Publications by authors named "Noriko Inasaki"
Article Synopsis
- SARS-CoV-2 is known for its rapid mutations, which allow it to evade neutralizing antibodies, a challenge highlighted by the reduced effectiveness of the antibody UT28K against the Omicron BA.1 variant.
- Researchers designed a modified version called UT28K-RD, targeting specific mutations to restore its neutralizing capability against Omicron BA.1, and validated its effectiveness through various lab experiments.
- The study showcases the successful design of antibodies tailored to combat viral mutations and suggests a promising direction for developing new treatments for highly mutable viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
Article Synopsis
- Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a dangerous tick-borne virus infection with around a 30% fatality rate, and recent findings show it can spread through infected pets.
- A study in Toyama prefecture confirmed SFTSV infection in two dogs, where one experienced severe illness and the other had mild symptoms, but both recovered.
- Urine from the infected dogs showed significantly higher levels of the virus compared to other samples, and infectious SFTSV remained detectable in their urine for over two months, highlighting the risk of infection through contact with pet bodily fluids, especially urine, even after clinical symptoms have resolved.
Article Synopsis
- * A significant outbreak occurred in a nursing home where 29% of the residents died, but no deaths were reported among the staff.
- * Analysis of viral genomes revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 strains were closely related and had low diversity, which may be attributed to the limited movement of residents during the state's emergency measures.
We present the clinical course of a 72-year-old female with COVID-19 and a history of hematologic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia. We performed serial analyses of viral load and whole-genome amplification. The virus growth was evaluated by a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay.
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- SARS-CoV-2 enters host cells primarily through the ACE2 receptor and TMPRSS2, and the study explored how certain proteases affect its infectivity.
- Trypsin treatment increased the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant by 36,000-fold in clinical specimens, while the omicron variant only increased by less than 20-fold.
- The presence of anaerobic bacteria like Fusobacterium necrophorum enhanced viral infectivity in clinical specimens, suggesting that maintaining oral hygiene may reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Article Synopsis
- SARS-CoV-2 can be effectively isolated from clinical samples like nasal swabs and saliva, with this study focusing on the efficiency of viral isolation, particularly mutant strains.
- The study found that saliva specimens had a significantly lower isolation efficiency for SARS-CoV-2 compared to nasal/nasopharyngeal swabs.
- Components in saliva, specifically lactoferrin and amylase, were identified as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 infection, explaining the lower isolation rates despite similar viral genome copies detected.
Article Synopsis
- Breakthrough infections (BI) post-COVID-19 vaccination have risen due to new SARS-CoV-2 variants, prompting a study on neutralizing antibodies in affected patients.
- The study found that most patients had strong resistance (90% or more) against earlier virus strains like Wuhan, Alpha, and Delta, but little to no neutralizing activity against the Omicron BA.1 variant.
- Importantly, even patients with sufficient antibodies can still experience breakthrough infections, emphasizing the need for continued precautions despite vaccination.
Article Synopsis
- The study focused on the effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in nursing home residents and staff to evaluate their immune response against various SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially the Omicron subvariants.
- Among 335 participants, including seniors with a median age of 88, researchers observed a significant increase in immune markers two months after the third vaccine dose, though these markers declined after five months.
- Breakthrough infections were reported during the BA.5 variant wave, and older participants experienced a notable decrease in their immune response, highlighting the need for further research on the longevity of vaccine-induced immunity in older populations.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers have developed many effective antibodies for treating SARS-CoV-2, but their effectiveness is declining against new variants like Omicron.* -
- A particular antibody, UT28K, was found in individuals who recovered from severe COVID-19 and has shown strong neutralizing effects against the virus, even though its efficacy against Omicron is somewhat limited.* -
- Structural studies suggest that UT28K binds effectively to the virus, and it's unlikely that a resistant variant of SARS-CoV-2 will emerge that could outcompete existing strains.*
Genetic testing using reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is the mainstay of diagnosis of COVID-19. However, it has not been fully investigated whether infectious viruses are contained in SARS-CoV-2 genome-positive specimens examined using the rRT-PCR test. In this study, we examined the correlation between the threshold Cycle (Ct) value obtained from the rRT-PCR test and virus isolation in cultured cells, using 533 consecutive clinical specimens of COVID-19 patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn mouse ileal myocytes, muscarinic receptor-mediated cationic current () occurs mainly through synergism of M and M subtypes involving G-type GTP-binding proteins and phospholipase C (PLC). We have further studied the M/M synergistic pathway. Carbachol-induced was markedly depressed by YM-254890, a G protein inhibitor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn outbreak of dengue fever occurred in Japan in August 2014. We herein report the case of a 63-year-old man who presented with a persistent fever in September 2014. Acute parvovirus B19 infection led to a false positive finding of dengue fever on a rapid diagnostic test (Panbio Dengue Duo Cassette(TM)).
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