Oligomerization-driven avidity correlates with SARS-CoV-2 cellular binding and inhibition.

Cellular processes are controlled by the thermodynamics of the underlying biomolecular interactions. Frequently, structural investigations use one monomeric binding partner, while ensemble measurements of binding affinities generally yield one affinity representative of a 1:1 interaction, despite the majority of the proteome consisting of oligomeric proteins. For example, viral entry and inhibition in SARS-CoV-2 involve a trimeric spike surface protein, a dimeric angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) cell-surface receptor and dimeric antibodies. Here, we reveal that cooperativity correlates with infectivity and inhibition as opposed to 1:1 binding strength. We show that ACE2 oligomerizes spike more strongly for more infectious variants, while exhibiting weaker 1:1 affinity. Furthermore, we find that antibodies use induced oligomerization both as a primary inhibition mechanism and to enhance the effects of receptor-site blocking. Our results suggest that naive affinity measurements are poor predictors of potency, and introduce an antibody-based inhibition mechanism for oligomeric targets. More generally, they point toward a much broader role of induced oligomerization in controlling biomolecular interactions.

A shotgun proteomic dataset of human mucosal-associated invariant T cells.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells represent a unique unconventional T cell population important in eliciting immunomodulatory responses in a range of diseases, including infectious diseases, autoimmunity and cancer. This innate-like T cell subset predominantly express CD8 in humans. Unlike conventional CD8+ T cells, which recognize peptide antigen presented by polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, MAIT cells are restricted by MR1, a non-polymorphic antigen-presenting molecule widely expressed in multiple tissues. Thus, identification of proteomic signature of MAIT cells in relation to conventional T cells is pivotal in understanding it's specific functional characteristics. The high-resolution dataset presents here comprehensively describes and compare the whole cell proteomes of MAIT (TCRVα7.2+CD161+) and conventional/non-MAIT T cells (TCR Vα7.2-CD161-) in humans. The dataset was generated using the proteomic samples prepared from matched T cell subsets sorted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of three healthy volunteers. Peptides obtained from trypsin-digested cell lysates were analysed using Data-Dependent Mass Spectrometry (DDA-MS). Label-free quantitation of DDA-MS data using MaxQuant and MaxLFQ software identified 4,442 proteins at a 1 % false discovery rate. Of them, 3680 proteins that were detected with single UniProt accession and a minimum of 2 unique or razor peptides were assessed to identify differentially abundant proteins between MAIT cells and conventional T cells, including total T cells and CD8+ T cells. The dataset comprises high-quality label-free quantitative proteomic data that can be used to compare the expression pattern of whole cell proteomes between the above-mentioned T cell populations. Further, this can be used as a reference proteome of human MAIT cells for the in-depth understanding of the MAIT cell behaviour among T cells and to discover potential therapeutic targets to modulate MAIT cell function.

Structural and functional characterization of nanobodies that neutralize Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.

The Omicron strains of SARS-CoV-2 pose a significant challenge to the development of effective antibody-based treatments as immune evasion has compromised most available immune therapeutics. Therefore, in the 'arms race' with the virus, there is a continuing need to identify new biologics for the prevention or treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Here, we report the isolation of nanobodies that bind to the Omicron BA.1 spike protein by screening nanobody phage display libraries previously generated from llamas immunized with either the Wuhan or Beta spike proteins. The structure and binding properties of three of these nanobodies (A8, H6 and B5-5) have been characterized in detail providing insight into their binding epitopes on the Omicron spike protein. Trimeric versions of H6 and B5-5 neutralized the SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern BA.5 both in vitro and in the hamster model of COVID-19 following nasal administration. Thus, either alone or in combination could serve as starting points for the development of new anti-viral immunotherapeutics.

Contemporary Prestroke Dual Antiplatelet Use and Symptomatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage Risk After Thrombolysis.

Importance: Intravenous alteplase (IV-tPA) can be administered to patients with acute ischemic stroke but is associated with symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH). It is unclear if patients taking prestroke dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) are at higher risk of sICH. Objective: To determine the associated risk of sICH in patients taking prestroke dual antiplatelet therapy receiving alteplase for acute ischemic stroke using propensity score matching analysis. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association Get With The Guidelines-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) registry between 2013 and 2021. Data were obtained from hospitals in the GWTG-Stroke registry. This study included patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke and treated with IV-tPA. Data were analyzed from January 2013 to December 2021. Exposures: Prestroke DAPT before treatment with IV-tPA for acute ischemic stroke. Main Outcome Measures: sICH, In-hospital death, discharge modified Rankin scale score, and other life-threatening systemic hemorrhages. Results: Of 409 673 participants, 321 819 patients (mean [SD] age, 68.6 [15.1] years; 164 587 female [51.1%]) who were hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke and treated with IV-tPA were included in the analysis. The rate of sICH was 2.9% (5200 of 182 344), 3.8% (4457 of 117 670), and 4.1% (893 of 21 805) among patients treated with no antiplatelet therapy, single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT), and DAPT, respectively (P < .001). In adjusted analyses after propensity score subclassification, both SAPT (odds ratio [OR], 1.13; 95% CI, 1.07-1.19) and DAPT (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.14-1.42) were associated with increased risks of sICH. Prestroke antiplatelet medications were associated with lower odds of discharge mRS score of 2 or less compared with no medication (SAPT OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.90-0.95; DAPT OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.88-0.98). Results of a subgroup analysis of patients taking DAPT exposed to aspirin-clopidogrel vs aspirin-ticagrelor combination therapy were not significant (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 0.84-1.86). Conclusions and Relevance: Prestroke DAPT was associated with a significantly elevated risk of sICH among patients with ischemic stroke who were treated with thrombolysis; however, the absolute increase in risk was small. Patients exposed to antiplatelet medications did not have excess sICH compared with landmark trials, which demonstrated overall clinical benefit of thrombolysis therapy for acute ischemic stroke.

Proactive vaccination using multiviral Quartet Nanocages to elicit broad anti-coronavirus responses.

Defending against future pandemics requires vaccine platforms that protect across a range of related pathogens. Nanoscale patterning can be used to address this issue. Here, we produce quartets of linked receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from a panel of SARS-like betacoronaviruses, coupled to a computationally designed nanocage through SpyTag/SpyCatcher links. These Quartet Nanocages, possessing a branched morphology, induce a high level of neutralizing antibodies against several different coronaviruses, including against viruses not represented in the vaccine. Equivalent antibody responses are raised to RBDs close to the nanocage or at the tips of the nanoparticle's branches. In animals primed with SARS-CoV-2 Spike, boost immunizations with Quartet Nanocages increase the strength and breadth of an otherwise narrow immune response. A Quartet Nanocage including the Omicron XBB.1.5 'Kraken' RBD induced antibodies with binding to a broad range of sarbecoviruses, as well as neutralizing activity against this variant of concern. Quartet nanocages are a nanomedicine approach with potential to confer heterotypic protection against emergent zoonotic pathogens and facilitate proactive pandemic protection.

Factors associated with cardiac implantable electronic device-related infections, New South Wales, 2016-21: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the rate of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-related infections and to identify risk factors for such infections. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of linked hospital admissions and mortality data. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: All adults who underwent CIED procedures in New South Wales between 1 January 2016 and 30 June 2021 (public hospitals) or 30 June 2020 (private hospitals). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportions of patients hospitalised with CIED-related infections (identified by hospital record diagnosis codes); risk of CIED-related infection by patient, device, and procedural factors. RESULTS: Of 37 675 CIED procedures (23 194 men, 63.5%), 500 were followed by CIED-related infections (median follow-up, 24.9 months; interquartile range, 11.2-40.8 months), including 397 people (1.1%) within twelve months of their procedures, and 186 of 10 540 people (2.5%) at high risk of such infections (replacement or upgrade procedures; new cardiac resynchronisation therapy with defibrillator, CRT-D). The overall infection rate was 0.50 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.54) per 1000 person-months; it was highest during the first month after the procedure (5.60 [95% CI, 4.89-6.42] per 1000 person-months). The risk of CIED-related infection was greater for people under 65 years of age than for those aged 65-74 years (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.71; 95% CI, 1.32-2.23), for people with CRT-D devices than for those with permanent pacemakers (aHR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.02-2.08), for people who had previously undergone CIED procedures (two or more v none: aHR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.02-2.25) or had CIED-related infections (aHR, 11.4; 95% CI, 8.34-15.7), or had undergone concomitant cardiac surgery (aHR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.10-2.39), and for people with atrial fibrillation (aHR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.11-1.60), chronic kidney disease (aHR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.27-1.87), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (aHR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.10-1.69), or cardiomyopathy (aHR 1.60; 95% CI, 1.25-2.05). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of risk factors for CIED-related infections can help clinicians discuss them with their patients, identify people at particular risk, and inform decisions about device type, upgrades and replacements, and prophylactic interventions.

Integrative temporal multi-omics reveals uncoupling of transcriptome and proteome during human T cell activation.

Engagement of the T cell receptor (TCR) triggers molecular reprogramming leading to the acquisition of specialized effector functions by CD4 helper and CD8 cytotoxic T cells. While transcription factors, chemokines, and cytokines are known drivers in this process, the temporal proteomic and transcriptomic changes that regulate different stages of human primary T cell activation remain to be elucidated. Here, we report an integrative temporal proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of primary human CD4 and CD8 T cells following ex vivo stimulation with anti-CD3/CD28 beads, which revealed major transcriptome-proteome uncoupling. The early activation phase in both CD4 and CD8 T cells was associated with transient downregulation of the mRNA transcripts and protein of the central glucose transport GLUT1. In the proliferation phase, CD4 and CD8 T cells became transcriptionally more divergent while their proteome became more similar. In addition to the kinetics of proteome-transcriptome correlation, this study unveils selective transcriptional and translational metabolic reprogramming governing CD4 and CD8 T cell responses to TCR stimulation. This temporal transcriptome/proteome map of human T cell activation provides a reference map exploitable for future discovery of biomarkers and candidates targeting T cell responses.

Defining the relationship between cellular and extracellular vesicle (EV) content in breast cancer via an integrative multi-omic analysis.

Much recent research has been dedicated to exploring the utility of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as circulating disease biomarkers. Underpinning this work is the assumption that the molecular cargo of EVs directly reflects the originating cell. Few attempts have been made, however, to empirically validate this on the -omic level. To this end, we have performed an integrative multi-omic analysis of a panel of breast cancer cell lines and corresponding EVs. Whole transcriptome analysis validated that the cellular transcriptome remained stable when cultured cells are transitioned to low serum or serum-free medium for EV collection. Transcriptomic profiling of the isolated EVs indicated a positive correlation between transcript levels in cells and EVs, including disease-associated transcripts. Analysis of the EV proteome verified that HER2 protein is present in EVs, however neither the estrogen (ER) nor progesterone (PR) receptor proteins are detected regardless of cellular expression. Using multivariate analysis, we derived an EV protein signature to infer cellular patterns of ER and HER2 expression, though the ER protein could not be directly detected. Integrative analyses affirmed that the EV proteome and transcriptome captured key phenotypic hallmarks of the originating cells, supporting the potential of EVs for non-invasive monitoring of breast cancers.

Human proximal tubular epithelial cell-derived small extracellular vesicles mediate synchronized tubular ferroptosis in hypoxic kidney injury.

Hypoxia is the key pathobiological trigger of tubular oxidative stress and cell death that drives the transition of acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD). The mitochondrial-rich proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) are uniquely sensitive to hypoxia and thus, are pivotal in propagating the sustained tubular loss of AKI-to-CKD transition. Here, we examined the role of PTEC-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEV) in propagating the 'wave of tubular death'. Ex vivo patient-derived PTEC were cultured under normoxia (21 % O2) and hypoxia (1 % O2) on Transwell inserts for isolation and analysis of sEV secreted from apical versus basolateral PTEC surfaces. Increased numbers of sEV were secreted from the apical surface of hypoxic PTEC compared with normoxic PTEC. No differences in basolateral sEV numbers were observed between culture conditions. Biological pathway analysis of hypoxic-apical sEV cargo identified distinct miRNAs linked with cellular injury pathways. In functional assays, hypoxic-apical sEV selectively induced ferroptotic cell death (↓glutathione peroxidase-4, ↑lipid peroxidation) in autologous PTEC compared with normoxic-apical sEV. The addition of ferroptosis inhibitors, ferrostatin-1 and baicalein, attenuated PTEC ferroptosis. RNAse A pretreatment of hypoxic-apical sEV also abrogated PTEC ferroptosis, demonstrating a role for sEV RNA in ferroptotic 'wave of death' signalling. In line with these in vitro findings, in situ immunolabelling of diagnostic kidney biopsies from AKI patients with clinical progression to CKD (AKI-to-CKD transition) showed evidence of ferroptosis propagation (increased numbers of ACSL4+ PTEC), while urine-derived sEV (usEV) from these 'AKI-to-CKD transition' patients triggered PTEC ferroptosis (↑lipid peroxidation) in functional studies. Our data establish PTEC-derived apical sEV and their intravesicular RNA as mediators of tubular lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in hypoxic kidney injury. This concept of how tubular pathology is propagated from the initiating insult into a 'wave of death' provides novel therapeutic check-points for targeting AKI-to-CKD transition.

Imetelstat-mediated alterations in fatty acid metabolism to induce ferroptosis as a therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia.

Telomerase enables replicative immortality in most cancers including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Imetelstat is a first-in-class telomerase inhibitor with clinical efficacy in myelofibrosis and myelodysplastic syndromes. Here, we develop an AML patient-derived xenograft resource and perform integrated genomics, transcriptomics and lipidomics analyses combined with functional genetics to identify key mediators of imetelstat efficacy. In a randomized phase II-like preclinical trial in patient-derived xenografts, imetelstat effectively diminishes AML burden and preferentially targets subgroups containing mutant NRAS and oxidative stress-associated gene expression signatures. Unbiased, genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 editing identifies ferroptosis regulators as key mediators of imetelstat efficacy. Imetelstat promotes the formation of polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing phospholipids, causing excessive levels of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Pharmacological inhibition of ferroptosis diminishes imetelstat efficacy. We leverage these mechanistic insights to develop an optimized therapeutic strategy using oxidative stress-inducing chemotherapy to sensitize patient samples to imetelstat causing substantial disease control in AML.

Real-world evidence on the association between cardiac implantable electronic device infection and all-cause mortality.

AIMS: An infection following cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) procedure is a serious complication, but its association with all-cause mortality is inconsistent across observational studies. To quantify the association between CIED infection and all-cause mortality in a large, contemporary cohort from New South Wales, Australia. METHODS AND RESULTS: This retrospective cohort study used linked hospital and mortality data and included all patients aged >18 years who underwent a CIED procedure between July 2017 and September 2022. Cardiac implantable electronic device infection was defined by the presence of relevant diagnosis codes. Cox regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of CIED infection with mortality, at 1-year, and at the end of follow-up, with CIED infection included as a time-dependent variable, and other potential risk factors for mortality included as fixed covariates. We followed 37,750 patients with CIED procedures {36% female, mean age [standard deviation (SD)] 75.8 [12.7] years}, and 487 (1.3%) CIED infections were identified. We observed 5771 (15.3%) deaths during an average follow-up of 25.2 (SD 16.8) months. Compared with no infection group, patients with CIED infection had a higher Kaplan-Meier mortality rate (19.4 vs. 6.8%) and adjusted hazard of mortality (aHR 2.73, 95% CI 2.10-3.54) at 12 months post-procedure. These differences were attenuated but still remained significant at the end of follow-up (aHR 1.83, 95% CI 1.52-2.19). CONCLUSION: In a complete, state-wide cohort of CIED patients, infection was associated with higher risks of both short-term and long-term mortality.

Safety, Feasibility, and Acceptability of a Multisite Individualized Exercise Intervention for People with Multiple Myeloma.

INTRODUCTION: High rates of disease- and treatment-related symptoms, such as bone lesions, in people with multiple myeloma (MM) create uncertainty on the safety and feasibility of exercise. This study determined the safety, feasibility, and acceptability of an individualized exercise medicine program for people with MM at any disease stage. METHODS: A multisite, randomized waitlist-controlled trial was conducted of an individualized, high-intensity aerobic, resistance, and impact-loading exercise program. The exercise sessions were supervised twice weekly by accredited exercise physiologists, with one additional unsupervised session per week, for 12 wk. Safety was determined by number of adverse and serious adverse events. Feasibility outcome measures were study eligibility, recruitment, adherence, and attrition. Acceptability was determined by qualitative interviews and subjective levels of enjoyment. RESULTS: Of 203 people with MM screened, 88% were eligible, with 34% accepting participation (60 people) and 20% attrition for the between-group analysis, meeting a priori criteria (≥25% and <25%, respectively). No adverse or serious adverse events attributed to testing and/or exercise training were reported. Attendance at supervised exercise sessions was 98%, with 45% completion of the home-based exercise sessions. Adherence rates were 35%, 63%, and 34% for the aerobic, resistance, and impact-loading protocols, with 55%, 80%, and 37% of participants meeting a priori criteria (75% of protocol). Acceptability of the exercise program was high (mean, 82%; 95% confidence interval, 78%-87%) and highly supported by qualitative responses. CONCLUSIONS: An individualized, high-intensity aerobic, resistance, and impact-loading exercise medicine program is safe and acceptable, and feasible by some measures for people with MM. Adherence to the prescribed exercise protocols was limited by comorbidities and disease symptoms. Strategies to improve unsupervised exercise completion are warranted in this population.

Systemic host inflammation induces stage-specific transcriptomic modification and slower maturation in malaria parasites.

Maturation rates of malaria parasites within red blood cells (RBCs) can be influenced by host nutrient status and circadian rhythm; whether host inflammatory responses can also influence maturation remains less clear. Here, we observed that systemic host inflammation induced in mice by an innate immune stimulus, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or by ongoing acute Plasmodium infection, slowed the progression of a single cohort of parasites from one generation of RBC to the next. Importantly, plasma from LPS-conditioned or acutely infected mice directly inhibited parasite maturation during in vitro culture, which was not rescued by supplementation, suggesting the emergence of inhibitory factors in plasma. Metabolomic assessments confirmed substantial alterations to the plasma of LPS-conditioned and acutely infected mice, and identified a small number of candidate inhibitory metabolites. Finally, we confirmed rapid parasite responses to systemic host inflammation in vivo using parasite scRNA-seq, noting broad impairment in transcriptional activity and translational capacity specifically in trophozoites but not rings or schizonts. Thus, we provide evidence that systemic host inflammation rapidly triggered transcriptional alterations in circulating blood-stage Plasmodium trophozoites and predict candidate inhibitory metabolites in the plasma that may impair parasite maturation in vivo. IMPORTANCE Malaria parasites cyclically invade, multiply, and burst out of red blood cells. We found that a strong inflammatory response can cause changes to the composition of host plasma, which directly slows down parasite maturation. Thus, our work highlights a new mechanism that limits malaria parasite growth in the bloodstream.

Assessing Patients With Altered Level of Consciousness.

Patients with alterations in level of consciousness are among the most difficult to assess, so knowledge of how to assess these patients is important for tracking trends and identifying changes. This article discusses methods used to assess patients admitted with an altered level of consciousness and describes the neurological assessment of and potential causes for altered level of consciousness. Identifying and understanding certain examination findings enable faster recognition and intervention for life-threatening neurological events, directly impacting outcomes for neurologically compromised individuals.

Discovery and validation of serum glycoprotein biomarkers for high grade serous ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify serum glycoprotein biomarkers for early detection of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the most common and aggressive histotype of ovarian cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The glycoproteomics pipeline lectin magnetic bead array (LeMBA)-mass spectrometry (MS) was used in age-matched case-control serum samples. Clinical samples collected at diagnosis were divided into discovery (n = 30) and validation (n = 98) sets. We also analysed a set of preclinical sera (n = 30) collected prior to HGSOC diagnosis in the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening. RESULTS: A 7-lectin LeMBA-MS/MS discovery screen shortlisted 59 candidate proteins and three lectins. Validation analysis using 3-lectin LeMBA-multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) confirmed elevated A1AT, AACT, CO9, HPT and ITIH3 and reduced A2MG, ALS, IBP3 and PON1 glycoforms in HGSOC. The best performing multimarker signature had 87.7% area under the receiver operating curve, 90.7% specificity and 70.4% sensitivity for distinguishing HGSOC from benign and healthy groups. In the preclinical set, CO9, ITIH3 and A2MG glycoforms were altered in samples collected 11.1 ± 5.1 months prior to HGSOC diagnosis, suggesting potential for early detection. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our findings provide evidence of candidate early HGSOC serum glycoprotein biomarkers, laying the foundation for further study in larger cohorts.

Exploring the Potential of Iminosugars as Antivirals for Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Virus, Using the Surrogate Hazara Virus: Liquid-Chromatography-Based Mapping of Viral N-Glycosylation and In Vitro Antiviral Assays.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a pathogen of increasing public health concern, being a widely distributed arbovirus and the causative agent of the potentially fatal Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever. Hazara virus (HAZV) is a genetically and serologically related virus that has been proposed as a surrogate for antiviral and vaccine testing for CCHFV. Glycosylation analysis of HAZV has been limited; first, we confirmed for the first time the occupation of two N-glycosylation sites in the HAZV glycoprotein. Despite this, there was no apparent antiviral efficacy of a panel of iminosugars against HAZV, as determined by quantification of the total secretion and infectious virus titres produced following infection of SW13 and Vero cells. This lack of efficacy was not due to an inability of deoxynojirimycin (DNJ)-derivative iminosugars to access and inhibit endoplasmic reticulum α-glucosidases, as demonstrated by free oligosaccharide analysis in uninfected and infected SW13 and uninfected Vero cells. Even so, iminosugars may yet have potential as antivirals for CCHFV since the positions and importance of N-linked glycans may differ between the viruses, a hypothesis requiring further evaluation.

Multiviral Quartet Nanocages Elicit Broad Anti-Coronavirus Responses for Proactive Vaccinology.

Defending against future pandemics may require vaccine platforms that protect across a range of related pathogens. The presentation of multiple receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from evolutionarily-related viruses on a nanoparticle scaffold elicits a strong antibody response to conserved regions. Here we produce quartets of tandemly-linked RBDs from SARS-like betacoronaviruses coupled to the mi3 nanocage through a SpyTag/SpyCatcher spontaneous reaction. These Quartet Nanocages induce a high level of neutralizing antibodies against several different coronaviruses, including against viruses not represented on the vaccine. In animals primed with SARS-CoV-2 Spike, boost immunizations with Quartet Nanocages increased the strength and breadth of an otherwise narrow immune response. Quartet Nanocages are a strategy with potential to confer heterotypic protection against emergent zoonotic coronavirus pathogens and facilitate proactive pandemic protection.

Semi-Automated Lectin Magnetic Bead Array (LeMBA) for Translational Serum Glycoprotein Biomarker Discovery and Validation.

Aberrant protein glycosylation is a characteristic of diverse diseases which has been explored as biomarkers. To support translational serum glycoprotein biomarker discovery and validation, we developed a semi-automated workflow using individual lectin-coupled magnetic beads to conduct lectin pulldowns in a high-throughput format. Lectins are naturally occurring glycoprotein binding proteins widely used in glycobiology. While lectin-affinity isolation has been coupled to mass spectrometry-based proteomics, the lectin magnetic bead array (LeMBA) platform allows technically robust screening and measurement of clinical cohorts. This chapter describes detailed lectin-magnetic bead coupling, serum denaturation, lectin magnetic bead pulldown, and on-bead trypsin digest. The resulting tryptic peptides are analyzed by untargeted or targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), for biomarker discovery, or qualification/validation, respectively. LeMBA-MS generates quantitative data for glycoforms based on lectin affinity of the glycoprotein coupled with MS measurement of one or more prototypic peptides and has successfully been used to discover and validate novel serum cancer glycoprotein biomarkers. This chapter includes detailed protocols for two different liquid handlers, along with recommendations on quality control measures for clinical biomarker studies.

Extracellular vesicles for precision medicine in prostate cancer - Is it ready for clinical translation?

Biofluid-based biomarker tests hold great promise for precision medicine in prostate cancer (PCa) clinical practice. Extracellular vesicles (EV) are established as intercellular messengers in cancer development with EV cargos, including protein and nucleic acids, having the potential to serve as biofluid-based biomarkers. Recent clinical studies have begun to evaluate EV-based biomarkers for PCa diagnosis, prognosis, and disease/therapy resistance monitoring. Promising results have led to PCa EV biomarker validation studies which are currently underway with the next challenge being translation to robust clinical assays. However, EV research studies generally use low throughput EV isolation methods and costly molecular profiling technologies that are not suitable for clinical assays. Here, we consider the technical hurdles in translating EV biomarker research findings into precise and cost-effective clinical biomarker assays. Novel microfluidic devices coupling EV extraction with sensitive antibody-based biomarker detection are already being explored for point-of-care applications for rapid provision in personalised medicine approaches.

Safety, Feasibility, and Efficacy of Exercise Interventions for People With Multiple Myeloma: A Systematic Review.

Bone lesions and other disease- and treatment-related side effects commonly experienced by people with multiple myeloma (MM) may impede their ability to exercise. This systematic review evaluated the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of exercise program participation on the physiological and/or psychological health of people with MM. Literature searches were conducted through five electronic databases and appraised using the Delphi list of criteria. Controlled trials that assessed the safety and feasibility of an exercise intervention and its effects on disease- or treatment-related symptoms in people with MM were included. Seven studies of varying quality involving 563 participants were included. All studies concluded that exercise was safe, reporting zero serious and 4 adverse events attributable to exercise testing or training. Attendance ranged from 58% to 96%, however no study reported adherence to the exercise prescription. Compared to a control group, exercise did not appear to affect fatigue, depression, anxiety, body composition, quality of life, or sleep. Isolated studies identified between-group differences favoring exercise in lower limb strength (+8.4 kg, 95% CI 0.5, 16.3, P= .04), peak oxygen uptake (+1.2 mL/kg/min, 95% CI 0.3, 3.7, P= .02), physical activity (+6.5MET-hs/wk, P< .001), stem cell collection attempts (1.1 ± 0.2 vs. 1.5 ± 0.9, P< .01), and red blood cell (1.8 ± 2.2 vs. 2.4 ± 2.6, P< .05) and platelet transfusions (2.3 ± 1.6 vs. 3.5 ± 3.4, P < .05) during transplantation. Exercise interventions appear safe and well attended by people with MM. The lack of improvements in disease- and treatment-related symptoms requires further exploration to determine whether exercise is a sufficient stimulus to elicit benefits in this unique population.