Lawsonia intracellularis infected enterocytes lack sucrase-isomaltase which contributes to reduced pig digestive capacity

Veterinary research

2021 Jun 19

Helm, ET;Burrough, ER;Leite, FL;Gabler, NK;
PMID: 34147126 | DOI: 10.1186/s13567-021-00958-2

Lawsonia intracellularis is endemic to swine herds worldwide, however much is still unknown regarding its impact on intestinal function. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the impact of L. intracellularis on digestive function, and how vaccination mitigates these impacts. Thirty-six L. intracellularis negative barrows were assigned to treatment groups (n = 12/trt): (1) nonvaccinated, L. intracellularis negative (NC); (2) nonvaccinated, L intracellularis challenged (PC); and (3) L. intracellularis challenged, vaccinated (Enterisol Ileitis, Boehringer Ingelheim) 7 weeks pre-challenge (VAC). On days post-inoculation (dpi) 0 PC and VAC pigs were inoculated with L. intracellularis. From dpi 19-21 fecal samples were collected for apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and at dpi 21, pigs were euthanized for sample collection. Post-inoculation, ADG was reduced in PC pigs compared with NC (41%, P < 0.001) and VAC (25%, P < 0.001) pigs. Ileal gross lesion severity was greater in PC pigs compared with NC (P = 0.003) and VAC (P = 0.018) pigs. Dry matter, organic matter, nitrogen, and energy ATTD were reduced in PC pigs compared with NC pigs (P ≤ 0.001 for all). RNAscope in situ hybridization revealed abolition of sucrase-isomaltase transcript in the ileum of PC pigs compared with NC and VAC pigs (P < 0.01). Conversely, abundance of stem cell signaling markers Wnt3, Hes1, and p27Kip1 were increased in PC pigs compared with NC pigs (P ≤ 0.085). Taken together, these data demonstrate that reduced digestibility during L. intracellularis challenge is partially driven by abolition of digestive machinery in lesioned tissue. Further, vaccination mitigated several of these effects, likely from lower bacterial burden and reduced disease severity.

Direct injection of Amblyomma americanum ticks with Cytauxzoon felis

Ticks and tick-borne diseases

2021 Oct 10

Yang, TS;Reichard, MV;Marr, HS;Cohn, LA;Nafe, L;Whitehurst, N;Birkenheuer, AJ;
PMID: 34673404 | DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101847

Cytauxzoon felis is a tick-borne hemoprotozoan parasite that causes life-threatening disease in domestic cats in the United States. Currently, the platforms for C. felis research are limited to natural or experimental infection of domestic cats. This study aims to develop an alternative model by infecting Amblyomma americanum ticks with C. felis via direct injection. Amblyomma americanum adults were injected with C. felis-infected feline erythrocytes through two routes: directly into the digestive tract through the anal pore (IA injection), or percutaneously into the tick hemocoel (IH injection). RNAscope in situ hybridization (ISH) was used to visualize the parasites within the ticks at different time points after injection. Four months after injection, ticks were divided into 3 infestation groups based on injection methods and inoculum type and fed on 3 naïve cats to assess the ticks' ability to transmit C. felis. Prior to the transmission challenge, selected ticks from each infestation group were tested for C. felis RNA via reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). In both IA- and IH-injected ticks, ISH signals were observed in ticks up to 3 weeks after injection. The number of hybridization signals notably decreased over time, and no signals were detected by 4 months after injection. Prior to the transmission challenge, 37-57% of the sampled ticks were positive for C. felis RNA via RT-PCR. While the majority of injected ticks successfully attached and fed to repletion on all 3 cats during the transmission challenge, none of the cats became infected with C. felis. These results suggest that injected C. felis remained alive in ticks but was unable to progress to infective sporozoites after injection. It is unclear why this infection technique had been successful for other closely related tick-borne hemoprotozoa and not for C. felis. This outcome may be associated with uncharacterized differences in the C. felis life cycle, the lack of the feeding or molting in our model or absence of gametocytes in the inoculum. Nonetheless, our study demonstrated the potential of using ticks as an alternative model to study C. felis. Future improvement of a tick model for C. felis should consider other tick species for the injection model or utilize infection methods that more closely emulate the natural infection process.

In Situ Hybridization of PRRSV-1 Combined with Digital Image Analysis in Lung Tissues of Pigs Challenged with PRRSV-1

Veterinary sciences

2021 Oct 15

Dénes, L;Horváth, DG;Duran, O;Ratkhjen, PH;Kraft, C;Acs, B;Szász, AM;Rümenapf, T;Papp, M;Ladinig, A;Balka, G;
PMID: 34679065 | DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8100235

Betaarterivirus suid 1 and 2 are the causative agents of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which is one of the most significant diseases of the swine industry, causing significant economic losses in the main pig producing countries. Here, we report the development of a novel, RNA-based in situ hybridization technique (RNAscope) to detect PRRS virus (PRRSV) RNA in lung tissues of experimentally infected animals. The technique was applied to lung tissues of 20 piglets, which had been inoculated with a wild-type, highly pathogenic PRRSV-1 strain. To determine the RNAscope's applicability as a semi-quantitative method, we analysed the association between the proportion of the virus-infected cells measured with an image analysis software (QuPath) and the outcome of the real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) tests performed in parallel. The results of the quantitative approach of these two molecular biological methods show significant association (pseudo R2 = 0.3894, p = 0.004). This is the first time RNAscope assay has been implemented for the detection of PRRSV-1 in experimental animals.

Distinct populations of antigen specific tissue resident CD8 T cells in human cervix mucosa

JCI insight

2021 Jun 22

Peng, T;Phasouk, K;Bossard, E;Klock, A;Jin, L;Laing, KJ;Johnston, C;Williams, NA;Czartoski, JL;Varon, D;Long, AN;Bielas, JH;Snyder, TM;Robins, H;Koelle, DM;McElrath, MJ;Wald, A;Corey, L;Zhu, J;
PMID: 34156975 | DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.149950

The ectocervix is part of the lower female reproductive tract (FRT), which is susceptible to sexually transmitted infections (STI). Comprehensive knowledge of the phenotypes and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of tissue resident memory T cells (TRM) in human FRT is lacking. We have taken single-cell RNA sequencing approaches to simultaneously define gene expression and TCR clonotypes of the human ectocervix. There are significantly more CD8 than CD4 T cells. Unsupervised clustering and trajectory analysis identify distinct populations of CD8 T cells with IFNGhiGZMBlowCD69hiCD103low or IFNGlowGZMBhiCD69medCD103hi phenotypes. Little overlap was seen between their TCR repertoires. Immunofluorescent staining shows that CD103+ CD8 TRM cells preferentially localize in epithelium while CD69+ CD8 TRM distribute evenly in epithelium and stroma. Ex vivo assays indicate up to 14% of cervical CD8 TRM clonotypes are HSV-2 reactive in HSV-2-seropositive persons, reflecting physiologically relevant localization. Our studies identify subgroups of CD8 TRM in the human ectocervix that exhibit distinct expression of antiviral defense and tissue residency markers, anatomic locations, and TCR repertoires that target anatomically relevant viral antigens. Optimization of the location, number, and function of FRT TRM is an important approach for improving host defenses to STI.

SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in the North American deer mouse

Nature communications

2021 Jun 14

Griffin, BD;Chan, M;Tailor, N;Mendoza, EJ;Leung, A;Warner, BM;Duggan, AT;Moffat, E;He, S;Garnett, L;Tran, KN;Banadyga, L;Albietz, A;Tierney, K;Audet, J;Bello, A;Vendramelli, R;Boese, AS;Fernando, L;Lindsay, LR;Jardine, CM;Wood, H;Poliquin, G;Strong, JE;Drebot, M;Safronetz, D;Embury-Hyatt, C;Kobasa, D;
PMID: 34127676 | DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23848-9

Widespread circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in humans raises the theoretical risk of reverse zoonosis events with wildlife, reintroductions of SARS-CoV-2 into permissive nondomesticated animals. Here we report that North American deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection following intranasal exposure to a human isolate, resulting in viral replication in the upper and lower respiratory tract with little or no signs of disease. Further, shed infectious virus is detectable in nasal washes, oropharyngeal and rectal swabs, and viral RNA is detectable in feces and occasionally urine. We further show that deer mice are capable of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to naïve deer mice through direct contact. The extent to which these observations may translate to wild deer mouse populations remains unclear, and the risk of reverse zoonosis and/or the potential for the establishment of Peromyscus rodents as a North American reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 remains unknown.

Non-cell-autonomous disruption of nuclear architecture as a potential cause of COVID-19-induced anosmia

Cell

2022 Feb 02

Zazhytska, M;Kodra, A;Hoagland, DA;Frere, J;Fullard, JF;Shayya, H;McArthur, NG;Moeller, R;Uhl, S;Omer, AD;Gottesman, ME;Firestein, S;Gong, Q;Canoll, PD;Goldman, JE;Roussos, P;tenOever, BR;Jonathan B Overdevest, ;Lomvardas, S;
PMID: 35180380 | DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.01.024

SARS-CoV-2 infects less than 1% of cells in the human body, yet it can cause severe damage in a variety of organs. Thus, deciphering the non-cell-autonomous effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection is imperative for understanding the cellular and molecular disruption it elicits. Neurological and cognitive defects are among the least understood symptoms of COVID-19 patients, with olfactory dysfunction being their most common sensory deficit. Here, we show that both in humans and hamsters, SARS-CoV-2 infection causes widespread downregulation of olfactory receptors (ORs) and of their signaling components. This non-cell-autonomous effect is preceded by a dramatic reorganization of the neuronal nuclear architecture, which results in dissipation of genomic compartments harboring OR genes. Our data provide a potential mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 infection alters the cellular morphology and the transcriptome of cells it cannot infect, offering insight to its systemic effects in olfaction and beyond.

SARS-CoV-2 treatment effects induced by ACE2-expressing microparticles are explained by the oxidized cholesterol-increased endosomal pH of alveolar macrophages

Cellular & molecular immunology

2022 Feb 01

Wang, Z;Lv, J;Yu, P;Qu, Y;Zhou, Y;Zhou, L;Zhu, Q;Li, S;Song, J;Deng, W;Gao, R;Liu, Y;Liu, J;Tong, WM;Qin, C;Huang, B;
PMID: 34983944 | DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00813-6

Exploring the cross-talk between the immune system and advanced biomaterials to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection is a promising strategy. Here, we show that ACE2-overexpressing A549 cell-derived microparticles (AO-MPs) are a potential therapeutic agent against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Intranasally administered AO-MPs dexterously navigate the anatomical and biological features of the lungs to enter the alveoli and are taken up by alveolar macrophages (AMs). Then, AO-MPs increase the endosomal pH but decrease the lysosomal pH in AMs, thus escorting bound SARS-CoV-2 from phago-endosomes to lysosomes for degradation. This pH regulation is attributable to oxidized cholesterol, which is enriched in AO-MPs and translocated to endosomal membranes, thus interfering with proton pumps and impairing endosomal acidification. In addition to promoting viral degradation, AO-MPs also inhibit the proinflammatory phenotype of AMs, leading to increased treatment efficacy in a SARS-CoV-2-infected mouse model without side effects. These findings highlight the potential use of AO-MPs to treat SARS-CoV-2-infected patients and showcase the feasibility of MP therapies for combatting emerging respiratory viruses in the future.

Transient acquisition of cross-species infectivity during the evolution of SARS-CoV-2

National Science Review

2021 Sep 04

Chen, Q;Huang, X;Sun, M;Li, R;Gu, H;Tian, Y;Zhang, R;Luo, D;Zhou, C;Zhang, Y;Cao, T;Zhang, N;Deng, Y;Li, X;Qin, C;
| DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwab167

Laboratory mice are susceptible to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 variant. (A) Body weight changes in nine-month-old female BALB/c mice infected intranasally with 501Y.V2 or IME-BJ05 at a dose of 1.2 × 104 pfu per mouse. _n_ = 5. (B) Tissue distribution of SARS-CoV-2 sgRNA. Each tissue and serum sample was subjected to viral sgRNA copy analysis by real-time qPCR. The dotted lines denote the detection limit (_n_ = 3). (C) ISH assay for viral RNA in lung tissues from mice infected with 501Y.V2 or treated with PBS (mock) on day 3 post infection. Positive signals are shown in brown. (D) Immunostaining of lung tissues with a SARS-CoV-2 N protein-specific mAb. (E) Gross necropsy and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of lung tissue sections from mice infected with 501Y.V2 or treated with PBS (mock) on day 3 post infection. (F) Time-resolved frequency distribution of SARS-CoV-2 variants with or without the N501Y mutation (based on the Nextstrain project). The variants with the N501Y mutation are indicated in blue, and mice that can be infected with these variants are shown in an inverted position.

LB740 SARS-CoV-2-associated ‘covid toes:’ multiplex immunofluorescent characterization of pathophysiology

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

2021 Sep 01

Moon, J;Costa da Silva, A;Tran, J;Kim, C;Sharma, R;Hinshaw, M;Shields, B;Brooks, E;Cowen, E;Singh, A;Drolet, B;Mays, J;Arkin, L;
| DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2021.07.093

Coincident with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, dermatologists worldwide have reported an uncharacteristic increase in pernio or chilblains (aka ‘COVID toes’). However, the lack of systemic illness, low PCR positivity and lack of consistent seroconversion have led some authors to postulate an epiphenomenon. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has been identified in a limited number of skin biopsies in few publications, yet there remain conflicting reports regarding other SARS-CoV-2 associated proteins, the presence or absence of viral RNA, and a unifying pathophysiology. In cooperation with the COVID Human Genome Effort, our “COVID toes” biobank was established to identify both the genetic and immunologic basis and provide clinically relevant insights into targeted therapeutics. As of March 2021, we have enrolled 96 patients, creating a prospective biorepository with clinical data, saliva, serial blood collection, and skin biopsies. Here we aim to comprehensively investigate the conflicting findings, detail the inflammatory response, and identify the source of interferon signaling with multiplex immunofluorescence (IFA) and the RNAscope fluorescent assay to detect viral mRNA. Median patient age was 17 (range 2 e 72) and 44/96 (46%) were male. Preliminary IFA results demonstrate detection of SARS-CoV-2 components, robust MxA detection and plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) colocalization, identifying PDCs as the likely primary source of IFN-I production and implicates an excessive localized IFN-I response in affected patients.

Lung donation following SARS-CoV-2 infection

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons

2021 Jul 31

Querrey, M;Kurihara, C;Manerikar, A;Garza-Castillon, R;Lysne, J;Tomic, R;Budinger, GS;Kim, S;Lung, K;Yeldandi, A;Bharat, A;
PMID: 34332512 | DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16777

There have been over 177 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide, many of whom could be organ donors. Concomitantly, there is an anticipated increase in the need for donor lungs due to expanding indications. Given that the respiratory tract is most commonly affected by COVID-19, there is an urgent need to develop donor assessment criteria while demonstrating safety and "efficacy" of lung donation following COVID-19 infection. Accordingly, we report an intentional transplant using lungs from a donor with recent, microbiologically confirmed, COVID-19 infection into a recipient suffering from COVID-19 induced ARDS and pulmonary fibrosis. In addition to the standard clinical assays, both donor and recipient lungs were analyzed using RNAscope, which confirmed that tissues were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated colocalized KRT17+ basaloid-like epithelium and COL1A1+ fibroblasts, a marker suggestive of lung fibrosis in COVID-19 associated lung disease, in the explanted recipient lungs but absent in the donor lungs. We demonstrate that following a thorough assessment, lung donation following resolved COVID-19 infection is safe and feasible.

Potential Utility of Natural Killer Cells for Eliminating Cells Harboring Reactivated Latent HIV-1 Following the Removal of CD8+ T Cell-Mediated Pro-Latency Effect(s)

Viruses

2021 Jul 26

Khoury, G;Kulpa, DA;Parsons, MS;
PMID: 34452317 | DOI: 10.3390/v13081451

An impediment to curing HIV-1 infection is the persistence of latently infected cells in ART-treated people living with HIV (PLWH). A key strategy for curing HIV-1 infection is to activate transcription and translation of latent virus using latency reversing agents (LRAs) and eliminate cells harboring reactivated virus via viral cytopathic effect or immune clearance. In this review, we provide an overview of available LRAs and their use in clinical trials. Furthermore, we describe recent data suggesting that CD8+ T cells promote HIV-1 latency in the context of ART, even in the presence of LRAs, which might at least partially explain the clinical inefficiency of previous "shock and kill" trials. Here, we propose a novel cure strategy called "unlock, shock, disarm, and kill". The general premise of this strategy is to shut down the pro-latency function(s) of CD8+ T cells, use LRAs to reverse HIV-1 latency, counteract anti-apoptotic molecules, and engage natural killer (NK) cells to mediate the killing of cells harboring reactivated latent HIV-1.

Adventitial Microcirculation Is a Major Target of SARS-CoV-2-Mediated Vascular Inflammation

Biomolecules

2021 Jul 20

Vasuri, F;Ciavarella, C;Collura, S;Mascoli, C;Valente, S;Degiovanni, A;Gargiulo, M;Capri, M;Pasquinelli, G;
| DOI: 10.3390/biom11071063

We report the case of a 77-year-old woman affected by coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) who developed an occlusive arterial disease of the lower limb requiring a left leg amputation. We studied the mechanisms of vascular damage by SARS-CoV-2 by means of a comprehensive multi-technique in situ analysis on the diseased popliteal arterial district, including immunohistochemistry (IHC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and miRNA analysis. At histological analyses, we observed a lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate, oedema and endothelialitis of adventitial vasa vasorum while the media was normal and the intima had only minor changes. The vasa vasorum expressed the ACE2 receptor and factor VIII; compared with the controls, VEGFR2 staining was reduced. TEM analyses showed endothelial injury and numerous Weibel-Palade bodies in the cytoplasm. No coronavirus particle was seen. IL-6 protein and mRNA, together with miR-155-5p and miRs-27a-5p, which can target IL-6, were significantly increased compared with that in the controls. Our case report suggests an involvement of adventitial artery microcirculation by inflammation in the course of COVID-19. Without evident signs of current infection by SARS-CoV-2, endothelial cells show a spectrum of structural and functional alterations that can fuel the cardiovascular complications observed in people infected with SARS-CoV-2.

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	Description
sense Example: Hs-LAG3-sense	Standard probes for RNA detection are in antisense. Sense probe is reverse complent to the corresponding antisense probe.
Intron# Example: Mm-Htt-intron2	Probe targets the indicated intron in the target gene, commonly used for pre-mRNA detection
Pool/Pan Example: Hs-CD3-pool (Hs-CD3D, Hs-CD3E, Hs-CD3G)	A mixture of multiple probe sets targeting multiple genes or transcripts
No-XSp Example: Hs-PDGFB-No-XMm	Does not cross detect with the species (Sp)
XSp Example: Rn-Pde9a-XMm	designed to cross detect with the species (Sp)
O# Example: Mm-Islr-O1	Alternative design targeting different regions of the same transcript or isoforms
CDS Example: Hs-SLC31A-CDS	Probe targets the protein-coding sequence only
EnEm	Probe targets exons n and m
En-Em	Probe targets region from exon n to exon m
Retired Nomenclature
tvn Example: Hs-LEPR-tv1	Designed to target transcript variant n
ORF Example: Hs-ACVRL1-ORF	Probe targets open reading frame
UTR Example: Hs-HTT-UTR-C3	Probe targets the untranslated region (non-protein-coding region) only
5UTR Example: Hs-GNRHR-5UTR	Probe targets the 5' untranslated region only
3UTR Example: Rn-Npy1r-3UTR	Probe targets the 3' untranslated region only
Pan Example: Pool	A mixture of multiple probe sets targeting multiple genes or transcripts

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