An IS element-driven antisense RNA attenuates the expression of serotype 2 fimbriae and the cytotoxicity of .

Insertion sequences (IS) represent mobile genetic elements that have been shown to be associated with bacterial evolution and adaptation due to their effects on genome plasticity. In , the causative agent of whooping cough, the numerous IS elements induce genomic rearrangements and contribute to the diversity of the global population. Previously, we have shown that the majority of IS-specific endogenous promoters induce the synthesis of alternative transcripts and thereby affect the transcriptional landscape of .

Cascading expression of ApiAP2 transcription factors controls daughter cell assembly in Toxoplasma gondii.

Pathogenesis of Toxoplasma gondii in the intermediate host is based on the tachyzoite ability to divide rapidly to produce significant amount of daughter cells in a reduce time frame. The regulation of the cell-cycle specific expression program is therefore key to their proliferation. Transcriptional regulation has a crucial role in establishing this expression program and transcription factors regulates many aspects of tachyzoite cell cycle.

Is longer really better? Results of a retrospective real-life cohort study evaluating the benefit of adding a weekly educational session to a traditional 8-week home-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme in people with COPD.

Objectives: To evaluate the short-term and long-term benefits of adding a weekly educational session to a traditional 8-week home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programme in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Primary hypothesis was that 8 home-based supervised sessions will be equivalent to 16 home-based supervised sessions at both short- and long-term after PR.

Design: Retrospective cohort study conducted on prospectively collected real-life data, from January 2010 to December 2021.

The benefits of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: From immunomodulator to vaccine vector.

Probiotics have been increasingly recognized for positively influencing many aspects of human health. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum), a non-pathogenic bacterium, previously known as Lactobacillus plantarum, is one of the lactic acid bacteria commonly used in fermentation.

Method for the detection and quantification of viral contamination during the preparation of gene therapy drugs in a hospital pharmacy.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to develop a method for sampling and detecting an adenovirus-derived gene therapy (GT) vector on isolator worksurfaces.

Methods: We used a quantitative PCR (q-PCR) to detect the viral genome in standard dilutions of pure GT product and extracts of sampled surfaces. We compared three devices for surface sampling (a cotton compress, a cotton swab and a polyester flocked swab) and performed positive control, negative control and induced contamination tests for each.

Pulmonary fibrosis in patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a retrospective nationwide cohort study.

Background: Autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP) is a rare disease that may progress towards pulmonary fibrosis. Data about fibrosis prevalence and risk factors are lacking.

Methods: In this retrospective multicentre nationwide cohort, we included patients newly diagnosed with aPAP between 2008 and 2018 in France and Belgium.

A widespread family of ribosomal peptide metallophores involved in bacterial adaptation to metal stress.

Ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are a structurally diverse group of natural products that bacteria employ in their survival strategies. Herein, we characterized the structure, the biosynthetic pathway, and the mode of action of a RiPP family called bufferins. With thousands of homologous biosynthetic gene clusters throughout the bacterial phylogenetic tree, bufferins form by far the largest family of RiPPs modified by multinuclear nonheme iron-dependent oxidases (MNIO, DUF692 family).

Targeted delivery of flagellin by nebulization offers optimized respiratory immunity and defense against pneumococcal pneumonia.

Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to combat pneumonia caused by strains resistant to standard-of-care antibiotics. Previous studies have shown that targeted stimulation of lung innate immune defenses through intranasal administration of the Toll-like receptor 5 agonist flagellin improves the treatment of pneumonia when combined with antibiotics. To promote translation to the clinic application, this study assessed the direct delivery of flagellin to the airways through nebulization using a vibrating mesh nebulizer in mice.

Reassessing the association between bacterial vaginosis and preterm birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: For the past three decades, researchers have proposed an association between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and preterm birth. This association has been questioned since treating BV with antibiotics during pregnancy hasn't led to a decreased risk of preterm birth.

Objective: To re-assess the connection between BV and preterm birth by reviewing existing literature.

Protocol for protein modification using oxalyl thioester-mediated chemoselective ligation.

The development of fast ligation chemistries for the site-specific modification of proteins has become a major focus in chemical biology. We describe steps for preparing an oxalyl thioester precursor in the form of an N-oxalyl perhydro-1,2,5-dithiazepine handle, i.e.

HEV ORF2 protein-antibody complex deposits are associated with glomerulonephritis in hepatitis E with reduced immune status.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection, one of the most common forms of hepatitis worldwide, is often associated with extrahepatic, particularly renal, manifestations. However, the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we report the development of a de novo immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis (GN) in a kidney transplant recipient with chronic hepatitis E.

Large-scale deep learning identifies the antiviral potential of PKI-179 and MTI-31 against coronaviruses.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to the global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease (2019) (COVID-19), underscoring the urgency for effective antiviral drugs. Despite the development of different vaccination strategies, the search for specific antiviral compounds remains crucial. Here, we combine machine learning (ML) techniques with in vitro validation to efficiently identify potential antiviral compounds.

Antileishmanial, antitrypanosomal and anti-coronavirus activities of benzophenanthridine alkaloids and other specialized metabolites isolated from the root bark of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (Lam.) B.Zepernick & Timler.

Strong antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activities were highlighted for the crude methanolic extract (IC = 0.61 and 2.15 μg/mL, respectively) of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (Lam.

Topical adjunctive treatment with flagellin augments pulmonary neutrophil responses and reduces bacterial dissemination in multidrug-resistant infection.

Objective: Antimicrobial resistance is an emerging problem and multi-drug resistant (MDR) () represents an enormous risk of failing therapy in hospital-acquired pneumonia. The current study aimed to determine the immunomodulatory effect of topical flagellin in addition to antibiotic treatment during respiratory infection evoked by hypervirulent antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant in mice.

Methods: C57BL6 mice were inoculated intranasally with hypervirulent (K2:O1) which was either antibiotic-susceptible or multi-drug resistant.

Pulmonary Administration of TLR2/6 Agonist after Allergic Sensitization Inhibits Airway Hyper-Responsiveness and Recruits Natural Killer Cells in Lung Parenchyma.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease with persistent airway inflammation, bronchial hyper-reactivity, mucus overproduction, and airway remodeling. Antagonizing T2 responses by triggering the immune system with microbial components such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) has been suggested as a therapeutic concept for allergic asthma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a TLR2/6 agonist, FSL-1 (Pam2CGDPKHPKSF), administered by intranasal instillation after an allergic airway reaction was established in the ovalbumin (OVA) mouse model and to analyze the role of natural killer (NK) cells in this effect.