Expression of the readthrough transcript CiDRE in alveolar macrophages boosts SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and promotes COVID-19 severity.

Lung infection during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via the angiotensin-I-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor induces a cytokine storm. However, the precise mechanisms involved in severe COVID-19 pneumonia are unknown. Here, we showed that interleukin-10 (IL-10) induced the expression of ACE2 in normal alveolar macrophages, causing them to become vectors for SARS-CoV-2. The inhibition of this system in hamster models attenuated SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity. Genome-wide association and quantitative trait locus analyses identified a IFNAR2-IL10RB readthrough transcript, COVID-19 infectivity-enhancing dual receptor (CiDRE), which was highly expressed in patients harboring COVID-19 risk variants at the IFNAR2 locus. We showed that CiDRE exerted synergistic effects via the IL-10-ACE2 axis in alveolar macrophages and functioned as a decoy receptor for type I interferons. Collectively, our data show that high IL-10 and CiDRE expression are potential risk factors for severe COVID-19. Thus, IL-10R and CiDRE inhibitors might be useful COVID-19 therapies.

Apple-shaped obesity: A risky soil for cytokine-accelerated severity in COVID-19.

Obesity has been recognized as one of the most significant risk factors for the deterioration and mortality associated with COVID-19, but the significance of obesity itself differs among ethnicity. Multifactored analysis of our single institute-based retrospective cohort revealed that high visceral adipose tissue (VAT) burden, but not other obesity-associated markers, was related to accelerated inflammatory responses and the mortality of Japanese COVID-19 patients. To elucidate the mechanisms how VAT-dominant obesity induces severe inflammation after severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, we infected two different strains of obese mice, C57BL/6JHamSlc-ob/ob (ob/ob), C57BLKS/J-db/db (db/db), genetically impaired in the leptin ligand and receptor, respectively, and control C57BL/6 mice with mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2. Here, we revealed that VAT-dominant ob/ob mice were extremely more vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 due to excessive inflammatory responses when compared to SAT-dominant db/db mice. In fact, SARS-CoV-2 genome and proteins were more abundant in the lungs of ob/ob mice, engulfed in macrophages, resulting in increased cytokine production including interleukin (IL)-6. Both an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody treatment and the prevention of obesity by leptin replenishment improved the survival of SARS-CoV-2-infected ob/ob mice by reducing the viral protein burden and excessive immune responses. Our results have proposed unique insights and clues on how obesity increases the risk of cytokine storm and death in patients with COVID-19. Moreover, earlier administration of antiinflammatory therapeutics including anti-IL-6R antibody to VAT-dominant patients might improve clinical outcome and stratification of the treatment for COVID-19, at least in Japanese patients.

Association of excess visceral fat and severe illness in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Japan: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity, defined by body mass index (BMI), is a well-known risk factor for the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Adipose tissue distribution has also been implicated as an important factor in the body's response to infection, and excess visceral fat (VF), which is prevalent in Japanese, may contribute significantly to the severity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association of obesity and VF with COVID-19 severe illness in Japan. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This retrospective cohort study involved 550 COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital with BMI and body composition data, including VF. The primary endpoint was severe illness, including death, due to COVID-19 during hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the quartiles of BMI and VF on severe illness after adjusting for covariates such as age, sex, subcutaneous fat, paraspinal muscle radiodensity, and comorbidities affecting VF (COPD, cancer within 5 years, immunosuppressive agent use). RESULTS: The median age was 56.0 years; 71.8% were males. During hospitalization, 82 (14.9%) experienced COVID-19 severe illness. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, Q4 of BMI was not significantly associated with severe illness compared to Q1 of BMI (OR 1.03; 95% CI 0.37-2.86; p = 0.95). Conversely, Q3 and Q4 of VF showed a higher risk for severe illness compared to Q1 of VF (OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.01-7.11; p = 0.04, OR 3.66; 95% CI 1.30-10.26; p = 0.01, respectively). Stratified analysis by BMI and adjusted for covariates showed the positive association of VF with severe illness only in the BMI < 25 kg/m2 group. CONCLUSIONS: High BMI was not an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severe illness in hospitalized patients in Japan, whereas excess VF significantly influenced severe illness, especially in patients with a BMI < 25 kg/m2.

The Prostaglandin D2 Receptor CRTH2 Contributes to Airway Hyperresponsiveness during Airway Inflammation Induced by Sensitization without an Adjuvant in Mice.

INTRODUCTION: Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), which is produced mainly by Th2 cells and mast cells, promotes a type-2 immune response by activating Th2 cells, mast cells, eosinophils, and group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) via its receptor, chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecules on Th2 cells (CRTH2). However, the role of CRTH2 in models of airway inflammation induced by sensitization without adjuvants, in which both IgE and mast cells may play major roles, remain unclear. METHODS: Wild-type (WT) and CRTH2-knockout (KO) mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) without an adjuvant and then challenged intranasally with OVA. Airway inflammation was assessed based on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), lung histology, number of leukocytes, and levels of type-2 cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). RESULTS: AHR was significantly reduced after OVA challenge in CRTH2 KO mice compared to WT mice. The number of eosinophils, levels of type-2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) in BALF, and IgE concentration in serum were decreased in CRTH2 KO mice compared to WT mice. However, lung histological changes were comparable between WT and CRTH2 KO mice. CONCLUSION: CRTH2 is responsible for the development of asthma responses in a mouse model of airway inflammation that features prominent involvement of both IgE and mast cells.

Deep convolutional neural network for differentiating between sarcoidosis and lymphoma based on [18F]FDG maximum-intensity projection images.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the [18F]FDG PET/CT findings of untreated sarcoidosis and malignant lymphoma (ML) and develop convolutional neural network (CNN) models to differentiate between these diseases using maximum intensity projection (MIP) [18F]FDG PET images. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on consecutive patients newly diagnosed with sarcoidosis and ML who underwent [18F]FDG PET/CT before treatment. Two nuclear radiologists reviewed the images. CNN models were created using MIP PET images and evaluated with k-fold cross-validation. The points of interest were visualized using gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM). RESULTS: A total of 56 patients with sarcoidosis and 62 patients with ML were included. Patients with sarcoidosis had more prominent FDG accumulation in the mediastinal lymph nodes and lung lesions, while those with ML had more prominent accumulation in the cervical lymph nodes (all p < 0.001). For the mediastinal lymph nodes, sarcoidosis patients had significant FDG accumulation in the level 2, 4, 7, and 10 lymph nodes (all p < 0.01). Otherwise, the accumulation in ML patients tended to be in the level 1 lymph nodes (p = 0.08). The CNN model using frontal and lateral MIP images achieved an average accuracy of 0.890 (95% CI: 0.804-0.977), a sensitivity of 0.898 (95% CI: 0.782-1.000), a specificity of 0.907 (95% CI: 0.799-1.000), and an area under the curve of 0.963 (95% CI: 0.899-1.000). Grad-CAM showed that the model focused on the sites of abnormal FDG accumulation. CONCLUSIONS: CNN models based on differences in FDG accumulation sites archive high performance in differentiating between sarcoidosis and ML. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: We developed a CNN model using MIP images of [18F]FDG PET/CT to distinguish between sarcoidosis and malignant lymphoma. It achieved high performance and could be useful in diagnosing diseases with involvement across organs and lymph nodes. KEY POINTS: • There are differences in FDG distribution when comparing whole-body [18F]FDG PET/CT findings in patients with sarcoidosis and malignant lymphoma before treatment. • Convolutional neural networks, a type of deep learning technique, trained with maximum-intensity projection PET images from two angles showed high performance. • A deep learning model that utilizes differences in FDG distribution may be helpful in differentiating between diseases with lesions that are characteristically widespread among organs and lymph nodes.

Relapsing bronchopneumonia due to community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has increased the incidence of community-onset MRSA infection. Respiratory tract infections caused by MRSA has been noted for their severity; however, repeated relapses that require extended antibiotic therapy are rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of relapsing bronchopneumonia caused by CA-MRSA in a 56-year-old man. The patient responded to antibiotics, but repeatedly relapsed after stopping treatment. MRSA was consistently isolated from airway specimens during each relapse. Extended oral antibiotic treatment with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) for 6 months achieved infection control. Whole-genome sequencing of the isolated strain revealed that the causative agent was sequence type (ST)1/staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IVa, a clone that is rapidly increasing in Japan. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This patient had an unusual course of MRSA bronchopneumonia with repeated relapses. Although the choice of antibiotics for long-term use in MRSA respiratory tract infections has not been well established, TMP/SMX was effective and well tolerated for long-term therapy in this case. The clinical course of infections related to the rapid emerging clone, ST1/SCCmec type IVa warrants further attention.

Assessment of clinical relevance of antigen improves diagnostic accuracy of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND: Exposure assessment is integral to the diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). Although the clinical relevance of exposed antigens is essential for the assessment, many of the previous guidelines or reports have only evaluated simple exposure histories or immunological tests. To overcome this problem, the Exposure Assessment Form (EAF) was developed as an assessment tool for classifying the exposure grade from G0 to G4. The EAF was modified from the description in the Japanese clinical practice guide 2022 for HP published by the Japanese Respiratory Society. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-two consecutive patients with interstitial lung disease who underwent multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) at our hospital were retrospectively examined. We assessed whether the use of the EAF improved the diagnostic performance of the international guideline of HP. We also evaluated whether the exposure grade affected the prognosis of HP. RESULTS: Even when a HP diagnosis was made with a confidence of 70% or higher according to the international guideline, less than half of these cases resulted in a final diagnosis of HP when the exposure grades were lower than G3. When the result of the EAF was integrated into the exposure definition of the international guideline, the specificity of the diagnostic performance improved, while sensitivity was maintained. Furthermore, HP patients with an exposure grade of G3 or higher showed a tendency to take a longer time to initiate medication. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate the clinical relevance of possible antigens using the EAF. Assessing the exposure grade prevents overdiagnosis and improves the diagnostic performance of the international guideline.

The providing multidisciplinary ILD diagnoses (PROMISE) study - study design of the national registry of Japan facilitating interactive online multidisciplinary discussion diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary discussion (MDD), in which physicians, radiologists, and pathologists communicate and diagnose together, has been reported to improve diagnostic accuracy compared to diagnoses made solely by physicians. However, even among experts, diagnostic concordance of MDD is not always good, and some patients may not receive a specific diagnosis due to insufficient findings. A provisional diagnosis based on the ontology with a diagnostic confidence level has recently been proposed. Additionally, we developed an artificial intelligence model to differentiate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) from other chronic interstitial lung diseases (ILD)s, which needs validation in a broader population. METHODS: This prospective nationwide ILD registry has recruited patients with newly diagnosed ILD at the referral respiratory hospitals in Japan and provides rapid MDD diagnoses and treatment recommendations through a central online MDD platform with a 3-year follow-up period. A modified diagnostic ontology is used. If no diagnosis reaches more than 50% certainty, the diagnosis is unclassifiable ILD. If multiple diseases are expected, the diagnosis with a high probability takes precedence. If the confidence levels for the top two possible diagnoses are equal, the diagnosis can be unclassifiable. The registry uses tentative diagnostic criteria for nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with organising pneumonia and smoking-related ILD not otherwise specified as possible new entities. Central MDD diagnosticians review the clinical data, test results, radiology images, and pathological specimens on a dedicated website and conduct MDD diagnoses using online meetings with a cloud-based reporting system. This study aims to (1) provide MDD diagnoses with treatment recommendations; (2) determine the overall ILD rates in Japan; (3) clarify the reasons for unclassifiable ILDs; (4) evaluate possible new disease entities; (5) identify progressive phenotypes and create a clinical prediction model; (6) measure the agreement rate between institutional and central diagnoses in ILD referral and non-referral centres; (7) identify key factors for each specific ILD diagnosis; and (8) create a new disease classification system based on treatment strategies, including the use of antifibrotic drugs. DISCUSSION: This study will provide ILD frequencies, including new entities, using central MDD on dedicated online systems, and develop a machine learning model for ILD diagnosis and prognosis prediction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000040678).

Local nasal immunotherapy with birch pollen-galactomannan conjugate-containing ointment in mice and humans.

BACKGROUND: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only disease-modifying treatment for immunoglobulin (Ig) E-mediated allergy. Owing to the high prevalence and early onset of hay fever and pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS), a safer and simpler treatment method than conventional AIT is needed. To develop a local nasal immunotherapy using an ointment containing hypoallergenic pollen and assess its efficacy in mice and healthy humans. METHODS: Hypoallergenicity was achieved by combining pollen and galactomannan through the Maillard reaction to create birch pollen-galactomannan conjugate (BP-GMC). The binding of galactomannan to Bet v 1 was confirmed using electrophoresis and Western blotting (WB). Binding of specific IgE antibodies to BP-GMC was verified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and basophil activation test (BAT). The localization of BP-GMC absorption was confirmed using a BALB/c mouse model. BP-GMC mixed with white petrolatum was intranasally administered to 10 healthy individuals (active drugs, 8; placebo, 2) for 14 days. RESULTS: In electrophoresis and WB, no 17-kDa band was observed. In ELISA and BAT, BP-GMC did not react to specific IgE but was bound to IgA and IgG. In the mouse model, BP-GMC was detected in nasopharyngeal-associated lymphoid tissues. In the active drug group, the salivary-specific IgA level significantly increased on day 15 (p = 0.0299), while the serum-specific IgG level significantly increased on day 85 (p = 0.0006). CONCLUSIONS: The BP-GMC ointment rapidly produced antagonistic antibodies against IgE; it is safe and easy to use and might serve as a therapeutic antigen for hay fever and PFAS.

IL-17A-Secreting Memory γδ T Cells Play a Pivotal Role in Sensitization and Development of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) typically presents with interstitial inflammation and granulomas induced by an aberrant immune response to inhaled Ags in sensitized individuals. Although IL-17A is involved in the development of HP, the cellular sources of IL-17A and the mechanisms by which IL-17A contributes to granuloma formation remain unclear. Recent studies report that γδ T cells produce IL-17A and exhibit memory properties in various diseases. Therefore, we focused on IL-17A-secreting memory γδ T cells in the sensitization phase and aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which IL-17A contributes to granuloma formation in HP. We induced a mouse model of HP using pigeon dropping extract (PDE) in wild-type and IL-17A knockout (IL-17A-/-) mice. IL-17A-/- mice exhibited reduced granulomatous areas, attenuated aggregation of CD11b+ alveolar macrophages, and reduced levels of CCL2, CCL4, and CCL5 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Among IL-17A+ cells, more γδ T cells than CD4+ cells were detected after intranasal PDE administration. Interestingly, the expansion of IL-17A-secreting Vγ4+ or Vγ1-Vγ4- cells of convalescent mice was enhanced in response to the sensitizing Ag. Additionally, coculture of macrophages with PDE and Vγ4+ cells purified from PDE-exposed convalescent mice produced significantly more IL-17A than coculture with Vγ4+ cells from naive mice. Our findings demonstrate that in the sensitization phase of HP, IL-17A-secreting memory γδ T cells play a pivotal role. Furthermore, we characterized the IL-17A/CCL2, CCL4, CCL5/CD11b+ alveolar macrophage axis, which underlies granuloma formation in HP. These findings may lead to new clinical examinations or therapeutic targets for HP.

Factors associated with liver injury and prognosis in advanced cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

AIM: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has increased remarkably, and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have also increased. This study aimed to identify factors associated with immune-related liver injury (irLI), and the relationship between the grades of irLI and overall survival (OS) in patients treated with ICIs. METHODS: A total of 571 patients who had been treated for advanced malignancies with ICIs between January 2015 and March 2022 were retrospectively recruited. The presence of liver injury was determined by the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase elevation. The irLI grading was based on Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. RESULTS: A total of 50 (8.8%) patients had grade ≥2 irLI and 24 (4.2%) had grade ≥3 irLI. Treatment with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 agents and baseline grade 1 aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase elevation were independent predictive factors of grade ≥2 irLI. Treatment with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 was the only independent predictive factor of grade ≥3 irLI. The median OS for patients who experienced any irAEs was significantly longer than of those without irAEs (hazard ratio 0.503, 95% CI 0.398-0.636, p < 0.001). The median OS in patients with grade ≥2 irLI was significantly longer (HR 0.570, 95% CI 0.387-0.838, p = 0.022). There was no significant difference between the median OS in patients with grade ≥3 irLI and the others (p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: The incidence of irLI was significantly higher in patients treated with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 agents. Even in patients with pre-existing grade 1 aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase elevation, appropriate follow-up and control of the irLI can improve the prognosis.

Efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 in Japan: An open-label, randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma is a potential therapeutic option for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite its use for treating several viral infections, we lack comprehensive data on its efficacy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial of convalescent plasma therapy with high neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 in high-risk patients within five days after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. The primary endpoint was the time-weighted average change in the SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs from days 0-5. RESULTS: Between February 24, 2021, and November 30, 2021, 25 patients were randomly assigned to either convalescent plasma (n = 14) or standard of care (n = 11) groups. Four patients discontinued their allocated convalescent plasma, and 21 were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. The median interval between the symptom onset and plasma administration was 4.5 days (interquartile range, 3-5 days). The primary outcome of the time-weighted average change in the SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs did not significantly differ between days 0-5 (1.2 log10 copies/mL in the convalescent plasma vs. 1.2 log10 copies/mL in the standard of care (effect estimate, 0.0 [95% confidence interval, -0.8-0.7]; P = 0.94)). No deaths were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The early administration of convalescent plasma with high neutralizing activity did not contribute to a decrease in the viral load within five days compared with the standard of care alone.

A case of severe respiratory failure due to interstitial pneumonia successfully bridged to lung transplantation from a brain-dead donor using 109-day veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

In Japan, successful cases of a bridge to lung transplantation (BTT) by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are rare. We present the case of a man in his thirties, diagnosed with interstitial pneumonia 6 years prior and registered for lung transplant 1 year prior due to disease progression despite treatment. Due to the patient's worsening respiratory failure, he was transferred to our hospital for BTT by ECMO. Since long-term management was expected and pulmonary hypertension was present, veno-arterial (V-A) ECMO was conducted using the right atrial blood outflow via the right internal jugular vein and right axillary artery inflow via a vascular graft. After tracheostomy, he was managed as "Awake ECMO". In addition, interprofessional collaboration such as physiotherapist rehabilitation, nurses, and liaison teams prevented muscle weakness and supported the mental aspect. We were able to minimize complications such as severe infections and bleeding. A compatible brain-dead donor was found on day 108 after introducing ECMO, and the patient was transferred to a transplant facility on day 109. The peripheral upper V-A ECMO is one of the configurations suitable for long-term BTT management.

Understanding the process of people with hypersensitivity pneumonitis implementing continuous antigen avoidance and their affecting situations: A grounded theory study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the process by which people with hypersensitivity pneumonitis implement continuous antigen avoidance, alongside the situations that influence this process. BACKGROUND: Antigen avoidance is the primary treatment for people with hypersensitivity pneumonitis. However, the best method to support antigen avoidance has not yet been established. DESIGN: The present qualitative study used a constructivist grounded theory approach. METHODS: The participants were inpatients or outpatients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis diagnosed at a Japanese urban university hospital. In parallel with semi-structured interviews and a medical record survey from 2016 to 2021, we conducted coding, categorising, writing memos, theoretical sampling and continuous comparisons of experiences from finding physical abnormalities to implementing antigen avoidance. The COREQ checklist was followed for reporting. RESULTS: Interpreting the experiences leading to the implementation of continuous antigen avoidance by 28 participants provided a process consisting of a core category: trying to maintain one's desired life under uncertain situations, and four phases: (1) searching for a convincing cause of the illness, (2) gradually understanding the disease, (3) realising the need for behaviour change and (4) seeking a good balance between behaviour change and one's desired life. The situations that influenced the process were also revealed. CONCLUSIONS: Being convinced of the cause of one's illness and realising its severity led to the participants' realisation of the need for a behavioural change to avoid antigens. The uncertainty of the cause of illness and measures taken, a lack of clear advice from healthcare providers and one's desired life influenced participants' implementation of continuous antigen avoidance. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study provides important insights regarding how healthcare providers should better understand and support people with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in avoiding antigens.

Chasing Waterborne Pathogens in Antarctic Human-Made and Natural Environments, with Special Reference to Legionella spp.

Waterborne pathogenic diseases are public health issues, especially for people staying in remote environments, such as Antarctica. After repeated detection of Legionella by PCR from the shower room of Syowa Station, the Japanese Antarctic research station, we wanted to understand the occurrence of waterborne pathogens, especially Legionella, in the station and their potential sources. In this study, we analyzed water and biofilm samples collected from the water facilities of Syowa Station, as well as water samples from surrounding glacier lakes, by 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing. For Legionella spp., we further attempted to obtain a detailed community structure by using genus-specific primers. The results showed that potentially pathogenic genera were mostly localized in the station, while Legionella spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Mycobacterium spp. were also widely distributed in lakes. Genus-specific analysis of Legionella spp. within the lake environments confirmed the presence of diverse Legionella amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) that were distinctly different from the Legionella ASVs detected in the station. The majority of the Legionella ASVs inhabiting Antarctic lake habitats were phylogenetically distinct from known Legionella species, whereas the ASVs detected in the human-made station tended to contain ASVs highly similar to well-described mesophilic species with human pathogenicity. These data suggest that unexpected Legionella diversity exists in remote Antarctic cold environments and that environmental differences (e.g., temperature) in and around the station affect the community structure.IMPORTANCE We comprehensively examined the localization of potential waterborne pathogens in the Antarctic human-made and natural aquatic environment with special focus on Legionella spp. Some potential pathogenic genera were detected with low relative abundance in the natural environment, but most detections of these genera occurred in the station. Through detailed community analysis of Legionella spp., we revealed that a variety of Legionella spp. was widely distributed in the Antarctic environment and that they were phylogenetically distinct from the described species. This fact indicates that there are still diverse unknown Legionella spp. in Antarctica, and this genus encompasses a greater variety of species in low-temperature environments than is currently known. In contrast, amplicon sequence variants closely related to known Legionella spp. with reported pathogenicity were almost solely localized in the station, suggesting that human-made environments alter the Legionella community.

Interplay between social isolation and loneliness and chronic systemic inflammation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: Results from U-CORONA study.

In the face of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, billions of people were forced to stay at home due to the implementation of social distancing and lockdown policies. As a result, individuals lost their social relationships, leading to social isolation and loneliness. Both social isolation and loneliness are major risk factors for poor physical and mental health status through enhanced chronic inflammation; however, there might be an interplay between social isolation and loneliness on the association with chronic inflammation. We aimed to clarify the link between social relationships and inflammation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by distinguishing whether social isolation only, loneliness only, or both were associated with chronic inflammation markers among community-dwelling adults. The data of 624 people (aged 18-92 years, mean 51.4) from the Utsunomiya COVID-19 seROprevalence Neighborhood Association (U-CORONA) study, which targeted randomly sampled households in Utsunomiya city, Japan, were analyzed. Social isolation was assessed as a structural social network by asking the number of social roles they have on a daily basis. Loneliness was measured with the UCLA loneliness scale. As chronic inflammation biomarkers, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Generalized estimating equations method was employed to take into account the correlations within households. Isolated-Lonely condition (i.e., being both socially isolated and feeling lonely) was associated with higher NLR among men (B = 0.141, 95%CI = -0.01 to 0.29). Interestingly, Nonisolated-Lonely condition (i.e., not socially isolated but feeling lonely) was associated with lower CRP among women (B = -0.462, 95%CI = -0.82 to -0.10) and among the working-age population (B = -0.495, 95%CI = -0.76 to -0.23). In conclusion, being both socially isolated and feeling lonely was associated with chronic inflammation. Assessing both social isolation and loneliness is critical for proper interventions to mitigate the impact of poor social relationships on health, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nrf2 Suppresses Allergic Lung Inflammation by Attenuating the Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell Response.

The Keap1-Nrf2 system plays a pivotal role in the oxidative stress response by inducing a number of cytoprotective genes. Under stress, damaged epithelial cells release cytokines that activate type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), which mediate the allergic immune response. In this article, we investigated the role of the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway in ILC2 homeostasis and allergic inflammation using Nrf2 knockout mice. ILC2s from Nrf2-deficient mice showed a transient, upregulated IL-33 response and underwent hyperproliferation in response to a combined stimulation of IL-33 with IL-2, IL-7, or TSLP. This enhanced proliferation was correlated with an increased activation of downstream signals, including JAK1, Akt, and Erk1/2. In contrast, activating Nrf2 with a chemical inducer (CDDO-Im) decreased the viability of the wild-type but not of the Nrf2-deficient ILC2s. This effect on viability resembled that exerted by the corticosteroid dexamethasone; however, unlike the latter, the Nrf2-dependent cell death was mediated by neither caspase 3-dependent apoptosis nor necroptosis. Using a mouse intratracheal IL-33 administration allergy model, we found that the activation of Nrf2 by CDDO-Im in vivo decreased the number of pulmonary ILC2s and eosinophils. These findings indicated that Nrf2 is an important regulator of the allergic response by determining the survival and death of ILC2s, and these findings suggest that Nrf2 activation is a potential therapeutic strategy for steroid-resistant allergy alleviation.

MuLBSTA score is a useful tool for predicting COVID-19 disease behavior.

BACKGROUND: The prediction of COVID-19 disease behavior in the early phase of infection is challenging but urgently needed. MuLBSTA score is a scoring system that predicts the mortality of viral pneumonia induced by a variety of viruses, including coronavirus, but the scoring system has not been verified in novel coronavirus pneumonia. The aim of this study was to validate this scoring system for estimating the risk of disease worsening in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This study included the patients who were treated between April 1 st and March 13 th , 2020. The patients were classified into mild, moderate, and severe groups according to the extent of respiratory failure. MuLBSTA score was applied to estimate the risk of disease worsening in each severity group and we validated the utility of the scoring system. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients were analyzed. Among the 46 patients with mild disease, 17 showed disease progression to moderate or severe disease after admission. The model showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of only 34.5% with a cut-off value of 5 points. Among the 55 patients with mild or moderate disease, 6 deteriorated to severe disease, and the model showed a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 71.4% with a cut-off value of 11 points. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that MuLBSTA score is a potentially useful tool for predicting COVID-19 disease behavior. This scoring system may be used as one of the criteria to identify high-risk patients worsening to life-threatening status.

Predictors associated with clinical improvement of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: There are few agents that have been proven effective for COVID-19. Predicting clinical improvement as well as mortality or severity is very important. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with the clinical improvement of COVID-19. METHODS: Overall, 74 patients receiving treatment for COVID-19 at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital from April 6th to May 15th, 2020 were included in this study. Clinical improvement was evaluated, which defined as the decline of two levels on a six-point ordinal scale of clinical status or discharge alive from the hospital within 28 days after admission. The clinical courses were particularly investigated and the factors related to time to clinical improvement were analyzed with the log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients required oxygen support during hospitalization, 22 patients required invasive mechanical ventilation, and 5 patients required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. A total of 83% of cases reached clinical improvement. Longer period of time from onset to admission (≥10 days) (HR, 1.057; 95% CI, 1.002-1.114), no hypertension (HR, 2.077; 95% CI, 1.006-4.287), and low D-dimer levels (<1 µg/ml) (HR, 2.372; 95% CI, 1.229-4.576) were confirmed to be significant predictive factors for time to clinical improvement. Furthermore, a lower SARS-CoV-2 RNA copy number was also a predictive factor for clinical improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Several predictors for the clinical improvement of COVID-19 pneumonia were identified. These results may be important for the management of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Genetic differences between Japan and other countries in cyp51A polymorphisms of Aspergillus fumigatus.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in cyp51A gene are known as main mechanisms of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus, whereas azole-susceptible strains also carry cyp51A mutations (polymorphisms). The polymorphisms found in Europe mainly consist of two combinations of mutations, that is combinations of five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cyp51A, referred to as cyp51A-5SNPs, and combinations of three SNPs of cyp51A, referred to as cyp51A-3SNPs. Few studies have compared the distributions of cyp51A polymorphisms between different regions. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the regional differences of cyp51A polymorphisms. METHODS: We compared the proportions of cyp51A polymorphisms in clinical and environmental strains isolated in various countries, and analysed the strains phylogenetically using short tandem repeats (STRs) and whole-genome sequence (WGS). RESULTS: Among the Japanese strains, 15 out of 98 (15.3%) clinical strains and 8 out of 95 (8.4%) environmental strains had cyp51A polymorphisms. A mutation of cyp51AN248K was the most prevalent polymorphism in both clinical (n = 14, 14.3%) and environmental strains (n = 3, 3.2%). Only one environmental strain harboured cyp51A-5SNPs, which was reported to be the most prevalent in Europe. For phylogenetic analyses using STRs and WGS, 183 and 134 strains, respectively, were employed. They showed that most of the strains with cyp51AN248K clustered in the clades different from those of the strains with cyp51A-5SNPs and cyp51A-3SNPs as well as from those with TR34 /L98H mutations. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there are genetic differences between cyp51A polymorphisms of A. fumigatus in Japan and Europe.