Dynamic of anti-spike receptor binding domain (RBD) levels and short-term adverse events following a heterologous booster dose of BNT162b2 after two doses of CoronaVac in Thai health care workers.

Background: CoronaVac was administered as the primary COVID-19 vaccine for Thai health care workers (HCWs) in early 2021 in response to the epidemic of new variants. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamic of humoral immune response as well as the short-term side effects resulting from the booster dose of BNT162b2 following completion of a CoronaVac double-dose in Thai HCWs.

Methods: This study was conducted at a teaching hospital in Northern Thailand during August and September 2021.

Interferon Regulatory Factor (IRF) Activates IFNs and Antimicrobial Peptide Expression a STING-Dependent DNA Sensing Pathway.

Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are transcription factors found in both vertebrates and invertebrates that were recently identified and found to play an important role in antiviral immunity in black tiger shrimp . In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which IRF (IRF) regulates the immune-related genes downstream of the cytosolic DNA sensing pathway. Depletion of IRF by double-stranded RNA-mediated gene silencing significantly reduced the mRNA expression levels of the IFN-like factors Vago1, Vago4, and Vago5 and antilipopolysaccharide factor 6 (ALF6 in shrimp.

Performance of Affinity-Improved DARPin Targeting HIV Capsid Domain in Interference of Viral Progeny Production.

Previously, a designed ankyrin repeat protein, Ank1D4, was generated for intracellular targeting of the HIV-1 capsid domain. The efficiency was satisfactory in interfering with the HIV assembly process. Consequently, improved Ank1D4 binding affinity was introduced by substituting tyrosine (Y) for serine (S) at position 45.

Stimulator of interferon gene (STING) and interferon regulatory factor (IRF) are crucial for shrimp antiviral defense against WSSV infection.

The cytosolic DNA-sensing immune response is essential for recognizing and establishing an effective host immune response to pathogens. However, the importance of the cytosolic signalling molecules responsible for facilitating an appropriate immune response following infection with a DNA virus in shrimps remains unknown. Here, we report the discovery of the Penaeus monodon stimulator of interferon gene (PmSTING) and interferon regulatory factor (PmIRF) genes and their important roles in the host defense against viral infection.

A Cytosolic Sensor, DDX41, Binds Double Stranded-DNA and Triggers the Activation of an Innate Antiviral Response in the Shrimp via the STING-Dependent Signaling Pathway.

Helicase DDX41 is a cytosolic sensor capable of detecting double-stranded DNA in mammals. However, the function of DDX41 remains poorly understood in invertebrates. In a previous study, we identified the first DDX41 sensor in the black tiger shrimp (DDX41) and showed that it played a role in anti-viral response.

A cytosolic sensor, PmDDX41, mediates antiviral immune response in black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon.

DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp)-box polypeptide 41 (DDX41), a receptor belonging to the DExD family, has recently been identified as an intracellular DNA sensor in vertebrates. Here, we report on the identification and functional characterization of PmDDX41, the first cytosolic DNA sensor in shrimp. By searching a Penaeus monodon expressed sequence tag (EST) database (http://pmonodon.