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Zakaria FR, Chen CY, Li J, Wang S, Payne GF, Bentley WE. Redox active plant phenolic, acetosyringone, for electrogenetic signaling. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9666. [PMID: 38671069 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60191-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Redox is a unique, programmable modality capable of bridging communication between biology and electronics. Previous studies have shown that the E. coli redox-responsive OxyRS regulon can be re-wired to accept electrochemically generated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an inducer of gene expression. Here we report that the redox-active phenolic plant signaling molecule acetosyringone (AS) can also induce gene expression from the OxyRS regulon. AS must be oxidized, however, as the reduced state present under normal conditions cannot induce gene expression. Thus, AS serves as a "pro-signaling molecule" that can be activated by its oxidation-in our case by application of oxidizing potential to an electrode. We show that the OxyRS regulon is not induced electrochemically if the imposed electrode potential is in the mid-physiological range. Electronically sliding the applied potential to either oxidative or reductive extremes induces this regulon but through different mechanisms: reduction of O2 to form H2O2 or oxidation of AS. Fundamentally, this work reinforces the emerging concept that redox signaling depends more on molecular activities than molecular structure. From an applications perspective, the creation of an electronically programmed "pro-signal" dramatically expands the toolbox for electronic control of biological responses in microbes, including in complex environments, cell-based materials, and biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fauziah Rahma Zakaria
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Chen-Yu Chen
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Jinyang Li
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Sally Wang
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Gregory F Payne
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, USA.
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - William E Bentley
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, USA.
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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2
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Jacobsen DE, Montoya MM, Llewellyn TR, Martinez K, Wilding KM, Lenz KD, Manore CA, Kubicek-Sutherland JZ, Mukundan H. Correlating transcription and protein expression profiles of immune biomarkers following lipopolysaccharide exposure in lung epithelial cells. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293680. [PMID: 38652715 PMCID: PMC11037529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Universal and early recognition of pathogens occurs through recognition of evolutionarily conserved pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by innate immune receptors and the consequent secretion of cytokines and chemokines. The intrinsic complexity of innate immune signaling and associated signal transduction challenges our ability to obtain physiologically relevant, reproducible and accurate data from experimental systems. One of the reasons for the discrepancy in observed data is the choice of measurement strategy. Immune signaling is regulated by the interplay between pathogen-derived molecules with host cells resulting in cellular expression changes. However, these cellular processes are often studied by the independent assessment of either the transcriptome or the proteome. Correlation between transcription and protein analysis is lacking in a variety of studies. In order to methodically evaluate the correlation between transcription and protein expression profiles associated with innate immune signaling, we measured cytokine and chemokine levels following exposure of human cells to the PAMP lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Expression of 84 messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts and 69 proteins, including 35 overlapping targets, were measured in human lung epithelial cells. We evaluated 50 biological replicates to determine reproducibility of outcomes. Following pairwise normalization, 16 mRNA transcripts and 6 proteins were significantly upregulated following LPS exposure, while only five (CCL2, CSF3, CXCL5, CXCL8/IL8, and IL6) were upregulated in both transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. This lack of correlation between transcription and protein expression data may contribute to the discrepancy in the immune profiles reported in various studies. The use of multiomic assessments to achieve a systems-level understanding of immune signaling processes can result in the identification of host biomarker profiles for a variety of infectious diseases and facilitate countermeasure design and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Jacobsen
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Makaela M. Montoya
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Trent R. Llewellyn
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Kaitlyn Martinez
- Analytics, Intelligence and Technology Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Kristen M. Wilding
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Kiersten D. Lenz
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Carrie A. Manore
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | | | - Harshini Mukundan
- Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
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3
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Kapil K, Murata H, Szczepaniak G, Russell AJ, Matyjaszewski K. Tailored Branched Polymer-Protein Bioconjugates for Tunable Sieving Performance. ACS Macro Lett 2024; 13:461-467. [PMID: 38574342 PMCID: PMC11025119 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Protein-polymer conjugates combine the unique properties of both proteins and synthetic polymers, making them important materials for biomedical applications. In this work, we synthesized and characterized protein-branched polymer bioconjugates that were precisely designed to retain protein functionality while preventing unwanted interactions. Using chymotrypsin as a model protein, we employed a controlled radical branching polymerization (CRBP) technique utilizing a water-soluble inibramer, sodium 2-bromoacrylate. The green-light-induced atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) enabled the grafting of branched polymers directly from the protein surface in the open air. The resulting bioconjugates exhibited a predetermined molecular weight, well-defined architecture, and high branching density. Conformational analysis by SEC-MALS validated the controlled grafting of branched polymers. Furthermore, enzymatic assays revealed that densely grafted polymers prevented protein inhibitor penetration, and the resulting conjugates retained up to 90% of their enzymatic activity. This study demonstrates a promising strategy for designing protein-polymer bioconjugates with tunable sieving behavior, opening avenues for applications in drug delivery and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kriti Kapil
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Hironobu Murata
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Grzegorz Szczepaniak
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Faculty
of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alan J. Russell
- Amgen
Research, 1 Amgen Center
Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
| | - Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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4
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Mansoor S, Baek M, Park H, Lee GR, Baker D. Protein Ensemble Generation Through Variational Autoencoder Latent Space Sampling. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:2689-2695. [PMID: 38547871 PMCID: PMC11008089 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Mapping the ensemble of protein conformations that contribute to function and can be targeted by small molecule drugs remains an outstanding challenge. Here, we explore the use of variational autoencoders for reducing the challenge of dimensionality in the protein structure ensemble generation problem. We convert high-dimensional protein structural data into a continuous, low-dimensional representation, carry out a search in this space guided by a structure quality metric, and then use RoseTTAFold guided by the sampled structural information to generate 3D structures. We use this approach to generate ensembles for the cancer relevant protein K-Ras, train the VAE on a subset of the available K-Ras crystal structures and MD simulation snapshots, and assess the extent of sampling close to crystal structures withheld from training. We find that our latent space sampling procedure rapidly generates ensembles with high structural quality and is able to sample within 1 Å of held-out crystal structures, with a consistency higher than that of MD simulation or AlphaFold2 prediction. The sampled structures sufficiently recapitulate the cryptic pockets in the held-out K-Ras structures to allow for small molecule docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaa Mansoor
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Molecular
Engineering Graduate Program, University
of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Minkyung Baek
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- School
of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hahnbeom Park
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Brain
Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science
and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyu Rie Lee
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - David Baker
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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5
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Wang S, Wang D, Shen WT, Kai M, Yu Y, Peng Y, Xian N, Fang RH, Gao W, Zhang L. Protein-Loaded Cellular Nanosponges for Dual-Biomimicry Neurotoxin Countermeasure. Small 2024; 20:e2309635. [PMID: 37990378 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202309635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Neurotoxins present a substantial threat to human health and security as they disrupt and damage the nervous system. Their potent and structurally diverse nature poses challenges in developing effective countermeasures. In this study, a unique nanoparticle design that combines dual-biomimicry mechanisms to enhance the detoxification efficacy of neurotoxins is introduced. Using saxitoxin (STX), one of the deadliest neurotoxins, and its natural binding protein saxiphilin (Sxph) as a model system, human neuronal membrane-coated and Sxph-loaded metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosponges (denoted "Neuron-MOF/Sxph-NS") are successfully developed. The resulting Neuron-MOF/Sxph-NS exhibit a biomimetic design that not only emulates host neurons for function-based detoxification through the neuronal membrane coating, but also mimics toxin-resistant organisms by encapsulating the Sxph protein within the nanoparticle core. The comprehensive in vitro assays, including cell osmotic swelling, calcium flux, and cytotoxicity assays, demonstrate the improved detoxification efficacy of Neuron-MOF/Sxph-NS. Furthermore, in mouse models of STX intoxication, the application of Neuron-MOF/Sxph-NS shows significant survival benefits in both therapeutic and prophylactic regimens, without any apparent acute toxicity. Overall, the development of Neuron-MOF/Sxph-NS represents an important advancement in neurotoxin detoxification, offering promising potential for treating injuries and diseases caused by neurotoxins and addressing the current limitations in neurotoxin countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyan Wang
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Wei-Ting Shen
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Mingxuan Kai
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yiyan Yu
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yifei Peng
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Nianfei Xian
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Ronnie H Fang
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Weiwei Gao
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Liangfang Zhang
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
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6
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Canales-Verdial JI, Wagner JR, Schmucker LA, Wetzel M, Proctor P, Carson M, Meng J, Withers NJ, Harris CT, Nogan JJ, Webb DB, Hecht AA, Teuscher C, Osiński M, Zarkesh-Ha P. Energy-Efficient Neuromorphic Architectures for Nuclear Radiation Detection Applications. Sensors (Basel) 2024; 24:2144. [PMID: 38610358 PMCID: PMC11014144 DOI: 10.3390/s24072144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
A comprehensive analysis and simulation of two memristor-based neuromorphic architectures for nuclear radiation detection is presented. Both scalable architectures retrofit a locally competitive algorithm to solve overcomplete sparse approximation problems by harnessing memristor crossbar execution of vector-matrix multiplications. The proposed systems demonstrate excellent accuracy and throughput while consuming minimal energy for radionuclide detection. To ensure that the simulation results of our proposed hardware are realistic, the memristor parameters are chosen from our own fabricated memristor devices. Based on these results, we conclude that memristor-based computing is the preeminent technology for a radiation detection platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge I. Canales-Verdial
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.I.C.-V.); (J.R.W.); (L.A.S.); (N.J.W.); (M.O.)
| | - Jamison R. Wagner
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.I.C.-V.); (J.R.W.); (L.A.S.); (N.J.W.); (M.O.)
| | - Landon A. Schmucker
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.I.C.-V.); (J.R.W.); (L.A.S.); (N.J.W.); (M.O.)
| | - Mark Wetzel
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.W.); (A.A.H.)
| | - Philippe Proctor
- Department of Engineering & Computer Science, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA (M.C.); (J.M.); (C.T.)
| | - Merlin Carson
- Department of Engineering & Computer Science, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA (M.C.); (J.M.); (C.T.)
| | - Jian Meng
- Department of Engineering & Computer Science, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA (M.C.); (J.M.); (C.T.)
| | - Nathan J. Withers
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.I.C.-V.); (J.R.W.); (L.A.S.); (N.J.W.); (M.O.)
| | - Charles Thomas Harris
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA; (C.T.H.); (J.J.N.); (D.B.W.)
| | - John J. Nogan
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA; (C.T.H.); (J.J.N.); (D.B.W.)
| | - Denise B. Webb
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA; (C.T.H.); (J.J.N.); (D.B.W.)
| | - Adam A. Hecht
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.W.); (A.A.H.)
| | - Christof Teuscher
- Department of Engineering & Computer Science, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA (M.C.); (J.M.); (C.T.)
| | - Marek Osiński
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.I.C.-V.); (J.R.W.); (L.A.S.); (N.J.W.); (M.O.)
| | - Payman Zarkesh-Ha
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.I.C.-V.); (J.R.W.); (L.A.S.); (N.J.W.); (M.O.)
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7
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Brien SC, LeBreton M, Doty JB, Mauldin MR, Morgan CN, Pieracci EG, Ritter JM, Matheny A, Tafon BG, Tamoufe U, Missoup AD, Nwobegahay J, Takuo JM, Nkom F, Mouiche MMM, Feussom JMK, Wilkins K, Wade A, McCollum AM. Clinical Manifestations of an Outbreak of Monkeypox Virus in Captive Chimpanzees in Cameroon, 2016. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:S275-S284. [PMID: 38164967 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a reemerging virus of global concern. An outbreak of clade I MPXV affected 20 captive chimpanzees in Cameroon in 2016. We describe the epidemiology, virology, phylogenetics, and clinical progression of this outbreak. Clinical signs included exanthema, facial swelling, perilaryngeal swelling, and eschar. Mpox can be lethal in captive chimpanzees, with death likely resulting from respiratory complications. We advise avoiding anesthesia in animals with respiratory signs to reduce the likelihood of death. This outbreak presented a risk to animal care staff. There is a need for increased awareness and a One Health approach to preparation for outbreaks in wildlife rescue centers in primate range states where MPXV occurs. Control measures should include quarantining affected animals, limiting human contacts, surveillance of humans and animals, use of personal protective equipment, and regular decontamination of enclosures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C Brien
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, The University of Edinburgh, Roslin, United Kingdom
- Ape Action Africa, Mefou Park, Cameroon
| | | | - Jeffrey B Doty
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew R Mauldin
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Clint N Morgan
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily G Pieracci
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jana M Ritter
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Audrey Matheny
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Alain D Missoup
- Zoology Unit, Laboratory of Biology and Physiology of Animal Organisms, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Cameroon
| | | | | | | | - Moctar M M Mouiche
- Mosaic, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Ngaounderé, Cameroon
| | - Jean Marc K Feussom
- Cameroon Epidemiological Network for Animal Diseases, Directorate of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Kimberly Wilkins
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Abel Wade
- National Veterinary Laboratory, Garoua, Cameroon
| | - Andrea M McCollum
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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8
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Sánchez CA, Phelps KL, Frank HK, Geldenhuys M, Griffiths ME, Jones DN, Kettenburg G, Lunn TJ, Moreno KR, Mortlock M, Vicente-Santos A, Víquez-R LR, Kading RC, Markotter W, Reeder DM, Olival KJ. Advances in understanding bat infection dynamics across biological scales. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232823. [PMID: 38444339 PMCID: PMC10915549 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, research on bat-associated microbes such as viruses, bacteria and fungi has dramatically increased. Here, we synthesize themes from a conference symposium focused on advances in the research of bats and their microbes, including physiological, immunological, ecological and epidemiological research that has improved our understanding of bat infection dynamics at multiple biological scales. We first present metrics for measuring individual bat responses to infection and challenges associated with using these metrics. We next discuss infection dynamics within bat populations of the same species, before introducing complexities that arise in multi-species communities of bats, humans and/or livestock. Finally, we outline critical gaps and opportunities for future interdisciplinary work on topics involving bats and their microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hannah K. Frank
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Marike Geldenhuys
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Devin N. Jones
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | | | - Tamika J. Lunn
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kelsey R. Moreno
- Department of Psychology, Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL 60655, USA
| | - Marinda Mortlock
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Luis R. Víquez-R
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Rebekah C. Kading
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Center for Vector-borne and Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - DeeAnn M. Reeder
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
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9
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Faley SL, Boghdeh NA, Schaffer DK, Spivey EC, Alem F, Narayanan A, Wikswo JP, Brown JA. Gravity-perfused airway-on-a-chip optimized for quantitative BSL-3 studies of SARS-CoV-2 infection: barrier permeability, cytokine production, immunohistochemistry, and viral load assays. Lab Chip 2024; 24:1794-1807. [PMID: 38362777 PMCID: PMC10929697 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00894k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Human microphysiological systems, such as organs on chips, are an emerging technology for modeling human physiology in a preclinical setting to understand the mechanism of action of drugs, to evaluate the efficacy of treatment options for human disease and impairment, and to assess drug toxicity. By using human cells co-cultured in three-dimensional constructs, organ chips can provide greater fidelity to the human cellular condition than their two-dimensional predecessors. However, with the rise of SARS-CoV-2 and the global COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that many microphysiological systems were not compatible with or optimized for studies of infectious disease and operation in a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) environment. Given that one of the early sites of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the airway, we created a human airway organ chip that could operate in a BSL-3 space with high throughput and minimal manipulation, while retaining the necessary physical and physiological components to recapitulate tissue response to infectious agents and the immune response to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L Faley
- Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
| | - Niloufar A Boghdeh
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institute of Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA
| | - David K Schaffer
- Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Eric C Spivey
- Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
| | - Farhang Alem
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institute of Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA
| | - Aarthi Narayanan
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institute of Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA
- College of Science, Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - John P Wikswo
- Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jacquelyn A Brown
- Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
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10
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Taitt CR, Leski TA, Compton JR, Chen A, Berk KL, Dorsey RW, Sozhamannan S, Dutt DL, Vora GJ. Impact of template denaturation prior to whole genome amplification on gene detection in high GC-content species, Burkholderia mallei and B. pseudomallei. BMC Res Notes 2024; 17:70. [PMID: 38475810 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-024-06717-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In this study, we sought to determine the types and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance determinants (ARDs) in Burkholderia spp. strains using the Antimicrobial Resistance Determinant Microarray (ARDM). RESULTS Whole genome amplicons from 22 B. mallei (BM) and 37 B. pseudomallei (BP) isolates were tested for > 500 ARDs using ARDM v.3.1. ARDM detected the following Burkholderia spp.-derived genes, aac(6), blaBP/MBL-3, blaABPS, penA-BP, and qacE, in both BM and BP while blaBP/MBL-1, macB, blaOXA-42/43 and penA-BC were observed in BP only. The method of denaturing template for whole genome amplification greatly affected the numbers and types of genes detected by the ARDM. BlaTEM was detected in nearly a third of BM and BP amplicons derived from thermally, but not chemically denatured templates. BlaTEM results were confirmed by PCR, with 81% concordance between methods. Sequences from 414-nt PCR amplicons (13 preparations) were 100% identical to the Klebsiella pneumoniae reference gene. Although blaTEM sequences have been observed in B. glumae, B. cepacia, and other undefined Burkholderia strains, this is the first report of such sequences in BM/BP/B. thailandensis (BT) clade. These results highlight the importance of sample preparation in achieving adequate genome coverage in methods requiring untargeted amplification before analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris R Taitt
- Nova Research Inc., Alexandria, VA, 22308, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Tomasz A Leski
- Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jaimee R Compton
- Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Amy Chen
- Karle's Fellow, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kimberly L Berk
- US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command-Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
| | - Robert W Dorsey
- US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command-Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
| | - Shanmuga Sozhamannan
- Defense Biological Product Assurance Office, Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), Frederick, MD, USA
- Joint Research and Development, Inc., Stafford, VA, USA
| | - Dianne L Dutt
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Joint Science and Technology Office, Ft. Belvoir, VA, USA
| | - Gary J Vora
- Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
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11
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Cassaidy B, Moser BA, Solanki A, Chen Q, Shen J, Gotsis K, Lockhart Z, Rutledge N, Rosenberger MG, Dong Y, Davis D, Esser- Kahn AP. Immune Potentiation of PLGA Controlled-Release Vaccines for Improved Immunological Outcomes. ACS Omega 2024; 9:11608-11614. [PMID: 38496947 PMCID: PMC10938429 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and the continued emergence of new infectious diseases, there is a need to improve and expand current vaccine technology. Controlled-release subunit vaccines provide several benefits over current vaccines on the market, including the use of less antigen and fewer boost doses. Previously, our group reported molecules that alter NF-κB signaling improved the vaccine's performance and improved adjuvant-related tolerability. In this report, we test how these immune potentiators will influence responses when included as part of a controlled-release poly(lactic-co-glycolic) vaccine formulation. Murine in vivo studies revealed that SN50 and honokiol improved antibody levels at early vaccine time points. Microparticles with SN50 produced strong antibody levels over a longer period compared to microparticles without SN50. The same particles also increased T-cell activity. All of the immune potentiators tested further promoted Th2 humoral responses already exhibited by the control CpG OVA microparticle formulation. Overall, under controlled-release conditions, immune potentiators enhance the existing effects of controlled-release formulations, making it a potentially beneficial additive for controlled-release vaccine formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britteny
J. Cassaidy
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Brittany A. Moser
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Ani Solanki
- Animal
Resource Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Qing Chen
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jingjing Shen
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Kristen Gotsis
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Zoe Lockhart
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Nakisha Rutledge
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Matthew G. Rosenberger
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Yixiao Dong
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Delaney Davis
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Aaron P. Esser- Kahn
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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12
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Coelho LP, Santos-Júnior CD, de la Fuente-Nunez C. Challenges in computational discovery of bioactive peptides in 'omics data. Proteomics 2024:e2300105. [PMID: 38458994 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Peptides have a plethora of activities in biological systems that can potentially be exploited biotechnologically. Several peptides are used clinically, as well as in industry and agriculture. The increase in available 'omics data has recently provided a large opportunity for mining novel enzymes, biosynthetic gene clusters, and molecules. While these data primarily consist of DNA sequences, other types of data provide important complementary information. Due to their size, the approaches proven successful at discovering novel proteins of canonical size cannot be naïvely applied to the discovery of peptides. Peptides can be encoded directly in the genome as short open reading frames (smORFs), or they can be derived from larger proteins by proteolysis. Both of these peptide classes pose challenges as simple methods for their prediction result in large numbers of false positives. Similarly, functional annotation of larger proteins, traditionally based on sequence similarity to infer orthology and then transferring functions between characterized proteins and uncharacterized ones, cannot be applied for short sequences. The use of these techniques is much more limited and alternative approaches based on machine learning are used instead. Here, we review the limitations of traditional methods as well as the alternative methods that have recently been developed for discovering novel bioactive peptides with a focus on prokaryotic genomes and metagenomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Pedro Coelho
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence - ISTBI, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Célio Dias Santos-Júnior
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence - ISTBI, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Laboratory of Microbial Processes & Biodiversity - LMPB, Hydrobiology Department, Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCar, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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13
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Petraccione K, Ali MGH, Cyr N, Wahba HM, Stocker T, Akhrymuk M, Akhrymuk I, Panny L, Bracci N, Cafaro R, Sastre D, Silberfarb A, O’Maille P, Omichinski J, Kehn-Hall K. An LIR motif in the Rift Valley fever virus NSs protein is critical for the interaction with LC3 family members and inhibition of autophagy. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012093. [PMID: 38512999 PMCID: PMC10986958 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a viral zoonosis that causes severe disease in ruminants and humans. The nonstructural small (NSs) protein is the primary virulence factor of RVFV that suppresses the host's antiviral innate immune response. Bioinformatic analysis and AlphaFold structural modeling identified four putative LC3-interacting regions (LIR) motifs (NSs 1-4) in the RVFV NSs protein, which suggest that NSs interacts with the host LC3-family proteins. Using, isothermal titration calorimetry, X-ray crystallography, co-immunoprecipitation, and co-localization experiments, the C-terminal LIR motif (NSs4) was confirmed to interact with all six human LC3 proteins. Phenylalanine at position 261 (F261) within NSs4 was found to be critical for the interaction of NSs with LC3, retention of LC3 in the nucleus, as well as the inhibition of autophagy in RVFV infected cells. These results provide mechanistic insights into the ability of RVFV to overcome antiviral autophagy through the interaction of NSs with LC3 proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee Petraccione
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Mohamed G. H. Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Normand Cyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Haytham M. Wahba
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Timothy Stocker
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Maryna Akhrymuk
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Ivan Akhrymuk
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Lauren Panny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nicole Bracci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Raphaël Cafaro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Danuta Sastre
- Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, United States of America
| | - Andrew Silberfarb
- Artificial Intelligence Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, United States of America
| | - Paul O’Maille
- Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, United States of America
| | - James Omichinski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kylene Kehn-Hall
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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14
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Carreno-Davidson JT, Castellani CM, Carreno JJ, DeLuca JP, Selig DJ, Vuong CV, Pasiakos SM, Ritland BM. Daily Naltrexone Use Does Not Adversely Affect Physical, Cognitive or Marksmanship Performance in U.S. Army Soldiers. Mil Med 2024; 189:e515-e521. [PMID: 37646761 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usad325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Considering the potential of weaponized opioids, evaluating how prophylactic countermeasures affect military-relevant performance is necessary. Naltrexone is a commercially available Food and Drug Administration-approved medication that blocks the effects of opioids with minimal side effects. However, the effects of naltrexone on the health and performance of non-substance abusing military personnel are not well described in the existing literature. METHODS Active duty U.S. Army Soldiers (n = 16, mean ± SD, age: 23.1 ± 5.3 y) completed a series of physical, cognitive, and marksmanship tasks during a 4-day pretrial, a 7-day active trial, and a 4-day post-trial phase. During the active trial, participants were administered 50 mg of oral naltrexone daily. Physiological and biological processes were monitored with a daily review of systems, sleep monitoring, biochemistry, and hematology blood panels. RESULTS Naltrexone did not negatively affect physical performance, cognitive functioning, marksmanship, or sleep duration (P > 0.05). Improvements were observed during the active trial compared to the pretrial phase in cognitive tasks measuring logical relations (P = 0.05), matching to sample (P = 0.04), math speed (P < 0.01), math percent correct (P = 0.04), and spatial processing (P < 0.01). Results from biochemistry and hematology blood panels remained within clinically normative ranges throughout all phases of the study. No participants were medically withdrawn; however, one participant voluntarily withdrew due to nausea and reduced appetite. CONCLUSIONS Temporary (7-day) daily use of naltrexone was safe and did not negatively affect physical performance, cognitive functioning, marksmanship ability, or sleep in a healthy cohort of U.S. Army Soldiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie T Carreno-Davidson
- Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760, USA
- Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience,Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Colleen M Castellani
- Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Joseph J Carreno
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Jesse P DeLuca
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Daniel J Selig
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Chau V Vuong
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Stefan M Pasiakos
- Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760, USA
| | - Bradley M Ritland
- Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760, USA
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15
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Fair JM, Al-Hmoud N, Alrwashdeh M, Bartlow AW, Balkhamishvili S, Daraselia I, Elshoff A, Fakhouri L, Javakhishvili Z, Khoury F, Muzyka D, Ninua L, Tsao J, Urushadze L, Owen J. Transboundary determinants of avian zoonotic infectious diseases: challenges for strengthening research capacity and connecting surveillance networks. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1341842. [PMID: 38435695 PMCID: PMC10907996 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1341842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
As the climate changes, global systems have become increasingly unstable and unpredictable. This is particularly true for many disease systems, including subtypes of highly pathogenic avian influenzas (HPAIs) that are circulating the world. Ecological patterns once thought stable are changing, bringing new populations and organisms into contact with one another. Wild birds continue to be hosts and reservoirs for numerous zoonotic pathogens, and strains of HPAI and other pathogens have been introduced into new regions via migrating birds and transboundary trade of wild birds. With these expanding environmental changes, it is even more crucial that regions or counties that previously did not have surveillance programs develop the appropriate skills to sample wild birds and add to the understanding of pathogens in migratory and breeding birds through research. For example, little is known about wild bird infectious diseases and migration along the Mediterranean and Black Sea Flyway (MBSF), which connects Europe, Asia, and Africa. Focusing on avian influenza and the microbiome in migratory wild birds along the MBSF, this project seeks to understand the determinants of transboundary disease propagation and coinfection in regions that are connected by this flyway. Through the creation of a threat reduction network for avian diseases (Avian Zoonotic Disease Network, AZDN) in three countries along the MBSF (Georgia, Ukraine, and Jordan), this project is strengthening capacities for disease diagnostics; microbiomes; ecoimmunology; field biosafety; proper wildlife capture and handling; experimental design; statistical analysis; and vector sampling and biology. Here, we cover what is required to build a wild bird infectious disease research and surveillance program, which includes learning skills in proper bird capture and handling; biosafety and biosecurity; permits; next generation sequencing; leading-edge bioinformatics and statistical analyses; and vector and environmental sampling. Creating connected networks for avian influenzas and other pathogen surveillance will increase coordination and strengthen biosurveillance globally in wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne M. Fair
- Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Nisreen Al-Hmoud
- Bio-Safety and Bio-Security Center, Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan
| | - Mu’men Alrwashdeh
- Bio-Safety and Bio-Security Center, Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan
| | - Andrew W. Bartlow
- Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | | | - Ivane Daraselia
- Center of Wildlife Disease Ecology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | | | - Zura Javakhishvili
- Center of Wildlife Disease Ecology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Fares Khoury
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, American University of Madaba, Madaba, Jordan
| | - Denys Muzyka
- National Scientific Center, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Jean Tsao
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Lela Urushadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Jennifer Owen
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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16
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Soilis ZM, Choi TH, Brennan J, Frontiera RR, Johnson JK, Rosi NL. Correction to "Ligand Chromophore Modification Approach for Predictive Incremental Tuning of Metal-Organic Framework Color". Chem Mater 2024; 36:1773. [PMID: 38370281 PMCID: PMC10870409 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c03160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c01603.].
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17
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Luo X, Salihoglu H, Wang Z, Li Z, Kim H, Liu X, Li J, Yu B, Du S, Shen S. Observation of Near-Field Thermal Radiation between Coplanar Nanodevices with Subwavelength Dimensions. Nano Lett 2024; 24:1502-1509. [PMID: 38277641 PMCID: PMC10853966 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
With the continuous advancement of nanotechnology, nanodevices have become crucial components in computing, sensing, and energy conversion applications. The structures of nanodevices typically possess subwavelength dimensions and separations, which pose significant challenges for understanding energy transport phenomena in nanodevices. Here, on the basis of a judiciously designed thermal photonic nanodevice, we report the first measurement of near-field energy transport between two coplanar subwavelength structures over temperature bias up to ∼190 K. Our experimental results demonstrate a 20-fold enhancement in energy transfer beyond blackbody radiation. In contrast with the well-established near-field interactions between two semi-infinite bodies, the subwavelength confinements in nanodevices lead to increased polariton scattering and reduction of supporting photonic modes and, therefore, a lower energy flow at a given separation. Our work unveils exciting opportunities for the rational design of nanodevices, particularly for coplanar near-field energy transport, with important implications for the development of efficient nanodevices for energy harvesting and thermal management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Luo
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Hakan Salihoglu
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Zexiao Wang
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Zhuo Li
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Hyeonggyun Kim
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Xiu Liu
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jiayu Li
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Bowen Yu
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Shen Du
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Sheng Shen
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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18
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Stefan CP, Blancett CD, Huynh KA, Minogue TD. Relative quantification of the recA gene for antimicrobial susceptibility testing in response to ciprofloxacin for pathogens of concern. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2716. [PMID: 38302590 PMCID: PMC10834403 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52937-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AR) is one of the greatest threats to global health and is associated with higher treatment costs, longer hospital stays, and increased mortality. Current gold standard antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) rely on organism growth rates that result in prolonged time-to-answer for slow growing organisms. Changes in the cellular transcriptome can be rapid in the presence of stressors such as antibiotic pressure, providing the opportunity to develop AST towards transcriptomic signatures. Here, we show that relative quantification of the recA gene is an indicator of pathogen susceptibly when select species are challenged with relevant concentrations of ciprofloxacin. We demonstrate that ciprofloxacin susceptible strains of Y. pestis and B. anthracis have significant increases in relative recA gene expression after 15 min of exposure while resistant strains show no significant differences. Building upon this data, we designed and optimized seven duplex RT-qPCR assays targeting the recA and 16S rRNA gene, response and housekeeping genes, respectively, for multiple biothreat and ESKAPE pathogens. Final evaluation of all seven duplex assays tested against 124 ciprofloxacin susceptible and resistant strains, including Tier 1 pathogens, demonstrated an overall categorical agreement compared to microbroth dilution of 97% using a defined cutoff. Testing pathogen strains commonly associated with urinary tract infections in contrived mock sample sets demonstrated an overall categorical agreement of 96%. These data indicate relative quantification of a single highly conserved gene accurately determines susceptibility for multiple bacterial species in response to ciprofloxacin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Stefan
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease, Fort Detrick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Candace D Blancett
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease, Fort Detrick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Kimberly A Huynh
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease, Fort Detrick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Timothy D Minogue
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease, Fort Detrick, MD, 21702, USA
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19
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Dembek ZF, Mothershead JL, Cirimotich CM, Wu A. Heartland Virus Disease-An Underreported Emerging Infection. Microorganisms 2024; 12:286. [PMID: 38399689 PMCID: PMC10892980 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
First recognized 15 years ago, Heartland virus disease (Heartland) is a tickborne infection contracted from the transmission of Heartland virus (HRTV) through tick bites from the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and potentially other tick species. Heartland symptoms include a fever <100.4 °F, lethargy, fatigue, headaches, myalgia, a loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, arthralgia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. We reviewed the existing peer-reviewed literature for HRTV and Heartland to more completely characterize this rarely reported, recently discovered illness. The absence of ongoing serosurveys and targeted clinical and tickborne virus investigations specific to HRTV presence and Heartland likely contributes to infection underestimation. While HRTV transmission occurs in southern and midwestern states, the true range of this infection is likely larger than now understood. The disease's proliferation benefits from an expanded tick range due to rising climate temperatures favoring habitat expansion. We recommend HRTV disease be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients with a reported exposure to ticks in areas where HRTV has been previously identified. HRTV testing should be considered early for those matching the Heartland disease profile and nonresponsive to initial broad-spectrum antimicrobial treatment. Despite aggressive supportive therapy, patients deteriorating to sepsis early in the course of the disease have a very grim prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zygmunt F. Dembek
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Support to DTRA Technical Reachback, Columbus, OH 43201, USA; (Z.F.D.); (C.M.C.)
| | - Jerry L. Mothershead
- Applied Research Associates (ARA), Support to DTRA Technical Reachback, Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA;
| | - Christopher M. Cirimotich
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Support to DTRA Technical Reachback, Columbus, OH 43201, USA; (Z.F.D.); (C.M.C.)
| | - Aiguo Wu
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), Fort Belvoir, VA 22060, USA
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20
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Luong T, Nguyen TD, Lu VT, Metrailer MC, Pham VK, Hoang TTH, Hung Tran TM, Pham TH, Pham TL, Pham QT, Blackburn JK. Spatial epidemiology of human anthrax in Son La province, Vietnam, 2003-2022. Zoonoses Public Health 2024. [PMID: 38282103 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Anthrax is reported with frequency but poorly understood in Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam. In Vietnam, anthrax surveillance is national. However, case detection, prevention, and control are implemented locally at the provincial level. Here, we describe the epidemiological characteristics, identify spatial clusters of human anthrax, and compare the variation in livestock anthrax vaccine coverage to disease incidence in humans and livestock using historical data in Son La province, Vietnam (2003-2020). METHODS AND RESULTS Most human cases occurred between April and September. Most of the patients were male, aged 15-54 years old. The human cases were mainly reported by public district hospitals. There was a delay between disease onset and hospitalization of ~5 days. We identified spatial clusters of high-high incidence communes in the northern communes of the province using the local Moran's I statistic. The vaccine coverage sharply decreased across the study period. The province reported sporadic human anthrax outbreaks, while animal cases were only reported in 2005 and 2022. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest underreporting for human and livestock anthrax in the province. Intersectoral information sharing is needed to aid livestock vaccination planning, which currently relies on reported livestock cases. The spatial clusters identify areas for targeted surveillance and livestock vaccination, while the seasonal case data suggest prioritizing vaccination campaigns for February or early March ahead of the April peak. A regional approach for studying the role of livestock trading between Son La and neighbouring provinces in anthrax occurrence is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan Luong
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory (SEER Lab), Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tien Dung Nguyen
- Son La Provincial Center for Disease Control, Son La City, Son La Province, Vietnam
| | - Van Truong Lu
- Son La Provincial Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry, Animal Health and Fisheries, Son La City, Son La Province, Vietnam
| | - Morgan C Metrailer
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory (SEER Lab), Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Van Khang Pham
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Thanh Hai Pham
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Thanh Long Pham
- Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Quang Thai Pham
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
- School of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Jason K Blackburn
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory (SEER Lab), Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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21
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Sumida K, Núñez-Franco R, Kalvet I, Pellock SJ, Wicky BIM, Milles LF, Dauparas J, Wang J, Kipnis Y, Jameson N, Kang A, De La Cruz J, Sankaran B, Bera AK, Jiménez-Osés G, Baker D. Improving Protein Expression, Stability, and Function with ProteinMPNN. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:2054-2061. [PMID: 38194293 PMCID: PMC10811672 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Natural proteins are highly optimized for function but are often difficult to produce at a scale suitable for biotechnological applications due to poor expression in heterologous systems, limited solubility, and sensitivity to temperature. Thus, a general method that improves the physical properties of native proteins while maintaining function could have wide utility for protein-based technologies. Here, we show that the deep neural network ProteinMPNN, together with evolutionary and structural information, provides a route to increasing protein expression, stability, and function. For both myoglobin and tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease, we generated designs with improved expression, elevated melting temperatures, and improved function. For TEV protease, we identified multiple designs with improved catalytic activity as compared to the parent sequence and previously reported TEV variants. Our approach should be broadly useful for improving the expression, stability, and function of biotechnologically important proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera
H. Sumida
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Reyes Núñez-Franco
- Center
for Cooperative Research in Biosciences, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, Derio 48160, Spain
| | - Indrek Kalvet
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, University of
Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Samuel J. Pellock
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Basile I. M. Wicky
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Lukas F. Milles
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Justas Dauparas
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Jue Wang
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Yakov Kipnis
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, University of
Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Noel Jameson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Alex Kang
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Joshmyn De La Cruz
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Banumathi Sankaran
- Berkeley
Center for Structural Biology, Molecular Biophysics, and Integrated
Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Asim K. Bera
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Gonzalo Jiménez-Osés
- Center
for Cooperative Research in Biosciences, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, Derio 48160, Spain
- Ikerbasque,
Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 48013, Spain
| | - David Baker
- Institute
for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, University of
Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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22
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Biswas S, Wong BM. Beyond Conventional Density Functional Theory: Advanced Quantum Dynamical Methods for Understanding Degradation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. ACS ES T Eng 2024; 4:96-104. [PMID: 38229882 PMCID: PMC10788865 DOI: 10.1021/acsestengg.3c00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Computational chemistry methods, such as density functional theory (DFT), have now become more common in environmental research, particularly for simulating the degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, the vast majority of PFAS computational studies have focused on conventional DFT approaches that only probe static, time-independent properties of PFAS near stationary points on the potential energy surface. To demonstrate the rich mechanistic information that can be obtained from time-dependent quantum dynamics calculations, we highlight recent studies using these advanced techniques for probing PFAS systems. We briefly discuss recent applications ranging from ab initio molecular dynamics to DFT-based metadynamics and real-time time-dependent DFT for probing PFAS degradation in various reactive environments. These quantum dynamical approaches provide critical mechanistic information that cannot be gleaned from conventional DFT calculations. We conclude with a perspective of promising research directions and recommend that these advanced quantum dynamics simulations be more widely used by the environmental research community to directly probe PFAS degradation dynamics and other environmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohag Biswas
- Materials Science & Engineering
Program, Department of Chemistry, and Department of Physics &
Astronomy, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Bryan M. Wong
- Materials Science & Engineering
Program, Department of Chemistry, and Department of Physics &
Astronomy, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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23
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Zeng Z, Islamov M, He Y, Day BA, Rosi NL, Wilmer CE, Star A. Size-Based Norfentanyl Detection with SWCNT@UiO-MOF Composites. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2024; 16:1361-1369. [PMID: 38147588 PMCID: PMC10788826 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c17503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)@metal-organic framework (MOF) field-effect transistor (FET) sensors generate a signal through analytes restricting ion diffusion around the SWCNT surface. Four composites made up of SWCNTs and UiO-66, UiO-66-NH2, UiO-67, and UiO-67-CH3 were synthesized to explore the detection of norfentanyl (NF) using SWCNT@MOF FET sensors with different pore sizes. Liquid-gated FET devices of SWCNT@UiO-67 showed the highest sensing response toward NF, whereas SWCNT@UiO-66 and SWCNT@UiO-66-NH2 devices showed no sensitivity improvement compared to bare SWCNT. Comparing SWCNT@UiO-67 and SWCNT@UiO-67-CH3 indicated that the sensing response is modulated by not only the size-matching between NF and MOF channel but also NF diffusion within the MOF channel. Additionally, other drug metabolites, including norhydrocodone (NH), benzoylecgonine (BZ), and normorphine (NM) were tested with the SWCNT@UiO-67 sensor. The sensor was not responding toward NH and or BZ but a similar sensing result toward NM because NM has a similar size to NF. The SWCNT@MOF FET sensor can avoid interference from bigger molecules but sensor arrays with different pore sizes and chemistries are needed to improve the specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zidao Zeng
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Meiirbek Islamov
- Department
of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Yiwen He
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department
of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Brian A. Day
- Department
of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Nathaniel L. Rosi
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department
of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Christopher E. Wilmer
- Department
of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department
of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Clinical
and Translational Science Institute, University
of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Alexander Star
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Clinical
and Translational Science Institute, University
of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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24
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Herpoldt KL, López CL, Sappington I, Pham MN, Srinivasan S, Netland J, Montgomery KS, Roy D, Prossnitz AN, Ellis D, Wargacki AJ, Pepper M, Convertine AJ, Stayton PS, King NP. Macromolecular Cargo Encapsulation via In Vitro Assembly of Two-Component Protein Nanoparticles. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2303910. [PMID: 38180445 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Self-assembling protein nanoparticles are a promising class of materials for targeted drug delivery. Here, the use of a computationally designed, two-component, icosahedral protein nanoparticle is reported to encapsulate multiple macromolecular cargoes via simple and controlled self-assembly in vitro. Single-stranded RNA molecules between 200 and 2500 nucleotides in length are encapsulated and protected from enzymatic degradation for up to a month with length-dependent decay rates. Immunogenicity studies of nanoparticles packaging synthetic polymers carrying a small-molecule TLR7/8 agonist show that co-delivery of antigen and adjuvant results in a more than 20-fold increase in humoral immune responses while minimizing systemic cytokine secretion associated with free adjuvant. Coupled with the precise control over nanoparticle structure offered by computational design, robust and versatile encapsulation via in vitro assembly opens the door to a new generation of cargo-loaded protein nanoparticles that can combine the therapeutic effects of multiple drug classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla-Luise Herpoldt
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Ciana L López
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Isaac Sappington
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Minh N Pham
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Selvi Srinivasan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Jason Netland
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | | | - Debashish Roy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | | | - Daniel Ellis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Adam J Wargacki
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Marion Pepper
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | | | - Patrick S Stayton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Neil P King
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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25
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Tubau-Juni N, Bassaganya-Riera J, Leber AJ, Alva SS, Hontecillas R. Oral Omilancor Treatment Ameliorates Clostridioides difficile Infection During IBD Through Novel Immunoregulatory Mechanisms Mediated by LANCL2 Activation. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2024; 30:103-113. [PMID: 37436905 DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izad124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an opportunistic infection of the gastrointestinal tract, commonly associated with antibiotic administration, that afflicts almost 500 000 people yearly only in the United States. CDI incidence and recurrence is increased in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Omilancor is an oral, once daily, first-in-class, gut-restricted, immunoregulatory therapeutic in clinical development for the treatment of IBD. METHODS Acute and recurrent murine models of CDI and the dextran sulfate sodium-induced concomitant model of IBD and CDI were utilized to determine the therapeutic efficacy of oral omilancor. To evaluate the protective effects against C. difficile toxins, in vitro studies with T84 cells were also conducted. 16S sequencing was employed to characterize microbiome composition. RESULTS Activation of the LANCL2 pathway by oral omilancor and its downstream host immunoregulatory changes decreased disease severity and inflammation in the acute and recurrence models of CDI and the concomitant model of IBD/CDI. Immunologically, omilancor treatment increased mucosal regulatory T cell and decreased pathogenic T helper 17 cell responses. These immunological changes resulted in increased abundance and diversity of tolerogenic gut commensal bacterial strains in omilancor-treated mice. Oral omilancor also resulted in accelerated C. difficile clearance in an antimicrobial-free manner. Furthermore, omilancor provided protection from toxin damage, while preventing the metabolic burst observed in intoxicated epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS These data support the development of omilancor as a novel host-targeted, antimicrobial-free immunoregulatory therapeutic for the treatment of IBD patients with C. difficile-associated disease and pathology with the potential to address the unmet clinical needs of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients with concomitant CDI.
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26
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Anderson CA, Barrera MD, Boghdeh NA, Smith M, Alem F, Narayanan A. Brilacidin as a Broad-Spectrum Inhibitor of Enveloped, Acutely Infectious Viruses. Microorganisms 2023; 12:54. [PMID: 38257881 PMCID: PMC10819233 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses, belonging to the Togaviridae family, and bunyaviruses, belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family, are globally distributed and lack FDA-approved vaccines and therapeutics. The alphaviruses Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) are known to cause severe encephalitis, whereas Sindbis virus (SINV) causes arthralgia potentially persisting for years after initial infection. The bunyavirus Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) can lead to blindness, liver failure, and hemorrhagic fever. Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros). This testing was further expanded into a non-enveloped Echovirus, a Picornavirus, to further demonstrate brilacidin's effect on early steps of the viral infectious cycle that leads to inhibition of viral load. Brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against alphaviruses VEEV TC-83, VEEV TrD, SINV, EEEV, and bunyavirus RVFV. The inhibitory potential of brilacidin against the viruses tested in this study was dependent on the dosing strategy which necessitated compound addition pre- and post-infection, with addition only at the post-infection stage not eliciting a robust inhibitory response. The inhibitory activity of brilacidin was only modest in the context of the non-enveloped Picornavirus Echovirus, suggesting brilacidin may be less potent against non-enveloped viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Aarthi Narayanan
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA; (C.A.A.); (M.D.B.); (N.A.B.); (M.S.); (F.A.)
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27
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Hammer CC, Diallo MD, Kann B, Sanoh F, Leno TN, Mansare O, Diakité I, Sow AD, Konate Y, Ryan-Castillo E, Barry AM, Standley CJ. High prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in Forest Guinea: Results from a rapid community survey. Epidemiol Infect 2023; 152:e1. [PMID: 38050416 PMCID: PMC10789974 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268823001929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is endemic in Guinea; however, the extent and role in transmission of asymptomatic malaria are not well understood. In May 2023, we conducted a rapid community survey to determine Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) prevalence among asymptomatic individuals in Middle Guinea (Prefecture Dalaba) and Forest Guinea (Prefecture Guéckédou). In Dalaba, 6 of 239 (2.1%, confidence interval (CI) 0.9-4.8%) individuals tested positive for P. falciparum by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), while in Guéckédou, 147 of 235 (60.9%, CI 54.5-66.9%) participants tested positive. Asymptomatic malaria needs to be considered more strongly as a driver of transmission when designing control strategies, especially in Forest Guinea and potentially other hyper-endemic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yacouba Konate
- Santé Plus, Conakry, Guinea
- ISSMV, Laboratoire, Dalaba, Guinea
| | - Emilie Ryan-Castillo
- Georgetown University, Center for Global Health Science and Security, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Claire J. Standley
- Georgetown University, Center for Global Health Science and Security, Washington, DC, USA
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28
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Sun L, Yu Y, Peng Y, Wang D, Wang S, Noh I, Fang RH, Gao W, Zhang L. Platelet Membrane-Derived Nanodiscs for Neutralization of Endogenous Autoantibodies and Exogenous Virulence Factors. Small 2023:e2308327. [PMID: 38044300 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202308327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The multifaceted functions of platelets in various physiological processes have long inspired the development of therapeutic nanoparticles that mimic specific platelet features for disease treatment. Here, the development and characterization of platelet membrane-derived nanodiscs (PLT-NDs) as platelet decoys for biological neutralization is reported. In one application, PLT-NDs effectively bind with anti-platelet autoantibodies, thus blocking them from interacting with platelets. In a mouse model of thrombocytopenia, PLT-NDs successfully neutralize pathological anti-platelet antibodies, preventing platelet depletion and maintaining hemostasis. In another application, PLT-NDs effectively neutralize the cytotoxicity of bacterial virulence factors secreted by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In a mouse model of MRSA infection, treatment with PLT-NDs leads to significant survival benefits for the infected mice. Additionally, PLT-NDs show good biocompatibility and biosafety, as demonstrated in acute toxicity studies conducted in mice. These findings underscore the potential of PLT-NDs as a promising platelet mimicry for neutralizing various biological agents that target platelets. Overall, this work expands the repertoire of platelet-mimicking nanomedicine by creating a unique disc-like nanostructure made of natural platelet membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Sun
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yiyan Yu
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yifei Peng
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Shuyan Wang
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Ilkoo Noh
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Ronnie H Fang
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Weiwei Gao
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Liangfang Zhang
- Department of NanoEngineering, Chemical Engineering Program, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
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29
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Burke CW, Gardner CL, Goodson AI, Piper AE, Erwin-Cohen RA, White CE, Glass PJ. Defining the Cynomolgus Macaque ( Macaca fascicularis) Animal Model for Aerosolized Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis: Importance of Challenge Dose and Viral Subtype. Viruses 2023; 15:2351. [PMID: 38140592 PMCID: PMC10748030 DOI: 10.3390/v15122351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) outbreaks occur sporadically. Additionally, VEEV has a history of development as a biothreat agent. Yet, no FDA-approved vaccine or therapeutic exists for VEEV disease. The sporadic outbreaks present a challenge for testing medical countermeasures (MCMs) in humans; therefore, well-defined animal models are needed for FDA Animal Rule licensure. The cynomolgus macaque (CM) model has been studied extensively at high challenge doses of the VEEV Trinidad donkey strain (>1.0 × 108 plaque-forming units [PFU]), doses that are too high to be a representative human dose. Based on viremia of two subtypes of VEEV, IC, and IAB, we found the CM infectious dose fifty (ID50) to be low, 12 PFU, and 6.7 PFU, respectively. Additionally, we characterized the pattern of three clinical parameters (viremia, temperature, and lymphopenia) across a range of doses to identify a challenge dose producing consistent signs of infection. Based on these studies, we propose a shift to using a lower challenge dose of 1.0 × 103 PFU in the aerosol CM model of VEEV disease. At this dose, NHPs had the highest viremia, demonstrated a fever response, and had a measurable reduction in complete lymphocyte counts-biomarkers that can demonstrate MCM efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal W. Burke
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Christina L. Gardner
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Aimee I. Goodson
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Ashley E. Piper
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Rebecca A. Erwin-Cohen
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Charles E. White
- Statistics Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Pamela J. Glass
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
- Risk Management Office, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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30
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Chiloeches A, Zágora J, Plachá D, Torres MDT, de la Fuente-Nunez C, López-Fabal F, Gil-Romero Y, Fernández-García R, Fernández-García M, Echeverría C, Muñoz-Bonilla A. Synergistic Combination of Antimicrobial Peptides and Cationic Polyitaconates in Multifunctional PLA Fibers. ACS Appl Bio Mater 2023; 6:4805-4813. [PMID: 37862451 PMCID: PMC10852355 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Combining different antimicrobial agents has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance efficacy and address resistance evolution. In this study, we investigated the synergistic antimicrobial effect of a cationic biobased polymer and the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) temporin L, with the goal of developing multifunctional electrospun fibers for potential biomedical applications, particularly in wound dressing. A clickable polymer with pendent alkyne groups was synthesized by using a biobased itaconic acid building block. Subsequently, the polymer was functionalized through click chemistry with thiazolium groups derived from vitamin B1 (PTTIQ), as well as a combination of thiazolium and AMP temporin L, resulting in a conjugate polymer-peptide (PTTIQ-AMP). The individual and combined effects of the cationic PTTIQ, Temporin L, and PTTIQ-AMP were evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as Candida species. The results demonstrated that most combinations exhibited an indifferent effect, whereas the covalently conjugated PTTIQ-AMP displayed an antagonistic effect, potentially attributed to the aggregation process. Both antimicrobial compounds, PTTIQ and temporin L, were incorporated into poly(lactic acid) electrospun fibers using the supercritical solvent impregnation method. This approach yielded fibers with improved antibacterial performance, as a result of the potent activity exerted by the AMP and the nonleaching nature of the cationic polymer, thereby enhancing long-term effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Chiloeches
- Instituto
de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, Madrid 28006, Spain
- Universidad
Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), C/Bravo Murillo 38, Madrid 28015, Spain
| | - Jakub Zágora
- Nanotechnology
Centre, CEET, VSB—Technical University
of Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 2172/15, Ostrava-Poruba 708 00, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Plachá
- Nanotechnology
Centre, CEET, VSB—Technical University
of Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 2172/15, Ostrava-Poruba 708 00, Czech Republic
| | - Marcelo D. T. Torres
- Machine
Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute
for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and
Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Departments
of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School
of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Penn Institute
for Computational Science, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine
Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute
for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and
Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Departments
of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School
of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Penn Institute
for Computational Science, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Fátima López-Fabal
- Hospital
Universitario de Móstoles C/Dr. Luis Montes, s/n, Móstoles 28935, Madrid, Spain
- Facultad
de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad
Francisco de Vitoria, Carretera Pozuelo a Majadahonda, Km 1.800, Madrid 28223, Spain
| | - Yolanda Gil-Romero
- Hospital
Universitario de Móstoles C/Dr. Luis Montes, s/n, Móstoles 28935, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Marta Fernández-García
- Instituto
de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Coro Echeverría
- Instituto
de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Alexandra Muñoz-Bonilla
- Instituto
de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, Madrid 28006, Spain
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31
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Akoko JM, Mwatondo A, Muturi M, Wambua L, Abkallo HM, Nyamota R, Bosire C, Oloo S, Limbaso KS, Gakuya F, Nthiwa D, Bartlow A, Middlebrook E, Fair J, Ogutu JO, Gachohi J, Njenga K, Bett B. Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20192. [PMID: 37980384 PMCID: PMC10657468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47628-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), effective brucellosis control is limited, in part, by the lack of long-term commitments by governments to control the disease and the absence of reliable national human and livestock population-based data to inform policies. Therefore, we conducted a study to establish the national prevalence and develop a risk map for Brucella spp. in cattle to contribute to plans to eliminate the disease in Kenya by the year 2040. We randomly generated 268 geolocations and distributed them across Kenya, proportionate to the area of each of the five agroecological zones and the associated cattle population. Cattle herds closest to each selected geolocation were identified for sampling. Up to 25 cattle were sampled per geolocation and a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to their owners. We tested 6,593 cattle samples for Brucella immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We assessed potential risk factors and performed spatial analyses and prevalence mapping using approximate Bayesian inference implemented via the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) method. The national Brucella spp. prevalence was 6.8% (95% CI: 6.2-7.4%). Exposure levels varied significantly between agro-ecological zones, with a high of 8.5% in the very arid zone with the lowest agricultural potential relative to a low of 0.0% in the agro-alpine zone with the highest agricultural potential. Additionally, seroprevalence increased with herd size, and the odds of seropositivity were significantly higher for females and adult animals than for males or calves. Similarly, animals with a history of abortion, or with multiple reproductive syndromes had higher seropositivity than those without. At the herd level, the risk of Brucella spp. transmission was higher in larger herds, and herds with a history of reproductive problems such as abortion, giving birth to weak calves, or having swollen testes. Geographic localities with high Brucella seroprevalence occurred in northern, eastern, and southern regions of Kenya all primarily characterized by semi-arid or arid agro-ecological zones dominated by livestock pastoralism interspersed with vast areas with mixed livestock-wildlife systems. The large spatial extent of our survey provides compelling evidence for the widespread geographical distribution of brucellosis risk across Kenya in a manner easily understandable for policymakers. Our findings can provide a basis for risk-stratified pilot studies aiming to investigate the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of singular and combined preventive intervention strategies that seek to inform Kenya's Brucellosis Control Policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Akoko
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Athman Mwatondo
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Zoonotic Disease Unit, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mathew Muturi
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Zoonotic Disease Unit, Nairobi, Kenya
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dahlem Research School of Biomedical Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lillian Wambua
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- World Organisation for Animal Health, Sub-Regional Representation for Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | | | | | - Stephen Oloo
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Francis Gakuya
- Wildlife Research and Training Institute, Naivasha, Kenya
| | - Daniel Nthiwa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Embu, Embu, Kenya
| | | | | | - Jeanne Fair
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Joseph O Ogutu
- Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - John Gachohi
- Global Health Programme, Washington State University, Nairobi, Kenya
- School of Public Health, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
- Paul G, Allen School of Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Kariuki Njenga
- Global Health Programme, Washington State University, Nairobi, Kenya
- Paul G, Allen School of Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Bernard Bett
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
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32
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Jeong J, An SY, Hu X, Zhao Y, Yin R, Szczepaniak G, Murata H, Das SR, Matyjaszewski K. Biomass RNA for the Controlled Synthesis of Degradable Networks by Radical Polymerization. ACS Nano 2023; 17:21912-21922. [PMID: 37851525 PMCID: PMC10655241 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acids extracted from biomass have emerged as sustainable and environmentally friendly building blocks for the fabrication of multifunctional materials. Until recently, the fabrication of biomass nucleic acid-based structures has been facilitated through simple crosslinking of biomass nucleic acids, which limits the possibility of material properties engineering. This study presents an approach to convert biomass RNA into an acrylic crosslinker through acyl imidazole chemistry. The number of acrylic moieties on RNA was engineered by varying the acylation conditions. The resulting RNA crosslinker can undergo radical copolymerization with various acrylic monomers, thereby offering a versatile route for creating materials with tunable properties (e.g., stiffness and hydrophobic characteristics). Further, reversible-deactivation radical polymerization methods, such as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT), were also explored as additional approaches to engineer the hydrogel properties. The study also demonstrated the metallization of the biomass RNA-based material, thereby offering potential applications in enhancing electrical conductivity. Overall, this research expands the opportunities in biomass-based biomaterial fabrication, which allows tailored properties for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaepil Jeong
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center
for Nucleic Acids Science & Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - So Young An
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Xiaolei Hu
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Yuqi Zhao
- Department
of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Rongguan Yin
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Grzegorz Szczepaniak
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- University
of Warsaw, Faculty of Chemistry, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hironobu Murata
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Subha R. Das
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center
for Nucleic Acids Science & Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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33
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Prasad AN, Agans KN, Geisbert JB, Borisevich V, Deer DJ, Dobias NS, Comer JE, Woolsey C, Fenton KA, Geisbert TW, Cross RW. Natural History of Nonhuman Primates After Oral Exposure to Ebola Virus Variant Makona. J Infect Dis 2023; 228:S571-S581. [PMID: 37348509 PMCID: PMC10651204 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The primary route of infection by Ebola virus (EBOV) is through contact of mucosal surfaces. Few studies have explored infection of nonhuman primates (NHPs) via the oral mucosa, which is a probable portal of natural infection in humans. METHODS To further characterize the pathogenesis of EBOV infection via the oral exposure route, we challenged cohorts of cynomolgus monkeys with low doses of EBOV variant Makona. RESULTS Infection with 100 or 50 PFU of EBOV Makona via the oral route resulted in 50% and 83% lethality, respectively. Animals that progressed to fatal disease exhibited lymphopenia, marked coagulopathy, high viral loads, and increased levels of serum markers of inflammation and hepatic/renal injury. Survival in these cohorts was associated with milder fluctuations in leukocyte populations, lack of coagulopathy, and reduced or absent serum markers of inflammation and/or hepatic/renal function. Surprisingly, 2 surviving animals from the 100- and 50-PFU cohorts developed transient low-level viremia in the absence of other clinical signs of disease. Conversely, all animals in the 10 PFU cohort remained disease free and survived to the study end point. CONCLUSIONS Our observations highlight the susceptibility of NHPs, and by extension, likely humans, to relatively low doses of EBOV via the oral route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek N Prasad
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Krystle N Agans
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Joan B Geisbert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Viktoriya Borisevich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Daniel J Deer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Natalie S Dobias
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Jason E Comer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Courtney Woolsey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Karla A Fenton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Robert W Cross
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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34
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Prasad AN, Fenton KA, Agans KN, Borisevich V, Woolsey C, Comer JE, Dobias NS, Peel JE, Deer DJ, Geisbert JB, Lawrence WS, Cross RW, Geisbert TW. Pathogenesis of Aerosolized Ebola Virus Variant Makona in Nonhuman Primates. J Infect Dis 2023; 228:S604-S616. [PMID: 37145930 PMCID: PMC10651212 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Highly pathogenic filoviruses such as Ebola virus (EBOV) hold capacity for delivery by artificial aerosols, and thus potential for intentional misuse. Previous studies have shown that high doses of EBOV delivered by small-particle aerosol cause uniform lethality in nonhuman primates (NHPs), whereas only a few small studies have assessed lower doses in NHPs. METHODS To further characterize the pathogenesis of EBOV infection via small-particle aerosol, we challenged cohorts of cynomolgus monkeys with low doses of EBOV variant Makona, which may help define risks associated with small particle aerosol exposures. RESULTS Despite using challenge doses orders of magnitude lower than previous studies, infection via this route was uniformly lethal across all cohorts. Time to death was delayed in a dose-dependent manner between aerosol-challenged cohorts, as well as in comparison to animals challenged via the intramuscular route. Here, we describe the observed clinical and pathological details including serum biomarkers, viral burden, and histopathological changes leading to death. CONCLUSIONS Our observations in this model highlight the striking susceptibility of NHPs, and likely humans, via small-particle aerosol exposure to EBOV and emphasize the need for further development of diagnostics and postexposure prophylactics in the event of intentional release via deployment of an aerosol-producing device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek N Prasad
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Karla A Fenton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Krystle N Agans
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Viktoriya Borisevich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Courtney Woolsey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Jason E Comer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Natalie S Dobias
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer E Peel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Daniel J Deer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Joan B Geisbert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - William S Lawrence
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Robert W Cross
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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35
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Abelson D, Barajas J, Stuart L, Kim D, Marimuthu A, Hu C, Yamamoto B, Ailor E, Whaley KJ, Vu H, Agans KN, Borisevich V, Deer DJ, Dobias NS, Woolsey C, Prasad AN, Peel JE, Lawrence WS, Cross RW, Geisbert TW, Fenton KA, Zeitlin L. Long-term Prophylaxis Against Aerosolized Marburg Virus in Nonhuman Primates With an Afucosylated Monoclonal Antibody. J Infect Dis 2023; 228:S701-S711. [PMID: 37474248 PMCID: PMC11009508 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Marburg virus (MARV) causes a hemorrhagic fever disease in human and nonhuman primates with high levels of morbidity and mortality. Concerns about weaponization of aerosolized MARV have spurred the development of nonhuman primate (NHP) models of aerosol exposure. To address the potential threat of aerosol exposure, a monoclonal antibody that binds MARV glycoprotein was tested, MR186YTE, for its efficacy as a prophylactic. MR186YTE was administered intramuscularly to NHPs at 15 or 5 mg/kg 1 month prior to MARV aerosol challenge. Seventy-five percent (3/4) of the 15 mg/kg dose group and 50% (2/4) of the 5 mg/kg dose group survived. Serum analyses showed that the NHP dosed with 15 mg/kg that succumbed to infection developed an antidrug antibody response and therefore had no detectable MR186YTE at the time of challenge. These results suggest that intramuscular dosing of mAbs may be a clinically useful prophylaxis for MARV aerosol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafna Abelson
- Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Lauren Stuart
- Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Do Kim
- Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Chris Hu
- Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Eric Ailor
- Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Hong Vu
- Integrated Biotherapeutics, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Krystle N Agans
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Viktoriya Borisevich
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Daniel J Deer
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Natalie S Dobias
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Courtney Woolsey
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Abhishek N Prasad
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer E Peel
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - William S Lawrence
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Robert W Cross
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Karla A Fenton
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Larry Zeitlin
- Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc, San Diego, California, USA
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36
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Rozier LS, Mullaney SB, Thompson Iii GR, Moore GD, Ajufoh CO, Gerardo AA, Sykes JE. Coccidioides spp. exposure among military working dogs in endemic regions of the United States. Med Mycol 2023; 61:myad109. [PMID: 37935009 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myad109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease in arid regions of the United States that is predicted to expand with climate change. Cases in military personnel and military working dogs (MWDs) impact personnel readiness and result in healthcare costs. To examine Coccidioides exposure among MWDs, 276 banked serum samples were retrieved from dogs housed in California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. Using gel immunodiffusion, six (2.1%) specimens were IgG-positive and three (1.1%) were equivocally IgM-positive. The IgG-positive samples were from Arizona (2 [prevalence 8.0%]) and California (4 [3.7%]). These data will guide future efforts to study MWDs as sentinels for human coccidioidomycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lege S Rozier
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science United States Military Academy, Bartlett Hall, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Sara B Mullaney
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science United States Military Academy, Bartlett Hall, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - George R Thompson Iii
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Gerald D Moore
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science United States Military Academy, Bartlett Hall, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Chiweta O Ajufoh
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science United States Military Academy, Bartlett Hall, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Angelina A Gerardo
- Department of Defense Military Working Dog Veterinary Service, Lackland Air force base, 78236, USA
| | - Jane E Sykes
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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37
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Koehler JW, Stefan CP, Hall AT, Delp KL, O'Hearn AE, Taylor-Howell CL, Wauquier N, Schoepp RJ, Minogue TD. Sequence optimized diagnostic assay for Ebola virus detection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18840. [PMID: 37914767 PMCID: PMC10620139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29390-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid pathogen identification is a critical first step in patient isolation, treatment, and controlling an outbreak. Real-time PCR is a highly sensitive and specific approach commonly used for infectious disease diagnostics. However, mismatches in the primer or probe sequence and the target organism can cause decreased sensitivity, assay failure, and false negative results. Limited genomic sequences for rare pathogens such as Ebola virus (EBOV) can negatively impact assay performance due to undiscovered genetic diversity. We previously developed and validated several EBOV assays prior to the 2013-2016 EBOV outbreak in West Africa, and sequencing EBOV Makona identified sequence variants that could impact assay performance. Here, we assessed the impact sequence mismatches have on EBOV assay performance, finding one or two primer or probe mismatches resulted in a range of impact from minimal to almost two log sensitivity reduction. Redesigning this assay improved detection of all EBOV variants tested. Comparing the performance of the new assay with the previous assays across a panel of human EBOV samples confirmed increased assay sensitivity as reflected in decreased Cq values with detection of three positive that tested negative with the original assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Koehler
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA
| | - Christopher P Stefan
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA
| | - Adrienne T Hall
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA
| | - Korey L Delp
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA
| | - Aileen E O'Hearn
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA
| | - Cheryl L Taylor-Howell
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA
| | | | - Randal J Schoepp
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA
| | - Timothy D Minogue
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD, 20102, USA.
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38
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Jorgensen C, Troendle EP, Ulmschneider JP, Searson PC, Ulmschneider MB. A least-squares-fitting procedure for an efficient preclinical ranking of passive transport across the blood-brain barrier endothelium. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:537-549. [PMID: 37573260 PMCID: PMC10505096 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00525-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The treatment of various disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) is often impeded by the limited brain exposure of drugs, which is regulated by the human blood-brain barrier (BBB). The screening of lead compounds for CNS penetration is challenging due to the biochemical complexity of the BBB, while experimental determination of permeability is not feasible for all types of compounds. Here we present a novel method for rapid preclinical screening of libraries of compounds by utilizing advancements in computing hardware, with its foundation in transition-based counting of the flux. This method has been experimentally validated for in vitro permeabilities and provides atomic-level insights into transport mechanisms. Our approach only requires a single high-temperature simulation to rank a compound relative to a library, with a typical simulation time converging within 24 to 72 h. The method offers unbiased thermodynamic and kinetic information to interpret the passive transport of small-molecule drugs across the BBB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Jorgensen
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | | | | | - Peter C Searson
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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39
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Brayer KJ, Hanson JA, Cingam S, Martinez C, Ness SA, Rabinowitz I. The inflammatory response of human pancreatic cancer samples compared to normal controls. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284232. [PMID: 37910468 PMCID: PMC10619777 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a poor prognosis cancer with an aggressive growth profile that is often diagnosed at late stage and that has few curative or therapeutic options. PDAC growth has been linked to alterations in the pancreas microbiome, which could include the presence of the fungus Malassezia. We used RNA-sequencing to compare 14 matched tumor and normal (tumor adjacent) pancreatic cancer samples and found Malassezia RNA in both the PDAC and normal tissues. Although the presence of Malassezia was not correlated with tumor growth, a set of immune- and inflammatory-related genes were up-regulated in the PDAC compared to the normal samples, suggesting that they are involved in tumor progression. Gene set enrichment analysis suggests that activation of the complement cascade pathway and inflammation could be involved in pro PDAC growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn J. Brayer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Molecular Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Joshua A. Hanson
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Shashank Cingam
- Division of Hematology- Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Cathleen Martinez
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Scott A. Ness
- Department of Internal Medicine, Molecular Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Ian Rabinowitz
- Division of Hematology- Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
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40
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Katilie CJ, DeGreeff LE, Sharpes CE, Best EM, Buckley PE, Gadberry JD, Maughan MN. Evaluation of canine training aids containment for homemade explosive and components by headspace analysis and canine testing. J Forensic Sci 2023; 68:2021-2036. [PMID: 37691017 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
While canines are most commonly trained to detect traditional explosives, such as nitroaromatics and smokeless powders, homemade explosives (HMEs), such as fuel-oxidizer mixtures, are arguably a greater threat. As such, it is imperative that canines are sufficiently trained in the detection of such HMEs. The training aid delivery device (TADD) is a primary containment device that has been used to house HMEs and HME components for canine detection training purposes. This research assesses the odor release from HME components, ammonium nitrate (AN), urea nitrate (UN), and potassium chlorate (PC), housed in TADDs. Canine odor recognition tests (ORTs) were used with analytical data to determine the detectability of TADDs containing AN, UN, or PC. Headspace analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) or online cryotrapping were used to measure ammonia or chlorine, as well as other unwanted odorants, emanating from bulk AN, UN, and PC in TADDs over 28 weeks. The analytical data showed variation in the amount of ammonia and chlorine over time, with ammonia from AN and UN decreasing slowly over time and the abundance of chlorine from PC TADDs dependent on the frequency of exposure to ambient air. Even with these variations in odor abundance, canines previously trained to detect bulk explosive HME components were able to detect all three targets in glass and plastic TADDs for at least 18 months after loading. Detection proficiency ranged from 64% to 100% and was not found to be dependent on either age of material.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauryn E DeGreeff
- Formerly of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Eric M Best
- College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, University of Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Patricia E Buckley
- US Army DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, USA
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41
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Wagner B, Kim M, Chowdhury M, Vidales Pasos E, Hizon K, Ghildiyal P, Zachariah MR, Mangolini L. Enhancing the Combustion of Magnesium Nanoparticles via Low-Temperature Plasma-Induced Hydrogenation. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023; 15:51639-51649. [PMID: 37899592 PMCID: PMC10636712 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
The hydrogenation of metal nanoparticles provides a pathway toward tuning their combustion characteristics. Metal hydrides have been employed as solid-fuel additives for rocket propellants, pyrotechnics, and explosives. Gas generation during combustion is beneficial to prevent aggregation and sintering of particles, enabling a more complete fuel utilization. Here, we discuss a novel approach for the synthesis of magnesium hydride nanoparticles based on a two-step aerosol process. Mg particles are first nucleated and grown via thermal evaporation, followed immediately by in-flight exposure to a hydrogen-rich low-temperature plasma. During the second step, atomic hydrogen generated by the plasma rapidly diffuses into the Mg lattice, forming particles with a significant fraction of MgH2. We find that hydrogenated Mg nanoparticles have an ignition temperature that is reduced by ∼200 °C when combusted with potassium perchlorate as an oxidizer, compared to the non-hydrogenated Mg material. This is due to the release of hydrogen from the fuel, jumpstarting its combustion. In addition, characterization of the plasma processes suggests that a careful balance between the dissociation of molecular hydrogen and heating of the nanoparticles must be achieved to avoid hydrogen desorption during production and achieve a significant degree of hydrogenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Wagner
- Materials
Science and Engineering Program, University
of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Minseok Kim
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Mahbub Chowdhury
- Department
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Emmanuel Vidales Pasos
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Kimberly Hizon
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Pankaj Ghildiyal
- Department
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Michael R. Zachariah
- Department
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Lorenzo Mangolini
- Materials
Science and Engineering Program, University
of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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42
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Bernardi A, Bennett WFD, He S, Jones D, Kirshner D, Bennion BJ, Carpenter TS. Advances in Computational Approaches for Estimating Passive Permeability in Drug Discovery. Membranes (Basel) 2023; 13:851. [PMID: 37999336 PMCID: PMC10673305 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13110851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Passive permeation of cellular membranes is a key feature of many therapeutics. The relevance of passive permeability spans all biological systems as they all employ biomembranes for compartmentalization. A variety of computational techniques are currently utilized and under active development to facilitate the characterization of passive permeability. These methods include lipophilicity relations, molecular dynamics simulations, and machine learning, which vary in accuracy, complexity, and computational cost. This review briefly introduces the underlying theories, such as the prominent inhomogeneous solubility diffusion model, and covers a number of recent applications. Various machine-learning applications, which have demonstrated good potential for high-volume, data-driven permeability predictions, are also discussed. Due to the confluence of novel computational methods and next-generation exascale computers, we anticipate an exciting future for computationally driven permeability predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Timothy S. Carpenter
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (A.B.); (W.F.D.B.); (S.H.); (D.J.); (D.K.); (B.J.B.)
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43
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Trinh TK, Jian T, Jin B, Nguyen DT, Zuckermann RN, Chen CL. Designed Metal-Containing Peptoid Membranes as Enzyme Mimetics for Catalytic Organophosphate Degradation. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023; 15:51191-51203. [PMID: 37879106 PMCID: PMC10636725 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c11816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The detoxification of lethal organophosphate (OP) residues in the environment is crucial to prevent human exposure and protect modern society. Despite serving as excellent catalysts for OP degradation, natural enzymes require costly preparation and readily deactivate upon exposure to environmental conditions. Herein, we designed and prepared a series of phosphotriesterase mimics based on stable, self-assembled peptoid membranes to overcome these limitations of the enzymes and effectively catalyze the hydrolysis of dimethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP)─a nerve agent simulant. By covalently attaching metal-binding ligands to peptoid N-termini, we attained enzyme mimetics in the form of surface-functionalized crystalline nanomembranes. These nanomembranes display a precisely controlled arrangement of coordinated metal ions, which resemble the active sites found in phosphotriesterases to promote DMNP hydrolysis. Moreover, using these highly programmable peptoid nanomembranes allows for tuning the local chemical environment of the coordinated metal ion to achieve enhanced hydrolysis activity. Among the crystalline membranes that are active for DMNP degradation, those assembled from peptoids containing bis-quinoline ligands with an adjacent phenyl side chain showed the highest hydrolytic activity with a 219-fold rate acceleration over the background, demonstrating the important role of the hydrophobic environment in proximity to the active sites. Furthermore, these membranes exhibited remarkable stability and were able to retain their catalytic activity after heating to 60 °C and after multiple uses. This work provides insights into the principal features to construct a new class of biomimetic materials with high catalytic efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reusability applied in nerve agent detoxification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Kim
Hoang Trinh
- Physical
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Tengyue Jian
- Physical
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Biao Jin
- Physical
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Dan-Thien Nguyen
- Physical
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Ronald N. Zuckermann
- Molecular
Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd., Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Chun-Long Chen
- Physical
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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44
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Mwatondo A, Muturi M, Akoko J, Nyamota R, Nthiwa D, Maina J, Omolo J, Gichuhi S, Mureithi MW, Bett B. Seroprevalence and related risk factors of Brucella spp. in livestock and humans in Garbatula subcounty, Isiolo county, Kenya. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011682. [PMID: 37844102 PMCID: PMC10602376 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic disease that affects both animals and humans, causing debilitating illness in humans and socio-economic losses in livestock-keeping households globally. The disease is endemic in many developing countries, including Kenya, but measures to prevent and control the disease are often inadequate among high-risk populations. This study aimed to investigate the human and livestock seroprevalence of brucellosis and associated risk factors of Brucella spp. in a pastoralist region of northern Kenya. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a two-stage cluster sampling method to select households, livestock, and humans for sampling. Blood samples were collected from 683 humans and 2157 animals, and Brucella immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on potential risk factors associated with human and animal exposures. Risk factors associated with Brucella spp. exposures in humans and livestock were identified using Multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS The results indicated an overall livestock Brucella spp. seroprevalence of 10.4% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 9.2-11.7). Camels had the highest exposure rates at 19.6% (95% CI: 12.4-27.3), followed by goats at 13.2% (95% CI: 9.3-17.1), cattle at 13.1% (95% CI: 11.1-15.3) and sheep at 5.4% (95% CI: 4.0-6.9). The herd-level seroprevalence was 51.7% (95% CI: 47.9-55.7). Adult animals (Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 2.3, CI: 1.3-4.0), female animals (aOR = 1.7, CI: 1.1-2.6), and large herd sizes (aOR = 2.3, CI: 1.3-4.0) were significantly associated with anti-brucella antibody detection while sheep had significantly lower odds of Brucella spp. exposure compared to cattle (aOR = 1.3, CI: 0.8-2.1) and camels (aOR = 2.4, CI: 1.2-4.8). Human individual and household seroprevalences were 54.0% (95% CI: 50.2-58.0) and 86.4% (95% CI: 84.0-89.0), respectively. Significant risk factors associated with human seropositivity included being male (aOR = 2.1, CI:1.3-3.2), residing in Sericho ward (aOR = 1.6, CI:1.1-2.5) and having no formal education (aOR = 3.0, CI:1.5-5.9). There was a strong correlation between human seropositivity and herd exposure (aOR = 1.6, CI:1.2-2.3). CONCLUSIONS The study provides evidence of high human and livestock exposures to Brucella spp. and identifies important risk factors associated with disease spread. These findings emphasize the need for targeted prevention and control measures to curb the spread of brucellosis and implement a One Health surveillance to ensure early detection of the disease in Isiolo County, Northern Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athman Mwatondo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Zoonotic Disease Unit, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mathew Muturi
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Dahlem Research School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Zoonotic Disease Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - James Akoko
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Daniel Nthiwa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Embu, Embu, Kenya
| | - Josphat Maina
- Zoonotic Disease Unit, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jack Omolo
- County Government of Kilifi, Department of Agriculture, Livestock Development and Fisheries, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Stephen Gichuhi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Marianne W. Mureithi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Bernard Bett
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
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45
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Chaudhuri K, Medhi R, Zhang Z, Cai Z, Ober CK, Pham JT. Visualizing Penetration of Fluorescent Dye through Polymer Coatings. Macromol Rapid Commun 2023; 44:e2300304. [PMID: 37585219 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how small molecules penetrate and contaminate polymer films is of vital importance for developing protective coatings for a wide range of applications. To this end, rhodamine B fluorescent dye is visualized diffusing through polystyrene-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymer (BCP) coatings using confocal microscopy. The intensity of dye inside the coatings grows and decays non-monotonically, which is likely due to a combination of dye molecule transport occurring concurrently in different directions. An empirical fitting equation allows for comparing the contamination rates between copolymers, demonstrating that dye penetration is related to the chemical makeup and configuration of the BCPs. This work shows that confocal microscopy can be a useful tool to visualize the transport of a fluorophore in space and time through a coating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishnaroop Chaudhuri
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
| | - Riddhiman Medhi
- Chemistry Department, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, 18510, USA
| | - Zhenglin Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Zhuoyun Cai
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Christopher K Ober
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Jonathan T Pham
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
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46
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Keshavarz-Joud P, Zhao L, Bobe D, Hernandez C, Kopylov M, Yen LY, Djeddar N, Thompson B, Connors C, Gibson G, Bryksin A, Finn M. Exploring the Landscape of the PP7 Virus-like Particle for Peptide Display. ACS Nano 2023; 17:18470-18480. [PMID: 37669408 PMCID: PMC10540251 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembling virus-like particles (VLPs) can tolerate a wide degree of genetic and chemical manipulation to their capsid protein to display a foreign molecule polyvalently. We previously reported the successful incorporation of foreign peptide sequences in the junction loop and onto the C-terminus of PP7 dimer VLPs, as these regions are accessible for surface display on assembled capsids. Here, we report the implementation of a library-based approach to test the assembly tolerance of PP7 dimer capsid proteins to insertions or terminal extensions of randomized 15-mer peptide sequences. By performing two iterative rounds of assembly-based selection, we evaluated the degree of favorability of all 20 amino acids at each of the 15 randomized positions. Deep sequencing analysis revealed a distinct preference for the inclusion of hydrophilic peptides and negatively charged amino acids (Asp and Glu) and the exclusion of positively charged peptides and bulky and hydrophobic amino acid residues (Trp, Phe, Tyr, and Cys). Within the libraries tested here, we identified 4000 to 22,000 unique 15-mer peptide sequences that can successfully be displayed on the surface of the PP7 dimer capsid. Overall, the use of small initial libraries consisting of no more than a few million members yielded a significantly larger number of unique and assembly-competent VLP sequences than have been previously characterized for this class of nucleoprotein particle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Keshavarz-Joud
- School
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
| | - Liangjun Zhao
- School
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
| | - Daija Bobe
- New
York Structural Biology Center, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Carolina Hernandez
- New
York Structural Biology Center, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Mykhailo Kopylov
- New
York Structural Biology Center, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Laura Y. Yen
- New
York Structural Biology Center, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Naima Djeddar
- Parker
H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
| | - Brianna Thompson
- School
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
| | - Caleb Connors
- School
of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
| | - Greg Gibson
- School
of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
| | - Anton Bryksin
- Parker
H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
| | - M.G. Finn
- School
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
- School
of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30306, United States
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47
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Weiss AM, Lopez MA, Rawe BW, Manna S, Chen Q, Mulder EJ, Rowan SJ, Esser-Kahn AP. Understanding How Cationic Polymers' Properties Inform Toxic or Immunogenic Responses via Parametric Analysis. Macromolecules 2023; 56:7286-7299. [PMID: 37781211 PMCID: PMC10537447 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.3c01223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Cationic polymers are widely used materials in diverse biotechnologies. Subtle variations in these polymers' properties can change them from exceptional delivery agents to toxic inflammatory hazards. Conventional screening strategies optimize for function in a specific application rather than observing how underlying polymer-cell interactions emerge from polymers' properties. An alternative approach is to map basic underlying responses, such as immunogenicity or toxicity, as a function of basic physicochemical parameters to inform the design of materials for a breadth of applications. To demonstrate the potential of this approach, we synthesized 107 polymers varied in charge, hydrophobicity, and molecular weight. We then screened this library for cytotoxic behavior and immunogenic responses to map how these physicochemical properties inform polymer-cell interactions. We identify three compositional regions of interest and use confocal microscopy to uncover the mechanisms behind the observed responses. Finally, immunogenic activity is confirmed in vivo. Highly cationic polymers disrupted the cellular plasma membrane to induce a toxic phenotype, while high molecular weight, hydrophobic polymers were uptaken by active transport to induce NLRP3 inflammasome activation, an immunogenic phenotype. Tertiary amine- and triethylene glycol-containing polymers did not invoke immunogenic or toxic responses. The framework described herein allows for the systematic characterization of new cationic materials with different physicochemical properties for applications ranging from drug and gene delivery to antimicrobial coatings and tissue scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M. Weiss
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Chicago, 5735 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Marcos A. Lopez
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Chicago, 5735 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Benjamin W. Rawe
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Saikat Manna
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Qing Chen
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Elizabeth J. Mulder
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Stuart J. Rowan
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Chicago, 5735 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Aaron P. Esser-Kahn
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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48
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Ramirez A, Felgner J, Jain A, Jan S, Albin TJ, Badten AJ, Gregory AE, Nakajima R, Jasinskas A, Felgner PL, Burkhardt AM, Davies DH, Wang SW. Engineering Protein Nanoparticles Functionalized with an Immunodominant Coxiella burnetii Antigen to Generate a Q Fever Vaccine. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:1653-1666. [PMID: 37682243 PMCID: PMC10515490 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever, for which there is yet to be an FDA-approved vaccine. This bacterial pathogen has both extra- and intracellular stages in its life cycle, and therefore both a cell-mediated (i.e., T lymphocyte) and humoral (i.e., antibody) immune response are necessary for effective eradication of this pathogen. However, most proposed vaccines elicit strong responses to only one mechanism of adaptive immunity, and some can either cause reactogenicity or lack sufficient immunogenicity. In this work, we aim to apply a nanoparticle-based platform toward producing both antibody and T cell immune responses against C. burnetii. We investigated three approaches for conjugation of the immunodominant outer membrane protein antigen (CBU1910) to the E2 nanoparticle to obtain a consistent antigen orientation: direct genetic fusion, high affinity tris-NTA-Ni conjugation to polyhistidine-tagged CBU1910, and the SpyTag/SpyCatcher (ST/SC) system. Overall, we found that the ST/SC approach yielded nanoparticles loaded with the highest number of antigens while maintaining stability, enabling formulations that could simultaneously co-deliver the protein antigen (CBU1910) and adjuvant (CpG1826) on one nanoparticle (CBU1910-CpG-E2). Using protein microarray analyses, we found that after immunization, antigen-bound nanoparticle formulations elicited significantly higher antigen-specific IgG responses than soluble CBU1910 alone and produced more balanced IgG1/IgG2c ratios. Although T cell recall assays from these protein antigen formulations did not show significant increases in antigen-specific IFN-γ production compared to soluble CBU1910 alone, nanoparticles conjugated with a CD4 peptide epitope from CBU1910 generated elevated T cell responses in mice to both the CBU1910 peptide epitope and whole CBU1910 protein. These investigations highlight the feasibility of conjugating antigens to nanoparticles for tuning and improving both humoral- and cell-mediated adaptive immunity against C. burnetii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Ramirez
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Jiin Felgner
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Aarti Jain
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Sharon Jan
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Tyler J. Albin
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Alexander J. Badten
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Anthony E. Gregory
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Rie Nakajima
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Algimantas Jasinskas
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Philip L. Felgner
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Amanda M. Burkhardt
- Department
of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - D. Huw Davies
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Szu-Wen Wang
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vaccine Research and Development
Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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49
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Dembek ZF, Mothershead JL, Owens AN, Chekol T, Wu A. Psittacosis: An Underappreciated and Often Undiagnosed Disease. Pathogens 2023; 12:1165. [PMID: 37764973 PMCID: PMC10536718 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial agent Chlamydia psittaci, and the resulting disease of psittacosis, is a little-known and underappreciated infectious disease by healthcare practitioners and in public health in general. C. psittaci infections can cause significant psittacosis outbreaks, with person-to-person transmission documented in the last decade. In this publication, we review the pathogen and its disease, as well as examine the potential for genetic manipulation in this organism to create a more deadly pathogen. Recent disease surveys indicate that currently, the highest incidences of human disease exist in Australia, Germany and the UK. We recommend the universal public health reporting of C. psittaci and psittacosis disease and increasing the promotion of public health awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zygmunt F. Dembek
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Support to DTRA Technical Reachback, Columbus, OH 43201, USA; (Z.F.D.); (T.C.)
| | - Jerry L. Mothershead
- Applied Research Associates (ARA), Support to DTRA Technical Reachback, Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA;
| | - Akeisha N. Owens
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), Fort Belvoir, VA 22060, USA;
| | - Tesema Chekol
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Support to DTRA Technical Reachback, Columbus, OH 43201, USA; (Z.F.D.); (T.C.)
| | - Aiguo Wu
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), Fort Belvoir, VA 22060, USA;
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50
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Muturi M, Mwatondo A, Nijhof AM, Akoko J, Nyamota R, Makori A, Nyamai M, Nthiwa D, Wambua L, Roesel K, Thumbi SM, Bett B. Ecological and subject-level drivers of interepidemic Rift Valley fever virus exposure in humans and livestock in Northern Kenya. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15342. [PMID: 37714941 PMCID: PMC10504342 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42596-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Nearly a century after the first reports of Rift Valley fever (RVF) were documented in Kenya, questions on the transmission dynamics of the disease remain. Specifically, data on viral maintenance in the quiescent years between epidemics is limited. We implemented a cross-sectional study in northern Kenya to determine the seroprevalence, risk factors, and ecological predictors of RVF in humans and livestock during an interepidemic period. Six hundred seventy-six human and 1,864 livestock samples were screened for anti-RVF Immunoglobulin G (IgG). Out of the 1,864 livestock samples tested for IgG, a subset of 1,103 samples was randomly selected for additional testing to detect the presence of anti-RVFV Immunoglobulin M (IgM). The anti-RVF virus (RVFV) IgG seropositivity in livestock and humans was 21.7% and 28.4%, respectively. RVFV IgM was detected in 0.4% of the livestock samples. Participation in the slaughter of livestock and age were positively associated with RVFV exposure in humans, while age was a significant factor in livestock. We detected significant interaction between rainfall and elevation's influence on livestock seropositivity, while in humans, elevation was negatively associated with RVF virus exposure. The linear increase of human and livestock exposure with age suggests an endemic transmission cycle, further corroborated by the detection of IgM antibodies in livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew Muturi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Dahlem Research School of Biomedical Sciences (DRS), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Kenya Zoonotic Disease Unit, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis-University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Athman Mwatondo
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Kenya Zoonotic Disease Unit, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ard M Nijhof
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Univesität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - James Akoko
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Anita Makori
- Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis-University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Paul G Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Mutono Nyamai
- Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis-University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Paul G Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Daniel Nthiwa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Embu, Embu, Kenya
| | - Lilian Wambua
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - S M Thumbi
- Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis-University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Paul G Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Bernard Bett
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
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