1.
Rodríguez-Piñeiro, Ana María, et al.
(författare)
The colonic mucus protection depends on the microbiota
2015
Ingår i: Gut microbes. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1949-0976 .- 1949-0984. ; 6:5, s. 326-30
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
The intestinal mucus is a pivotal part of our intestinal protection. It provides slow diffusion of protective molecules, trapping of luminal material as bacteria and smooth transport in the small intestine. In colon it restricts bacterial access to the epithelium limiting the responses to the enormous bacterial load present at this location. The development of these systems depends on the microbiota composition as seen in our recent study comparing the mucus phenotype in 2 colonies kept in different husbandries within the same SPF animal facility. One colony had impenetrable colonic mucus while the other colony had more penetrable mucus. The mucus phenotypes were transmitted via the microbiota and clear differences in its composition could be detected. Candidates associated with the different colonies were identified but the observed mucus difference could not be assigned to a specific bacterium.
2.
Andersson, Sören, 1957-, et al.
(författare)
CHIMERIC MOMP ANTIGEN
2015
Patent (populärvet., debatt m.m.)
3.
Moens, Lotte N. J., et al.
(författare)
HaloPlex Targeted Resequencing for Mutation Detection in Clinical Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tumor Samples
2015
Ingår i: Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-1578 .- 1943-7811. ; 17:6, s. 729-739
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
In recent years, the advent of massively parallel next-generation sequencing technologies has enabled substantial advances in the study of human diseases. Combined with targeted DNA enrichment methods, high sequence coverage can be obtained for different genes simultaneously at a reduced cost per sample, creating unique opportunities for clinical cancer diagnostics. However, the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) process of tissue samples, routinely used in pathology departments, results in DNA fragmentation and nucleotide modifications that introduce a number of technical challenges for downstream biomotecular analyses. We evaluated the HaloPlex target enrichment system for somatic mutation detection in 80 tissue fractions derived from 20 clinical cancer cases with paired tumor and normal tissue available in both FFPE and fresh-frozen format. Several modifications to the standard method were introduced, including a reduced target fragment Length and two strand capturing. We found that FFPE material can be used for HaloPlex-based target enrichment and next-generation sequencing, even when starting from small amounts of DNA. By specifically capturing both strands for each target fragment, we were able to reduce the number of false-positive errors caused by FFPE-induced artifacts and Lower the detection limit for somatic mutations. We believe that the HaloPlex method presented here will be broadly applicable as a tool for somatic mutation detection in clinical cancer settings.
4.
Okroj, Marcin, et al.
(författare)
Prevalence of antibodies against Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpes virus (KSHV) complement inhibitory protein (KCP) in KSHV-related diseases and their correlation with clinical parameters.
2011
Ingår i: Vaccine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-2518 .- 0264-410X. ; 29, s. 1129-1134
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) encodes its own inhibitor of the complement system, designated KSHV complement control protein (KCP). Previously, we detected anti-KCP antibodies in a small group of 22 patients suffering from Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and KSHV-related lymphoproliferative diseases (Vaccine, 25:8102-9). Anti-KCP antibodies were more prevalent in individuals suffering from KSHV-related lymphomas than KS and also in those with high titer of antibodies against lytic KSHV antigens. Herein we analyze anti-KCP antibodies in 175 individuals originating from three different groups from northern Sweden or Italy, which included patients suffering from classical or HIV-associated KS, Multicentric Castleman's Disease, KSHV-associated solid lymphoma, pleural effusion lymphoma and healthy individuals with detectable KSHV immune response. Our current study confirmed previous observations concerning antibody prevalence but we also analyzed correlations between anti-KCP antibodies and classical KS evolution, clinical stage and viral load in body fluids. Furthermore, we show that patient's anti-KCP antibodies are able to decrease the ability of KCP to inhibit complement. This fact combined with results of statistical analysis suggests that KCP inactivation by specific antibodies may influence progression of classical KS.
5.
Bally, Marta, 1981, et al.
(författare)
Norovirus GII.4 Virus-like Particles Recognize Galactosylceramides in Domains of Planar Supported Lipid Bilayers.
2012
Ingår i: Angewandte Chemie International Edition. - : Wiley. - 1433-7851 .- 1521-3773. ; 51:48, s. 12020-4
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
A sticky situation: Domain-dependent recognition of the glycosphingolipid galactosylceramide by norovirus-like particles (see picture; red/yellow) is shown using supported lipid bilayers (purple) as model membranes. Optimal ligand presentation is found to promote strong binding to GalCer. This presentation can be found at the edges of the glycosphingolipid-enriched domains (green) and binding is repressed in the absence of these domains.
6.
Forsman, L. Davies, et al.
(författare)
Intra- and Extracellular Activities of Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole against Susceptible and Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
2014
Ingår i: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 0066-4804 .- 1098-6596. ; 58:12, s. 7557-7559
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
We investigated the activity of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis (TB). The MIC distribution of SXT was 0.125/2.4 to 2/38 mg/liter for the 100 isolates tested, including multi- and extensively drug-resistant isolates (MDR/XDR-TB), whereas the intracellular MIC90 of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) for the pansusceptible strain H37Rv was 76 mg/liter. In an exploratory analysis using a ratio of the unbound area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h over MIC (fAUC(0-24)/MIC) using >= 25 as a potential target, the cumulative fraction response was >= 90% at doses of >= 2,400 mg of SMX. SXT is a potential treatment option for MDR/XDR-TB.
7.
Bratanis, Eleni
(författare)
Bacterial antibody hydrolyzing enzymes – as bacterial virulence factors and biotechnological tools
2019
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Antibodies are an essential part of the human immune system, and antibody mediated immunity has been an area of interest for many researchers for almost a century. An accumulation of knowledge regarding antibody structure, glycosylation and receptor interactions has contributed to the current understanding of antibody mediated immunity. It has more recently become evident how bacteria and other microorganisms evade host recognition and eradication through specific antibody degradation or modification. The importance of antibody glycosylation and how glycan modification can fine-tune the elicited immune response has also contributed to the development of antibody-based drugs with improved clinical efficacy. In turn these insights have paved the way and created a need for the development of biotechnological methods and tools to specifically engineer antibodies with defined properties, for analysis to ensure quality and safety, and for improved antibody purification.This thesis highlights the importance of glycosylation for antibody function and presents different aspects and applications of antibody modifications by bacteria. We show, for the first time, activity of the IgG-specific Streptococcal endoglycosidase EndoS during Streptococcus pyogenes infection, clearly demonstrating that EndoS contributes to S. pyogenes pathogenesis and bacterial survival in the context of adaptive immunity. Further this thesis presents the use of bacterial enzymes as antibody modifying tools and their potential as binding reagents for selective antibody purification. The identification and characterization of two novel proteases, BspK and BspE exhibiting unique IgG and IgA cleavage profiles respectively, from Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus highlights the potential of using Bdellovibrio as a source for the identification of novel enzymes with biotechnological applications. Finally, I present the development of a novel method for selective antibody purification, using the inactive variants of the bacterial enzymes EndoS and EndoS2, ensuring the purification of native, correctly folded and modified antibodies.
8.
9.
O'Meara, Connor P, et al.
(författare)
Immunity against a Chlamydia infection and disease may be determined by a balance of IL-17 signaling.
2014
Ingår i: Immunology and cell biology. - : Wiley. - 1440-1711 .- 0818-9641. ; 92:3, s. 287-297
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Most vaccines developed against Chlamydia using animal models provide partial protection against a genital tract infection. However, protection against the oviduct pathology associated with infertility is highly variable and often has no defining immunological correlate. When comparing two adjuvants (CTA1-DD and a combination of Cholera toxin plus CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide-CT/CpG) combined with the chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) antigen and delivered via the intranasal (IN), sublingual (SL) or transcutaneous (TC) routes, we identified two vaccine groups with contrasting outcomes following infection. SL immunization with MOMP/CTA1-DD induced a 70% reduction in the incidence of oviduct pathology, without significantly altering the course of infection. Conversely, IN immunization with MOMP/CT/CpG prevented an ascending infection, but not the oviduct pathology. This anomaly presented a unique opportunity to study the mechanisms by which vaccines can prevent oviduct pathology, other than by controlling the infection. The IL-17 signaling in the oviducts was found to associate with both the enhancement of immunity to infection and the development of oviduct pathology. This conflicting role of IL-17 may provide some explanation for the discordance in protection between infection and disease and suggests that controlling immunopathology, as opposed to the rapid eradication of the infection, may be essential for an effective human chlamydial vaccine that prevents infertility.Immunology and Cell Biology advance online publication, 24 December 2013; doi:10.1038/icb.2013.92.
10.
Nyantakyi, Samuel A., et al.
(författare)
Indolyl Azaspiroketal Mannich Bases Are Potent Antimycobacterial Agents with Selective Membrane Permeabilizing Effects and in Vivo Activity
2018
Ingår i: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-2623 .- 1520-4804. ; 61:13, s. 5733-5750
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The inclusion of an azaspiroketal Mannich base in the membrane targeting antitubercular 6-methoxy-l-n-octyl-lH-indole scaffold resulted in analogs with improved selectivity and submicromolar activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. The potency enhancing properties of the spiro-fused ring motif was affirmed by SAR and validated in a mouse model of tuberculosis. As expected for membrane inserting agents, the indolyl azaspiroketal Mannich bases perturbed phospholipid vesicles, permeabilized bacterial cells, and induced the mycobacterial cell envelope stress reporter promoter piniBAC. Surprisingly, their membrane disruptive effects did not appear to be associated with bacterial membrane depolarization. This profile was not uniquely associated with azaspiroketal Mannich bases but was characteristic of indolyl Mannich bases as a class. Whereas resistant mycobacteria could not be isolated for a less potent indolyl Mannich base, the more potent azaspiroketal analog displayed low spontaneous resistance mutation frequency of 10-8/CFU. This may indicate involvement of an additional envelope-related target in its mechanism of action.
