Towards the development of an epitope-focused vaccine for SARS-CoV-2.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 on all continents and the mortality induced by SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has motivated an unprecedented effort for vaccine development. Inactivated viruses as well as vaccines focused on the partial or total sequence of the Spike protein using different novel platforms such us RNA, DNA, proteins, and non-replicating viral vectors have been developed. The high global need for vaccines, now and in the future, and the emergence of new variants of concern still requires development of accessible vaccines that can be adapted according to the most prevalent variants in the respective regions.

Human neurocysticercosis: in vivo expansion of peripheral regulatory T cells and their recruitment in the central nervous system.

Human neurocysticercosis (NC) is caused by Taenia solium larvae lodged in the central nervous system. Most cases occur with no, or mild, neurological symptoms. However, in some patients, neuroinflammation is exacerbated, leading to severe forms of the disease.

Characterization of the Taenia spp HDP2 sequence and development of a novel PCR-based assay for discrimination of Taenia saginata from Taenia asiatica.

A previously described Taenia saginata HDP2 DNA sequence, a 4-kb polymorphic fragment, was previously used as the basis for developing PCR diagnostic protocols for the species-specific discrimination of T. saginata from T. solium and for the differentiation of T.

Cysticercosis: towards the design of a diagnostic kit based on synthetic peptides.

Cysticercosis caused by Taenia solium is a very common disease in developing countries that seriously affects human health. Diagnosis can only be confirmed with the aid of computerized tomography or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) creating obvious difficulties for epidemiological studies. Reliable immunoassays employing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been developed, based on the use of cysticercal antigens.

A new membrane-bound OprI lipoprotein expression vector. High production of heterologous fusion proteins in gram (-) bacteria and the implications for oral vaccination.

We have previously described the development of cloning vectors for the production of OprI-based outer membrane fusion proteins in E. coli (Cornelis et al., 1996) and now describe the construction of a new vector, containing a lacI(q) gene, resulting in tight repression of the promotor and allowing its use in other Gram (-) bacteria.

Limitations of current diagnostic procedures for the diagnosis of Taenia solium cysticercosis in rural pigs.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate diagnostic procedures for porcine cysticercosis. Sera were obtained from 32 pigs reared in commercial farms, 47 pigs before and after experimental infection, 42 carefully necropsied rural pigs and 191 slaughtered pigs from rural communities in which the presence of the Taenia solium metacestode was assessed by tongue dissection. Sera were analyzed by ELISA to detect antibodies against T.

Diagnosis of porcine cysticercosis: a comparative study of serological tests for detection of circulating antibody and viable parasites.

Epidemiological studies of porcine cysticercosis require identification of pigs harbouring viable Taenia solium cysticerci and estimates of the degree of exposure to the parasite in the pig population destined for human consumption. Identification of infected pigs with viable larvae is achieved through detection of their secretory products. However, detectable levels of circulating antibody may also be present in the absence of viable larvae.

Characterization of the African swine fever virion protein j18L.

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) open reading frame (ORF) that is named jl8L in the Malawi (LIL20/1) isolate and E199L in the Ba71V isolate encodes a cysteine rich protein of 195 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 21.7 kDa and a hydrophobic domain near the C terminus. There are several possible motifs for glycosylation, phosphorylation and myristoylation.

CD38 expression on mouse T cells: CD38 defines functionally distinct subsets of alpha beta TCR+CD4-CD8- thymocytes.

We have examined CD38 expression on mouse lymphocytes using the rat mAb NIM-R5 and demonstrate that CD38 expression is restricted to approximately 8% of thymocytes. Although CD38 is absent from the majority of CD4+CD8- and CD4-CD8+ T cells, we detected a strong correlation between CD38 expression and alpha beta+CD4-CD8- T cells in the thymus, with nearly 80% of alpha beta TCR+CD4-CD8- thymocytes being CD38+. Using heat stable antigen (HSA) and CD38, we divided alpha beta+CD4-CD8- thymocytes into four subsets: HSA+CD38-, HSA-CD38hi, HSA-CD38low and HSA-CD38-.

The expression of surface IgD on B cells responsive to thymus-independent and thymus-dependent antigens and its requirement for B-cell triggering.

Cells separated by the fluorescence activated cell sorter on the basis of their surface IgD (sIgD) phenotype have been examined for responsiveness to thymus-dependent and thymus-independent antigens. The ability of monoclonal anti-IgD alloantibodies to inhibit responses in vitro to the various classes of antigen has also been investigated. Evidence is presented indicating that both sIgD positive and sIgD negative cells can respond to all types of antigen tested.

[Identification of Entamoeba histolytica membrane antigens with antibodies of amebiasis patients].

The specificity of sera from patients with amoebiasis was assayed on trophozoites of E. histolytica HK9, HM15 and HM2 cultured axenically and monoxenically. Glutaraldehyde fixed cell were incubated with samples of serum, the excess of Igs was washed out and the presence of unbound material of specifically bound antibodies was measured with radiolabeled protein A from Staphylococcus aureus.

Control of J chain biosynthesis in relation to heavy and light chain synthesis, polymerization and secretion.

Mouse myeloma tumors and some variants derived from them were labeled in vitro with tritiated leucine and the radioactive J chain was assayed in cell lysates by precipitation with an antiserum specific for mouse J chain. The major findings were: 1) J chain can be found in an IgG2b-secreting cells (MPC-11). These data, together with previous findings suggest that cells secreting all classes of IgG synthesize J chain, even though there is no apparent requirement for J chain in assembly of the IgG molecule.