Persistence of Immunogenicity of a Purified Inactivated Zika Virus Vaccine Candidate in Healthy Adults: 2 Years of Follow-up Compared With Natural Infection.

Background: We report 2-year persistence of immune response to Takeda's prophylactic purified formalin-inactivated whole Zika virus vaccine candidate (TAK-426) compared with that observed after natural infection.

Methods: A randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-selection, phase 1 trial was conducted in 18-49-year-old adults at 9 centers (7 in the United States, 2 in Puerto Rico) from 13 November 2017 to 24 November 2020. Primary objectives were safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of 3 increasing doses of TAK-426 administered as 2 doses 28 days apart to flavivirus (FV)-naive and FV-primed adults.

Chikungunya Virus Strains Show Lineage-Specific Variations in Virulence and Cross-Protective Ability in Murine and Nonhuman Primate Models.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a reemerging arbovirus capable of causing explosive outbreaks of febrile illness, polyarthritis, and polyarthralgia, inflicting severe morbidity on affected populations. CHIKV can be genetically classified into 3 major lineages: West African (WA); East, Central, and South African (ECSA); Indian Ocean (IOL); and Asian. Additionally, the Indian Ocean (IOL) sublineage emerged within the ECSA clade and the Asian/American sublineage emerged within the Asian clade.

Modified vaccinia virus Ankara encoding influenza virus hemagglutinin induces heterosubtypic immunity in macaques.

Unlabelled: Current influenza virus vaccines primarily aim to induce neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is a safe and well-characterized vector for inducing both antibody and cellular immunity. We evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of MVA encoding influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) and/or nucleoprotein (NP) in cynomolgus macaques.

Positive emotion can protect against source memory impairment.

Despite widespread belief that memory is enhanced by emotion, evidence also suggests that emotion can impair memory. Here we test predictions inspired by object-based binding theory, which states that memory enhancement or impairment depends on the nature of the information to be retrieved. We investigated emotional memory in the context of source retrieval, using images of scenes that were negative, neutral or positive in valence.

Cross-protective immunity against multiple influenza virus subtypes by a novel modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vectored vaccine in mice.

Development of an influenza vaccine that provides cross-protective immunity remains a challenge. Candidate vaccines based on a recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viral vector expressing antigens from influenza (MVA/Flu) viruses were constructed. A vaccine candidate, designated MVA/HA1/C13L/NP, that expresses the hemagglutinin from pandemic H1N1 (A/California/04/09) and the nucleoprotein (NP) from highly pathogenic H5N1 (A/Vietnam/1203/04) fused to a secretory signal sequence from vaccinia virus was highly protective.

High levels of virus-specific CD4+ T cells predict severe pandemic influenza A virus infection.

Rationale: T-cell responses have been implicated in control and exacerbation of lung injury during influenza A virus (IAV) infection.

Objectives: To examine the breadth and magnitude of influenza-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses during acute phase of infection.

Methods: Influenza-specific T-cell response to the entire pandemic H1N1/09 IAV proteome and T cell-related cytokine levels were measured in blood from previously healthy individuals with mild (n = 32) and severe (n = 16) IAV infection during the 2009 influenza pandemic.

Immunogenicity and efficacy of chimeric dengue vaccine (DENVax) formulations in interferon-deficient AG129 mice.

Formulations of chimeric dengue vaccine (DENVax) viruses containing the pre-membrane (prM) and envelope (E) genes of serotypes 1-4 expressed in the context of the attenuated DENV-2 PDK-53 genome were tested for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy in interferon receptor knock-out mice (AG129). Monovalent formulations were safe and elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses to the homologous virus and only limited cross-reactivity to other serotypes. A single dose of monovalent DENVax-1, -2, or -3 vaccine provided eighty or greater percent protection against both wild-type (wt) DENV-1 (Mochizuki strain) and DENV-2 (New Guinea C strain) challenge viruses.

Multilayered defense in HLA-B51-associated HIV viral control.

Polymorphism in the HLA region of a chromosome is the major source of host genetic variability in HIV-1 outcome, but there is limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of protective class I alleles such as HLA-B57, -B27, and -B51. Taking advantage of a unique cohort infected with clade B' HIV-1 through contaminated blood, in which many variables such as the length of infection, the infecting viral strain, and host genetic background are controlled, we performed a comprehensive study to understand HLA-B51-associated HIV-1 control. We focused on the T cell responses against three dominant HLA-B51-restricted epitopes: Gag327-345(NI9) NANPDCKTI, Pol743-751(LI9) LPPVVAKEI, and Pol283-289(TI8) TAFTIPSI.

Efficacy of a tetravalent chimeric dengue vaccine (DENVax) in Cynomolgus macaques.

Three tetravalent formulations of chimeric dengue (DENVax) viruses containing the pre-membrane and envelope genes of serotypes 1-4 expressed by the attenuated DENV-2 PDK-53 genome were tested for safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Subcutaneous injection of the DENVax formulations was well-tolerated. Low levels of viremia of only one of the four vaccine viruses were detected yet virus neutralizing antibody titers were induced against all four dengue virus serotypes after one or two administrations of vaccine.

Efficacy and safety of a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vectored plague vaccine in mice.

The efficacy and safety of plague vaccines based on the modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viral vector was evaluated. MVA recombinants were constructed expressing Yersinia pestis antigens under the translational control of the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) and/or fused to the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) secretory signal. A MVA/Y.

Archives and human genetics: saving the past for the future.

Developments in the history of human genetics are of interest to those who participated in them and also to historians of medicine and science. Individuals in these fields are increasingly concerned that the record of this history is being discarded. Based on a talk by two archivists which was presented at the Second International Workshop on Genetics, Medicine and History, this paper discusses the problems of selection and preservation and suggests methodologies and actions currently available which offer some practical solutions.

Protection of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) against plague after voluntary consumption of baits containing recombinant raccoon poxvirus vaccine.

Prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) are highly susceptible to Yersinia pestis and significant reservoirs of plague for humans in the western United States. A recombinant raccoon poxvirus, expressing the F1 antigen of Y.

Raccoon poxvirus as a mucosal vaccine vector for domestic cats.

In the present study, we evaluated both the immunogenicity and safety of recombinant raccoon poxvirus (RCN) as a mucosal vaccine vector for domestic cats. RCN is an orthopoxvirus that was isolated from healthy raccoons and has been used experimentally as a vaccine vector for rabies and other antigens in a variety of species, including raccoons, skunks, foxes, bobcats, rabbits, domestic cats, piglets, sheep and non-human primates. We evaluated the antibody response induced by a recombinant RCN vaccine expressing the rabies-G glycoprotein (RCN/rabies-G) administered to cats by the oral (PO), intranasal (IN), conjunctival (CO) or intranasal/conjunctival (IN/CO) route (dose: 10 plaque forming units or PFU).

The biological effects of five feline IFN-alpha subtypes.

IFN-alpha has been shown to induce both antiviral and antiproliferative activities in animals. This report describes the biological activity of five recently identified feline IFN-alpha subtypes expressed in the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line (rfeIFN-alpha1[CHO], rfeIFN-alpha2[CHO], rfeIFN-alpha3[CHO], rfeIFN-alpha5[CHO] and rfeIFN-alpha6[CHO]) and the feIFN-alpha6 subtype expressed in and purified from Pichia pastoris (rfeIFN-alpha6[P. pastoris]).

Transient and stable transfection of Chinese hamster ovary cells with the recombinant feline erythropoietin gene and expression, purification, and biological activity of feline erythropoietin protein.

Objective: To use transient and stable transfection of Chinese hamster ovary cells to clone the gene encoding feline erythropoietin (feEPO) protein, characterize the expressed protein, and assess its biological activity.

Sample Population: Cultures of Chinese hamster ovary or TF-1 cells.

Procedure: The gene encoding feEPO was cloned into a eukaryotic expression plasmid.

Recombinant raccoon pox vaccine protects mice against lethal plague.

Using a raccoon poxvirus (RCN) expression system, we have developed new recombinant vaccines that can protect mice against lethal plague infection. We tested the effects of a translation enhancer (EMCV-IRES) in combination with a secretory (tPA) signal or secretory (tPA) and membrane anchoring (CHV-gG) signals on in vitro antigen expression of F1 antigen in tissue culture and the induction of antibody responses and protection against Yersinia pestis challenge in mice. The RCN vector successfully expressed the F1 protein of Y.

Cloning, expression, purification, and biological activity of five feline type I interferons.

Type I interferons (IFN) are important mediators of the host defense against viral infections in mammals. In humans multiple subtypes of IFN-alpha exist, most of which possess antiviral activity. Little is known about the type I IFN genes in cats and the role they may play in feline immunological responses to viruses.