The koala immunological toolkit: sequence identification and comparison of key markers of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) immune response

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an Australian marsupial that continues to experience significant population declines. Infectious diseases caused by pathogens such as Chlamydia are proposed to have a major role. Very few species-specific immunological reagents are available, severely hindering our ability to respond to the threat of infectious diseases in the koala. In this study, we utilise data from the sequencing of the koala transcriptome to identify key immunological markers of the koala adaptive immune response and cytokines known to be important in the host response to chlamydial infection in other species. This report describes the identification and preliminary sequence analysis of (1) T lymphocyte glycoprotein markers (CD4, CD8); (2) IL-4, a marker for the Th2 response; (3) cytokines such as IL-6, IL-12 and IL-1β, that have been shown to have a role in chlamydial clearance and pathology in other hosts; and (4) the sequences for the koala immunoglobulins, IgA, IgG, IgE and IgM. These sequences will enable the development of a range of immunological reagents for understanding the koala’s innate and adaptive immune responses, while also providing a resource that will enable continued investigations into the origin and evolution of the marsupial immune system.

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Resveratrol, EGCG and Vitamins Modulate Activated T Lymphocytes

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26185600 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (18) ◽

pp. 5600

Author(s):

Joseph Schwager ◽

Nicole Seifert ◽

Albine Bompard ◽

Daniel Raederstorff ◽

Igor Bendik

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Immune Response ◽

T Lymphocytes ◽

T Lymphocyte ◽

Adaptive Immune Response ◽

Marginal Effect ◽

Th2 Response ◽

T Lymphocyte Subsets ◽

Adaptive Immune ◽

T Lymphocyte Proliferation

Vitamins and bioactives, which are constituents of the food chain, modulate T lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation, antibody production, and prevent inflammation and autoimmunity. We investigated the effects of vitamins (vitamin A (VA), D (VD), E (VE)) and bioactives (i.e., resveratrol (Res), epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)) on the adaptive immune response, as well as their synergistic or antagonistic interactions. Freshly isolated T lymphocytes from healthy individuals were activated with anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies for 4–5 days in the presence of bioactives and were analyzed by cytofluorometry. Interleukins, cytokines, and chemokines were measured by multiple ELISA. Gene expression was measured by quantitative RT-PCR. Res and EGCG increased CD4 surface intensity. EGCG led to an increased proportion of CD8+ lymphocytes. Anti-CD3/CD28 activation induced exuberant secretion of interleukins and cytokines by T lymphocyte subsets. VD strongly enhanced Th2 cytokines (e.g., IL-5, IL-13), whereas Res and EGCG favored secretion of Th1 cytokines (e.g., IL-2, INF-γ). Res and VD mutually influenced cytokine production, but VD dominated the cytokine secretion pattern. The substances changed gene expression of interleukins and cytokines in a similar way as they did secretion. Collectively, VD strongly modulated cytokine and interleukin production and favored Th2 functions. Resveratrol and EGCG promoted the Th1 response. VA and VE had only a marginal effect, but they altered both Th1 and Th2 response. In vivo, bioactives might therefore interact with vitamins and support the outcome and extent of the adaptive immune response.

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Host-Adapted Gene Families Involved in Murine Cytomegalovirus Immune Evasion

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v14010128 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 128

Author(s):

Sara Becker ◽

Annette Fink ◽

Jürgen Podlech ◽

Matthias J. Reddehase ◽

Niels A. Lemmermann

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Immune Evasion ◽

Clinical Investigation ◽

Viral Evolution ◽

Adaptive Immune Response ◽

Gene Families ◽

Murine Cytomegalovirus ◽

Adaptive Immune ◽

Species Specific

Cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) are host species-specific and have adapted to their respective mammalian hosts during co-evolution. Host-adaptation is reflected by “private genes” that have specialized in mediating virus-host interplay and have no sequence homologs in other CMV species, although biological convergence has led to analogous protein functions. They are mostly organized in gene families evolved by gene duplications and subsequent mutations. The host immune response to infection, both the innate and the adaptive immune response, is a driver of viral evolution, resulting in the acquisition of viral immune evasion proteins encoded by private gene families. As the analysis of the medically relevant human cytomegalovirus by clinical investigation in the infected human host cannot make use of designed virus and host mutagenesis, the mouse model based on murine cytomegalovirus (mCMV) has become a versatile animal model to study basic principles of in vivo virus-host interplay. Focusing on the immune evasion of the adaptive immune response by CD8+ T cells, we review here what is known about proteins of two private gene families of mCMV, the m02 and the m145 families, specifically the role of m04, m06, and m152 in viral antigen presentation during acute and latent infection.

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Recommended Vaccination During Pregnancy: A Short Commentary

International Healthcare Research Journal ◽

10.26440/ihrj/0403.06173 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 52-55

Author(s):

Vinesha Pandita

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Infectious Diseases ◽

Adverse Reactions ◽

Adaptive Immune Response ◽

Live Vaccines ◽

Adaptive Immune ◽

Maternal Vaccination ◽

Mother And Child ◽

Short Commentary ◽

Guidelines And Recommendations

Vaccination is the process of stimulating a protective adaptive immune response against microbes by exposure to non-pathogenic forms or microbial components. Live vaccines killed vaccines and pathogen derived puriﬁed macromolecules are the three types of vaccines. Maternal vaccination provide protection to both the mother and fetus from the morbidity of certain serious infectious diseases which can otherwise be prevented by vaccination. Influenza and Pertussis vaccines are routinely recommended during pregnancy. Vaccines can also result in adverse reactions both in the mother and child. This review focuses on guidelines and recommendations for vaccination during pregnancy.

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Immune Polarization Potential of the S. aureus Virulence Factors SplB and GlpQ and Modulation by Adjuvants

Frontiers in Immunology ◽

10.3389/fimmu.2021.642802 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel M. Mrochen ◽

Patricia Trübe ◽

Ilka Jorde ◽

Grazyna Domanska ◽

Cindy van den Brandt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Virulence Factors ◽

Antibody Production ◽

Adaptive Immune Response ◽

Specific Ige ◽

Polarization Potential ◽

Single Individual ◽

Th2 Response ◽

Immune Effector ◽

Adaptive Immune

Protection against Staphylococcus aureus is determined by the polarization of the anti-bacterial immune effector mechanisms. Virulence factors of S. aureus can modulate these and induce differently polarized immune responses in a single individual. We proposed that this may be due to intrinsic properties of the bacterial proteins. To test this idea, we selected two virulence factors, the serine protease-like protein B (SplB) and the glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ). In humans naturally exposed to S. aureus, SplB induces a type 2-biased adaptive immune response, whereas GlpQ elicits type 1/type 3 immunity. We injected the recombinant bacterial antigens into the peritoneum of S. aureus-naïve C57BL/6N mice and analyzed the immune response. This was skewed by SplB toward a Th2 profile including specific IgE, whereas GlpQ was weakly immunogenic. To elucidate the influence of adjuvants on the proteins’ polarization potential, we studied Montanide ISA 71 VG and Imject™Alum, which promote a Th1 and Th2 response, respectively. Alum strongly increased antibody production to the Th2-polarizing protein SplB, but did not affect the response to GlpQ. Montanide enhanced the antibody production to both S. aureus virulence factors. Montanide also augmented the inflammation in general, whereas Alum had little effect on the cellular immune response. The adjuvants did not override the polarization potential of the S. aureus proteins on the adaptive immune response.

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