendritic cell line, GEN2.

Pertussis seroprevalence among adults of reproductive age (20-39 years) in fourteen European countries.

The reported incidence of pertussis in European countries varies considerably. We aimed to study specific Bordetella pertussis seroprevalence in Europe by measuring serum IgG antibody levels to pertussis toxin (anti-PT IgG). Fourteen national laboratories participated in this study including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Sweden.

Corrigendum to "Multicentre Harmonisation of a Six-Colour Flow Cytometry Panel for Naïve/Memory T Cell Immunomonitoring".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2020/1938704.].

Multicentre Harmonisation of a Six-Colour Flow Cytometry Panel for Naïve/Memory T Cell Immunomonitoring.

Background: Personalised medicine in oncology needs standardised immunological assays. Flow cytometry (FCM) methods represent an essential tool for immunomonitoring, and their harmonisation is crucial to obtain comparable data in multicentre clinical trials. The objective of this study was to design a harmonisation workflow able to address the most effective issues contributing to intra- and interoperator variabilities in a multicentre project.

Cell Propagation of Cholera Toxin CTA ADP-Ribosylating Factor by Exosome Mediated Transfer.

In this study, we report how the cholera toxin (CT) A subunit (CTA), the enzyme moiety responsible for signaling alteration in host cells, enters the exosomal pathway, secretes extracellularly, transmits itself to a cell population. The first evidence for long-term transmission of CT's toxic effect via extracellular vesicles was obtained in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. To follow the CT intracellular route towards exosome secretion, we used a novel strategy for generating metabolically-labeled fluorescent exosomes that can be counted by flow cytometry assay (FACS) and characterized.

Conditioned medium from human umbilical vein endothelial cells markedly improves the proliferation and differentiation of circulating endothelial progenitors.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been suggested as a precious source for generating functionally competent endothelial cells (ECs), candidate for various clinical applications. However, the paucity of these progenitor cells and the technical difficulties for their in vitro growth represent a main limitation to their use. In the present study we hypothesized that the paracrine effects of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) may improve endothelial cell generation from cord blood (CB) EPCs.

Parents as source of pertussis transmission in hospitalized young infants.

Purpose: This study was planned to collect evidences of familial pertussis transmission to infants younger than 6 months of age. Understanding the dynamics of transmission of pertussis in families is essential to plan effective prevention strategies that could be integrated in pertussis control.

Methods: The seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin (PT-IgG) and prolonged cough symptoms were evaluated in parents of 55 infants aged <6 months hospitalized for confirmed pertussis.

T-cell polarization: Potential serological markers in preterm and term infants.

Background: The immaturity of immune system characterizes newborn infants. Possible serological markers of Th1 and Th2 immune response are the lymphocyte activation gene-3 (CD223) and soluble CD30, respectively (sCD30).

Aims: The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between Th1 and Th2 immune response and gestational age (GA), comparing data in preterm and term neonates.

Evidence of increased circulation of Bordetella pertussis in the Italian adult population from seroprevalence data (2012-2013).

Incidence data on pertussis cases in Italy do not show pertussis resurgence as recently described in other European countries. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin (PT-IgG) in selected adult age groups, who can serve as a reservoir of Bordetella pertussis and be responsible for onward transmission to vulnerable infants. The seroprevalence of PT-IgG was studied in sera collected in 2012-2013 in three age groups: 20-29 years and 30-39 years (reproductive age), and ≥60 years.

Persistence of T-cell immune response induced by two acellular pertussis vaccines in children five years after primary vaccination.

The resurgence of pertussis suggests the need for greater efforts to understand the long-lasting protective responses induced by vaccination. In this paper we dissect the persistence of T memory responses induced by primary vaccination with two different acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines, hexavalent Hexavac® vaccine (Hexavac) (Sanofi Pasteur MSD) and Infanrix hexa® (Infanrix) (Glaxo-SmithKline Biologicals). We evaluated magnitude and duration of T-cell responses to pertussis toxin (PT) by measuring T-cell proliferation, cytokines (IL-2 and IFNγ) production and memory subsets in two groups of children 5 years after primary vaccination.

Identification of pertussis-specific effector memory T cells in preschool children.

Whooping cough remains a problem despite vaccination, and worldwide resurgence of pertussis is evident. Since cellular immunity plays a role in long-term protection against pertussis, we studied pertussis-specific T-cell responses. Around the time of the preschool acellular pertussis (aP) booster dose at 4 years of age, T-cell memory responses were compared in children who were primed during infancy with either a whole-cell pertussis (wP) or an aP vaccine.

Humoral and B-cell memory responses in children five years after pertussis acellular vaccine priming.

The resurgence of pertussis suggests the need for greater efforts in understanding the long-lasting protective responses induced by vaccination. In this paper we dissect the persistence of humoral and B-cell memory responses induced by primary vaccination with two different acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines, hexavalent Hexavac(®) vaccine (Hexavac) (Sanofi Pasteur MSD) and Infanrix hexa(®) (Infanrix) (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals). We evaluated the specific immune responses in the two groups of children, 5 years after primary vaccination by measuring the persistence of IgG and antibody secreting cells (ASC) specific for vaccine antigens.

Different T cell memory in preadolescents after whole-cell or acellular pertussis vaccination.

To better understand vaccine-induced protection and its potential failure in light of recent whooping cough resurgence, we evaluated quantity as well as quality of memory T cell responses in B. pertussis-vaccinated preadolescent children. Using a technique based on flow cytometry to detect proliferation, cytokine production and phenotype of antigen-specific cells, we evaluated residual T cell memory in a cohort of preadolescents who received a whole-cell pertussis (wP; n=11) or an acellular pertussis vaccine (aP; n=13) during infancy, and with a median of 4 years elapsed from the last pertussis booster vaccine, which was aP for all children.

Hepatitis B specific T cell immunity induced by primary vaccination persists independently of the protective serum antibody level.

In 2005, in accordance with recommendations made by the European Medicines Agency, the Italian Drug Agency ordered withdrawal of the hexavalent Hexavac(®) vaccine (Sanofi Pasteur MSD) from the market. Concerns had been raised about the low immunogenicity of the hepatitis B virus component of the vaccine, assessed by measurement of serum antibody levels, and its potential consequences on long-term protection against hepatitis B infection. We evaluated memory T cell response to establish whether there are differences in the protective mechanisms among children who had received either Hexavac(®) or Infanrix-hexa(®) (GlaxoSmithKline) as their primary vaccination.

Chlamydia pneumoniae modulates human monocyte-derived dendritic cells functions driving the induction of a Type 1/Type 17 inflammatory response.

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a respiratory pathogen involved in the onset of chronic inflammatory pathologies. Dendritic cells (DC), are major players in spreading of C. pneumoniae from the lungs, a crucial step leading to disseminated infections.

Assessment of glycemic control among diabetic residents in nursing homes.

We assessed hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) among 88 diabetic residents in three Italian nursing homes, and compared figures with current guidelines and reports in the literature. Mean HbA1c was 6.5%; this paper from Southern Europe confirms recent findings in nursing homes on HbA1c values well below recommended targets.

Antigen-specific responses assessment for the evaluation of Bordetella pertussis T cell immunity in humans.

Measurement of antigen-specific T cell responses is an adjunctive parameter to evaluate protection induced by a previous Bordetella pertussis infection or vaccination. The assessment of T cell responses is technically complex and usually performed on fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The objective of this study was to identify simplified methods to assess pertussis specific T cell responses and verify if these assays could be performed using frozen/thawed (frozen) PBMC.

Bovine lactoferrin counteracts Toll-like receptor mediated activation signals in antigen presenting cells.

Lactoferrin (LF), a key element in mammalian immune system, plays pivotal roles in host defence against infection and excessive inflammation. Its protective effects range from direct antimicrobial activities against a large panel of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, to antinflammatory and anticancer activities. In this study, we show that monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MD-DCs) generated in the presence of bovine LF (bLF) fail to undergo activation by up-modulating CD83, co-stimulatory and major histocompatibility complex molecules, and cytokine/chemokine secretion.

Role of endogenous interferon and LPS in the immunomodulatory effects of bovine lactoferrin in murine peritoneal macrophages.

Lactoferrin (Lf) plays an important role in host defense against infection and excessive inflammation. Although the mechanisms underlying its immunomodulatory properties have not been fully elucidated yet, recent evidence suggests that some of these effects may be related to its capacity to form complexes with LPS. We report that the culture of resting mouse peritoneal macrophages (PM) with bovine Lf (bLf), prior to infection with the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), resulted in a significant reduction of virus yield with respect to control cultures.