Metatranscriptome of the protistan community in Reticulitermes flaviceps.

The hindgut of lower termites harbors various symbiotic protists, which perform varied functions in lignocellulose decomposition. As termites are social insects, the species and numbers of these flagellated protists in the termite gut vary among the different castes. Juvenile hormones (JHs) can regulate caste differentiation in termites.

Toll-interacting protein inhibits HIV-1 infection and regulates viral latency.

HIV-1 latency is mainly characterized by a reversible silencing of long-terminal repeat (LTR)-driven transcription of provirus. The existing of repressive factors has been described to contribute to transcription silencing of HIV-1. Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) has been identified as a repressor of Toll like receptors (TLR)-mediated signaling.

Adenoviral vector-based strategies against infectious disease and cancer.

Adenoviral vectors are widely employed against infectious diseases or cancers, as they can elicit specific antibody responses and T cell responses when they are armed with foreign genes as vaccine carriers, and induce apoptosis of the cancer cells when they are genetically modified for cancer therapy. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics of adenovirus (Ad) and the latest development of Ad vector-based strategies for the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases or cancers. Strategies to circumvent the pre-existing neutralizing antibodies which dampen the immunogenicity of Ad-based vaccines are also discussed.

Aberrant coagulation causes a hyper-inflammatory response in severe influenza pneumonia.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infects the respiratory tract in humans and causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. Aggressive inflammation, known as a cytokine storm, is thought to cause most of the damage in the lungs during IAV infection. Dysfunctional coagulation is a common complication in pathogenic influenza, manifested by lung endothelial activation, vascular leak, disseminated intravascular coagulation and pulmonary microembolism.

Anxiety-related behavioral responses of pentylenetetrazole-treated zebrafish larvae to light-dark transitions.

Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) antagonist, is a convulsant drug, known to induce anxiety and seizures in zebrafish. Changes in the mobility of zebrafish under light-dark transitions reflect anxiety level, serving as a useful behavioral readout. The effects of PTZ treatment have yet to be assayed in this manner.

Hierarchy Low CD4+/CD8+ T-Cell Counts and IFN-γ Responses in HIV-1+ Individuals Correlate with Active TB and/or M.tb Co-Infection.

Objective: Detailed studies of correlation between HIV-M.tb co-infection and hierarchy declines of CD8+/CD4+ T-cell counts and IFN-γ responses have not been done. We conducted case-control studies to address this issue.

Evaluation of Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy Elicited by Mycobacterium bovis BCG Overexpressing Ag85A Protein against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Aerosol Infection.

Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is currently the only vaccine available for preventing tuberculosis (TB), however, BCG has varying success in preventing pulmonary TB. In this study, a recombinant BCG (rBCG::Ag85A) strain overexpressing the immunodominant Ag85A antigen was constructed, and its immunogenicity and protective efficacy were evaluated. Our results indicated that the Ag85A protein was successfully overexpressed in rBCG::Ag85A, and the Ag85A peptide-MHC complexes on draining lymph node dendritic cells of C57BL/6 mice infected with rBCG::Ag85A were detectable 4 h post-infection.

IFNL4 ss469415590 polymorphism contributes to treatment decisions in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1b, but not 2a, infection.

Recently, the dinucleotide variant ss469415590 (TT/ΔG) in a novel gene, interferon lambda 4 (IFNL4), was identified as a stronger predictor of hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance in individuals of African ancestry compared with rs12979860. We aimed to determine whether this variant contributes to treatment decisions in a Chinese population. A total of 447 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients (including 328 treated with interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin), 129 individuals who had spontaneously cleared HCV (SHC), and 169 healthy controls were retrospectively investigated.

Recombinant BCG prime and PPE protein boost provides potent protection against acute Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice.

Since BCG, the only vaccine widely used against tuberculosis (TB) in the world, provides varied protective efficacy and may not be effective for inducing long-term cellular immunity, it is in an urgent need to develop more effective vaccines and more potent immune strategies against TB. Prime-boost is proven to be a good strategy by inducing long-term protection. In this study, we tested the protective effect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) challenge of prime-boost strategy by recombinant BCG (rBCG) expressing PPE protein Rv3425 fused with Ag85B and Rv3425.

Specific Reactivation of Latent HIV-1 by dCas9-SunTag-VP64-mediated Guide RNA Targeting the HIV-1 Promoter.

HIV-1 escapes antiretroviral agents by integrating into the host DNA and forming a latent transcriptionally silent HIV-1 provirus. Transcriptional activation is prerequisite for reactivation and the eradication of latent HIV-1 proviruses. dCas9-SunTag-VP64 transcriptional system has been reported that it can robustly activate the expression of an endogenous gene using a single guide RNA (sgRNA).

Sustained viral response and treatment-induced cytopenia correlate with SLCs and KLF12 genotypes in interferon/ribavirin-treated Chinese chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background And Aim: Genetic variations in solute carrier (SLC) genes are associated with liver diseases, and Kruppel-like factor 12 (KLF12) affects the b chain of hemoglobin. We investigated possible correlations of SLC and KLF12 polymorphisms with viral clearance (spontaneous and treatment-induced) and adverse effects in Chinese chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.

Methods: We genotyped the single nucleotide polymorphisms in 525 CHC patients, 137 patients with spontaneous clearance, and 207 healthy controls.

HIV-1 Nef-associated Factor 1 Enhances Viral Production by Interacting with CRM1 to Promote Nuclear Export of Unspliced HIV-1 gag mRNA.

HIV-1 depends on host-cell-encoded factors to complete its life cycle. A comprehensive understanding of how HIV-1 manipulates host machineries during viral infection can facilitate the identification of host targets for antiviral drugs or gene therapy. The cellular protein Naf1 (HIV-1 Nef-associated factor 1) is a CRM1-dependent nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein, and has been identified to regulate multiple receptor-mediated signal pathways in inflammation.

Human Mucosal Mast Cells Capture HIV-1 and Mediate Viral trans-Infection of CD4+ T Cells.

Unlabelled: The gastrointestinal mucosa is the primary site where human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) invades, amplifies, and becomes persistently established, and cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 plays a pivotal role in mucosal viral dissemination. Mast cells are widely distributed in the gastrointestinal tract and are early targets for invasive pathogens, and they have been shown to have increased density in the genital mucosa in HIV-infected women. Intestinal mast cells express numerous pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and have been shown to combat various viral, parasitic, and bacterial infections.

Comprehensive analysis of antibody recognition in convalescent humans from highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 infection.

Understanding the mechanism of protective antibody recognition against highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus H5N1 in humans is critical for the development of effective therapies and vaccines. Here we report the crystal structure of three H5-specific human monoclonal antibodies bound to the globular head of hemagglutinin (HA) with distinct epitope specificities, neutralization potencies and breadth. A structural and functional analysis of these epitopes combined with those reported elsewhere identifies four major vulnerable sites on the globular head of H5N1 HA.

USP17-mediated deubiquitination and stabilization of HDAC2 in cigarette smoke extract-induced inflammation.

Histone deacetylase HDAC2 regulates genes transcription via removing the acetyl group from histones. Glucocorticoids, the most potent anti-inflammatory treatment available for inflammatory diseases, inhibit the expression of inflammatory genes by recruiting HDAC2 to activated genes. In the lungs of patients who smoke and have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, glucocorticoids are not effective enough to suppress airway inflammation, which is so called "glucocorticoid resistance", due to decreased HDAC2 level caused by cigarette smoke.

Reciprocal regulation of RORγt acetylation and function by p300 and HDAC1.

T helper 17 (Th17) cells not only play critical roles in protecting against bacterial and fungal infections but are also involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The retinoic acid-related orphan receptor (RORγt) is a key transcription factor involved in Th17 cell differentiation through direct transcriptional activation of interleukin 17(A) (IL-17). How RORγt itself is regulated remains unclear.

The evolutionary landscape of intergenic trans-splicing events in insects.

To explore the landscape of intergenic trans-splicing events and characterize their functions and evolutionary dynamics, we conduct a mega-data study of a phylogeny containing eight species across five orders of class Insecta, a model system spanning 400 million years of evolution. A total of 1,627 trans-splicing events involving 2,199 genes are identified, accounting for 1.58% of the total genes.

Replication Inhibition of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus in Co-Infected Patients in Chinese Population.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infections contributes to a substantial proportion of liver disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and virological features of HBV-HCV co-infection.

Methods: Demographic data were collected for 3238 high-risk people from an HCV-endemic region in China.

Antibodies to P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 block dendritic cell-mediated enterovirus 71 transmission and prevent virus-induced cells death.

P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) has been proved to serve as the functional receptor for enterovirus 71 (EV71). We found the abundant expression of PSGL-1 on monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs). However, we have previously demonstrated that MDDCs did not support efficient replication of EV71.

Use of parenteral caffeinum natrio-benzoicum: an underestimated risk factor for HCV transmission in China.

Background: Fuyu city in China has a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection resulting in a high morbidity and mortality from chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. This study was conducted to identify the risk factors for HCV infection in Fuyu city.

Methods: Recruitment of study subjects involved a cross-sectional survey using non-random, convenience sampling.

HBx relieves chromatin-mediated transcriptional repression of hepatitis B viral cccDNA involving SETDB1 histone methyltransferase.

Background & Aims: Maintenance of the covalently closed circular HBV DNA (cccDNA) that serves as a template for HBV transcription is responsible for the failure of antiviral therapies. While studies in chronic hepatitis patients have shown that high viremia correlates with hyperacetylation of cccDNA-associated histones, the molecular mechanisms controlling cccDNA stability and transcriptional regulation are still poorly understood. This study aimed to decipher the role of chromatin and chromatin modifier proteins on HBV transcription.

TRIM30α Is a Negative-Feedback Regulator of the Intracellular DNA and DNA Virus-Triggered Response by Targeting STING.

Uncontrolled immune responses to intracellular DNA have been shown to induce autoimmune diseases. Homeostasis regulation of immune responses to cytosolic DNA is critical for limiting the risk of autoimmunity and survival of the host. Here, we report that the E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif protein 30α (TRIM30α) was induced by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in dendritic cells (DCs).

A lentiviral vector-based therapeutic vaccine encoding Ag85B-Rv3425 potently increases resistance to acute tuberculosis infection in mice.

Few treatment options for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB call attention to the development of novel therapeutic approaches for TB. Therapeutic vaccines are promising candidates because they can induce antigen-specific cellular immune responses, which play an important role in the elimination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). In this study, a novel lentiviral vector therapeutic vaccine for delivering MTB-specific fusion protein Ag85B-Rv3425 was constructed.

A critical role for hemolysin in Vibrio fluvialis-induced IL-1β secretion mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages.

Vibrio fluvialis causes human diarrhea, but the pathogenesis is not well-studied. We hypothesized that V. fluvialis-secreted hemolysin (VFH) may induce IL-1β secretion through the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and contribute to the pathogenicity of V.

Whole genome methylation array reveals the down-regulation of IGFBP6 and SATB2 by HIV-1.

Nowadays, the knowledge in DNA methylation-mediated gene regulation has shed light on the understanding of virus-host interplay in the context of genome alteration. It has also been shown that HIV is able to change the DNA methylation pattern by DNA methyltransferases and such changes can be correlated with the progression of AIDS. In this study, we have investigated the relationship between genome-wide DNA methylation pattern and HIV infection using the methylated DNA immunoprecipitation--microarray method.