Smart Cell Therapy: an industry perspective on macrophages as living drugs.

Macrophage-based cell therapies represent a cutting-edge frontier in immunotherapy, offering distinct advantages over conventional approaches like CAR-T. This review explores the potential of macrophages to orchestrate both innate and adaptive immune responses, enhancing the body's ability to combat diseases locally and systemically. Dubbed a "Smart Cell Therapy," macrophages can initiate and coordinate complex immunological cascades, leveraging multiple immune system components while also performing effector functions.

Correction: Konstantopoulos et al. HPV16 Oncogene Contributes to Cancer Immune Evasion by Regulating PD-L1 Expression through a miR-143/HIF-1a Pathway. 2024, , 113.

Amanda Psyrri was not included as an author in the original publication [...

Avian Reovirus: From Molecular Biology to Pathogenesis and Control.

Avian reoviruses (ARVs) represent a significant economic burden on the poultry industry due to their widespread prevalence and potential pathogenicity. These viruses, capable of infecting a diverse range of avian species, can lead to a variety of clinical manifestations, most notably tenosynovitis/arthritis. While many ARV strains are asymptomatic, pathogenic variants can cause severe inflammation and tissue damage in organs such as the tendons, heart, and liver.

Viral Oncogenesis: Synergistic Role of Genome Integration and Persistence.

Persistence is a strategy used by many viruses to evade eradication by the immune system, ensuring their permanence and transmission within the host and optimizing viral fitness. During persistence, viruses can trigger various phenomena, including target organ damage, mainly due to an inflammatory state induced by infection, as well as cell proliferation and/or immortalization. In addition to immune evasion and chronic inflammation, factors contributing to viral persistence include low-level viral replication, the accumulation of viral mutants, and, most importantly, maintenance of the viral genome and reliance on viral oncoprotein production.

A Subunit Vaccine Harboring the Fusion Capsid Proteins of Porcine Circovirus Types 2, 3, and 4 Induces Protective Immune Responses in a Mouse Model.

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.

Plasma Interleukin-35 Levels Predict the Prognosis in Patients with HBV-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of IL-35 on the prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF. We recruited 69 patients with HBV-ACLF, 20 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 17 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), and 20 healthy controls (HCs) from a regional infectious disease treatment center in China. Plasma levels of IL-35 at baseline were detected using ELISA.

High Detection Rate of Rotavirus Infection Among Children Admitted with Acute Gastroenteritis to Six Public Hospitals in Luanda Province After the Introduction of Rotarix Vaccine: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Rotavirus group A (RVA) is a major cause of pediatric acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Vaccination is an effective public health strategy and Angola implemented it in 2014. This hospital-based study aimed to estimate the prevalence of RVA infection and the severity of AGE in children under five years of age treated at six hospitals in Luanda Province.

Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 XBB.1.5 and JN.1 Variants Following XBB.1.5 Booster Vaccination in Liver Transplant Recipients.

Background/objectives: The efficacy of monovalent BNT162b2 Omicron XBB.1.5 booster vaccination in liver transplant recipients (LTRs) has yet to be described, particularly regarding the immune response to emerging variants like JN.

PD1-Targeted Transgene Delivery to Treg Cells.

Achieving the precise targeting of lentiviral vectors (LVs) to specific cell populations is crucial for effective gene therapy, particularly in cancer treatment where the modulation of the tumor microenvironment can enhance anti-tumor immunity. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is overexpressed on activated tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes, including regulatory T cells that suppress immune responses via FOXP3 expression. We developed PD1-targeted LVs by incorporating the anti-PD1 nanobody nb102c3 into receptor-blinded measles virus H and VSV-G glycoproteins.

Metformin in Antiviral Therapy: Evidence and Perspectives.

Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic medication, has emerged as a promising broad-spectrum antiviral agent due to its ability to modulate cellular pathways essential for viral replication. By activating AMPK, metformin depletes cellular energy reserves that viruses rely on, effectively limiting the replication of pathogens such as influenza, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, HBV, and HCV. Its role in inhibiting the mTOR pathway, crucial for viral protein synthesis and reactivation, is particularly significant in managing infections caused by HIV, CMV, and EBV.

A Global Collaborative Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antigenicity Across 15 Laboratories.

Setting up a global SARS-CoV-2 surveillance system requires an understanding of how virus isolation and propagation practices, use of animal or human sera, and different neutralisation assay platforms influence assessment of SARS-CoV-2 antigenicity. In this study, with the contribution of 15 independent laboratories across all WHO regions, we carried out a controlled analysis of neutralisation assay platforms using the first WHO International Standard for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (source: NIBSC). Live virus isolates (source: WHO BioHub or individual labs) or spike plasmids (individual labs) for pseudovirus production were used to perform neutralisation assays using the same serum panels.

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus: Insights into Pathogenesis, Immune Evasion, and Technological Innovations in Oncolytic and Vaccine Development.

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) represents a significant advancement in therapeutic medicine, offering unique molecular and cellular characteristics that make it exceptionally suitable for medical applications. The bullet-shaped morphology, RNA genome organization, and cytoplasmic replication strategy provide fundamental advantages for both vaccine development and oncolytic applications. VSV's interaction with host cells through the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) and its sophisticated transcriptional regulation mechanisms enables precise control over therapeutic applications.

Development and Evaluation of a Newcastle Disease Virus-like Particle Vaccine Expressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein with Protease-Resistant and Stability-Enhanced Modifications.

The ongoing global health crisis caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) necessitates the continuous development of innovative vaccine strategies, especially in light of emerging viral variants that could undermine the effectiveness of existing vaccines. In this study, we developed a recombinant virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine based on the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) platform, displaying a stabilized prefusion form of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. This engineered S protein includes two proline substitutions (K986P, V987P) and a mutation at the cleavage site (RRAR to QQAQ), aimed at enhancing both its stability and immunogenicity.

Vaccination with a Replication-Dead Murine Gammaherpesvirus Lacking Viral Pathogenesis Genes Inhibits WT Virus Infection.

Gammaherpesviruses are oncogenic pathogens that establish lifelong infections. There are no FDA-approved vaccines against Epstein-Barr virus or Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus. Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) infection of mice provides a system for investigating gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis and testing vaccine strategies.

The 'Oma's of the Gammas-Cancerogenesis by γ-Herpesviruses.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), which are the only members of the gamma(γ) herpesviruses, are oncogenic viruses that significantly contribute to the development of various human cancers, such as Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and primary effusion lymphoma. Oncogenesis triggered by γ-herpesviruses involves complex interactions between viral genetics, host cellular mechanisms, and immune evasion strategies. At the genetic level, crucial viral oncogenes participate in the disruption of cell signaling, leading to uncontrolled proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis.

UBL5 and Its Role in Viral Infections.

Unlike other ubiquitin-like family members, UBL5 is structurally and functionally atypical, and a novel role in various biological processes and diseases has been discovered. UBL5 can stabilize the structure of the spliceosome, can promote post-transcriptional processing, and has been implicated in both DNA damage repair and protein unfolding reactions, as well as cellular mechanisms that are frequently exploited by viruses for their own proliferation during viral infections. In addition, UBL5 can inhibit viral infection by binding to the non-structural protein 3 of rice stripe virus and mediating its degradation.

Influenza a Virus Detection at the Human-Swine Interface in US Midwest Swine Farms.

This study evaluated influenza A virus (IAV) detection and genetic diversity over time, specifically at the human-swine interface in breeding and nursery farms. Active surveillance was performed monthly in five swine farms in the Midwest United States targeting the employees, the prewean piglets at sow farms, and the same cohort of piglets in downstream nurseries. In addition, information was collected at enrollment for each employee and farm to assess production management practices, IAV vaccination status, diagnostic procedures, and biosecurity.

DHX15 and Rig-I Coordinate Apoptosis and Innate Immune Signaling by Antiviral RNase L.

During virus infection, the activation of the antiviral endoribonuclease, ribonuclease L (RNase L), by a unique ligand 2'-5'-oilgoadenylate (2-5A) causes the cleavage of single-stranded viral and cellular RNA targets, restricting protein synthesis, activating stress response pathways, and promoting cell death to establish broad antiviral effects. The immunostimulatory dsRNA cleavage products of RNase L activity (RL RNAs) recruit diverse dsRNA sensors to activate signaling pathways to amplify interferon (IFN) production and activate inflammasome, but the sensors that promote cell death are not known. In this study, we found that DEAH-box polypeptide 15 (DHX15) and retinoic acid-inducible gene I (Rig-I) are essential for apoptosis induced by RL RNAs and require mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS), c-Jun amino terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) for caspase-3-mediated intrinsic apoptosis.

Saliva Diagnostics in Spaceflight Virology Studies-A Review.

Many biological markers of normal and disease states can be detected in saliva. The benefits of saliva collection for research include being non-invasive, ease of frequent sample collection, saving time, and being cost-effective. A small volume (≈1 mL) of saliva is enough for these analyses that can be collected in just a few minutes.

The Pestivirus RNase E Tames the Interferon Response of the Respiratory Epithelium.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a pestivirus in the family , is a major livestock pathogen. Horizontal transmission leads to acute transient infections via the oronasal route, whereas vertical transmission might lead to the birth of immunotolerant, persistently infected animals. In both cases, BVDV exerts an immunosuppressive effect, predisposing infected animals to secondary infections.

The Role of vIL-6 in KSHV-Mediated Immune Evasion and Tumorigenesis.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a double-stranded DNA gamma herpesvirus. Like other herpesviruses, KSHV establishes a latent infection with limited gene expression, while KSHV occasionally undergoes the lytic replication phase, which produces KSHV progenies and infects neighboring cells. KSHV genome encodes 80+ open reading frames.

Pemphigus and Bullous Pemphigoid Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Systematic Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged the rapid development and licensing of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Currently, numerous vaccines are available on a global scale and are based on different mechanisms of action, including mRNA technology, viral vectors, inactive viruses, and subunit particles. Mass vaccination conducted worldwide has highlighted the potential development of side effects, including ones with skin involvement.

Peripheral B Lymphocyte Serves as a Reservoir for the Persistently Covert Infection of Mandarin Fish Ranavirus.

Mandarin fish ranavirus (MRV) is a distinctive member among the genus of the family . The persistently covert infection of MRV was previously observed in a natural outbreak of MRV, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that mandarin fish peripheral B lymphocytes are implemented as viral reservoirs to maintain the persistent infection.

Mapping the HPV Landscape in South African Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Viral Genotypes, Microbiota, and Immune Signals.

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence, genotype distribution, and associations with cervicovaginal microbiota and cytokine profiles among South African women, where cervical cancer ranks as the second most common cancer. PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science were searched for studies on HPV infection up to 21 September 2024. The pooled prevalence was estimated using a random-effects model, with subgroup analyses by province, sample type, and HIV status.

Seasonal Shifts in Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Other Respiratory Viruses After the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Eight-Year Retrospective Study in Jalisco, Mexico.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic profoundly disrupted the epidemiology of respiratory viruses, driven primarily by widespread non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as social distancing and masking. This eight-year retrospective study examines the seasonal patterns and incidence of influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory viruses across pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic phases in Jalisco, Mexico. Weekly case counts were analyzed using an interrupted time series (ITS) model, segmenting the timeline into these three distinct phases.