Comparative Investigation of Methods for Analysis of SARS-CoV-2-Spike-Specific Antisera.

In light of an increasing number of vaccinated and convalescent individuals, there is a major need for the development of robust methods for the quantification of neutralizing antibodies; although, a defined correlate of protection is still missing. Sera from hospitalized COVID-19 patients suffering or not suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were comparatively analyzed by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) and pseudotype-based neutralization assays to quantify their neutralizing capacity. The two neutralization assays showed comparable data.

Comirnaty-Elicited and Convalescent Sera Recognize Different Spike Epitopes.

Many of the approved SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are based on a stabilized variant of the spike protein. This raises the question of whether the immune response against the stabilized spike is identical to the immune response that is elicited by the native spike in the case of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using a peptide array-based approach, we analysed the binding of antibodies from Comirnaty-elicited, convalescent, and control sera to the peptides covering the spike protein.

Catch Me if You Can: the Crosstalk of Zika Virus and the Restriction Factor Tetherin.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus that is mainly transmitted by mosquitos and normally causes mild symptoms. During the outbreak in the Americas in 2015, it was associated with more severe implications, like microcephaly in newborns and the Guillain-Barré syndrome. The lack of specific vaccines and cures strengthens the need for a deeper understanding of the virus life cycle and virus-host interactions.

Analysis of BNT162b2- and CVnCoV-elicited sera and of convalescent sera toward SARS-CoV-2 viruses.

Background: The mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (Comirnaty, BioNTech/Pfizer) and the vaccine candidate CVnCoV (Curevac) each encode a stabilized spike protein of SARS-CoV2 as antigen but differ with respect to the nature of the mRNA (modified versus unmodified nucleotides) and the mRNA amount (30 μg versus 12 μg RNA). This study characterizes antisera elicited by these two vaccines in comparison to convalescent sera.

Methods: Sera from BNT162b2 vaccinated healthcare workers, and sera from participants of a phase I trial vaccinated with 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12 μg CVnCoV and convalescent sera from hospitalized patients were analyzed by ELISA, neutralization tests, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and peptide arrays.

Persistence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 particles for up to 37 days in patients with mild COVID-19.

Background: People suffering from COVID-19 are typically considered non-infectious 14 days after diagnosis if symptoms have disappeared for at least 48 h. We describe three patients who independently acquired their infection. These three patients experienced mild COVID-19 and completely recovered symptomatically within 10 days, but remained PCR-positive in deep pharyngeal samples for at least 38 days.

The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is a Relevant Host Factor in the Early Stages of The Zika Virus Life Cycle .

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus that is well known for the epidemic in the Americas in 2015 and 2016 in which microcephaly in newborns and other neurological complications were connected to ZIKV infection. Many aspects of the ZIKV viral life cycle, including binding and entry into the host cell, are still enigmatic. Based on the observation that CHO cells lack expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and are not permissive for various ZIKV strains, the relevance of EGFR for the viral life cycle was analyzed.

Impact of Zika Virus Infection on Human Neural Stem Cell MicroRNA Signatures.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus, which can cause brain abnormalities in newborns, including microcephaly. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, which post- transcriptionally regulate gene expression. They are involved in various processes including neurological development and host responses to viral infection, but their potential role in ZIKV pathogenesis remains poorly understood.

A synthetic derivative of houttuynoid B prevents cell entry of Zika virus.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a re-emerging virus belonging to the family of Flaviviridae, which contains several human pathogens. A great deal of attention came through the association of ZIKV infection with an increasing number of microcephaly cases in newborns during the 2016 outbreak in Brazil. Currently, no anti-viral drug or vaccine is available.

ZIKV Envelope Domain-Specific Antibodies: Production, Purification and Characterization.

Infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) came first to public attention after it was found to be associated with congenital microcephaly during the outbreak in Brazil (2015-2016). Diagnosis of ZIKV suffers from extensive cross-reactivity with other , which are circulating in many ZIKV epidemic areas. Due to the fatal outcome of ZIKV infection during pregnancy, detailed knowledge about neutralizing and non-neutralizing epitopes is crucial for the development of robust detection systems of protective antibodies.