Immunoinformatic-guided designing of multi-epitope vaccine construct against Brucella Suis 1300.

Brucella suis mediates the transmission of brucellosis in humans and animals and a significant facultative zoonotic pathogen found in livestock. It has the capacity to survive and multiply in a phagocytic environment and to acquire resistance under hostile conditions thus becoming a threat globally. Antibiotic resistance is posing a substantial public health threat, hence there is an unmet and urgent clinical need for immune-based non-antibiotic methods to treat brucellosis. Hence, we aimed to explore the whole proteome of Brucella suis to predict antigenic proteins as a vaccine target and designed a novel chimeric vaccine (multi-epitope vaccine) through subtractive genomics-based reverse vaccinology approaches. The applied subsequent hierarchical shortlisting resulted in the identification of Multidrug efflux Resistance-nodulation-division (RND) transporter outer membrane subunit (gene BepC) that may act as a potential vaccine target. T-cell and B-cell epitopes have been predicted from target proteins using a number of immunoinformatic methods. Six MHC I, ten MHC II, and four B-cell epitopes were used to create a 324-amino-acid MEV construct, which was coupled with appropriate linkers and adjuvant. To boost the immunological response to the vaccine, the vaccine was combined with the TLR4 agonist HBHA protein. The MEV structure predicted was found to be highly antigenic, non-toxic, non-allergenic, flexible, stable, and soluble. To confirm the interactions with the receptors, a molecular docking simulation of the MEV was done using the human TLR4 (toll-like receptor 4) and HLAs. The stability and binding of the MEV-docked complexes with TLR4 were assessed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Finally, MEV was reverse translated, its cDNA structure was evaluated, and then, in silico cloning into an E. coli expression host was conducted to promote maximum vaccine protein production with appropriate post-translational modifications. These comprehensive computer calculations backed up the efficacy of the suggested MEV in protecting against B. suis infections. However, more experimental validations are needed to adequately assess the vaccine candidate's potential. HIGHLIGHTS: • Subtractive genomic analysis and reverse vaccinology for the prioritization of novel vaccine target • Examination of chimeric vaccine in terms of allergenicity, antigenicity, MHC I, II binding efficacy, and structural-based studies • Molecular docking simulation method to rank based vaccine candidate and understand their binding modes.

Relatório sinaliza aumento da resistência a antibióticos em infecções bacterianas em humanos

Um novo relatório da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) revela altos níveis de resistência em bactérias que causam sepse, além de aumentar a resistência a tratamentos de várias bactérias que causam infecções comuns entre a população, com base em dados relatados por 87 países em 2020.

Antimicrobial Peptides Therapy: An Emerging Alternative for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria.

Microbial resistance to antibiotics is an ancient and dynamic issue that has brought a situation reminiscent of the pre-antibiotic era to the limelight. Currently, antibiotic resistance and the associated infections are widespread and pose significant global health and economic burden. Thus, the misuse of antibiotics, which has increased resistance, has necessitated the search for alternative therapeutic agents for combating resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold promise as a viable therapeutic approach against drug-resistant pathogens. AMPs are oligopeptides with low molecular weight. They have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities against pathogenic microorganisms. AMPs are nonspecific and target components of microbes that facilitate immune response by acting as the first-line defense mechanisms against invading pathogenic microbes. The diversity and potency of AMPs make them good candidates for alternative use. They could be used alone or in combination with several other biomaterials for improved therapeutic activity. They can also be employed in vaccine production targeting drug-resistant pathogens. This review covers the opportunities and advances in AMP discovery and development targeting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacteria. Briefly, it presents an overview of the global burden of the antimicrobial resistance crisis, portraying the global magnitude, challenges, and consequences. After that, it critically and comprehensively evaluates the potential roles of AMPs in addressing the AMR crisis, highlighting the major potentials and prospects.

Dynamics of Tuberculosis (TB) with Drug Resistance to First-Line Treatment and Leaky Vaccination: A Deterministic Modelling Perspective.

A deterministic model was formulated and employed in the analysis of the dynamics of tuberculosis with a keen emphasis on vaccination and drug resistance as the first line of treatment. It was assumed that some of the susceptible population were vaccinated but with temporal immunity. This is due to the fact that vaccines do not confer permanent immunity. Moreover, part of the infected individual after treatment grows resistance to the drug. Infective immigrants were also considered to be part of the population. The basic reproductive number for the model is estimated using the next-generation matrix method. The equilibrium points of the TB model and their local and global stability were determined. It was established that if the basic reproductive number was less than unity (R 0 < 1), then the disease free equilibrium is stable and unstable if R 0 > 1. Furthermore, we investigated the optimal prevention, treatment, and vaccination as control measures for the disease. As the objective functional was optimised, there have been a significant reduction in the number of infections and an increase in the number of recovery. The best control measure in combating tuberculosis infections is prevention and vaccination of the susceptible population.

La humanidad enfrenta un desastre: la resistencia antimicrobiana / Humanity faces disaster: antimicrobial resistance

Introducción: La resistencia bacteriana pone en peligro la salud y la supervivencia de los seres humanos, aumenta la carga económica de la sociedad y los pacientes. Es un fenómeno global por lo que Cuba no queda exenta. Objetivos: Exponer el impacto social y económico de la resistencia antimicrobiana desde el punto de vista filosófico y describir el rol de una medida preventiva en la contención de la resistencia antimicrobiana. Material y Métodos: Se realizó una revisión de fuentes bibliográficas que fueron localizadas mediante la base de datos Pubmed, Portal Regional de la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud y el motor de búsqueda Google Académico. Desarrollo: Se analizan los aspectos sociales, económicos y éticos relacionados con la resistencia bacteriana y se ejemplifica una medida preventiva en la contención de la resistencia antimicrobiana. Además, se analiza la relación entre fármacos antibacterianos, resistencia bacteriana y medidas de prevención y control desde el punto de vista de ciencia-tecnología-sociedad. Conclusiones: La sociedad humana se desarrolla y progresa constantemente bajo la promoción de la ciencia y la tecnología. En pocas décadas, los antibióticos han pasado de ser "drogas milagrosas de gran impacto para la salud" a ser "un recurso no renovable en vías de extinción". Se deben adoptar las acciones pertinentes para frenar el desarrollo de la resistencia bacteriana con un enfoque multisectorial. Se requiere una gobernanza, optimización del uso de antibióticos, apoyos de políticas de salud y un fortalecimiento de los programas de prevención y control de infecciones(AU)

Introduction: Bacterial resistance endangers the health and survival of human beings and increases the economic burden on society and patients. It is a global phenomenon; therefore, Cuba is not exempted from it. Objective: To present the social and economic impact of antimicrobial resistance from a philosophical point of view as well as to describe the role of a preventive measure to stop antimicrobial resistance. Material and Methods: A review of bibliographic sources was carried out in databases such as PubMed and the Regional Portal of the Virtual Health Library; Google Scholar search engine was also used. Development: Social, economic and ethical aspects related to bacterial resistance are analyzed. A preventive measure to stop antimicrobial resistance is described. In addition, the relationship between antibacterial drugs, bacterial resistance and prevention and control measures is analyzed from the point of view of science-technology-society. Conclusions: Human society is constantly developing and progressing under the promotion of science and technology. In just a few decades, antibiotics have gone from being "miracle drugs of great impact on health" to being "a non-renewable resource in danger of extinction". Necessary measures such as the optimization of the use of antibiotics, a health policy support, and a health strategy for the prevention and control of infections must be taken to stop the development of bacterial resistance(AU)

Designing Multi-Antigen Vaccines Against Acinetobacter baumannii Using Systemic Approaches.

Vaccines and monoclonal antibodies are promising approaches for preventing and treating infections caused by multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. However, only partial protection has been achieved with many previously tested protein antigens, which suggests that vaccines incorporating multiple antigens may be necessary in order to obtain high levels of protection. Several aspects that use the wealth of omic data available for A. baumannii have not been fully exploited for antigen identification. In this study, the use of fractionated proteomic and computational data from ~4,200 genomes increased the number of proteins potentially accessible to the humoral response to 8,824 non-redundant proteins in the A. baumannii panproteome. Among them, 59% carried predicted B-cell epitopes and T-cell epitopes recognized by two or more alleles of the HLA class II DP supertype. Potential cross-reactivity with human proteins was detected for 8.9% of antigens at the protein level and 2.7% at the B-cell epitope level. Individual antigens were associated with different infection types by genomic, transcriptomic or functional analyses. High intra-clonal genome density permitted the identification of international clone II as a "vaccitype", in which 20% of identified antigens were specific to this clone. Network-based centrality measurements were used to identify multiple immunologic nodes. Data were formatted, unified and stored in a data warehouse database, which was subsequently used to identify synergistic antigen combinations for different vaccination strategies. This study supports the idea that integration of multi-omic data and fundamental knowledge of the pathobiology of drug-resistant bacteria can facilitate the development of effective multi-antigen vaccines against these challenging infections.

The role of vaccines in combatting antimicrobial resistance.

The use of antibiotics has enabled the successful treatment of bacterial infections, saving the lives and improving the health of many patients worldwide. However, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been highlighted as a global threat by different health organizations, and pathogens resistant to antimicrobials cause substantial morbidity and death. As resistance to multiple drugs increases, novel and effective therapies as well as prevention strategies are needed. In this Review, we discuss evidence that vaccines can have a major role in fighting AMR. Vaccines are used prophylactically, decreasing the number of infectious disease cases, and thus antibiotic use and the emergence and spread of AMR. We also describe the current state of development of vaccines against resistant bacterial pathogens that cause a substantial disease burden both in high-income countries and in low- and medium-income countries, discuss possible obstacles that hinder progress in vaccine development and speculate on the impact of next-generation vaccines against bacterial infectious diseases on AMR.

Modelling the global burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis avertable by a post-exposure vaccine.

There have been notable advances in the development of vaccines against active tuberculosis (TB) disease for adults and adolescents. Using mathematical models, we seek to estimate the potential impact of a post-exposure TB vaccine, having 50% efficacy in reducing active disease, on global rifampicin-resistant (RR-) TB burden. In 30 countries that together accounted for 90% of global RR-TB incidence in 2018, a future TB vaccine could avert 10% (95% credible interval: 9.7-11%) of RR-TB cases and 7.3% (6.6-8.1%) of deaths over 2020-2035, with India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Russian Federation having the greatest contribution. This impact would increase to 14% (12-16%) and 31% (29-33%) respectively, when combined with improvements in RR-TB diagnosis and treatment relative to a scenario of no vaccine and no such improvements. A future TB vaccine could have important implications for the global control of RR-TB, especially if implemented alongside enhancements in management of drug resistance.

Heterogeneous Host-Pathogen Encounters Coordinate Antibiotic Resilience in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Successful treatment of tuberculosis (TB) depends on the eradication of its causative agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in the host. However, the emergence of phenotypically drug-resistant Mtb in the host environment tempers the ability of antibiotics to cure disease. Host immunity produces diverse microenvironmental niches that are exploited by Mtb to mobilize adaptation programs. Such differential interactions amplify pre-existing heterogeneity in the host-pathogen milieu to influence disease pathology and therapy outcome. Therefore, comprehending the intricacies of phenotypic heterogeneity can be an empirical step forward in potentiating drug action. With this goal, we review the interconnectedness of the lesional, cellular, and bacterial heterogeneity underlying phenotypic drug resistance. Based on this information, we anticipate the development of new therapeutic strategies targeting host-pathogen heterogeneity to cure TB.

ABC-F translation factors: from antibiotic resistance to immune response.

Energy-dependent translational throttle A (EttA) from Escherichia coli is a paradigmatic ABC-F protein that controls the first step in polypeptide elongation on the ribosome according to the cellular energy status. Biochemical and structural studies have established that ABC-F proteins generally function as translation factors that modulate the conformation of the peptidyl transferase center upon binding to the ribosomal tRNA exit site. These factors, present in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes but not in archaea, use related molecular mechanisms to modulate protein synthesis for heterogenous purposes, ranging from antibiotic resistance and rescue of stalled ribosomes to modulation of the mammalian immune response. Here, we review the canonical studies characterizing the phylogeny, regulation, ribosome interactions, and mechanisms of action of the bacterial ABC-F proteins, and discuss the implications of these studies for the molecular function of eukaryotic ABC-F proteins, including the three human family members.

Growth arrest or drug target inactivity is not sufficient for persister formation in E. coli.

Persisters are a subpopulation of slow-growing or nondividing cells that are tolerant to antibiotics and are thought to be involved in persistent infections. The development of antibiotic tolerant phenotype is thought to be due to antibiotic target inactivity and is closely associated with growth arrest. While growth arrest and antibiotic target inactivity are widely believed to be important for persister formation, there have been inconsistent results and it has been difficult to determine whether growth arrest or antibiotic target inactivity is necessary or sufficient for persister formation. To address these questions, we used a novel approach to create antibiotic target inactivation via promoter swap to knock down quinolone drug target DNA gyrase subunit A (GyrA), as well as growth arrest via CRISPR interference to block key cell division protein (FtsZ) and a key ribosomal protein L28 (RpmB). Growth dynamics, relative target gene expression, cellular ATP levels and persister formation in the GyrA, FtsZ, and RpmB knockdown strains were compared with the control growing bacteria. Surprisingly, we found that the strains that had growth arrest induced by FtsZ or RpmB knockdown did not induce persister formation. Similarly, knockdown of GyrA, a quinolone drug target, did not induce persister cells tolerant to levofloxacin. In addition, ATP levels, a measure of cellular metabolism, were not reduced but increased in the GyrA, FtsZ, and RpmB knockdown strains compared with the control strain. Thus, we conclude that growth arrest or target inactivation is not sufficient to produce persister phenotype as commonly assumed and that cellular ATP levels did not correlate with persister formation. Further studies are needed to better understand how persisters are formed for improved treatment of persistent infections.

Combating Implant Infections: Shifting Focus from Bacteria to Host.

The widespread use of biomaterials to support or replace body parts is increasingly threatened by the risk of implant-associated infections. In the quest for finding novel anti-infective biomaterials, there generally has been a one-sided focus on biomaterials with direct antibacterial properties, which leads to excessive use of antibacterial agents, compromised host responses, and unpredictable effectiveness in vivo. This review sheds light on how host immunomodulation, rather than only targeting bacteria, can endow biomaterials with improved anti-infective properties. How antibacterial surface treatments are at risk to be undermined by biomaterial features that dysregulate the protection normally provided by critical immune cell subsets, namely, neutrophils and macrophages, is discussed. Accordingly, how the precise modification of biomaterial surface biophysical cues, or the incorporation of immunomodulatory drug delivery systems, can render biomaterials with the necessary immune-compatible and immune-protective properties to potentiate the host defense mechanisms is reviewed. Within this context, the protective role of host defense peptides, metallic particles, quorum sensing inhibitors, and therapeutic adjuvants is discussed. The highlighted immunomodulatory strategies may lay a foundation to develop anti-infective biomaterials, while mitigating the increasing threat of antibacterial drug resistance.

Bacterial extracellular vesicle-coated multi-antigenic nanovaccines protect against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection by modulating antigen processing and presentation pathways.

Background: Vaccination provides an alternative to antibiotics in addressing drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection. However, vaccine potency is often limited by a lack of antigenic breadth and a demand on the generation of antibody responses alone. Methods: In this study, bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) coating indocyanine green (ICG)-loaded magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were constructed as multi-antigenic vaccines (EV/ICG/MSN) with the ability to modulate antigen presentation pathways in dendritic cells (DCs) to induce cellular immune responses. Results: Exposing the EV/ICG/MSNs to a laser could promote DC maturation and enhance the proteasome-dependent antigen presentation pathway by facilitating endolysosomal escape, improving proteasome activity, and elevating MHC-I expression. Immunization by EV/ICG/MSNs with laser irradiation in vivo triggered improved CD8+ T cell responses while maintaining CD4+ T cell responses and humoral immunity. In addition, in vivo tracking data revealed that the vaccine could be efficiently transported from the injection site into lymph nodes. Skin infection experiments showed that the vaccine not only prevented and treated superficial infection but also decreased bacterial invasiveness, thus strongly suggesting that EV/ICG/MSNs were effective in preventing complications resulting from the introduction of S. aureus infections. Conclusion: This multi-antigenic nanovaccine-based modulation of antigen presentation pathways provides an effective strategy against drug-resistant S. aureus infection.

Colonización por ESKAPES y características clínicas de pacientes en estado crítico / Colonization by ESKAPES and clinical characteristics of critically ill patients / Colonização por ESKAPES e características clínicas de pacientes críticos

OBJETIVO: Identificar la colonización por ESKAPES y las características clínicas de los pacientes hospitalizados en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos para Adultos de un hospital mixto en Paraná. MÉTODO: Investigación de campo, descriptiva, documental y experimental con enfoque cuantitativo, desarollada en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos adultos de un hospital mixto en el suroeste de Paraná, Brasil. La población del estudio consistió en pacientes con ingreso de 48 horas en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, de abril a agosto de 2018 y de abril a agosto de 2019. La muestra totalizó 102 individuos. Para la recopilación de datos clínicos, se utilizó un Checklist y para el análisis microbiológico se recogieron muestras de las cavidades nasales y orales y la secreción traqueal. El análisis de los datos clínicos se produjo a través del software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Se realizaron pruebas de frecuencia y chi-cuadrado, teniendo en cuenta la p < 0,05 significativa. RESULTADOS: Se evaluaron un total de 102 pacientes ingresados en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos durante el período estudiado. De ellos, 57 (55,8%) fueron colonizados por microorganismos patógenos. En cuanto a la colonización por microorganismos, predominan Staphylococcus aureus (61,4%), seguido de Klebsiella pneumoniae (40,4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26,3%) y Staphylococcus epidermidis (21,1%). Cabe destacar que Klebsiella pneumoniae y Staphylococcus aureus estuvieron presentes en las tres regiones evaluadas. CONCLUSIÓN: El estudio identificó la presencia de colonización en pacientes en estado crítico estudiados, siendo esta colonización, en su mayoría, por bacterias resistentes pertenecientes al grupo ESKAPE

OBJECTIVE: To identify colonization by ESKAPES and clinical characteristics of patients admitted in Adult Intensive Care Unit of a mixed hospital in Paraná. METHOD: Field research, descriptive, documentary and experimental quantitative approach, developed in adult Intensive Care Unit of a mixed hospital in Southwest Paraná, Brazil. The study population consisted of patients with admission from 48 hours in the Intensive Care Unit, from April to August 2018 and April to August 2019. The sample has 102 individuals. For the collection of clinical data, a checklist was used and for microbiological analysis the sample was collected from nasal and oral cavities and tracheal secretion. The analysis of clinical data occurred through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. Descriptive frequency and chi-square test, considering significant p <0,05. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit during the period studied were evaluated. On these ones, 57 (55,8%) were colonized by pathogenic microorganisms. Regarding the colonization of microorganisms, there was predominance of Staphylococcus aureus (61,4%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (40,4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26,3%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (21,1%). It is noteworthy that Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus were present in the three regions evaluated. CONCLUSION: The study identified the presence of colonization in critically ill patients studied, being this colonization, mostly, resistant bacteria belonging to the ESKAPE group

OBJETIVO: Identificar a colonização por ESKAPES e características clínicas de pacientes internados em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adulto de um hospital misto do Paraná. MÉTODO: Pesquisa de campo, descritiva, documental e experimental com abordagem quantitativa, desenvolvida em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva adulto de um hospital misto do Sudoeste do Paraná, Brasil. A população do estudo constituiu-se pelos pacientes com admissão a partir de 48 horas na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, no período de abril a agosto de 2018 e de abril a agosto de 2019. A amostra totalizou 102 indivíduos. Para a coleta de dados clínicos foi utilizado um Checklist e para a análise microbiológica foram coletadas amostras das cavidades nasal e oral e secreção traqueal. A análise dos dados ocorreu por meio do software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Realizou-se frequência descritiva e teste de qui-quadrado, considerando significativo p <0,05. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 102 pacientes admitidos na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva durante o período pesquisado. Destes, 57 (55,8%) estavam colonizados por microrganismos patogênicos. Em relação à colonização de microrganismos, houve predominância de Staphylococcus aureus (61,4%), seguido por Klebsiella pneumoniae (40,4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26,3%) e Staphylococcus epidermidis (21,1%). Vale ressaltar que, Klebsiella pneumoniae e Staphylococcus aureus estiveram presentes nas três regiões avaliadas. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo identificou a presença de colonização nos pacientes criticamente enfermos pesquisados, sendo essa colonização, em sua maioria, por bactérias resistentes pertencentes ao grupo ESKAPE

Developing Novel Host-Based Therapies Targeting Microbicidal Responses in Macrophages and Neutrophils to Combat Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance.

Antimicrobial therapy has provided the main component of chemotherapy against bacterial pathogens. The effectiveness of this strategy has, however, been increasingly challenged by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance which now threatens the sustained utility of this approach. Humans and animals are constantly exposed to bacteria and have developed effective strategies to control pathogens involving innate and adaptive immune responses. Impaired pathogen handling by the innate immune system is a key determinant of susceptibility to bacterial infection. However, the essential components of this response, specifically those which are amenable to re-calibration to improve host defense, remain elusive despite extensive research. We provide a mini-review focusing on therapeutic targeting of microbicidal responses in macrophages and neutrophils to de-stress reliance on antimicrobial therapy. We highlight pre-clinical and clinical data pointing toward potential targets and therapies. We suggest that developing focused host-directed therapeutic strategies to enhance "pauci-inflammatory" microbial killing in myeloid phagocytes that maximizes pathogen clearance while minimizing the harmful consequences of the inflammatory response merits particular attention. We also suggest the importance of One Health approaches in developing host-based approaches through model development and comparative medicine in informing our understanding of how to deliver this strategy.

Vaccines Against Antimicrobial Resistance.

In the last century, life expectancy has increased considerably, thanks to the introduction of antibiotics, hygiene and vaccines that have contributed to the cure and prevention of many infectious diseases. The era of antimicrobial therapy started in the nineteenth century with the identification of chemical compounds with antimicrobial properties. However, immediately after the introduction of these novel drugs, microorganisms started to become resistant through different strategies. Although resistance mechanisms were already present before antibiotic introduction, their large-scale use and mis-use have increased the number of resistant microorganisms. Rapid spreading of mobile elements by horizontal gene transfer such as plasmids and integrative conjugative elements (ICE) carrying multiple resistance genes has dramatically increased the worldwide prevalence of relevant multi drug-resistant human pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Enterobacteriaceae. Today, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains one of the major global concerns to be addressed and only global efforts could help in finding a solution. In terms of magnitude the economic impact of AMR is estimated to be comparable to that of climate global change in 2030. Although antibiotics continue to be essential to treat such infections, non-antibiotic therapies will play an important role in limiting the increase of antibiotic resistant microorganisms. Among non-antibiotic strategies, vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) play a strategic role. In this review, we will summarize the evolution and the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, and the impact of AMR on life expectancy and economics.

Antibiotic Treatment Shapes the Antigenic Environment During Chronic TB Infection, Offering Novel Targets for Therapeutic Vaccination.

The lengthy and complicated current regimen required to treat drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) reflects the ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to persist in host tissues. The stringent response pathway, governed by the dual (p)ppGpp synthetase/hydrolase, Rel Mtb , is a major mechanism underlying Mtb persistence and antibiotic tolerance. In the current study, we addressed the hypothesis that Rel Mtb is a "persistence antigen" presented during TB chemotherapy and that enhanced immunity to Rel Mtb can enhance the tuberculocidal activity of the first-line anti-TB drug, isoniazid, which has reduced efficacy against Mtb persisters. C57BL/6 mice and Hartley guinea pigs were aerosol-infected with M. tuberculosis (Mtb) and, 4 weeks later, received either human-equivalent daily doses of isoniazid alone, or isoniazid in combination with a DNA vaccine targeting relMtb . After isoniazid treatment, there was a significant reduction in dominant antigen ESAT6-reactive CD4+ or TB10.4-reactive CD8+ T cells in the lungs and spleens of mice. However, the total number of Rel Mtb -reactive CD4+ T cells remained stable in mouse lungs and spleens, as did the number of Rel Mtb -reactive CD8+T cells. Therapeutic vaccination with relMtb DNA vaccine enhanced the activity of isoniazid in Mtb-infected C57BL/6 mice and guinea pigs. When treatment with isoniazid was discontinued, mice immunized with the relMtb DNA vaccine showed a lower mean lung bacterial burden at relapse compared to the control group. Our work shows that antitubercular treatment shapes the antigenic environment, and that therapeutic vaccination targeting the Mtb stringent response may represent a novel approach to enhance immunity against Mtb persisters, with the ultimate goal of shortening curative TB treatment.

Identification of Novel Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Epitopes of Drug- Resistance Related Protein InhA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), especially the drug-resistant MTB, poses serious challenges to human healthcare worldwide. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a vital role in immune defense against MTB. OBJECTIVE: To identify novel CTL epitopes that could induce cellular immunity against MTB infections. METHODS: The HLA-A*0201 restricted CTL epitopes of the drug-resistant protein InhA from MTB were predicted by online algorisms and synthesized by the Fmoc solid phase method. The candidate peptides were used to induce CTLs from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HLA-A*0201 healthy donors and the HLA-2.1/Kb mice. IFN-γ productions of CTLs were detected by enzyme linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT), flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and cytotoxicity was analyzed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. RESULTS: A group of 4 epitopes were screened out with high affinities to HLA-A*0201. ELISPOT and flow cytometry analysis indicated these peptides significantly induced that IFN-γ release of CTLs from the HLA-A*0201+/PPD+ donors, as the mutant analogues had more potent stimulation effects. LDH assay showed that CTLs from PPD+ donors and the immunized mice exhibited significant cytotoxicity and low cross-reactivity. ELISA analysis revealed comparative levels of IFN-γ were released by CTLs isolated from the mice spleen. CONCLUSION: Our study has identified 4 novel CTL epitopes of InhA that could elicit potent CTL immunity, establishing a foundation for the development of multivalent peptide vaccines against the drug-resistant MTB.

A Small Number of HER2 Redirected CAR T Cells Significantly Improves Immune Response of Adoptively Transferred Mouse Lymphocytes against Human Breast Cancer Xenografts.

HER2 positive JIMT-1 breast tumors are resistant to trastuzumab treatment in vitro and develop resistance to trastuzumab in vivo in SCID mice. We explored whether these resistant tumors could still be eliminated by T cells redirected by a second-generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) containing a CD28 costimulatory domain and targeting HER2 with a trastuzumab-derived scFv. In vitro, T cells engineered with this HER2 specific CAR recognized HER2 positive target cells as judged by cytokine production and cytolytic activity. In vivo, the administration of trastuzumab twice weekly had no effect on the growth of JIMT-1 xenografts in SCID mice. At the same time, a single dose of 2.5 million T cells from congenic mice exhibited a moderate xenoimmune response and even stable disease in some cases. In contrast, when the same dose contained 7% (175,000) CAR T cells, complete remission was achieved in 57 days. Even a reduced dose of 250,000 T cells, including only 17,500 CAR T cells, yielded complete remission, although it needed nearly twice the time. We conclude that even a small number of CAR T lymphocytes can evoke a robust anti-tumor response against an antibody resistant xenograft by focusing the activity of xenogenic T cells. This observation may have significance for optimizing the dose of CAR T cells in the therapy of solid tumors.

Daptomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates are poorly sensed by dendritic cells.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents an increasing threat to public health, with antimicrobial resistance on the rise and infections endemic in the hospital setting. Despite a global research effort to understand and combat antimicrobial resistance, less work has focused on understanding the nuances in the immunopathogenesis of clinical strains. In particular, there is a surprising gap of knowledge in the literature pertaining to how clinical strains are recognized by dendritic cells (DCs). Here, we show that the activation of DCs is compromised in response to MRSA strains resistant to the last-line antibiotic daptomycin. We found a significant reduction in the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed, and secreted and macrophage inflammatory protein-1ß, as well as decreased expression of CD80 by DCs responding to daptomycin-resistant MRSA. We further demonstrate that this phenotype is coincident with the acquisition of specific point mutations in the cardiolipin synthase gene cls2, and, partly, in the bifunctional lysylphosphatidylglycerol flippase/synthetase gene mprF, which are genes that are often mutated in clinical daptomycin-resistant strains. Therefore, throughout infection and antibiotic therapy, MRSA has the capacity to not only develop further antibiotic resistance, but also develop resistance to immunological recognition by DCs, because of single amino acid point mutations occurring under the selective pressures of both host immunity and antibiotic therapy. Understanding the diversity of clinical MRSA isolates and the nuances in their immune recognition will have important implications for future therapeutics and the treatment of these infections.