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Michael Reth and his team utilises CRISPR/Cas9 method to rapidly generate mutants of the Burkitt lymphoma cell line Ramos.  They used this methodology to generate Ramos B cells which lack all four components of the BCR, and can expresses the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Additionally, they designed a Ramos Spike flow protocol which allows them to test for...

In a pre-peer reviewed publication in MedRxiv, investigators found in critically ill COVID-19 patients that heightened extrafollicular B cells responses which lead to rapid activation of B cells resulting in high proportions of of antibody-secreting cells. However, high levels of extrafollicular B cells and SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies, was also associated with high inflammation and poor prognosis.

This week we highlight talks by Dr David Sacks (National Institutes of Health, USA) which focused on Xenodiagnosis to evaluate transmission dynamics of visceral leishmaniasis in Bihar, India. After talking about visceral leishmanias (VL) demographical distribution and the vectors involved, Dr Sacks focused on the Kala-azar elimination program in the South Asia Region and their goal to reduce incidence...

Folegatti et al., demonstrated that vaccination with a single dose, induced robust SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific antibodies which peaked at day 28, and were maintained at similar levels at day 56. As expected vaccination with two doses resulted in much higher SARS-CoV-2-Ab responses than vaccination with a singe-dose. Researchers observed higher SARS-CoV-2-Ab neutralisation...

One of the hallmarks of COVID-19 immunopathology is cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and T cell dysfunction. These immune functions are partly triggered by SARS-CoV-2 activation of the mTOR pathway. Omarjee et al., describe the potential immuno-therapeutic utility of rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) against COVID-19, a drug that is currently being tested in a phase 2 trial in USA (NCT04341675).

Unlike humans, llamas produce heavy-chain only antibodies (HCAbs) that have a single variable domain. These HCAbs are much smaller, have higher thermal and chemical stability than Abs produced by humans, making it easier to construct into multimers that could potentially be used as therapeutics that could be adminstered in various ways including using inhalers.

Safety and immunological results from the phase 1 COVID-19 trial testing, the candidate vaccine mRNA-127, were published in NEJM on 14th July. Overall vaccination with mRNA-1273 did not result in severe side-effects, however, the frequency of side effects correlated with vaccination dose. Researchers reported rapid seroconversion, within 15 days of the first vaccination ...

Professor Adrian Hayday shares an overview of a completed deep immunophenotyping of 100 COVID-19 patients and controls (figure below), in the 13th IUIS webinar. Highlights of the webinar include the discovery of an immune cell signature based on cell phenotypes that distinguished COVID-19 treated patients from SARS-CoV-2 seronegative and seropositive controls.

This week we highlight talks by Dr Fabienne Tacchini-Cottier and Dr David Sacks which focused on anti-leishmania immunity. Dr Tacchini-Cottier gave an interesting lecture on the innate immunity to Leishmania parasites. She explained how the body recognizes the parasite by the PRRs and talked about the role of selected innate cells in immunity against the parasite. She also showed how the parasite has developed sophisticated ways to bypass the first barrier of immunity...

In addition to pulmonary pathology, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) symptoms have also been observed in COVID-19 patients and are more associated with severe compared to mild pathology. How does SARS-CoV-2 infection cause GIT complications? A recent review in Cell Reports by Trottein & Sokol aimed to “suggest hypothetical mechanisms leading to gut symptoms, and discuss the potential consequences of gastrointestinal disorders on the outcome of the disease.”