Etanercept, a TNF receptor 2-Fc fusion protein, is currently being used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, 25% to 38% of patients show no response which is suspected to be partially due to insufficient affinity of this protein to TNFalpha. By using computational protein design, we found that residue W89 and E92 of TNFR2 were critical for ligand binding. Among several mutants tested, W89Y/E92N displayed 1.49-fold higher neutralizing activity to TNFalpha, as compared to that of Etanercept. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based binding assay revealed that the equilibrium dissociation constant of W89Y/E92N to TNFalpha was 3.65-fold higher than that of Etanercept. In a rat model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), W89Y/E92N showed a significantly better ability than Etanercept in reducing paw swelling and improvement of arthritic joint histopathologically. These data demonstrate that W89Y/E92N is potentially a better candidate with improved efficacy in treating RA and other autoimmune diseases.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000669 | DOI Listing |
Viruses
December 2024
College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China.
Coinfections with porcine circovirus types 2, 3, and 4 (PCV2, PCV3, and PCV4) are increasingly being detected in the swine industry. However, there is no commercially available vaccine which prevents coinfection with PCV2, PCV3, and PCV4. The development of a vaccine expressing capsid (Cap) fusion proteins of multiple PCVs represents a promising approach for broadly preventing infection with PCVs.
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December 2024
Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia.
The global burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe associated disease is prodigious. RSV-specific vaccines have been launched recently but there is no antiviral medicine commercially available. RSV polymerase (L) protein is one of the promising antiviral targets, along with fusion and nucleocapsid proteins.
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November 2024
Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp (UA), Universiteitsplein 1 S.7, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in young children, elderly and immunocompromised patients worldwide. The RSV fusion (F) protein, which has 5-6 N-glycosylation sites depending on the strain, is a major target for vaccine development. Two to three of these sites are located in the p27 peptide, which is considered absent in virions.
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December 2024
Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention, 2333 CN Leiden, The Netherlands.
Unlabelled: Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a significant respiratory pathogen, particularly in vulnerable populations.
Background: No vaccine for the prevention of HMPV is currently licensed, although several subunit vaccines are in development. Saponin-based adjuvant systems (AS), including QS-21, have transformed the field of subunit vaccines by dramatically increasing their potency and efficacy, leading to the development of several licensed vaccines.
Microorganisms
December 2024
Research Center for Thermotolerant Microbial Resources, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi 753-8512, Yamaguchi, Japan.
, a ciliated protist, forms a symbiotic relationship with the green alga . This endosymbiotic association is a model system for studying the establishment of secondary symbiosis and interactions between the symbiont and its host organisms. Symbiotic algae reside in specialized compartments called perialgal vacuoles (PVs) within the host cytoplasm, which protect them from digestion by host lysosomal fusion.
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