Publications
2026
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Infant respiratory syncytial virus and childhood asthma: a nationwide registry-based, sibling-controlled, and genome-wide association study
BACKGROUND: Early-life respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is associated with childhood recurrent wheeze or asthma (RW/A), but causality and shared genetic liability remain unclear. -
Correction: Five-Year Immune Persistence of a Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MenACYW-TT) and Immunogenicity and Safety of a Booster Dose in Children
No abstract -
Avidin is evolutionarily conserved in fish but dispensable for development and resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae in zebrafish
Biotin is a vital cofactor in cellular carboxylation reactions and avidins are biotin-binding proteins that are produced by bacteria and fungi but also by egg-laying vertebrates, including avian species and zebrafish (Danio rerio). Although avidins have proposed roles in embryonic development and immunity, their biological significance is poorly characterized. Moreover, besides zebrafish, the presence of avidins in other fish species has not been explored. Here, we cataloged avidins in fish... -
Podcast: Immune Persistence After Primary Vaccination with MenQuadfi
Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) remains a serious global health concern. Although incidence is generally low, the disease progresses rapidly and carries high fatality rates of 10-15%, with survivors often experiencing long-term sequelae including hearing loss, neurological impairment, or limb amputations. These consequences highlight the need for effective and durable vaccination strategies. IMD incidence and serogroup distribution vary geographically. The highest burden occurs in the... -
mTOR signaling regulates demand-adapted hematopoiesis and metabolic reprogramming required for an effective cellular immune response in Drosophila melanogaster larvae
The evolutionarily conserved mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) pathway connects energy and nutrient availability to growth, proliferation, differentiation, immunity and survival. Here, we investigated the role of the mTOR pathway in Drosophila hematopoiesis and immunity using genetic and transcriptomic analyses of peripheral larval blood cells (hemocytes). We show that blood cell-directed mTor expression induced lamellocyte differentiation as seen after parasitoid wasp infection. Genetic... -
IbinA and IbinB regulate the Toll pathway-mediated immune response in Drosophila melanogaster
CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides insight into the roles of IbinA and IbinB in regulation of the immune response in Drosophila. -
Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of the Bivalent Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Prefusion F Vaccine in Older Adults Over 2 RSV Seasons
CONCLUSIONS: High RSV neutralizing titers were observed 1 month after RSVpreF vaccination in persons aged ≥60 years, with similarly robust responses across subgroups. These immune responses corresponded with high RSVpreF VE against RSV-associated LRTI. RSVpreF had a favorable safety profile over 2 seasons. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT05035212; EudraCT, 2021-003693-31.
2025
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Infant respiratory syncytial virus and childhood asthma: a nationwide registry-based, sibling-controlled, and genome-wide association study
BACKGROUND: Early-life respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is associated with childhood recurrent wheeze or asthma (RW/A), but causality and shared genetic liability remain unclear. -
Altered behaviour and immune response in mice with NHLRC2 p.Asp148Tyr variant
Fibrosis, neurodegeneration and cerebral angiomatosis (FINCA) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder with multi-organ manifestations, including recurrent infections. It is caused by variants in NHLRC2, initiating a cascade of unknown pathological events. We investigated the FINCA disease-causing p.Asp148Tyr variant in NHLRC2 by analysing transcriptional changes in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). We conducted behavioural and immunological phenotyping of FINCA mice compound... -
Five-Year Immune Persistence of a Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MenACYW-TT) and Immunogenicity and Safety of a Booster Dose in Children
CONCLUSIONS: MenACYW-TT provides long-term immune persistence and a robust immune response when administered as a booster in children primed 5 years earlier. -
The inflammasome adaptor pycard is essential for immunity against Mycobacterium marinum infection in adult zebrafish
Inflammasomes regulate the host response to intracellular pathogens including mycobacteria. We have previously shown that the course of Mycobacterium marinum infection in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) mimics the course of tuberculosis in human. To investigate the role of the inflammasome adaptor pycard in zebrafish M. marinum infection, we produced two zebrafish knockout mutant lines for the pycard gene with CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. Although the zebrafish larvae lacking pycard developed normally... -
A Phase 3B, Open-Label Study to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of the Quadrivalent Meningococcal Nimenrix<sup>®</sup> Vaccine When Given to Healthy Infants at 3 and 12 Months of Age
CONCLUSION: Nimenrix given at ages 3 and 12 months had a favorable safety profile and elicited protective immune responses and robust anamnestic booster responses across A/C/W/Y serogroups. These results provide important support for this alternative Nimenrix 1 + 1 immunization schedule for infants < 6 months, allowing flexibility in infant meningococcal immunization. -
Breadth of immune response, immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety for a pentavalent meningococcal ABCWY vaccine in healthy adolescents and young adults: results from a phase 3, randomised, controlled observer-blinded trial
BACKGROUND: A multicomponent meningococcal serogroups ABCWY vaccine (MenABCWY) could provide broad protection against disease-causing meningococcal strains and simplify the immunisation schedule. The aim of this trial was to confirm the effect of the licensed meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccine, 4CMenB, against diverse MenB strains, and to assess the breadth of immune response against a panel of 110 MenB strains for MenABCWY containing the antigenic components of 4CMenB and licensed... -
Genetic Susceptibility to Acute Viral Bronchiolitis
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that genetic variants in CDHR3 and GSDMB modulate susceptibility to bronchiolitis, especially when caused by viruses other than RSV. Severe bronchiolitis in infancy may trigger the development of asthma in genetically susceptible individuals, or it could be a marker of genetic predisposition to asthma. -
Population Attributable Risk of Wheeze in 2-<6-Year-old Children, Following a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in The First 2 Years of Life
CONCLUSIONS: A substantial amount of wheeze from the second to sixth birthday is potentially attributable to RSV-LRTI<2Y. Prevention of RSV-LRTI<2Y could potentially reduce wheezing episodes in 2-<6-year-old children.
2024
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Breadth of immune response, immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety for a pentavalent meningococcal ABCWY vaccine in healthy adolescents and young adults: results from a phase 3, randomised, controlled observer-blinded trial
BACKGROUND: A multicomponent meningococcal serogroups ABCWY vaccine (MenABCWY) could provide broad protection against disease-causing meningococcal strains and simplify the immunisation schedule. The aim of this trial was to confirm the effect of the licensed meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccine, 4CMenB, against diverse MenB strains, and to assess the breadth of immune response against a panel of 110 MenB strains for MenABCWY containing the antigenic components of 4CMenB and licensed... -
4CMenB Breadth of Immune Response, Immunogenicity, and Safety: Results From a Phase 3 Randomized, Controlled, Observer Blind Study in Adolescents and Young Adults
CONCLUSIONS: The 2-dose (0-2, 0-6) 4CMenB schedules met predefined criteria for success for both breadth of immune response endpoints against a diverse MenB strain panel, had comparable immunogenicity, and safety in line with the established 4CMenB safety profile. The 3-dose schedule provided no additional immunological benefit, supporting use of the 4CMenB 0-2 schedule. -
RENOIR Trial - RSVpreF Vaccine Efficacy over Two Seasons
No abstract -
A Phase 1/2a Study Evaluating Safety and Immunogenicity of Ad26.RSV.preF in RSV-seronegative Toddlers Aged 12-24 Months
CONCLUSIONS: Ad26.RSV.preF was well tolerated and immunogenic in RSV-seronegative toddlers. -
MicroRNA expression profile in the basal plate of human placenta associates with spontaneous preterm birth
INTRODUCTION: MicroRNAs regulate post-transcriptional gene expression. Their expression has been linked to many pregnancy complications, including preterm birth. Placental microRNA levels differ between preterm and term pregnancies. Not much is known about the targets that are affected by these differences in microRNA expression. We investigated associations between microRNA expression levels in the basal plate of the placenta and their targets and the onset of preterm birth. -
Safety and Immunogenicity of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prefusion F Protein Vaccine when Co-administered with Adjuvanted Seasonal Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine in Older Adults: A Phase 3 Randomized Trial
CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvanted FLU-aQIV and RSVPreF3 OA had acceptable reactogenicity/safety profiles when co-administered in ≥65-year-olds, without clinically relevant interference with the immune responses to either vaccine. -
Population Attributable Risk of Wheeze in 2-<6-Year-old Children, Following a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in The First 2 Years of Life
CONCLUSIONS: A substantial amount of wheeze from the second to sixth birthday is potentially attributable to RSV-LRTI<2Y. Prevention of RSV-LRTI<2Y could potentially reduce wheezing episodes in 2-<6-year-old children. -
Humoral Immunogenicity of mRNA-1345 RSV Vaccine in Older Adults
CONCLUSIONS: mRNA-1345 enhanced RSV-A and RSV-B nAbs and preF bAbs in adults (≥60 years) across various subgroups, including those at risk for severe disease, consistent with its demonstrated efficacy in the prevention of RSV disease. -
Maternal serum alpha-1 antitrypsin levels in spontaneous preterm and term pregnancies
Currently, there are no accurate means to predict spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB). Recently, we observed low expression of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) in SPTB placentas. Present aim was to compare the concentrations of maternal serum AAT in pregnancies with preterm and term deliveries. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was used as a reference inflammatory marker. Two populations were studied. The first population comprised women who eventually gave birth spontaneously preterm (SPTB group) or term... -
The respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F protein vaccine attenuates the severity of respiratory syncytial virus-associated disease in breakthrough infections in adults ≥60 years of age
CONCLUSIONS: The RSVPreF3 OA vaccine, in addition to preventing infection, attenuated the severity of RSV-associated symptoms in breakthrough infections, with trends of reduced impact on PF and health utility. -
Safety and Immunogenicity of a ChAd155-Vectored Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine in Infants 6-7 Months of age: A Phase 1/2 Randomized Trial
CONCLUSIONS: ChAd155-RSV administered to 6- to 7-month-olds had a reactogenicity/safety profile like other childhood vaccines, showed no evidence of VAERD, and induced a humoral immune response. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT03636906.
2023
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Efficacy and Safety of an mRNA-Based RSV PreF Vaccine in Older Adults
CONCLUSIONS: A single dose of the mRNA-1345 vaccine resulted in no evident safety concerns and led to a lower incidence of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease and of RSV-associated acute respiratory disease than placebo among adults 60 years of age or older. (Funded by Moderna; ConquerRSV ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05127434.). -
Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of gestational duration and spontaneous preterm birth identifies new maternal risk loci
CONCLUSION: We report novel genetic risk loci that associate with preterm birth or gestational duration, and reproduce findings from previous genome-wide association studies. Altogether, our findings provide new insight into the genetic background of preterm birth. Better characterization of the causal genetic mechanisms will be important to public health as it could suggest new strategies to treat and prevent preterm birth. -
Efficacy and Safety of a Bivalent RSV Prefusion F Vaccine in Older Adults
CONCLUSIONS: RSVpreF vaccine prevented RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness and RSV-associated acute respiratory illness in adults (≥60 years of age), without evident safety concerns. (Funded by Pfizer; RENOIR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05035212; EudraCT number, 2021-003693-31.). -
Nirsevimab for Prevention of RSV in Term and Late-Preterm Infants
No abstract -
Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V114 pneumococcal vaccine compared with PCV13 in a 2+1 regimen in healthy infants: A phase III study (PNEU-PED-EU-2)
CONCLUSION: A two-dose primary series plus toddler dose of V114 was well-tolerated in healthy infants. Compared with PCV13, V114 provided non-inferior immune responses to 13 shared serotypes and superior immune responses to additional serotypes 22F and 33F. -
Elevated human placental heat shock protein 5 is associated with spontaneous preterm birth
CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that upregulation of HSPA5 in the placenta is associated with spontaneous preterm labor. HSPA5 may promote the inflammatory response and alter the anti-inflammatory state of the placenta which could eventually lead to premature labor. -
Characterization of the innate immune response to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in zebrafish
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is one of the most frequent causes of pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis in humans, and an important cause of mortality among children and the elderly. We have previously reported the suitability of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) larval model for the study of the host-pathogen interactions in pneumococcal infection. In the present study, we characterized the zebrafish innate immune response to pneumococcus in detail through a whole-genome level transcriptome...
2022
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Infant respiratory syncytial virus and childhood asthma: a nationwide registry-based, sibling-controlled, and genome-wide association study
BACKGROUND: Early-life respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is associated with childhood recurrent wheeze or asthma (RW/A), but causality and shared genetic liability remain unclear. -
Safety and Immunogenicity of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prefusion F Protein Vaccine when Co-administered with Adjuvanted Seasonal Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine in Older Adults: A Phase 3 Randomized Trial
CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvanted FLU-aQIV and RSVPreF3 OA had acceptable reactogenicity/safety profiles when co-administered in ≥65-year-olds, without clinically relevant interference with the immune responses to either vaccine. -
The respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F protein vaccine attenuates the severity of respiratory syncytial virus-associated disease in breakthrough infections in adults ≥60 years of age
CONCLUSIONS: The RSVPreF3 OA vaccine, in addition to preventing infection, attenuated the severity of RSV-associated symptoms in breakthrough infections, with trends of reduced impact on PF and health utility. -
Efficacy and Safety of a Bivalent RSV Prefusion F Vaccine in Older Adults
CONCLUSIONS: RSVpreF vaccine prevented RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness and RSV-associated acute respiratory illness in adults (≥60 years of age), without evident safety concerns. (Funded by Pfizer; RENOIR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05035212; EudraCT number, 2021-003693-31.). -
The Drosophila Toll Pathway in Innate Immunity: from the Core Pathway toward Effector Functions
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster Toll signaling pathway has an evolutionarily conserved role in controlling immune responses. Whereas the microbial recognition mechanisms and the core signaling pathway leading to activation of the humoral immune response via the NF-κB transcription factors have been well established for many years, the mechanistic understanding of the effector functions at the molecular level is currently rapidly evolving. In this review, we discuss the current developments... -
A phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of catch-up vaccination regimens of V114, a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, in healthy infants, children, and adolescents (PNEU-PLAN)
CONCLUSIONS: Catch-up vaccination with V114 in healthy individuals 7 months-17 years of age was generally well tolerated and immunogenic for all 15 serotypes, including those not contained in PCV13, regardless of prior pneumococcal vaccination. These results support V114 catch-up vaccination in children with incomplete or no PCV immunization per the recommended schedule. -
Human placental proteomics and exon variant studies link AAT/SERPINA1 with spontaneous preterm birth
CONCLUSIONS: Alpha-1 antitrypsin is a protease inhibitor. We propose that loss of the protease inhibition effects of alpha-1 antitrypsin renders structures critical to maintaining pregnancy susceptible to proteases and inflammatory activation. This may lead to spontaneous premature birth. -
Comparing the meningococcal serogroup C immune response elicited by a tetanus toxoid conjugate quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (MenACYW-TT) versus a quadrivalent or monovalent C tetanus toxoid conjugate meningococcal vaccine in healthy meningococcal vaccine-naïve toddlers: A randomised, controlled trial
MenACYW-TT (MenQuadfi®) is a quadrivalent meningococcal tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine licensed in Europe for use in individuals ≥12 months. This study assessed whether serogroup C immune responses with MenACYW-TT were at least non-inferior, or superior, to those of quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY (MCV4-TT; Nimenrix®) and monovalent meningococcal C (MenC-TT; NeisVac-C®) vaccines in toddlers (12-23 months). In this modified, double-blind Phase III study (NCT03890367), 701 toddlers received one... -
Nirsevimab for Prevention of RSV in Healthy Late-Preterm and Term Infants
CONCLUSIONS: A single injection of nirsevimab administered before the RSV season protected healthy late-preterm and term infants from medically attended RSV-associated lower respiratory tract infection. (Funded by MedImmune/AstraZeneca and Sanofi; MELODY ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03979313.). -
Safety of Nirsevimab for RSV in Infants with Heart or Lung Disease or Prematurity
No abstract -
Evaluation of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine in Children 5 to 11 Years of Age
CONCLUSIONS: A Covid-19 vaccination regimen consisting of two 10-μg doses of BNT162b2 administered 21 days apart was found to be safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in children 5 to 11 years of age. (Funded by BioNTech and Pfizer; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04816643.).
2021
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Five-Year Immune Persistence of a Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MenACYW-TT) and Immunogenicity and Safety of a Booster Dose in Children
CONCLUSIONS: MenACYW-TT provides long-term immune persistence and a robust immune response when administered as a booster in children primed 5 years earlier. -
Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of the Bivalent Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Prefusion F Vaccine in Older Adults Over 2 RSV Seasons
CONCLUSIONS: High RSV neutralizing titers were observed 1 month after RSVpreF vaccination in persons aged ≥60 years, with similarly robust responses across subgroups. These immune responses corresponded with high RSVpreF VE against RSV-associated LRTI. RSVpreF had a favorable safety profile over 2 seasons. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT05035212; EudraCT, 2021-003693-31. -
A Phase 3B, Open-Label Study to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of the Quadrivalent Meningococcal Nimenrix<sup>®</sup> Vaccine When Given to Healthy Infants at 3 and 12 Months of Age
CONCLUSION: Nimenrix given at ages 3 and 12 months had a favorable safety profile and elicited protective immune responses and robust anamnestic booster responses across A/C/W/Y serogroups. These results provide important support for this alternative Nimenrix 1 + 1 immunization schedule for infants < 6 months, allowing flexibility in infant meningococcal immunization. -
Breadth of immune response, immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety for a pentavalent meningococcal ABCWY vaccine in healthy adolescents and young adults: results from a phase 3, randomised, controlled observer-blinded trial
BACKGROUND: A multicomponent meningococcal serogroups ABCWY vaccine (MenABCWY) could provide broad protection against disease-causing meningococcal strains and simplify the immunisation schedule. The aim of this trial was to confirm the effect of the licensed meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccine, 4CMenB, against diverse MenB strains, and to assess the breadth of immune response against a panel of 110 MenB strains for MenABCWY containing the antigenic components of 4CMenB and licensed... -
Population Attributable Risk of Wheeze in 2-<6-Year-old Children, Following a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in The First 2 Years of Life
CONCLUSIONS: A substantial amount of wheeze from the second to sixth birthday is potentially attributable to RSV-LRTI<2Y. Prevention of RSV-LRTI<2Y could potentially reduce wheezing episodes in 2-<6-year-old children. -
Efficacy and Safety of a Bivalent RSV Prefusion F Vaccine in Older Adults
CONCLUSIONS: RSVpreF vaccine prevented RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness and RSV-associated acute respiratory illness in adults (≥60 years of age), without evident safety concerns. (Funded by Pfizer; RENOIR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05035212; EudraCT number, 2021-003693-31.). -
Proteasome α6 Subunit Negatively Regulates the JAK/STAT Pathway and Blood Cell Activation in <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em>
JAK/STAT signaling regulates central biological functions such as development, cell differentiation and immune responses. In Drosophila, misregulated JAK/STAT signaling in blood cells (hemocytes) induces their aberrant activation. Using mass spectrometry to analyze proteins associated with a negative regulator of the JAK/STAT pathway, and by performing a genome-wide RNAi screen, we identified several components of the proteasome complex as negative regulators of JAK/STAT signaling in Drosophila.... -
Evaluation of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine in Children 5 to 11 Years of Age
CONCLUSIONS: A Covid-19 vaccination regimen consisting of two 10-μg doses of BNT162b2 administered 21 days apart was found to be safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in children 5 to 11 years of age. (Funded by BioNTech and Pfizer; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04816643.). -
Integrative genetic, genomic and transcriptomic analysis of heat shock protein and nuclear hormone receptor gene associations with spontaneous preterm birth
Heat shock proteins are involved in the response to stress including activation of the immune response. Elevated circulating heat shock proteins are associated with spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB). Intracellular heat shock proteins act as multifunctional molecular chaperones that regulate activity of nuclear hormone receptors. Since SPTB has a significant genetic predisposition, our objective was to identify genetic and transcriptomic evidence of heat shock proteins and nuclear hormone... -
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 regulates the production of acute-phase reactants from the liver
CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that PCSK9 is not critical for zebrafish survival in a systemic pneumococcal infection. However, PCSK9 deficiency was associated with the lower expression of APR genes in zebrafish and altered the expression of innate immunity genes in a human hepatocyte cell line. Overall, our data suggest an evolutionarily conserved function for PCSK9 in APR in the liver. -
Human CPPED1 belongs to calcineurin-like metallophosphoesterase superfamily and dephosphorylates PI3K-AKT pathway component PAK4
Protein kinases and phosphatases regulate cellular processes by reversible phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events. CPPED1 is a recently identified serine/threonine protein phosphatase that dephosphorylates AKT1 of the PI3K-AKT signalling pathway. We previously showed that CPPED1 levels are down-regulated in the human placenta during spontaneous term birth. In this study, based on sequence comparisons, we propose that CPPED1 is a member of the class III phosphodiesterase (PDE) subfamily... -
Correction: Osa-Containing Brahma Complex Regulates Innate Immunity and the Expression of Metabolic Genes in <em>Drosophila</em>
No abstract
2020
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Breadth of immune response, immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety for a pentavalent meningococcal ABCWY vaccine in healthy adolescents and young adults: results from a phase 3, randomised, controlled observer-blinded trial
BACKGROUND: A multicomponent meningococcal serogroups ABCWY vaccine (MenABCWY) could provide broad protection against disease-causing meningococcal strains and simplify the immunisation schedule. The aim of this trial was to confirm the effect of the licensed meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccine, 4CMenB, against diverse MenB strains, and to assess the breadth of immune response against a panel of 110 MenB strains for MenABCWY containing the antigenic components of 4CMenB and licensed... -
Integrating fish models in tuberculosis vaccine development
Tuberculosis is a chronic infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that results in over 1.5 million deaths worldwide each year. Currently, there is only one vaccine against tuberculosis, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Despite widespread vaccination programmes, over 10 million new M. tuberculosis infections are diagnosed yearly, with almost half a million cases caused by antibiotic-resistant strains. Novel vaccination strategies concentrate mainly on replacing BCG or boosting its... -
DNA vaccination with the Mycobacterium marinum MMAR_4110 antigen inhibits reactivation of a latent mycobacterial infection in the adult Zebrafish
CONCLUSION: This study provides novel information about reactivation-related M. marinum genes. One of the antigens, MMAR_4110, inhibited the reactivation of a latent M. marinum infection in zebrafish, implicating that the characterized genes could be potential targets for further vaccine and drug development against mycobacterial diseases. -
CPPED1-targeting microRNA-371a-5p expression in human placenta associates with spontaneous delivery
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression, and their expression is associated with many physiological conditions. Here, we investigated potential associations between expression levels of miRNAs in human placenta and the onset of spontaneous term birth. Using RNA sequencing, we identified 54 miRNAs differentially expressed during spontaneous term labor compared to elective term births. Expression levels of 23 miRNAs were upregulated, whereas 31 were downregulated at least... -
Osa-Containing Brahma Complex Regulates Innate Immunity and the Expression of Metabolic Genes in <em>Drosophila</em>
Negative regulation of innate immunity is essential to avoid autoinflammation. In Drosophila melanogaster, NF-κB signaling-mediated immune responses are negatively regulated at multiple levels. Using a Drosophila RNA interference in vitro screen, we identified a set of genes inhibiting immune activation. Four of these genes encode members of the chromatin remodeling Osa-containing Brahma (BAP) complex. Silencing additional two genes of the BAP complex was shown to have the same phenotype,... -
Characterization of immune response against Mycobacterium marinum infection in the main hematopoietic organ of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Tuberculosis remains a major global health challenge. To gain information about genes important for defense against tuberculosis, we used a well-established tuberculosis model; Mycobacterium marinum infection in adult zebrafish. To characterize the immunological response to mycobacterial infection at 14 days post infection, we performed a whole-genome level transcriptome analysis using cells from kidney, the main hematopoietic organ of adult zebrafish. Among the upregulated genes, those...
2019
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Evaluation of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine in Children 5 to 11 Years of Age
CONCLUSIONS: A Covid-19 vaccination regimen consisting of two 10-μg doses of BNT162b2 administered 21 days apart was found to be safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in children 5 to 11 years of age. (Funded by BioNTech and Pfizer; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04816643.). -
Characterization of immune response against Mycobacterium marinum infection in the main hematopoietic organ of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Tuberculosis remains a major global health challenge. To gain information about genes important for defense against tuberculosis, we used a well-established tuberculosis model; Mycobacterium marinum infection in adult zebrafish. To characterize the immunological response to mycobacterial infection at 14 days post infection, we performed a whole-genome level transcriptome analysis using cells from kidney, the main hematopoietic organ of adult zebrafish. Among the upregulated genes, those... -
Correction: Immune-inducible non-coding RNA molecule lincRNA-IBIN connects immunity and metabolism in Drosophila melanogaster
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007504.]. -
Risk of spontaneous preterm birth and fetal growth associates with fetal SLIT2
Spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) is the leading cause of neonatal death and morbidity worldwide. Both maternal and fetal genetic factors likely contribute to SPTB. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on a population of Finnish origin that included 247 infants with SPTB (gestational age [GA] < 36 weeks) and 419 term controls (GA 38-41 weeks). The strongest signal came within the gene encoding slit guidance ligand 2 (SLIT2; rs116461311, minor allele frequency 0.05, p = 1.6×10-6).... -
Intelectin 3 is dispensable for resistance against a mycobacterial infection in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Tuberculosis is a multifactorial bacterial disease, which can be modeled in the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Abdominal cavity infection with Mycobacterium marinum, a close relative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, leads to a granulomatous disease in adult zebrafish, which replicates the different phases of human tuberculosis, including primary infection, latency and spontaneous reactivation. Here, we have carried out a transcriptional analysis of zebrafish challenged with low-dose of M. marinum, and... -
Immune-inducible non-coding RNA molecule lincRNA-IBIN connects immunity and metabolism in Drosophila melanogaster
Non-coding RNAs have important roles in regulating physiology, including immunity. Here, we performed transcriptome profiling of immune-responsive genes in Drosophila melanogaster during a Gram-positive bacterial infection, concentrating on long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes. The gene most highly induced by a Micrococcus luteus infection was CR44404, named Induced by Infection (lincRNA-IBIN). lincRNA-IBIN is induced by both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in Drosophila adults and... -
Spontaneous premature birth as a target of genomic research
Spontaneous preterm birth is a serious and common pregnancy complication associated with hormonal dysregulation, infection, inflammation, immunity, rupture of fetal membranes, stress, bleeding, and uterine distention. Heredity is 25-40% and mostly involves the maternal genome, with contribution of the fetal genome. Significant discoveries of candidate genes by genome-wide studies and confirmation in independent replicate populations serve as signposts for further research. The main task is to...