Weakened Airway Epithelial Junctions and Enhanced Neutrophil Elastase Release Contribute to Age-Dependent Bacteremia Risk Following Pneumococcal Pneumonia.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp; pneumococcus), the most common agent of community-acquired pneumonia, can spread systemically, particularly in the elderly, highlighting the need for adjunctive therapies. The airway epithelial barrier defends against bacteremia and is dependent upon apical junctional complex (AJC) proteins such as E-cadherin. After mouse lung challenge, pneumolysin (PLY), a key Sp virulence factor, stimulates epithelial secretion of an inflammatory eicosanoid, triggering the infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) that secrete high levels of neutrophil elastase (NE), thus promoting epithelial damage and systemic infection.

Structural Assessment of Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP)-Derived Vaccine Antigens and Immunological Profiling in Mice with Different Genetic Backgrounds.

() is the most common cause of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. infections are often asymptomatic in women, leading to severe reproductive tract sequelae. Development of a vaccine against is crucial.

In Vitro Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Gonococcal Trivalent Candidate Vaccine Identified by Transcriptomics.

Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease caused by , poses a significant global public health threat. Infection in women can be asymptomatic and may result in severe reproductive complications. Escalating antibiotic resistance underscores the need for an effective vaccine.

Integrated Bioinformatic Analyses and Immune Characterization of New Vaccine Antigens Expressed during Natural Mucosal Infection.

There is an increasingly severe trend of antibiotic-resistant strains worldwide and new therapeutic strategies are needed against this sexually-transmitted pathogen. Despite the urgency, progress towards a gonococcal vaccine has been slowed by a scarcity of suitable antigens, lack of correlates of protection in humans and limited animal models of infection. gene expression levels in the natural human host does not reflect expression in vitro, further complicating in vitro-basedvaccine analysis platforms.