Type I Interferon Drives a Cellular State Inert to TCR-Stimulation and Could Impede Effective T-Cell Differentiation in Cancer.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC exhibit distinct molecular and clinical characteristics. Although checkpoint inhibitors have shown efficiency in recurrent/metastatic HNSCC, response variability persists regardless of HPV status.

A molecular signature for IL-10-producing Th1 cells in protozoan parasitic diseases.

Control of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) depends on proinflammatory Th1 cells that activate infected tissue macrophages to kill resident intracellular parasites. However, proinflammatory cytokines produced by Th1 cells can damage tissues and require tight regulation. Th1 cell IL-10 production is an important cell-autologous mechanism to prevent such damage.

STING activation promotes autologous type I interferon-dependent development of type 1 regulatory T cells during malaria.

The development of highly effective malaria vaccines and improvement of drug-treatment protocols to boost antiparasitic immunity are critical for malaria elimination. However, the rapid establishment of parasite-specific immune regulatory networks following exposure to malaria parasites hampers these efforts. Here, we identified stimulator of interferon genes (STING) as a critical mediator of type I interferon production by CD4+ T cells during blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum infection.

Risk of air and surface contamination during application of different noninvasive respiratory support for patients with COVID-19.

Objectives: We compared the risk of environmental contamination among patients with COVID-19 who received high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), noninvasive ventilation (NIV), and conventional oxygen therapy (COT) via nasal cannula for respiratory failure.

Methods: Air was sampled from the hospital isolation rooms with 12 air changes/hr where 26 patients with COVID-19 received HFNC (up to 60 l/min, n = 6), NIV (n = 6), or COT (up to 5 l/min of oxygen, n = 14). Surface samples were collected from 16 patients during air sampling.

Omicron BA.1-specific T-cell responses in adults vaccinated with CoronaVac or BNT162b2 in Hong Kong: an observational cohort study.

Background: The primary aim of using vaccines in public health responses to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern is to reduce incidence of severe disease, for which T-cell responses are essential. There is a paucity of data on vaccine-induced T-cell immunity to omicron (B.1.

IL-10-producing Th1 cells possess a distinct molecular signature in malaria.

Control of intracellular parasites responsible for malaria requires host IFN-γ+T-bet+CD4+ T cells (Th1 cells) with IL-10 produced by Th1 cells to mitigate the pathology induced by this inflammatory response. However, these IL-10-producing Th1 (induced type I regulatory [Tr1]) cells can also promote parasite persistence or impair immunity to reinfection or vaccination. Here, we identified molecular and phenotypic signatures that distinguished IL-10-Th1 cells from IL-10+Tr1 cells in Plasmodium falciparum-infected people who participated in controlled human malaria infection studies, as well as C57BL/6 mice with experimental malaria caused by P.

Plaque-neutralizing antibody to BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 in individuals with three doses of BioNTech or CoronaVac vaccines, natural infection and breakthrough infection.

Background: BA.2.12.

Increased amphiregulin expression by CD4 T cells from individuals with asymptomatic infection.

Objectives: There is an urgent need to be able to identify individuals with asymptomatic infection, so their risk of progressing to VL and transmitting parasites can be managed. This study examined transcriptional markers expressed by CD4 T cells that could distinguish asymptomatic individuals from endemic controls and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients.

Methods: CD4 T cells were isolated from individuals with asymptomatic .

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2 neutralisation in sera of people with Comirnaty or CoronaVac vaccination, infection or breakthrough infection, Hong Kong, 2020 to 2022.

BackgroundOmicron subvariant BA.2 circulation is rapidly increasing globally.AimWe evaluated the neutralising antibody response from vaccination or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection against symptomatic infection by BA.

Neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.1 following homologous and heterologous CoronaVac or BNT162b2 vaccination.

The Omicron variant is rapidly becoming the dominant SARS-CoV-2 virus circulating globally. It is important to define reductions in virus neutralizing activity in the serum of convalescent or vaccinated individuals to understand potential loss of protection against infection by Omicron. We previously established that a 50% plaque reduction neutralization antibody titer (PRNT) ≥25.

NKG7 Is Required for Optimal Antitumor T-cell Immunity.

Tumor antigen-specific CD8 T cells play a critical role in antitumor immunity. Clinical trials reinvigorating the immune system via immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) have shown remarkable clinical promise. Numerous studies have identified an association between expression and patient outcome across different malignancies.

Comparison of the immunogenicity of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong.

Background And Objective: Few head-to-head evaluations of immune responses to different vaccines have been reported.

Methods: Surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) antibody levels of adults receiving either two doses of BNT162b2 (n = 366) or CoronaVac (n = 360) vaccines in Hong Kong were determined. An age-matched subgroup (BNT162b2 [n = 49] vs.

Druggable epigenetic suppression of interferon-induced chemokine expression linked to amplification in neuroblastoma.

Background: Amplification of the oncogene is a molecular hallmark of aggressive neuroblastoma (NB), a childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system. There is evidence that promotes a non-inflamed and T-cell infiltration-poor ('cold') tumor microenvironment (TME) by suppressing interferon signaling. This may explain, at least in part, why patients with NB seem to have little benefit from single-agent immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy.

IL-27 signalling regulates glycolysis in Th1 cells to limit immunopathology during infection.

Inflammation is critical for controlling pathogens, but also responsible for symptoms of infectious diseases. IL-27 is an important regulator of inflammation and can limit development of IFNγ-producing Tbet+ CD4+ T (Th1) cells. IL-27 is thought to do this by stimulating IL-10 production by CD4+ T cells, but the underlying mechanisms of these immunoregulatory pathways are not clear.

The NK cell granule protein NKG7 regulates cytotoxic granule exocytosis and inflammation.

Immune-modulating therapies have revolutionized the treatment of chronic diseases, particularly cancer. However, their success is restricted and there is a need to identify new therapeutic targets. Here, we show that natural killer cell granule protein 7 (NKG7) is a regulator of lymphocyte granule exocytosis and downstream inflammation in a broad range of diseases.

Type I Interferons Suppress Anti-parasitic Immunity and Can Be Targeted to Improve Treatment of Visceral Leishmaniasis.

Type I interferons (IFNs) play critical roles in anti-viral and anti-tumor immunity. However, they also suppress protective immune responses in some infectious diseases. Here, we identify type I IFNs as major upstream regulators of CD4 T cells from visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients.

The regulation of CD4 T cells during malaria.

Malaria is a major global health problem. Despite decades of research, there is still no effective vaccine to prevent disease in the majority of people living in malaria-endemic regions. Additionally, drug treatment options are continually threatened by the emergence of drug-resistant parasites.

Recommended hospital preparations for future cases and outbreaks of novel influenza viruses.

: Seasonal influenza epidemics and periodic pandemics are important causes of morbidity and mortality. Influenza transmits predominantly by respiratory droplets and fomites but opportunistic airborne transmission may occur in the hospital setting due to overcrowding, poor compliance with infection control measures, and performance of aerosol-generating procedures.: This article reviews the risk factors of nosocomial influenza outbreaks and discusses clinical, diagnostic, and treatment aspects of seasonal and avian influenza to facilitate hospital preparations for future influenza outbreaks.

Author Correction: A randomized controlled trial of an ambulatory approach versus the hospital-based approach in managing suspected obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

A correction has been published and is appended to both the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

Use of Berlin questionnaire in comparison to polysomnography and home sleep study in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the Berlin questionnaire in patients with suspected OSAS undergoing PSG in the sleep laboratory setting against those going through the Embletta™ portable diagnostic system (Embletta PDS) at home.

Methods: Patients with suspected OSAS were recruited from respiratory clinics to complete Berlin questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS).

The interaction between hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea on subjective daytime sleepiness.

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic cardiovascular diseases in adults while obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea. It was recently reported that the mean Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, measuring subjective daytime sleepiness, was significantly higher in non-hypertensive subjects than the hypertensive counterparts with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. In the current study, the authors investigated the interaction between hypertension and OSA on daytime sleepiness among 280 subjects recruited from a sleep study.