Project description:Protective immunity to dengue virus (DENV) requires antibody response to all four serotypes. Systems vaccinology identified pre-vaccination mechanisms predictive of broad antibody responses after immunization with a tetravalent live-attenuated DENV vaccine candidate (Butantan-DV/TV003). Anti-inflammatory pathways including TGF-b signaling expressed by CD68low monocytes and the metabolokines phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were positively correlated with broadly neutralizing Ab responses against DENV. In contrast expression of pro-inflammatory pathways and cytokines (IFN, IL-1) in CD68hi monocytes and primary and secondary bile acids negatively correlated with broad DENVDENV specific Ab responses. Induction of TGF-b and IFNs respectively by PC/PE and bile acids in CD68low and CD68hi monocytes and their impact on viral sensing was confirmed in vitro. We show that the balance between metabolites and pro- or anti-inflammatory innate immune cells drives broad and protective B cell response to the live-attenuated dengue vaccine.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs.
Project description:RNAseq was carried out to identify the transcriptomic changes that occur in healthy adult volunteers given either placebo or metformin from 3-days before to 3-days after live-attenuated YF-17D vaccination. Whole blood was collected at baseline (before placebo/metformin therapy), before YF-17D vaccination, Day 1, Day 3, Day 7 and Day 10 post YF-17D vaccination for RNAseq.
Project description:Campylobacter jejuni is a common cause of diarrheal disease worldwide. Human infection typically occurs through the ingestion of contaminated poultry products. We previously demonstrated that an attenuated Escherichia coli live vaccine strain expressing the C. jejuni N-glycan on its surface reduces the Campylobacter load in more than 50% of vaccinated leghorn and broiler birds to undetectable levels (responder birds), whereas the remainder of the animals were still colonized (non-responders). To understand the underlying mechanism, we conducted 3 larger scale vaccination and challenge studies using 135 broiler birds and found a similar responder/non responder effect. The submitted data were used for a genome-wide association study of the chicken responses to glycoconjugate vaccination against Campylobacter jejuni.
Project description:Enteric fever is a major public health problem and causes numerous deaths annually. Ty21a is the only efficacious oral, live attenuated typhoid vaccine currently licensed for use, however, its mechanism of protection is poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we interrogated transcriptional profiles following vaccination with Ty21a and an immunogenic experimental oral live attenuated vaccine, M01ZH09, and related these findings to immunogenicity, and incubation period and disease severity following challenge with Salmonella Typhi four weeks after vaccination. Despite originating from the same parent strain (Ty2), we detected marked differences in the gene expression between both vaccines. Analysis of the transcriptome 7 days after M01ZH09 vaccination implicated transcriptional patterns associated with the cell cycle correlated significantly with humoral immunogenicity 28 days after vaccination. In contrast, significantly induced T and NK cell responses were associated with Ty21a vaccination, and integrative analysis indicated signatures reflecting amino acid metabolism with delayed onset of disease. Stimulation of PBMCs collected from participants prior to and following vaccination with the two vaccine strains in vitro confirmed the superior capacity of Ty21a to induce NK cells, validating gene expression results. These data provide insight into the effects of oral live attenuated typhoid vaccines on the human molecular immune response and underline the involvement of T cell response signatures with protection following challenge.
Project description:Vaccination against tuberculosis by intradermal Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) injection saves many lives, supposedly by inducing adaptive immune memory in lymphocytes. Epidemiologically, BCG vaccination is also associated with reduced childhood mortality unrelated to TB, which is attributed to innate immune memory, also termed trained immunity. We recently demonstrated improved protection against tuberculosis infection in highly susceptible rhesus macaques by mucosal BCG vaccination, correlating with a unique local but no peripheral immune profile. Here, we investigated local and peripheral innate immune function after intradermal versus mucosal vaccination with M. bovis BCG or the live attenuated, M. tuberculosis-derived candidate, MTBVAC. The results demonstrate an augmented frequency of trained immunity in monocytes after respiratory mucosal administration of live attenuated mycobacterial vaccines compared to intradermal immunization, with MTBVAC being equally potent as BCG. These results provide further support to strategies for improving TB vaccination and, more broadly, modulating innate immunity via mucosal surfaces.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression.
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.
Project description:Impact of live attenuated F. tularensis vaccine (DVC-LVS) on PBMC poly(A)-RNA expresssion in 10 subjects over time (Days 1, 2 ,7, and 14 post-vaccination) relative to pre-vaccination (Day 0).