Dynamics of the Microbiota and Its Relationship with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which can be asymptomatic or present with multiple organ dysfunction. Many infected individuals have chronic alterations associated with neuropsychiatric, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal symptoms, even several months after disease onset, developing long-COVID or post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS). Microbiota dysbiosis contributes to the onset and progression of many viral diseases, including COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 manifestations, which could serve as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. This review aimed to discuss the most recent findings on gut microbiota dysbiosis and its relationship with the sequelae of PACS. Elucidating these mechanisms could help develop personalized and non-invasive clinical strategies to identify individuals at a higher risk of experiencing severe disease progression or complications associated with PACS. Moreover, the review highlights the importance of targeting the gut microbiota composition to avoid dysbiosis and to develop possible prophylactic and therapeutic measures against COVID-19 and PACS in future studies.

The Immune Response in Adipocytes and Their Susceptibility to Infection: A Possible Relationship with Infectobesity.

The current obesity pandemic has been expanding in both developing and developed countries. This suggests that the factors contributing to this condition need to be reconsidered since some new factors are arising as etiological causes of this disease. Moreover, recent clinical and experimental findings have shown an association between the progress of obesity and some infections, and the functions of adipose tissues, which involve cell metabolism and adipokine release, among others. Furthermore, it has recently been reported that adipocytes could either be reservoirs for these pathogens or play an active role in this process. In addition, there is abundant evidence indicating that during obesity, the immune system is exacerbated, suggesting an increased susceptibility of the patient to the development of several forms of illness or death. Thus, there could be a relationship between infection as a trigger for an increase in adipose cells and the impact on the metabolism that contributes to the development of obesity. In this review, we describe the findings concerning the role of adipose tissue as a mediator in the immune response as well as the possible role of adipocytes as infection targets, with both roles constituting a possible cause of obesity.

Lipopolysaccharide-responsive beige-like anchor acts as a cAMP-dependent protein kinase anchoring protein in B cells.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-responsive beige-like anchor (LRBA) protein was initially described as a monogenetic cause for common variable immune deficiency, a syndrome characterized by low levels of B cells, defects in memory B cell differentiation and hypogammaglobulinaemia. LRBA was identified as an LPS up-regulated gene in B cells, macrophages and T cells. LRBA weighs 320 kDa and has 2863 amino acids. Its sequence contains multiple domains, suggesting that LRBA can act as a scaffolding protein. It contains two putative binding sites for cAMP-dependent kinase (PKA) regulatory subunits, suggesting this protein can act as A-kinase anchor protein (AKAP); however, physical interactions involving LRBA and PKA have not been demonstrated to date, and functional roles for such interactions are unexplored. In this work, we investigated physical interactions involving LRBA with regulatory subunits of PKA in human B cell lines and primary human B cells. PKA is a holoenzyme composed of two regulatory subunits, which can be RIα, RIß, RIIα or RIIß, and two catalytic subunits, Cα or Cß. We co-immunoprecipitated LRBA using Ramos B cell lymphoma cells and observed that LRBA interacts with RIIß. Interestingly, St-Ht31, an inhibitory peptide that disrupts AKAP interactions with regulatory subunits, reduced the amount of interacting protein. Furthermore, in primary human B cells, LRBA was induced after CD40L and IL-4 stimulation, and under such activation, we found that LRBA interacts with RIIα and RIIß, suggesting that LRBA acts as an AKAP and binds RII subunits. Interestingly, we also identified that LRBA interacts with activation-induced cytidine deaminase in primary B cells, suggesting that it is involved in B cell function.

Flow-cytometry as an auxiliary in the diagnosis of primary humoral immunodeficiencies.

BACKGROUND: Antibody deficiencies encompass a wide spectrum of pathologies and constitute approximately 50 % of primary immunodeficiencies; with cytometry, it is possible to evaluate the immune status rapidly, effectively and at low cost. OBJECTIVE: To assess, by means of flow cytometry, the cells of patients with three types of primary humoral immunodeficiencies. METHOD: Using flow cytometry, blood samples from patients and healthy subjects were analyzed with different monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Using various stains, a severe decrease in B lymphocytes was shown in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia, as well as a lack of CD154 expression in patients with hyper-immunoglobulin M syndrome, and heterogeneity of B lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with common variable immunodeficiency. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometry enables early diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies with a high level of confidence and, in many cases, identification of the genes involved.

ANTECEDENTES: Las deficiencias de anticuerpos abarcan un amplio espectro de patologías y constituyen aproximadamente 50 % de las inmunodeficiencias primarias; con la citometría es posible evaluar el estado inmunológico de forma rápida, efectiva y a bajo costo. OBJETIVO: Evaluar mediante citometría de flujo, las células de pacientes con tres tipos de inmunodeficiencias primarias humorales. MÉTODO: Mediante citometría de flujo se analizaron muestras de sangre de pacientes y sujetos sanos con distintos anticuerpos monoclonales. RESULTADOS: Mediante diversas tinciones se demostró disminución severa de linfocitos B en pacientes con agammaglobulinemia ligada al cromosoma X, la falta de expresión de CD154 en pacientes con síndrome de hiperinmunoglobulina M y heterogeneidad de subpoblaciones de linfocitos B en pacientes con inmunodeficiencia común variable. CONCLUSIÓN: Con la citometría de flujo es posible realizar el diagnóstico temprano de inmunodeficiencias primarias con un nivel de confianza elevado y, en muchos casos, identificar los genes implicados.

La citometría de flujo como auxiliar en el diagnóstico de las inmunodeficiencias primarias humorales / Flow-cytometry as an auxiliary in the diagnosis of primary humoral immunodeficiencies

Resumen Antecedentes: Las deficiencias de anticuerpos abarcan un amplio espectro de patologías y constituyen aproximadamente 50 % de las inmunodeficiencias primarias; con la citometría es posible evaluar el estado inmunológico de forma rápida, efectiva y a bajo costo. Objetivo: Evaluar mediante citometría de flujo, las células de pacientes con tres tipos de inmunodeficiencias primarias humorales. Método: Mediante citometría de flujo se analizaron muestras de sangre de pacientes y sujetos sanos con distintos anticuerpos monoclonales. Resultados: Mediante diversas tinciones se demostró disminución severa de linfocitos B en pacientes con agammaglobulinemia ligada al cromosoma X, la falta de expresión de CD154 en pacientes con síndrome de hiperinmunoglobulina M y heterogeneidad de subpoblaciones de linfocitos B en pacientes con inmunodeficiencia común variable. Conclusión: Con la citometría de flujo es posible realizar el diagnóstico temprano de inmunodeficiencias primarias con un nivel de confianza elevado y, en muchos casos, identificar los genes implicados.

Abstract Background: Antibody deficiencies encompass a wide spectrum of pathologies and constitute approximately 50 % of primary immunodeficiencies; with cytometry, it is possible to evaluate the immune status rapidly, effectively and at low cost. Objective: To assess, by means of flow cytometry, the cells of patients with three types of primary humoral immunodeficiencies. Method: Using flow cytometry, blood samples from patients and healthy subjects were analyzed with different monoclonal antibodies. Results: Using various stains, a severe decrease in B lymphocytes was shown in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia, as well as a lack of CD154 expression in patients with hyper-immunoglobulin M syndrome, and heterogeneity of B lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with common variable immunodeficiency. Conclusion: Flow cytometry enables early diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies with a high level of confidence and, in many cases, identification of the genes involved.