Multi-omics analysis reveals COVID-19 vaccine induced attenuation of inflammatory responses during breakthrough disease

The immune mechanisms mediating COVID-19 vaccine attenuation of COVID-19 remain undescribed. We conducted comprehensive analyses detailing immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 virus in blood post-vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or a placebo. Samples from randomised placebo-controlled trials (NCT04324606 and NCT04400838) were taken at baseline, onset of COVID-19-like symptoms, and 7 days later, confirming COVID-19 using nucleic amplification test (NAAT test) via real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Serum cytokines were measured with multiplexed immunoassays. The transcriptome was analysed with long, short and small RNA sequencing. We found attenuation of RNA inflammatory signatures in ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 compared with placebo vaccinees and reduced levels of serum proteins associated with COVID-19 severity. KREMEN1, a putative alternative SARS-CoV-2 receptor, was downregulated in placebo compared with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccinees. Vaccination ameliorates reductions in cell counts across leukocyte populations and platelets noted at COVID-19 onset, without inducing potentially deleterious Th2-skewed immune responses. Multi-omics integration links a global reduction in miRNA expression at COVID-19 onset to increased pro-inflammatory responses at the mRNA level. This study reveals insights into the role of COVID-19 vaccines in mitigating disease severity by abrogating pro-inflammatory responses associated with severe COVID-19, affirming vaccine-mediated benefit in breakthrough infection, and highlighting the importance of clinically relevant endpoints in vaccine evaluation.

Gene expression profiling reveals insights into infant immunological and febrile responses to group B meningococcal vaccine

Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of meningitis and septicaemia. A MenB vaccine (4CMenB) was licensed by the European Medicines Agency in January 2013. Here we describe the blood transcriptome and proteome following infant immunisations with or without concomitant 4CMenB, to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying post-vaccination reactogenicity and immunogenicity. Infants were randomised to receive control immunisations (PCV13 and DTaP-IPV-Hib) with or without 4CMenB at 2 and 4 months of age. Blood gene expression and plasma proteins were measured prior to, then 4 h, 24 h, 3 days or 7 days post-vaccination. 4CMenB vaccination was associated with increased expression of ENTPD7 and increased concentrations of 4 plasma proteins: CRP, G-CSF, IL-1RA and IL-6. Post-vaccination fever was associated with increased expression of SELL, involved in neutrophil recruitment. A murine model dissecting the vaccine components found the concomitant regimen to be associated with increased gene perturbation compared with 4CMenB vaccine alone with enhancement of pathways such as interleukin-3, -5 and GM-CSF signalling. Finally, we present transcriptomic profiles predictive of immunological and febrile responses following 4CMenB vaccine.

The Clinical Application of MicroRNAs in Infectious Disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short single-stranded non-coding RNA sequences that posttranscriptionally regulate up to 60% of protein encoding genes. Evidence is emerging that miRNAs are key mediators of the host response to infection, predominantly by regulating proteins involved in innate and adaptive immune pathways. miRNAs can govern the cellular tropism of some viruses, are implicated in the resistance of some individuals to infections like HIV, and are associated with impaired vaccine response in older people. Not surprisingly, pathogens have evolved ways to undermine the effects of miRNAs on immunity. Recognition of this has led to new experimental treatments, RG-101 and Miravirsen—hepatitis C treatments which target host miRNA. miRNAs are being investigated as novel infection biomarkers, and they are being used to design attenuated vaccines, e.g., against Dengue virus. This comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge of miRNA in host response to infection with emphasis on potential clinical applications, along with an evaluation of the challenges still to be overcome.

Comparison of radiation-induced chromosomal damage between normal individuals and patients with familial polyposis coli

Cultured leukocytes of peripheral blood obtained from normal, healthy individuals and from patients with familial polyposis coli (FP) were exposed to 0 rads or 300 rads of 137Cs gamma radiation at G0 to compare damage in these two groups. Only cells in the first mitotic division were considered. The average chromosomal damage in the FP patients was not significantly higher than that in the normal group. The induced chromosomal damage at G0 was normally distributed in both the control and the patient groups as well as when they were combined.

Growth inhibition by diethylstilbestrol and relapse of the Noble rat prostatic tumor

The response of androgen-sensitive Noble (Nb) rat prostatic adenocarcinoma [2Pr-121D (1)] to varying doses (50 approximately 1,000 micrograms/kg body weight) of diethylstilbestrol (DES) was investigated and characterized with respect to cytosol and nuclear androgen binding profiles, histology and pattern of relapse. Inhibition of tumor growth was closely related to the dose of DES. Treatment at all but the lowest dose (50 micrograms/kg) initially caused tumor regression, whereas serum testosterone concentrations in all groups, including that receiving the lowest dose, were decreased to castrate levels. Histologically, while extensive cellular destruction was clearly evident at higher doses of DES, some active tumor cells appeared to survive. Tumors eventually relapsed when higher doses of DES were stopped or with the continued administration of low doses. The cytosol dihydrotestosterone (DHT) receptor in this tumor line, as determined by sucrose density gradient, dextran charcoal and Sephadex column methods, was negative. Nuclear binding, however, was positive. Salt-extractable and salt-resistant fractions of nuclei derived from the untreated primary tumor and relapsed tumor following DES treatment contained high affinity androgen receptor. Comparison of binding constants revealed no significant differences. Our findings, based on the Nb rat prostatic tumor model, indicate that DES acts not only by eliminating circulating testosterone, but also by a direct cytotoxic effect on malignant cells. The results also suggest the lack of an apparent relationship between the loss of hormone responsiveness associated with recurrence of prostatic tumor growth and nuclear androgen binding parameters.

Biochemical properties and binding parameters of the pancreatic estradiol binder

Because the estradiol binder is distributed throughout subcellular fractions from homogenates of the pancreas, an acetone powder was used in extracting soluble components from the entire tissue. The estradiol binder, obtained from the acetone powder of a bovine pancreas, was pH dependent, denatured by heat, inhibited by CuSO4 and reversibly denatured by urea. Binding was enhanced by Mg+2, a common enzymatic cofactor. Its molecular weight was greater than 66,000 D, the molecular weight of bovine serum albumin. An 11-fold purification resulted in a protein preparation that showed a saturating binding curve in equilibrium dialysis. Klotz has severely criticized, if not discredited, the hypothesis that a binding curve is typically due to two classical binding sites and is resolvable into two straight lines. We, therefore, determined the parameters of the binding curve by a computer analysis based on Wilkinson's algebraic method and on McLaren's proposal of surface relationships in enzymatic reactions. The inference from McLaren (namely, binding sites of a single affinity located on the surface of the macromolecular binder), offered a simpler explanation for curvature in Scatchard plots than the two affinity site or the varying affinity hypotheses. The analysis was also applied to other examples from the literature.

Zinc concentration and progestin receptor in human benign hyperplastic prostate

The effect of cationic zinc on the specific binding of the synthetic progestin, promegestone (17 alpha-21-dimethyl-19-nor-pregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione, R5020), has been investigated in cytosols from human benign hyperplastic prostate. Zinc was analyzed using flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. Progestin specific binding was assayed using sucrose density gradient centrifugation in a vertical tube rotor. The concentration of endogenous zinc in benign hyperplastic prostate cytosols was 0.53 mM +/- 0.26 (range 0.15 mM to 0.88 mM). No significant relationship was observed between zinc concentration in cytosols and the amount of progestin specific binding in the 7-8S peak in sucrose density gradients. Addition of excess zinc to cytosols (1.6 mM) in the presence or absence of monothioglycerol had no effect on the total amount of 7-8S progestin specific binding observed. Removal of free zinc by gel filtration of cytosols on Sephadex G-25 did not change the amount of 7-8S cytosolic receptor binding observed. The addition of the chelating agents, 2,2',2''-tripyridine, 9,10-phenanthroline or EGTA, after the gel filtration step had no apparent effect on the 7-8S progestin specific binding. The anionic chelator, EDTA, inhibited the 7-8S specific binding in a dose dependent manner. However, this inhibition was not reversed by the addition of excess zinc (6 mM) and was observed at very high concentrations of EDTA. This suggests that the effect of EDTA was due to its anionic effect rather than to its effect as a chelator. We conclude that cationic zinc in concentrations up to 2 mM does not change the amount of 7-8S progestin specific receptor binding in cytosols from BPH tissue.

Morphactin influences sexual and asexual reproduction in fungi

It has been reported that fungi are not affected morphologically by morphactins. We found, however, that levels of perithecial formation by Nectria haematococca and pycnidial formation by Ascochyta pisi were strikingly lowered by concentrations of morphactin not inhibiting or only slightly inhibiting vegetative growth. Photo- or geo-tropism of Phycomyces blakesleeanus was not affected, and there was no evidence for interference by morphactin in the light reactions stimulating perithecial production by Nectria haematococca.

Freezing damage to isolated tomato fruit mitochondria as modified by cryoprotective agents and storage temperature

Isolated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. Kc 146) fruit mitochondria could be stored successfully in the frozen state without a cryoprotective agent if the mitochondria were frozen quickly by immersion in liquid nitrogen and later thawed quickly at 30 C. Criteria of freezing damage were rate of respiration, adenosine diphosphate to oxygen ratio, and respiratory control ratio. Marked reduction in respiration and loss of respiratory control occurred when mitochondria were transferred from liquid nitrogen to -5, -10, or -18 C for 15 minutes prior to thawing at 30 C. Dimethylsulfoxide (5%) prevented freezing damage when mitochondria were incubated at -5 C but did not prevent freezing damage at -10 or -18 C. Isolated tomato mitochondria show promise as a model system for studying the nature of freezing damage and the mode of action of cryo-protective agents.

Interaction of plant hormones

The usage of the word interaction by physiologists has led to a consensus that gibberellin and abscisin interact in affecting plant responses. However, no such consensus is admissible if one uses the statisticians' definition which is more physiologically sound than that used by physiologists.

Properties of succinate oxidation in tomato fruit mitochondria

Mitochondria from tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) exhibited a respiratory control ratio of 2.5 and an ADP:O ratio of 1.3 for succinate oxidation for 24 hours after isolation. They also showed a delay in response to the first addition of ADP. The addition of ATP and ADP before succinate eliminated the delayed response as did chelation of endogenous cations with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The addition of ATP after succinate resulted in a longer delay in response than that obtained with ADP. Exogenous oxaloacetate in low concentration inhibited respiration in states 3 and 4 with succinate and resulted in delayed response to ADP. The function of adenine nucleotide during the delay in response may be to promote the metabolism of oxaloacetate or to decrease the affinity of oxaloacetate to its site of inhibition.

Dimethyl sulfoxide protects tightly coupled mitochondria from freezing damage

Dimethyl sulfoxide prevented loss of respiratory control and decrease in efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation when plant mitochondria were stored in liquid nitrogen. Respiration was severely inhibited and was not stimulated by adenosine diphosphate when mitochondria were frozen in liquid nitrogen without dimethyl sulfoxide. Thus, isolated mitochondria provide a model system for the study of the effects of freezing on biological membranes and of the prevention, by dimethyl sulfoxide, of freezing damage.