Project description:Flavivirus infection is tightly connected to host lipid metabolism. Here, we performed shotgun lipidomics of cells infected with neurotropic Zika, West Nile, and tick-borne encephalitis viruses, as well as dengue and yellow fever virus. Early in infection specific lipids accumulated, e.g., neutral lipids in Zika and some lyso-phospholipids in all infections. Ceramide levels increased following infection with viruses that cause a cytopathic effect. In addition, fatty acid desaturation as well as glycerophospholipid metabolism were significantly altered. Importantly, depletion of enzymes involved in phosphatidylserine metabolism as well as phosphatidylinositol biosynthesis reduced orthoflavivirus titers and cytopathic effects while inhibition of fatty acid monounsaturation only rescued from virus-induced cell death. Interestingly, interfering with ceramide synthesis had opposing effects on virus replication and cytotoxicity depending on the targeted enzyme. Thus, lipid remodeling by orthoflaviviruses includes distinct changes but also common patterns shared by several viruses that are needed for efficient infection and replication.
Project description:Flavivirus infection is tightly connected to host lipid metabolism. Here, we performed shotgun lipidomics of cells infected with neurotropic Zika, West Nile, and tick-borne encephalitis virus, as well as dengue and yellow fever virus. Early in infection specific lipids accumulate, e.g., neutral lipids in Zika and some lysophospholipids in all infections. Ceramide levels increase following infection with viruses that cause a cytopathic effect. In addition, fatty acid desaturation as well as glycerophospholipid metabolism are significantly altered. Importantly, depletion of enzymes involved in phosphatidylserine metabolism as well as phosphatidylinositol biosynthesis reduce orthoflavivirus titers and cytopathic effects while inhibition of fatty acid monounsaturation only rescues from virus-induced cell death. Interestingly, interfering with ceramide synthesis has opposing effects on virus replication and cytotoxicity depending on the targeted enzyme. Thus, lipid remodeling by orthoflaviviruses includes distinct changes but also common patterns shared by several viruses that are needed for efficient infection and replication.
Project description:Primary objectives: The primary objective is to investigate circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) via deep sequencing for mutation detection and by whole genome sequencing for copy number analyses before start (baseline) with regorafenib and at defined time points during administration of regorafenib for treatment efficacy in colorectal cancer patients in terms of overall survival (OS).
Primary endpoints: circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) via deep sequencing for mutation detection and by whole genome sequencing for copy number analyses before start (baseline) with regorafenib and at defined time points during administration of regorafenib for treatment efficacy in colorectal cancer patients in terms of overall survival (OS).
Project description:T cells have been identified as correlates of protection in viral infections. However, the level of vaccine-induced T cells needed and the extent to which they alone can control acute viral infection in humans remain uncertain. Here we conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving vaccination and challenge in 33 adult human volunteers, using the live-attenuated yellow fever (YF17D) and chimeric Japanese encephalitis-YF17D (JE/YF17D) vaccines. Both Orthoflavivirus vaccines share T cell epitopes but have different neutralizing antibody epitopes. The primary objective was to assess the extent to which vaccine-induced T cell responses, independent of neutralizing antibodies, were able to reduce post-challenge viral RNAaemia levels. Secondary objectives included an assessment of surrogate measures of viral control, including post-challenge antibody titres and symptomatic outcomes. YF17D vaccinees had reduced levels of JE/YF17D challenge viraemia, compared with those without previous YF17D vaccination (mean log10(area under the curve genome copies per ml): 2.23 versus 3.22; P = 0.039). Concomitantly, YF17D vaccinees had lower post-JE/YF17D challenge antibody titres that reduced JE virus plaque number by 50%, or PRNT50 (mean log10(PRNT50 titre): 1.87 versus 2.5; P < 0.0001) and symptomatic rates (6% (n = 1/16) versus 53% (n = 9/17), P = 0.007). There were no unexpected safety events. Importantly, after challenge infection, several vaccinees had undetectable viraemia and no seroconversion, even in the absence of neutralizing antibodies. Indeed, high vaccine-induced T cell responses, specifically against the capsid protein, were associated with a level of viral control conventionally interpreted as sterilizing immunity. Our findings reveal the importance of T cells in controlling acute viral infection and suggests a potential correlate of protection against orthoflaviviral infections. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT05568953 .
Project description:Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging orthoflavivirus, which mainly affects birds but in rare cases can cause severe neuroinvasive disease in humans. Due to the limited size of the orthoflavivirus genome the virus relies on the host machinery for replication. In addition, it must subvert the host antiviral response for successful replication in the cell. Studying this complex network of virus-host protein interactions by proteomics approaches can provide us new insights in the replication cycle of viruses and can help us better understand the viral pathogenesis. We have previously shown that the USUV protein NS4A acts as an antagonist of the interferon response, and here we further map the host interaction partners of USUV NS4A using proximity labeling coupled to mass spectrometry. The resulting NS4A interactome revealed many host proteins involved in the autophagy pathway. We showed that both USUV infection and overexpression of USUV NS4A can induce the autophagy pathway. However, stimulation or inhibition of the autophagy pathway did not affect USUV replication in general. Therefore, we decided to look specifically at the role of the selective autophagy receptor sequestosome 1 (p62/SQSTM1), which was identified as an interaction partner of USUV NS4A. We found that p62 is involved in the degradation of USUV NS4A. Furthermore, the knockdown of p62 enhanced replication of USUV in A549 cells, which means p62 functions to restrict USUV replication. In conclusion, this study showed that USUV NS4A induced autophagy and was then targeted by p62 for degradation by the autophagic machinery, uncovering a new role of p62 in the antiviral defense against USUV.