Common Chemical Plasticizer Di(2-Ethhylhexyl) Phthalate Exposure Exacerbates Coxsackievirus B3 Infection.

Unlabelled: Di(2-ethhylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common plastic rubberizer. DEHP leaches from plastic matrices and is under increasing scrutiny as numerous studies have linked it to negative human health manifestations. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB) is a human pathogen that typically causes subclinical infections but can sometimes cause severe diseases such as pancreatitis, myocarditis, and meningoencephalitis.

Cek1 regulates ß(1,3)-glucan exposure through calcineurin effectors in Candida albicans.

In order to successfully induce disease, the fungal pathogen Candida albicans regulates exposure of antigens like the cell wall polysaccharide ß(1,3)-glucan to the host immune system. C. albicans covers (masks) ß(1,3)-glucan with a layer of mannosylated glycoproteins, which aids in immune system evasion by acting as a barrier to recognition by host pattern recognition receptors.

Possible Cross-Reactivity of Feline and White-Tailed Deer Antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain.

In late 2019, a novel coronavirus began circulating within humans in central China. It was designated SARS-CoV-2 because of its genetic similarities to the 2003 SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Now that SARS-CoV-2 has spread worldwide, there is a risk of it establishing new animal reservoirs and recombination with native circulating coronaviruses.

MCMV Centrifugal Enhancement: A New Spin on an Old Topic.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous pathogen infecting a majority of people worldwide, with diseases ranging from mild to life-threatening. Its clinical relevance in immunocompromised people and congenital infections have made treatment and vaccine development a top priority. Because of cytomegaloviruses' species specificity, murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) models have historically informed and advanced translational CMV therapies.

Activation of Cph1 causes ß(1,3)-glucan unmasking in Candida albicans and attenuates virulence in mice in a neutrophil-dependent manner.

Masking the immunogenic cell wall epitope ß(1,3)-glucan under an outer layer of mannosylated glycoproteins is an important virulence factor deployed by Candida albicans during infection. Consequently, increased ß(1,3)-glucan exposure (unmasking) reveals C. albicans to the host's immune system and attenuates its virulence.