immunosuppression and infection

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a common cause of graft failure after pig-to-nonhuman primate organ transplantation, even when the graft is from a pig with multiple genetic modifications. The specific factors that initiate AMR are often uncertain. We report two cases of pig kidney transplantation into immunosuppressed baboons in which we identify novel factors associated with the initiation of AMR. In the first, membranous nephropathy was the initiating factor that was then associated with the apparent loss of the therapeutic anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody in the urine when severe proteinuria was present...

Background: The mechanisms underlying the increased mortality of secondary infections during the immunosuppressive phase of sepsis remain elusive. Objectives: We sought to investigate the role of Siglec-F+ neutrophils on splenic T lymphocytes in the immunosuppressed phase of sepsis and on secondary infection in PICS mice, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: We established a mouse model of sepsis-induced immunosuppression followed by secondary infection with LPS or E. coli. The main manifestation of immunosuppression is the functional exhaustion of splenic T lymphocytes...

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is commonly associated with immunosuppression and can cause irreversible vision loss. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has emerged as an effective cancer treatment option but requires immunosuppression, thereby increasing the possibility of acquiring opportunistic infections such as CMV. We present the case of a 76-year-old female with a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus who initially presented with shortness of breath and was diagnosed with the activated B-cell subset of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)...

BACKGROUND: Leprosy and tuberculosis are two of the oldest and most common mycobacterial infections, caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacteium lepramatosis for leprosy and Mycobacterium tuberculosis for tuberculosis. Dual infections have been known since ancient times; however, cases remain rarely reported in the literature, even in countries where both diseases are endemic, such as Madagascar. PURPOSE: We report a case series of simultaneous occurrence of leprosy and tuberculosis...

SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein ( N ) is a viral structural protein that packages the 30kb genomic RNA inside virions and forms condensates within infected cells through liquid-liquid phase separation ( LLPS ). N, in both soluble and condensed forms, has accessory roles in the viral life cycle including genome replication and immunosuppression. The ability to perform these tasks depends on phase separation and its reversibility. The conditions that stabilize and destabilize N condensates and the role of N-N interactions are poorly understood...

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune optic neuritis (ON) has improved with the accessibility and reliability of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody testing, yet autoantibody-negative ON remains common. This study describes the demographic, clinical, and outcome data in patients with isolated ON across the pediatric and adult cohort. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of University of Utah Health patients with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code of ICD-9 377...

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) can induce immune-related adverse events (irAEs) whose management is based on expert opinion and may require the prescription of steroids and/or immunosuppressants (ISs). Recent data suggest that these treatments can reduce the effectiveness of ICBs. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the use of steroids and/or ISs and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) among ICB-treated patients with an irAE...

Tuberculosis-affected lungs with chronic inflammation harbor abundant immunosuppressive immune cells but the nature of such inflammation is unclear. Dysfunction in T cell exhaustion, while implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases, remains unexplored in tuberculosis. Given that immunotherapy targeting exhaustion checkpoints exacerbates tuberculosis, we speculate that T cell exhaustion is dysfunctional in tuberculosis. Using integrated single-cell RNA sequencing and T cell receptor profiling we reported defects in exhaustion responses within inflamed tuberculosis-affected lungs...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease characterised by the presence of autoantibodies towards nuclear antigens, immune complex deposition, and chronic inflammation at classic target organs such as skin, joints, and kidneys. Despite substantial advances in the diagnosis and management of SLE, the burden of disease remains high. It is important to appreciate the typical presentations and the diagnostic process to facilitate early referral and diagnosis for patients. In most patients, constitutional, mucocutaneous, and musculoskeletal symptoms represent the earliest complaints; these symptoms can include fatigue, lupus-specific rash, mouth ulcers, alopecia, joint pain, and myalgia...

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is an infectious disease with a risk of reactivation in Multiple Sclerosis patients on immunosuppressant therapy. Diagnosis and treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) prevents the infection. OBJECTIVE: To diagnose and treat LTBI in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Cross-sectional study of the prevalence and treatment of LTBI in MS, between February 2021 and June 2023. LTBI was defined as an absence of symptoms, positive PPD or IGRA and normal chest X-ray...

BACKGROUND: The periparturient period in dairy cows is marked by immunosuppression which increases the likelihood of infectious disorders, particularly also mastitis. An in-depth understanding of peripartum leukocyte biology is vital for the implementation of highly successful post-partum disease prevention measures. Immune checkpoint molecules, such as programmed death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), are critical inhibitory receptors expressed on immune cells, particularly T cells, that drive immunosuppressive signaling pathways...

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a critical therapy for haematological malignancy but may lead to acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GvHD). T-cell depletion with alemtuzumab, either in vivo or ex vivo, reduces the incidence of GvHD but is a risk factor for disease relapse and poor immune reconstitution. Natural killer (NK) cells are the first lymphocytes to recover. Classical NK cells make up >90% of the normal circulating population and can directly kill neoplastic or virally infected cells while the regulatory subset makes up <10%, secretes cytokines and is not cytotoxic...

Alphaherpesvirus pseudorabies virus (PRV) causes severe economic losses to the global pig industry and has garnered increasing attention due to its broad host range including humans. PRV has developed a variety of strategies to antagonize host antiviral innate immunity. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In our previous work, we demonstrated that non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NMHC-IIA), a multifunctional cytoskeleton protein, attenuates innate immune responses triggered by RNA viruses...

UNLABELLED: Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute and fatal immunosuppressive disease caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). As an obligate intracellular parasite, IBDV infection is strictly regulated by host factors. Knowledge on the antiviral activity and possible mechanism of host factors might provide the theoretical basis for the prevention and control of IBD. In this study, RNA-sequencing results indicated that many host factors were induced by IBDV infection, among which the expression levels of OASL (2´,5´-oligadenylate synthetase-like protein) was significantly upregulated...

BACKGROUND: Knowing whether shift work negatively affects the immune system's response to COVID-19 vaccinations could be valuable for planning future vaccination campaigns for healthcare workers. We aimed to determine the impact of working late or night shifts on serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunoglobulin G (anti-S) antibody levels after primary SARS-CoV-2-mRNA vaccination. METHODS: To obtain detailed information on shift work, we sent a separate online questionnaire to 1475 eligible healthcare workers who participated in a prospective longitudinal study conducted in 15 healthcare institutions in Switzerland...

Marek's disease virus (MDV) infection causes immunosuppression in the host, ultimately inducing tumor formation and causing significant economic losses to the poultry industry. While the abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is closely associated with the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the relationship between MDV and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway remains unclear. In this study, we found that the MDV RB1B strain, but not the MDV vaccine strain CVI988, activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by increasing the phosphorylation level of GSK-3β in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF)...

Keratoacanthoma (KA) is a common, low-grade, rapidly growing cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma that presents as an enlarging crateriform nodule, which may spontaneously involute but rarely metastasizes. Immunosuppression, ultraviolet light, viral infection, surgical procedures, and trauma are associated with their development. Overall, tattoo-induced squamous cell neoplasms are infrequently described in the literature. Carcinogenesis is hypothesized to result from trauma caused by the tattooing procedure or a foreign body reaction to the pigment...

Disorders in the regulatory arm of the adaptive immune system result in autoimmune-mediated diseases. While systemic immunosuppression is the prevailing approach to manage them, it fails to achieve long-lasting remission due to concomitant suppression of the regulatory arm and carries the risk of heightened susceptibility to infections and malignancies. Alopecia Areata is a condition characterized by localized hair loss due to autoimmunity. The accessibility of the skin provides an opportunity for local rather than systemic intervention to avoid broad immunosuppression...

BACKGROUND: Patients with a history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who are receiving immunosuppressive therapy are at risk of HBV reactivation and disease. Therefore, HBV screening is required prior to administering antirheumatic drugs with immunosuppressive effects. This study aimed to determine the status of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb), and hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) screening prior to the initiation of drug therapy, including new antirheumatic drugs, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis...

Patients with autoimmune bullous diseases are at an increased risk of infection, both from the underlying skin disease and from immunosuppressive treatments. Limited information is available on vaccine beliefs and behaviors in dermatology patients and adults with autoimmune bullous diseases in particular. To understand vaccine decision making, identify perceived risks and benefits of vaccinations, and discuss individual experiences in patients with autoimmune bullous diseases in the United States. A qualitative study was performed utilizing semi-structured interviews, and analysis was conducted on NVivo...