Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniaesurface polysaccharides: their role in diagnosis and immunogenicity

2000 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Daniel Dubreuil ◽  
Mario Jacques ◽  
Khyali R. Mittal ◽  
Marcelo Gottschalk

AbstractActinobacillus pleuropneumoniaeis an important pig pathogen that is responsible for swine pleuropneumonia, a highly contagious respiratory infection. Knowledge of the importance, composition and structural determination of the major antigens involved in virulence provides crucial information that could lead to the development of a rationale for the production of specific serodiagnostic tools as well as vaccine development. Thus, efforts have been devoted to study mainlyA. pleuropneumoniaevirulence determinants with special emphasis on the Apx toxins (forA. pleuropneumoniaeRTX toxins). In comparison, little attention has been given to the surface polysaccharides, which include capsular polysaccharides (CPS) and cell-wall lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Here, we review current knowledge on CPS and LPS ofA. pleuropneumoniaeused as diagnostic tools to monitor the infection and as immunogens for inclusion in vaccine preparations for animal protection.

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengfei Jin ◽  
Jingxin Li ◽  
Hongxing Pan ◽  
Yanfei Wu ◽  
Fengcai Zhu

AbstractIn response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, over 200 vaccine candidates against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) are under development and currently moving forward at an unparalleled speed. The availability of surrogate endpoints would help to avoid large-scale filed efficacy trials and facilitate the approval of vaccine candidates, which is crucial to control COVID-19 pandemic. Several phase 3 efficacy trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidates are under way, which provide opportunities for the determination of COVID-19 correlates of protection. In this paper, we review current knowledge for existence of COVID-19 correlates of protection, methods for assessment of immune correlates of protection and issues related to COVID-19 correlates of protection.


2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibeth Guevara-Lora ◽  
Anna Niewiarowska-Sendo ◽  
Agnieszka Polit ◽  
Andrzej Kozik

The G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), one of the largest protein families, are essential components of the most commonly used signal-transduction systems in cells. These receptors, often using common pathways, may cooperate in the regulation of signal transmission to the cell nucleus. Recent scientific interests increasingly focus on the cooperation between these receptors, particularly in a context of their oligomerization, e.g. the formation of dimers that are able to change characteristic signaling of each receptor. Numerous studies on kinin and dopamine receptors which belong to this family of receptors have shown new facts demonstrating their direct interactions with other GPCRs. In this review, current knowledge on signaling pathways and oligomerization of these receptors has been summarized. Owing to the fact that kinin and dopamine receptors are widely expressed in cell membranes where they act as mediators of numerous common physiological processes, the information presented here sheds new light on a putative crosstalk of these receptors and provides more comprehensive understanding of possible direct interactions that may change their functions. The determination of such interactions may be useful for the development of new targeted therapeutic strategies against many disorders in which kinin and dopamine receptors are involved.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (7) ◽  
pp. 2481-2488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volker Winstel ◽  
Petra Kühner ◽  
Bernhard Krismer ◽  
Andreas Peschel ◽  
Holger Rohde

ABSTRACTGenetic manipulation of emerging bacterial pathogens, such as coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), is a major hurdle in clinical and basic microbiological research. Strong genetic barriers, such as restriction modification systems or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), usually interfere with available techniques for DNA transformation and therefore complicate manipulation of CoNS or render it impossible. Thus, current knowledge of pathogenicity and virulence determinants of CoNS is very limited. Here, a rapid, efficient, and highly reliable technique is presented to transfer plasmid DNA essential for genetic engineering to important CoNS pathogens from a uniqueStaphylococcus aureusstrain via a specificS. aureusbacteriophage, Φ187. Even strains refractory to electroporation can be transduced by this technique once donor and recipient strains share similar Φ187 receptor properties. As a proof of principle, this technique was used to delete the alternative transcription factor sigma B (SigB) via allelic replacement in nasal and clinicalStaphylococcus epidermidisisolates at high efficiencies. The described approach will allow the genetic manipulation of a wide range of CoNS pathogens and might inspire research activities to manipulate other important pathogens in a similar fashion.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 451
Author(s):  
Noemi Laprovitera ◽  
Mattia Riefolo ◽  
Elisa Ambrosini ◽  
Christiane Klec ◽  
Martin Pichler ◽  
...  

Distant metastases are the main cause of cancer-related deaths in patients with advanced tumors. A standard diagnostic workup usually contains the identification of the tissue-of-origin of metastatic tumors, although under certain circumstances, it remains elusive. This disease setting is defined as cancer of unknown primary (CUP). Accounting for approximately 3–5% of all cancer diagnoses, CUPs are characterized by an aggressive clinical behavior and represent a real therapeutic challenge. The lack of determination of a tissue of origin precludes CUP patients from specific evidence-based therapeutic options or access to clinical trial, which significantly impacts their life expectancy. In the era of precision medicine, it is essential to characterize CUP molecular features, including the expression profile of non-coding RNAs, to improve our understanding of CUP biology and identify novel therapeutic strategies. This review article sheds light on this enigmatic disease by summarizing the current knowledge on CUPs focusing on recent discoveries and emerging diagnostic strategies.


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Daisuke Tokuhara ◽  
Norikatsu Hikita

Neonates and infants are particularly susceptible to infections, for which outcomes tend to be severe. Vaccination is a key strategy for preventing infectious diseases, but the protective immunity achieved through vaccination typically is weaker in infants than in healthy adults. One possible explanation for the poor acquisition of vaccine-induced immunity in infants is that their innate immune response, represented by toll-like receptors, is immature. The current system for developing pediatric vaccines relies on the confirmation of their safety and effectiveness in studies involving the use of mature animals or adult humans. However, creating vaccines for neonates and infants requires an understanding of their uniquely immature innate immunity. Here we review current knowledge regarding the innate immune system of neonates and infants and challenges in developing vaccine adjuvants for those children through analyses of cord blood.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i17-i17
Author(s):  
Puneet Bagga ◽  
Laurie Rich ◽  
Mohammad Haris ◽  
Neil Wilson ◽  
Mitch Schnall ◽  
...  

Abstract Most cancers, including glioblastomas (GBMs), rely extensively on glycolysis to support growth, proliferation, and survival. A hallmark of this elevated glycolysis is overexpression of Lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDHA) protein leading to increased uptake of glucose and overproduction of lactate. Various clinical trials using LDHA as a target for diagnosis and treatment have yielded encouraging results. However, in vivo monitoring of LDHA expression has been challenging due to either requirement of administration of radioactive substrates or specialized hardware. In this presentation, we will demonstrate a new method-quantitative exchanged-label turnover MRS (QELT, or simply qMRS)-that increases the sensitivity of magnetic resonance-based metabolic mapping without the requirement for specialized hardware. qMRS relies on the administration of deuterated (2H-labeled) substrates to track the production of downstream metabolites. Since 2H is invisible on 1H MRS, replacement of 1H with 2H due to metabolic turnover leads to an overall reduction in 1H MRS signal for the corresponding metabolites. We applied our qMRS technique to monitor the rate of lactate production in a preclinical GBM model. Infusion of [6,6’-2H2]glucose led to downstream deuterium labeling of lactate, thereby resulting in a reduction in the 1.33 ppm lactate-CH3 peak on 1H MRS over time. The subtraction of post-administration 1H MR spectra from the pre-infusion spectra aided in the determination of the kinetics of the lactate turnover. We believe that the detection and quantification of lactate production kinetics may provide crucial information regarding tumor LDHA expression non-invasively in GBMs without requiring biopsies. Hence, qMRS is expected to open up new opportunities to probe LDHA expression differences in a variety of gliomas, including GBMs and astrocytomas. This method takes advantage of the universal availability and ease of implementation of 1H MRS on all clinical and preclinical magnetic resonance scanners.


1983 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 399-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Halliday ◽  
Arthur A. Griffin ◽  
Alan T. Blackwell

Camera networks for the study of bright fireballs now have a history approaching two decades• It was hoped that the networks would produce a statistically significant group of recovered meteorites with accurate orbits. Due to the great difficulty in locating the meteorites from a photographed event, there are still only three meteorites with orbits determined from suitable photographs; Pribram, Lost City and Innisfree (Ceplecha I96I, McCrosky et al. 1971, Halliday et al. 1978, respectively). Networks do, however, provide an alternative approach to the problem. Instead of determining approximate orbits from visual observations of recovered meteorite falls, it is now preferable to use reliable orbits from the camera networks for fireballs which are believed to have dropped meteorites that could not be located, or, that are believed to have been physically identical to meteorites, although no appreciable mass survived the atmospheric flight. This paper will review current knowledge based on this approach to the problem.


1995 ◽  
Vol 198 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Walsberg ◽  
B Wolf

Determination of animal power consumption by indirect calorimetry relies upon accurate estimation of the thermal equivalent of oxygen consumed or carbon dioxide produced. This estimate is typically based upon measurement or assumption of the respiratory quotient (RQ), the ratio of CO2 produced to O2 consumed. This ratio is used to indicate the mixture of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins in the metabolic substrate. In this analysis, we report the RQ for two bird species, Passer domesticus and Auriparus flaviceps, under several dietary and fasting regimes. RQ commonly differed substantially from those typically assumed in studies of energy metabolism and often included values below those explainable by current knowledge. Errors that could result from these unexpected RQ values can be large and could present the primary limit to the accuracy of power consumption estimates based upon measurement of carbon dioxide production.


2018 ◽  
pp. 277-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Guida ◽  
Francesca Farnetani ◽  
Steven P. Nisticò ◽  
Caterina Giorgio Mariarosaria ◽  
Graziella Babino ◽  
...  

Background: Recent studies have highlighted new botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) applications in the field of dermatology. Objective: To review current knowledge of BoNT use in dermatology. Methods: The literature of the last 5 years has been reviewed. Results: We describe interesting protocols of BoNT treatment for hyperhidrosis (HH), hypertrophic scars and keloids, Raynaud phenomenon, facial flushing, oily skin, psoriasis, Hailey-Hailey disease, and cutaneous lesions like painful lesions and periorbital syringomas. Conclusions: Several skin conditions eligible for BoNT treatment have been described. After the wide application for HH treatment, scars as well as vascular and inflammatory skin disorders, oily skin and cutaneous lesions represent fields of application of BoNT.


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