2022
Gut microbiome dysbiosis in antibiotic-treated COVID-19 patients is associated with microbial translocation and bacteremia
Bernard-Raichon L, Venzon M, Klein J, Axelrad J, Zhang C, Sullivan A, Hussey G, Casanovas-Massana A, Noval M, Valero-Jimenez A, Gago J, Putzel G, Pironti A, Wilder E, Thorpe L, Littman D, Dittmann M, Stapleford K, Shopsin B, Torres V, Ko A, Iwasaki A, Cadwell K, Schluter J. Gut microbiome dysbiosis in antibiotic-treated COVID-19 patients is associated with microbial translocation and bacteremia. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 5926. PMID: 36319618, PMCID: PMC9626559, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33395-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGut microbiome dysbiosisCOVID-19 patientsMicrobiome dysbiosisSecondary infectionSARS-CoV-2 infection inducesLife-threatening secondary infectionsTranslocation of bacteriaBlood culture resultsCOVID-19 severityAntimicrobial-resistant speciesCOVID-19Different clinical sitesMicrobial translocationBloodstream infectionsInfection inducesBarrier permeabilitySystemic circulationDysbiosisGoblet cellsPaneth cellsClinical sitesCulture resultsPatient healthGut microbiomePatientsMIF is a common genetic determinant of COVID-19 symptomatic infection and severity
Shin JJ, Fan W, Par-Young J, Piecychna M, Leng L, Israni-Winger K, Qing H, Gu J, Zhao H, Schulz WL, Unlu S, Kuster J, Young G, Liu J, Ko AI, Garcia A, Sauler M, Wisnewski AV, Young L, Orduña A, Wang A, Klementina O, Garcia AB, Hegyi P, Armstrong ME, Mitchell P, Ordiz DB, Garami A, Kang I, Bucala R. MIF is a common genetic determinant of COVID-19 symptomatic infection and severity. QJM 2022, 116: 205-212. PMID: 36222594, PMCID: PMC9620729, DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcac234.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMacrophage migration inhibitory factorLow-expression MIF alleleCOVID-19 infectionMIF allelesCATT7 alleleHealthy controlsCOVID-19Serum macrophage migration inhibitory factorSymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infectionHigher serum MIF levelsHigh-expression MIF allelesRetrospective case-control studySARS-CoV-2 infectionFunctional polymorphismsAvailable clinical characteristicsMultinational retrospective studySerum MIF levelsUninfected healthy controlsSymptomatic COVID-19Tertiary medical centerHealthy control subjectsCase-control studyMigration inhibitory factorCoronavirus disease 2019Common functional polymorphismsOmicron-specific mRNA vaccination alone and as a heterologous booster against SARS-CoV-2
Fang Z, Peng L, Filler R, Suzuki K, McNamara A, Lin Q, Renauer PA, Yang L, Menasche B, Sanchez A, Ren P, Xiong Q, Strine M, Clark P, Lin C, Ko AI, Grubaugh ND, Wilen CB, Chen S. Omicron-specific mRNA vaccination alone and as a heterologous booster against SARS-CoV-2. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 3250. PMID: 35668119, PMCID: PMC9169595, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30878-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHeterologous boosterSARS-CoV-2Antibody responseMRNA vaccinesMRNA vaccinationDelta variantOmicron variantType of vaccinationStrong antibody responseMRNA vaccine candidatesVaccine candidatesNeutralization potencyImmune evasionSARS-CoV.Two weeksComparable titersVaccinationVaccineTiters 10MiceOmicronWeeksWA-1LNP-mRNABoosterNo evidence of fetal defects or anti-syncytin-1 antibody induction following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination
Lu-Culligan A, Tabachnikova A, Pérez-Then E, Tokuyama M, Lee HJ, Lucas C, Monteiro V, Miric M, Brache V, Cochon L, Muenker MC, Mohanty S, Huang J, Kang I, Dela Cruz C, Farhadian S, Campbell M, Yildirim I, Shaw AC, Ma S, Vermund SH, Ko AI, Omer SB, Iwasaki A. No evidence of fetal defects or anti-syncytin-1 antibody induction following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. PLOS Biology 2022, 20: e3001506. PMID: 35609110, PMCID: PMC9129011, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001506.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOVID-19 mRNA vaccinationMRNA vaccinationEarly pregnancyFetal sizeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccinationSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Maternal antibody statusAdverse neonatal outcomesSyndrome coronavirus 2Birth defectsPolyinosinic-polycytidylic acidCrown-rump lengthGross birth defectsUnvaccinated adultsMaternal illnessNeonatal outcomesVaccinated adultsAntibody statusTLR3 agonistEarly immunizationMurine pregnancyAntibody inductionCoronavirus 2
2021
Diverse functional autoantibodies in patients with COVID-19
Wang EY, Mao T, Klein J, Dai Y, Huck JD, Jaycox JR, Liu F, Zhou T, Israelow B, Wong P, Coppi A, Lucas C, Silva J, Oh JE, Song E, Perotti ES, Zheng NS, Fischer S, Campbell M, Fournier JB, Wyllie AL, Vogels CBF, Ott IM, Kalinich CC, Petrone ME, Watkins AE, Dela Cruz C, Farhadian S, Schulz W, Ma S, Grubaugh N, Ko A, Iwasaki A, Ring A. Diverse functional autoantibodies in patients with COVID-19. Nature 2021, 595: 283-288. PMID: 34010947, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03631-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeripheral immune cell compositionSARS-CoV-2 infectionCOVID-19Effects of autoantibodiesTissue-associated antigensSpecific clinical characteristicsInnate immune activationImmune cell compositionCOVID-19 exhibitCOVID-19 manifestsAnalysis of autoantibodiesSARS-CoV-2Functional autoantibodiesMouse surrogateClinical characteristicsVirological controlClinical outcomesImmune activationMild diseaseAsymptomatic infectionAutoantibody reactivityDisease progressionHealthcare workersHigh prevalenceAutoantibodiesA live attenuated-vaccine model confers cross-protective immunity against different species of the Leptospira genus
Wunder EA, Adhikarla H, Hamond C, Bonner K, Liang L, Rodrigues CB, Bisht V, Nally JE, Alt DP, Reis MG, Diggle PJ, Felgner PL, Ko A. A live attenuated-vaccine model confers cross-protective immunity against different species of the Leptospira genus. ELife 2021, 10: e64166. PMID: 33496263, PMCID: PMC7837694, DOI: 10.7554/elife.64166.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCross-protective immunityPathogenic Leptospira speciesTerms of morbidityLeptospira speciesTransient bacteremiaSingle doseAntibody responseImmune responseApplicable vaccinesVaccine candidatesAnimal modelsEffective preventionAttenuated mutantsZoonotic diseaseLeptospira genusPotential correlatesDisease transmissionDiseaseLeptospirosisImmunityBacteremiaMorbidityImmunizationVaccineRelevant proteins
2020
Escape of TLR5 Recognition by Leptospira spp.: A Rationale for Atypical Endoflagella
Holzapfel M, Bonhomme D, Cagliero J, Vernel-Pauillac F, d’Andon M, Bortolussi S, Fiette L, Goarant C, Wunder EA, Picardeau M, Ko AI, Werling D, Matsui M, Boneca IG, Werts C. Escape of TLR5 Recognition by Leptospira spp.: A Rationale for Atypical Endoflagella. Frontiers In Immunology 2020, 11: 2007. PMID: 32849665, PMCID: PMC7431986, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.02007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTLR5 recognitionHuman Toll-like receptorsTLR5-deficient miceToll-like receptorsInnate immune recognitionNOD-like receptorsBacterial cell wall componentsHeat-killed bacteriaInflammatory roleDeficient miceTLR5 activationImmune responseLive leptospiresTLR5Immune recognitionLive strainsStealth pathogenWorldwide zoonosisHost defenseBovine TLR5TLR5 activityLeptospira sppInfectionLeptospiresCentral localization
1987
Characterization of protective and non-protective surface membrane carbohydrate epitopes of Schistosoma mansoni
Ko A, Harn D. Characterization of protective and non-protective surface membrane carbohydrate epitopes of Schistosoma mansoni. Memórias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 1987, 82: 115-119. PMID: 2474123, DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02761987000800019.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsKeyhole limpet hemocyaninNon-protective antibodiesMonoclonal antibodiesCarbohydrate epitopesProtective monoclonal antibodyEpitope mapping studiesDifferent carbohydrate epitopesLimpet hemocyaninSchistosomula antigensDifferent epitopesSchistosoma mansoniAntibodiesAntigenEpitopesImmunoprecipitation studiesBinding assaysInhibition studiesVaccineMansoni