Publications by authors named "Yongtang Zheng"

Article Synopsis
  • Type I interferon (IFN-I) and its gene IFI27 are crucial in controlling HIV-1 infection by effectively suppressing viral replication and degrading its proteins, p24 and p55.
  • The study found that the IFI27 variant from northern pig-tailed macaques (NPM-IFI27) is particularly effective against HIV-1, utilizing the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to target and degrade viral proteins.
  • These results highlight the potential of NPM-IFI27 as a promising candidate for new antiviral therapies against HIV-1, emphasizing the need for ongoing research in host antiviral agents.
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Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection disrupts the homeostatic equilibrium between the host and commensal microbes. However, the dynamic changes of plasma commensal viruses and their role in HIV/simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) pathogenesis are rarely reported. Here, we investigated the longitudinal changes of plasma virome, inflammation levels, and disease markers using an SIV-infected model.

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The tree shrew ( ) has long been proposed as a suitable alternative to non-human primates (NHPs) in biomedical and laboratory research due to its close evolutionary relationship with primates. In recent years, significant advances have facilitated tree shrew studies, including the determination of the tree shrew genome, genetic manipulation using spermatogonial stem cells, viral vector-mediated gene delivery, and mapping of the tree shrew brain atlas. However, the limited availability of tree shrews globally remains a substantial challenge in the field.

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Article Synopsis
  • Viral infectivity factor (Vif) is a promising target for HIV-1 treatments, and researchers have developed a new class of inhibitors that work well against HIV-1 and its drug-resistant strains.
  • Using proteolytic targeting chimera (PROTAC), the study explores how to effectively degrade the Vif protein, which is crucial for the virus's ability to replicate.
  • The compound L15 has shown a dose-dependent ability to degrade Vif and demonstrated antiviral activity, laying the groundwork for future antiviral drug development using PROTACs for HIV/AIDS.
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The distribution of the immune system throughout the body complicates assessments of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) immunobiology, often resulting in a lack of reproducibility when extrapolated to the whole organism. Consequently, developing animal models is imperative for a comprehensive understanding of the pathology and immunology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This review summarizes current progress related to COVID-19 animal models, including non-human primates (NHPs), mice, and hamsters, with a focus on their roles in exploring the mechanisms of immunopathology, immune protection, and long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as their application in immunoprevention and immunotherapy of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Nanoparticles composed of Levan and Dolutegravir (DTG) have been successfully synthesized using a spray drying procedure specifically designed for milk/food admixture applications. Levan, obtained from the microorganism Bacillus subtilis, was thoroughly characterized using MALDI-TOF and solid-state NMR technique to confirm its properties. In the present study, this isolated Levan was utilized as a carrier for drug delivery applications.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Research involved modifying phorbol to create seco-cyclic derivatives and testing their ability to inhibit HIV-1 while measuring their affinity for PKC-δ protein.
  • * The standout compound, S11, showed strong anti-HIV-1 properties but did not bind to PKC-δ, indicating it could be a promising candidate for further research in developing HIV treatments.
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Objectives: There is conflicting data regarding the response of older people with HIV (PWH) to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term immunological and virological responses, changes in regimen, and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in older participants (50+ years) compared with younger (18-34 years) and middle-aged (35-49 years) PWH.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was conducted on 1622 participants who received ART in Yunnan Province, China, from 2010 to 2019.

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Members of the family, encompassing the and genera, are implicated in a spectrum of severe human pathologies. These diseases span a diverse spectrum, including hepatitis, vascular shock syndrome, encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis, and adverse fetal outcomes, such as congenital heart defects and increased mortality rates. Notably, infections by viruses have been associated with substantial cardiovascular compromise, yet the exploration into the attendant cardiovascular sequelae and underlying mechanisms remains relatively underexplored.

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Article Synopsis
  • HIV/AIDS persists due to viral reservoirs in complex human organs, which are not yet fully understood, especially outside of blood and lymph nodes.
  • A study on SIV-infected monkeys found that early short-term combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) can significantly reduce the viral reservoir size but fails to eradicate ongoing viral replication.
  • After treatment, nonlymphoid tissues like the liver and lung became more significant contributors to the viral reservoir, indicating the need for new strategies that address these tissues in AIDS therapy development.
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  • The Chinese tree shrew shares significant similarities with primates in its nervous, immune, and metabolic systems, making it a valuable model for biomedical research on various health conditions.
  • Researchers identified eight different mammalian viruses in healthy tree shrews, including new findings like a novel rotavirus and three viruses that show low genetic similarity to previously known ones.
  • The study emphasizes the need for further investigation into the viral diversity in tree shrews and the potential risk of cross-species transmission of these viruses.
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SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced hyper-inflammation is a key pathogenic factor of COVID-19. Our research, along with others', has demonstrated that mast cells (MCs) play a vital role in the initiation of hyper-inflammation caused by SARS-CoV-2. In previous study, we observed that SARS-CoV-2 infection induced the accumulation of MCs in the peri-bronchus and bronchioalveolar-duct junction in humanized mice.

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Apart from mediating viral entry, the function of the free HIV-1 envelope protein (gp120) has yet to be elucidated. Our group previously showed that EP2 derived from one β-strand in gp120 can form amyloid fibrils that increase HIV-1 infectivity. Importantly, gp120 contains ~30 β-strands.

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Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a major cell entry receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The induction of ACE2 expression may serve as a strategy by SARS-CoV-2 to facilitate its propagation. However, the regulatory mechanisms of ACE2 expression after viral infection remain largely unknown.

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Objective: Anemoside B4 (AB4), the most abundant triterpenoidal saponin isolated from , inhibited influenza virus FM1 or -induced pneumonia. However, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect of AB4 has not been unraveled. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the antiviral activity and potential mechanism of AB4 in inhibiting human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and .

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In this study, 37 derivatives of phorbol esters were synthesized and their anti-HIV-1 activities evaluated, building upon our previous synthesis of 51 phorbol derivatives. 12-Para-electron-acceptor-trans-cinnamoyl-13-decanoyl phorbol derivatives stood out, demonstrating remarkable anti-HIV-1 activities and inhibitory effects on syncytia formation. These derivatives exhibited a higher safety index compared with the positive control drug.

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Vaccines have been the primary remedy in the global fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, a critical viral immunogen, is affected by the heterogeneity of its glycan structures and relatively low immunogenicity. Here, we describe a scalable synthetic platform that enables the precise synthesis of homogeneously glycosylated RBD, facilitating the elucidation of carbohydrate structure-function relationships.

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Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection can cause chronic activation, exhaustion, and anergy of the immune system. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is an immune checkpoint molecule, which plays an important role in immune homeostasis and disease. CTLA-4 expression is elevated in HIV-1-infected patients and is associated with disease progression.

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The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a crucial element in the replication and transcription of RNA viruses. Although the RdRps of lethal human coronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been extensively studied, the molecular mechanism of the catalytic subunit NSP12, which is involved in pathogenesis, remains unclear. In this study, the biochemical and cell biological results demonstrate the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 and seven host proteins, including three splicing factors (SLU7, PPIL3, and AKAP8).

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Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) inhibitors have been proven to be a promising option for anti-HIV-1 latency therapeutics. We herein describe the design, synthesis, and anti-HIV-1 latency bioevaluation of triazolopyridine derivatives as BRD4 inhibitors. Among them, compound displayed favorable HIV-1 reactivation and prominent safety profile without triggering abnormal immune activation.

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Background: Hypertension is a prevalent cardiovascular disease characterized by elevated blood pressure and increased vascular resistance. HDAC inhibitors have emerged as potential therapeutic agents due to their ability to modulate gene expression and cellular processes. YPX-C-05, a novel hydroxamic acid-based HDAC inhibitor, shows promise in its vasodilatory effects and potential targets for hypertension treatment.

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Article Synopsis
  • People who got sick after getting an inactivated vaccine had very low protection against a newer virus called XBB.
  • If they were infected with the Omicron BA.1 or BA.5 versions, they also had weak protection against XBB.
  • However, getting sick from BA.5 gave a little bit better protection against XBB than getting sick from BA.1.
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Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV) and with a high fatality rate. Thrombocytopenia is a major clinical manifestation observed in SFTS patients, but the underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. Here, we explored the effects of SFTSV infection on platelet function in vivo in severely infected SFTSV IFNar mice and on mouse and human platelet function in vitro.

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