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Results for “viral load suppression”

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PubMed2026

The effect of antiretroviral therapy adherence on viral load suppression rate among people living with HIV in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is a key determinant of viral load suppression among people living with HIV (PLHIV). In Ethiopia, evidence on the magnitude of ART adherence and its effect on virological outcomes remains fragmented. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of ART adherence and viral load suppression, and to measure the association between adherence and viral suppression among PLHIV in Ethiopia. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis used the PRISMA checklist for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The review protocol has been registered onPROSPERO:(CRD420251125899). PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Epistemonikos, and Google Scholar were searched. The quality of included articles has been evaluated with a Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), adapted for observational studies. A random-effects model using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) with Knapp-Hartung adjustment was used to estimate pooled prevalence and odds ratio. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2, τ2, and Cochran's Q test. RESULTS: A total of 39 studies were included in the final analysis. The pooled prevalence of good ART adherence was 79.4% (95% CI: 74.8%-83.4%), while the pooled viral load suppression rate was 77.5% (95% CI: 72.5%-81.8%). The pooled odds ratio showed that good ART adherence was strongly associated with viral load suppression (OR = 6.30, 95% CI: 4.84-8.19). Substantial heterogeneity was observed across studies for both adherence and viral suppression outcomes (I2 > 90%). CONCLUSIONS: ART adherence and viral load suppression among PLHIV in Ethiopia are relatively high but remain below global targets. Good adherence was significantly associated with virologic suppression, highlighting adherence as a critical modifiable factor for achieving optimal treatment outcomes. Strengthening adherence support interventions is essential to improve virological success and advance progress toward HIV epidemic control.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Patterns of HIV-1 viral load suppression and drug resistance during the dolutegravir transition: a population-based longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Data on the population-scale impact of dolutegravir (DTG)-based HIV regimens in sub-Saharan Africa are extremely limited. We used data from a surveillance cohort in southern Uganda to assess viral suppression and antiretroviral (ART) resistance over 10-years alongside DTG scale-up. METHODS: Consenting participants in the population-based Rakai Community Cohort Study between August 2011 and March 2023 aged 15-59 completed questionnaires and provided samples for HIV testing, viral load quantification, and viral deep-sequencing. We collected data on DTG-utilization at HIV care clinics. We estimated the prevalence of HIV suppression (<1,000 copies/mL) and ART resistance using robust Poisson regression. Bayesian logistic regression quantified associations between resistance and individual-level suppression across surveys. FINDINGS: Among 20,383 people living with HIV (PLHIV), suppression increased from 57.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 55.4%-58.8%) to 90.3% (95%CI: 89.2%-91.4%) between 2014 and 2022. By 2020 84.4% (95%CI: 83.7%-85.2%) and 64.6% (95%CI: 63.9%-65.3%) of men and women were on DTG regimens. Among treatment-experienced viremic PLHIV, overall resistance decreased from 51.1% (95%CI: 40.7%-64.1%, 2014) to 27.9% (95%CI: 21.3%-36.5%, 2022). Only two participants harbored intermediate/high-level DTG resistance, attributable to inQ148R, inE138K, and inG140A. Low-level INSTI resistance (inS153Y) was observed in 23/207 (7.5%) of viremic individuals, with putative evidence of transmission. By 2022, suppression was unrelated to prior history of NNRTI/NRTI resistance (risk ratios: 1.14, 95%HPD: 0.96-1.32 and 1.12, 95%HPD: 0.88 - 1.35). INTERPRETATION: Viral suppression increased during the DTG-transition with minimal emerging intermediate/high-level resistance. Falling resistance among treatment-experienced PLHIV underscores the role of ART adherence in reducing viremia. The emergence of inS153Y justifies continued genomic surveillance of ART resistance. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health and the Gates Foundation.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of Single-Dose Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Inhibitor, Budigalimab, in People With HIV-1 With Antiretroviral Therapy-Suppressed Viral Load.

BACKGROUND: Blockade of inhibitory immune checkpoint receptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) on target immune cells is associated with improved HIV-specific immune function and activation of latent HIV. This randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 1b study assessed low doses of investigational anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, budigalimab, for safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics in people with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: Participants received single doses of budigalimab 10 mg subcutaneous (SC), 20 mg SC, 10 mg intravenous (IV), or placebo (n = 8 per arm) and were followed for 24 weeks. RESULTS: Of 32 randomized participants, 22 reported adverse event(s) (AE); most (n = 19) were grade ≤2 and no grade ≥4 AE or treatment-related serious AE. Two participants reported a non-treatment-related grade 3 AE (placebo, n = 1 pneumonia; 10 mg IV, n = 1 elevated aspartate aminotransferase). One reversible immune-related AE (grade 2 lichenoid keratosis) was reported (20 mg SC). Geometric mean maximum serum concentrations were 0.37, 1.57, and 3.2 µg/mL with 10 mg SC, 20 mg SC, and 10 mg IV, respectively. Drug exposure with 20 versus 10 mg SC dosing was more than dose proportional and less variable. Subcutaneous bioavailability was approximately 53%-62%. The PD-1 receptor saturation was ≥95% in most participants (median duration: 20 mg SC, 42 days; 10 mg SC, 14 days; 10 mg IV, 35 days). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest an acceptable safety profile for single-dose budigalimab in PWH, with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile for 20 mg SC and 10 mg IV. Further evaluation as a potential component of an HIV treatment is underway.

Humans↗

PubMed2024

Age and gender profiles of HIV infection burden and viraemia: novel metrics for HIV epidemic control in African populations with high antiretroviral therapy coverage.

INTRODUCTION: To prioritize and tailor interventions for ending AIDS by 2030 in Africa, it is important to characterize the population groups in which HIV viraemia is concentrating. METHODS: We analysed HIV testing and viral load data collected between 2013-2019 from the open, population-based Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS) in Uganda, to estimate HIV seroprevalence and population viral suppression over time by gender, one-year age bands and residence in inland and fishing communities. All estimates were standardized to the underlying source population using census data. We then assessed 95-95-95 targets in their ability to identify the populations in which viraemia concentrates. RESULTS: Following the implementation of Universal Test and Treat, the proportion of individuals with viraemia decreased from 4.9% (4.6%-5.3%) in 2013 to 1.9% (1.7%-2.2%) in 2019 in inland communities and from 19.1% (18.0%-20.4%) in 2013 to 4.7% (4.0%-5.5%) in 2019 in fishing communities. Viraemia did not concentrate in the age and gender groups furthest from achieving 95-95-95 targets. Instead, in both inland and fishing communities, women aged 25-29 and men aged 30-34 were the 5-year age groups that contributed most to population-level viraemia in 2019, despite these groups being close to or had already achieved 95-95-95 targets. CONCLUSIONS: The 95-95-95 targets provide a useful benchmark for monitoring progress towards HIV epidemic control, but do not contextualize underlying population structures and so may direct interventions towards groups that represent a marginal fraction of the population with viraemia.

Universal Test and Treat↗

PubMed2025

Unraveling the Role of Mutations Outside the Basal Promoter and Precore Regions in the HBeAg-Negative Stage of Chronic Hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion is a crucial event in the natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, marked by a significant decrease in viral load and the emergence of mutations that suppress HBeAg expression. However, these mutations alone do not fully account for the reduction in viral load. This study investigated the biological features and pathogenic roles of mutations outside the basal core promoter (BCP) and precore regions during the HBeAg-negative stage of chronic infection. Full-length HBV genomes from HBeAg-positive (n = 180) and HBeAg-negative (n = 328) genotype D datasets were analyzed, revealing significantly higher genomic heterogeneity in HBeAg-negative sequences compared with HBeAg-positive genomes (50.4 ± 16.0 vs. 26.6 ± 10.5 nucleotide changes per genome). Twenty-six hotspot amino acid mutations associated with the HBeAg-negative stage were identified, with over half located in the Core region. Subsequently, full-length HBV genomes from six HBeAg-negative patient-derived serum samples were obtained by PCR amplification followed by Sanger sequencing. Infectious clones generated from these genomes, each carrying between 21 and 66 amino acid substitutions, were characterized, showing that mutations in this stage differentially affected viral fitness in vitro by up- or downregulating HBV-DNA levels (ranging from 0.2 to 5 times those of the wild-type isolate), modulating capsid assembly, and altering the expression, secretion, and subcellular localization of viral proteins. In conclusion, while mutations in the BCP and precore regions are the primary drivers of HBeAg seroconversion, mutations outside these regions significantly influence HBV biology and potentially contribute to viral pathogenicity, underscoring the complex interplay between host and virus during the HBeAg-negative stage of chronic infection.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

EIF4H and YBX1 are essential host factors for hepatitis E virus replication and pathogenesis.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a leading cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide, responsible for approximately 20 million infections annually. Despite the availability of a vaccine in China, no direct-acting antivirals are approved, and host factors required for HEV replication remain poorly defined. Here, using a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen in a replicon system, we identified Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 4H (EIF4H) and Y-Box Binding Protein 1 (YBX1) as essential host factors for HEV replication and pathogenesis. Knockout of either factor markedly impaired replication of HEV genotypes 1, 3, and 4, as well as HEV infection and production in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells, while leaving SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and Zika virus unaffected, underscoring their HEV-specific roles. Mechanistically, EIF4H interacts with ORF1 via its methyltransferase-Y-papain-like protease region, and EIF4H deficiency alters the composition of the ORF1-associated replication complex. By contrast, YBX1 is dispensable for ORF1 translation and RNA binding but is specifically required for ORF1 proteolytic processing, a prerequisite for assembling a functional replication machinery. EIF4H knockout rats and liver-specific YBX1 knockout rats were largely resistant to rat HEV-C1 infection, showing profound reductions in viral shedding, suppressed hepatic and intestinal viral loads, and protection from liver pathology. Together, our findings establish EIF4H and YBX1 as essential host factors for HEV infection and pathogenesis and reveal potential targets for antiviral intervention.

Virus Replication↗

PubMed1992

Quantitation of a lentivirus in its natural host: simian immunodeficiency virus in African green monkeys.

We have examined the viral load in the peripheral blood of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected African green monkeys with a view to the unexplained apathogenicity of African green monkey SIV (SIVagm) in its natural host. By using polymerase chain reaction, viral DNA was detected in fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of each of nine seropositive animals. The virus DNA load was variable among the monkeys tested, ranging from 5 to 50 (mean = 15) copies per 10(5) PBMC, which is comparable to that of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in humans. The level of infectious SIVagm in PBMC was measured by endpoint dilution cultures. SIVagm was recovered from PBMC from 14 of 17 antibody-positive monkeys (82%), and the mean SIVagm titer in PBMC of seropositive African green monkeys was 10 tissue culture infectious doses per 10(6) cells, similar to the titer shown for HIV in asymptomatic carriers. Free infectious virus was isolated from the plasma of 4 of 17 monkeys (24%), and SIVagm expression in peripheral blood in vivo, as demonstrated by in situ hybridization, was detectable only in those animals which were viremic. SIVagm replication is therefore not totally suppressed in vivo, and SIVagm has a viral load equivalent to that seen for HIV-1 in asymptomatic humans.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Japanese encephalitis virus hijacks the host purine biosynthetic network to promote viral replication in neurons.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is an important neurotropic orthoflavivirus that poses a threat to both human and animal health. However, the mechanism underlying its rapid replication in the central nervous system (CNS) remains poorly understood. In this study, we conducted metabolomic profiling of JEV-infected mouse brains and neurons, revealing a profound reprogramming of central carbon metabolism, particularly an enhancement in nucleotide synthesis. Integrated multi-omics analyses confirmed that JEV infection transcriptionally upregulates key enzymes involved in de novo purine biosynthesis (DNPB), one-carbon (1C) metabolism, and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in neurons. Pharmacological inhibition of the core DNPB enzymes potently suppressed JEV replication in neurons and reduced both viral loads and neuroinflammation in JEV-infected mice, suggesting the essential role of DNPB in JEV replication within CNS. Mechanistically, we delineated the critical functions of both the non-oxidative PPP and MTHFD2-mediated 1C metabolism, which jointly supply essential precursors, such as ribose-5-phosphate and formyl groups, for the de novo biosynthesis of purines required for viral RNA replication. These findings unveil a strategy by which JEV co-opts the host's purine biosynthetic machinery to fulfill the nucleotide demands for its genomic replication, establishing DNPB and its supporting pathways as promising therapeutic targets for infections caused by JEV and other neurotropic viruses.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Hepatitis B virus genome mutations in precore and basal core promoter regions among HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with high viral load in Indonesia.

Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) is widely used as a marker for active HBV replication and serves as a surrogate for HBV DNA > 200,000 IU/mL to determine eligibility for tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) prophylaxis to prevent vertical transmission, according to WHO guidelines. However, some HBeAg-negative patients still harbor high viral loads. Mutations in the precore (PC) and basal core promoter (BCP) regions may reduce or abolish HBeAg expression without necessarily suppressing viral replication. Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based characterization of these mutations remains limited in Indonesia. This study aimed to analyze the mutation prevalence in the BCP and PC regions associated with HBeAg negativity in Indonesian patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 32 chronic HBV treatment-naïve, unvaccinated patients with HBV DNA > 200,000 IU/mL (16 HBeAg-negative, 16 HBeAg-positive) at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital. BCP and PC mutations were analyzed using NGS, classifying mutations as major (mutation frequency index [MFI] ≥20%) or minor (MFI 1- < 20%). Associations were analyzed using the Chi-square or Fisher's exact test and p-values were adjusted using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. Among 29 major mutation sites, PC mutations A1846T/C and G1896A were more frequent in HBeAg-negative than HBeAg-positive patients (81.3% vs 6.3% and 75.0% vs 12.5%, respectively; all adjusted p = 0.019). Combined analysis showed higher mutation frequencies in HBeAg-negative patients (93.8%, 81.3%, and 62.5% for A1846T/C, G1896A, and G1899A, respectively; all adjusted p = 0.015). In conclusion, HBeAg-negative patients with high viral loads are strongly associated with PC mutations, particularly G1896A, A1846T/C, and G1899A. These exploratory findings provide regional NGS-based molecular evidence that established PC mutations may contribute to the coexistence of HBeAg negativity and continued high-level HBV replication in Indonesian patients. Larger studies incorporating broader virological and clinical comparison groups are required to determine the clinical significance of these findings.

Humans↗

PubMed2024

Intrahepatic Exhausted Antiviral Immunity in an Immunocompetent Mouse Model of Chronic Hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Targeting exhausted immune systems would be a promising therapeutic strategy to achieve a functional cure for HBV infection in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, animal models recapitulating the immunokinetics of CHB are very limited. We aimed to develop an immunocompetent mouse model of CHB for intrahepatic immune profiling. METHODS: CHB mice were created by intrahepatic delivery of the Sleeping Beauty transposon vector tandemly expressing the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) cDNA into C57BL/6J congenic FAH knockout mice via hydrodynamic tail vein injection. We profiled the viral and intrahepatic immune kinetics in CHB mice with or without treatment with recombinant IFNα or the hepatotropic Toll-like receptor 7 agonist SA-5 using single-cell RNA-seq. RESULTS: CHB mice exhibited sustained HBV viremia and persistent hepatitis. They showed intrahepatic expansion of exhausted CD8+ T (Tex) cells, the frequency of which was positively associated with viral load. Recruited macrophages increased in number but impaired inflammatory responses in the liver. The cytotoxicity of mature natural killer (NK) cells also increased in CHB mice. IFNα and SA-5 treatment both resulted in viral suppression with mild hepatic flares in CHB mice. Although both treatments activated NK cells, SA-5 had the capacity to revitalize the impaired function of Tex cells and liver-recruited macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel CHB mouse model recapitulated the intrahepatic exhausted antiviral immunity in patients with CHB, which might be able to be reinvigorated by a hepatotropic TLR7 agonist.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

ELViS: an R package for estimating copy number levels of viral genomic segments at base-resolution.

MOTIVATION: Tumor viruses account for ∼10% of cancer diagnoses. Virally induced tumorigenesis is understood as direct signaling through oncogenes such as E6 and E7 genes in the case of human papillomavirus. Furthermore, pathogen characteristics such as viral oncogene dose may impact the disease course. To our knowledge, no tool has been proposed to assess the intra-viral copy number alterations that define the gene dose of viral oncogenes and associated suppressive pathways native to the pathogen's normal life cycle. RESULTS: We propose an R package, "ELViS," that analyzes viral copy number changes from DNA sequencing of whole viral genomes. The method adjusts for viral load with 2D transformation and segmentation to offer the relative viral gene doses. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The ELViS R package is available from https://bioconductor.org/packages/ELViS. This article used controlled access data from dbGaP (phs001713.v1.p1).

Software↗

PubMed2026

Bergamottin, a bioactive component of bergamot: dual inhibition of Japanese encephalitis virus internalization and genome replication.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is associated with high mortality and severe neurological sequelae, and existing prevention and control strategies remain insufficient. Therefore, the development of novel antiviral agents is of critical public health importance. This study systematically evaluated the antiviral activity and underlying mechanism of bergamottin, a natural product. Bergamottin exhibited significant dose-dependent inhibitory effects against JEV in multiple cell lines, including BHK-21, HuH-7, and Vero cells, demonstrating potent antiviral efficacy. Mechanistic investigations revealed that bergamottin primarily targeted the internalization and replication stages of the JEV life cycle, thereby effectively suppressing viral proliferation. Additionally, adaptive mutation screening indicated that the D389G mutation in envelope protein E confers drug resistance by potentially changing E protein conformation or reducing endocytic efficiency. In vivo experiment, bergamottin significantly reduced viral loads in mouse brain tissue and effectively improved the survival rate of infected mice. Our findings indicated that bergamottin exerted antiviral activity by dual targeting of key steps in the viral life cycle, making it a highly promising candidate for anti-JEV therapy. Further exploration of the antiviral properties of bergamottin is expected to facilitate its clinical development as a treatment for JEV infection.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Intracellular interactions shape antiviral resistance outcomes in poliovirus via eco-evolutionary feedback.

Antiviral resistance evolution poses a major obstacle for controlling viral infections. A promising strategy is to target shared viral proteins that allow drug susceptible viruses to sensitize resistant ones during cellular coinfection, muting selection for resistance. Pocapavir, a poliovirus capsid inhibitor, employs this sociovirological strategy. While susceptible viruses significantly suppressed resistance in the presence of pocapavir in cell culture, a pocapavir clinical trial observed widespread resistance evolution and limited improvements to clearance times. To reconcile these findings, we present an intra-host eco-evolutionary model of poliovirus in the presence of pocapavir, which reproduces both the potent interference observed in vitro and the resistance emergence seen in patients. In the short term, our model predicts that a high density of susceptible viruses sensitizes resistant ones to pocapavir, mirroring cell culture results. However, over multiple replication cycles, pocapavir's high potency collapses viral density, which reduces coinfection and allows resistance to evolve as observed in the clinical trial. Since coinfection is essential to suppress resistance, enabling greater survival of susceptible viruses could offer therapeutic advantages. Counterintuitively, we demonstrate that this can be achieved by lessening antiviral potency, which can limit resistance evolution while also maintaining a low viral load. These findings suggest that antivirals that rely on viral intracellular interaction must balance immediate neutralization with the preservation of future coinfection, yielding more sustained inhibition. Explicitly considering the eco-evolutionary feedback encompassing viral density, shared phenotypes and absolute fitness not only provides new insights into designing effective therapies but also illuminates viral evolutionary dynamics more broadly.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2025

Effect of extracellular vesicles in remodeling the tumor microenvironment by DNMT1 downregulation for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of immunotherapy is often hindered by the suppression of immune responses via the tumor microenvironment (TME). The presence of cancer cells forces other proximal non-cancerous cells to support tumor growth and persistence. A clear example of this cancerous-to-non-cancerous communication is represented by the accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) within the TME. Several studies have convergently shown that the overexpression of DNA-methyl-transferase-1 (DNMT1) in these cells results in protection from necroptosis and enhanced accumulation in vivo. Conversely, targeting DNMT1 through hypo-methylating agents has shown promising therapeutic potential by not only reducing the levels of MDSCs but also enhancing cancer immunogenicity and the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). METHODS: Murine 4T1 (triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)) and CT26 (colon carcinoma) cell lines were cultured under standard conditions and used to generate tumor models in BALB/c mice. An oncolytic adenovirus expressing a DNMT1-targeting short hairpin RNA (OAd.shDNMT1) was engineered and validated for DNMT1 knockdown and genome-wide methylation reduction. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) were isolated from virus-infected cancer cells and characterized for RNA content and uptake by MDSCs. MDSC differentiation and suppressive function were assessed in vitro using flow cytometry and co-culture assays with murine splenocytes. In vivo, tumor-bearing mice received intratumoral OAd.shDNMT1, systemic decitabine, or immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-Programmed cell Death protein-1), and tumor growth, immune infiltration, and systemic MDSC levels were evaluated. RESULTS: In this study, we report that, by using virally infected TNBC murine cells as a source for shDNMT1-loaded sEVs, OAd.shDNMT1 successfully reduced MDSC levels in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the co-administration with ICI resulted in a significant tumor growth reduction in mice bearing poorly immunogenic TNBC 4T1 cells. Also, our treatment promoted antitumor immunity, prolonged survival, and complete tumor eradication in modestly immunogenic colon CT26 cancer cells. CONCLUSION: This multifaceted strategy, based on OV-mediated immune stimulation and reduction of MDSC levels via sEVs, may improve clinical outcomes and the success of immuno-based regimens for patients facing MDSC-rich and highly aggressive cancer subtypes.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiling Identifies a Core Gene-Metabolite Axis Driving African Swine Fever Virus Replication in the Soft Tick Ornithodoros lahorensis.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes an incurable swine disease with nearly 100% mortality, posing a catastrophic threat to global pig production. The soft tick Ornithodoros lahorensis acts as a critical biological vector that sustains persistent ASFV replication and mediates long-distance viral transmission, yet the molecular mechanisms governing ASFV-tick interplay remain poorly understood. Here, we integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics to systematically dissect molecular changes in O. lahorensis across three infection stages: Uninfected control, early infection (7 days post-infection, dpi), and late persistent infection (21 dpi). Multi-omics integration revealed that ASFV extensively remodels tick host metabolism, predominantly activating purine/pyrimidine metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, and energy metabolism. We further characterized a conserved regulatory module consisting of 12 core genes and 8 signature metabolites that collectively support ASFV genome replication and virion assembly. Three hub metabolic genes (TK1, ATP5F1B, and IMPDH) were selected for functional validation via siRNA silencing in ticks; individual gene silencing suppressed ASFV loads by 89.2%, 91.5%, and 87.8%, respectively (p < 0.001***). This work represents the first comprehensive multi-omics investigation of ASFV infection in O. lahorensis. We identified tick-specific molecular targets to block vector-mediated ASFV spread and established a standardized multi-omics analytical pipeline for tick-virus interaction research. Our findings elucidate the mechanistic basis of long-term ASFV persistence in soft ticks and deliver novel actionable clues for developing vector-targeted ASF intervention strategies.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Complement receptor type 2 mediates infection of the human CD4-negative Raji B-cell line with opsonized HIV.

Opsonization of the HTLV-RF and HTLV-IIIB strains of HIV-1 with normal human HIV seronegative serum under conditions that allow complement activation resulted in the productive infection of cells of the Raji B lymphoblastoid cell line. Under the same experimental conditions, no infection of Raji cells was observed with unopsonized virus. Infection of Raji cells with complement-opsonized HIV-1 was totally suppressed by preblocking the function of CR2 (the C3dg receptor, CD21) on the cells with a monoclonal anti-CR2 antibody cross-linked with rabbit F(ab')2 anti-mouse immunoglobulin antibodies. Infection of Raji cells occurred independently of CD4 since the cells lacked the expression of CD4 antigen and of CD4 transcripts. Thus, Raji cells may be infected with complement-opsonized HIV independently of CD4 and in the absence of antibodies. By mediating and/or enhancing HIV infection, complement and complement receptors contribute to extend the range of target cells to the virus and may increase infection in patients with a low viral load.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2023

Autologous neutralizing antibodies increase with early antiretroviral therapy and shape HIV rebound after treatment interruption.

Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) alters viral rebound kinetics after analytic treatment interruption (ATI) and may play a role in promoting HIV-1 remission. Autologous neutralizing antibodies (aNAbs) represent a key adaptive immune response in people living with HIV-1. We aimed to investigate the role of aNAbs in shaping post-ATI HIV-1 rebound variants. We performed single-genome amplification of HIV-1 env from pre-ART and post-ATI plasma samples of 12 individuals who initiated ART early after infection. aNAb activity was quantified using pseudoviruses derived from the most common plasma variant, and the serum dilution that inhibited 50% of viral infections was determined. aNAb responses matured while participants were on suppressive ART, because on-ART plasma and purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) demonstrated improved neutralizing activity against pre-ART HIV-1 strains when compared with pre-ART plasma or purified IgG. Post-ATI aNAb responses exerted selective pressure on the rebounding viruses, because the post-ATI HIV-1 strains were more resistant to post-ATI plasma neutralization compared with the pre-ART virus. Several pre-ATI features distinguished post-treatment controllers from noncontrollers, including an infecting HIV-1 sequence that was more similar to consensus HIV-1 subtype B, more restricted proviral diversity, and a stronger aNAb response. Post-treatment control was also associated with the evolution of distinct N-glycosylation profiles in the HIV-1 envelope. In summary, aNAb responses appeared to mature after early initiation of ART and applied selective pressure on rebounding viruses. The combination of aNAb activity with select HIV-1 sequence and reservoir features identified individuals with a greater chance of post-treatment control.

Humans↗

PubMed2022

Sex Differences in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Persistence and Reservoir Size During Aging.

BACKGROUND: Sex differences in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoir dynamics remain underexplored. METHODS: Longitudinal samples from virally suppressed midlife women (n = 59, median age 45 years) and age-matched men (n = 31) were analyzed retrospectively. At each time point, we measured sex hormones (by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and cellular HIV DNA and RNA (by means of digital droplet polymerase chain reaction). Number of inducible HIV RNA+ cells, which provides an upper estimate of the replication-competent reservoir, was quantified longitudinally in a different subset of 14 women, across well-defined reproductive stages. Mixed-effects models included normalized reservoir outcomes and sex, time since antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, and the sex-by-time interaction as predictors. RESULTS: At ART initiation, women and men had median (interquartile range [IQR]) CD4+ T-cell counts of 204/μL (83-306/μL) versus 238/μL (120-284/μL), respectively; median ages of 45 (42-48) versus 47 (43-51) years; and median follow-up times of 79.2/μL (60.5-121.1/μL) versus 66.2/μL (43.2-80.6/μL) months. We observed a significant decline of total HIV DNA over time in both men and women (P < .01). However, the rates of change differed significantly between the sexes (P < .01), with women having a significantly slower rate of decline than men, more pronounced with age. By contrast, the levels of inducible HIV RNA increased incrementally over time in women during reproductive aging (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to men, in whom the HIV reservoir steadily declines with aging, the HIV reservoir in women is more dynamic. Total HIV DNA (including intact and defective genomes) declines more slowly in women than in men, while the inducible HIV RNA+ reservoir, which is highly enriched in replication-competent virus, increases in women after menopause.

Aging↗