Adenovirus 36 Infection in People Living with HIV-An Epidemiological Study of Seroprevalence and Associations with Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Pharmacomicrobiomics and Drug-Infection Interactions: The Impact of Commensal, Symbiotic and Pathogenic Microorganisms on a Host Response to Drug Therapy

Microorganisms have a close relationship with humans, whether it is commensal, symbiotic, or pathogenic. Recently, it has been documented that microorganisms may influence the response to drug therapy. Pharmacomicrobiomics is an emerging field that focuses on the study of how variations in the microbiome affect the disposition, action, and toxicity of drugs. Two additional sciences have been added to complement pharmacomicrobiomics, namely toxicomicrobiomics, which explores how the microbiome influences drug metabolism and toxicity, and pharmacoecology, which refers to modifications in the microbiome as a result of drug administration. In this context, we introduce the concept of "drug-infection interaction" to describe the influence of pathogenic microorganisms on drug response. This review analyzes the current state of knowledge regarding the relevance of microorganisms in the host's response to drugs. It also highlights promising areas for future research and proposes the term "drug-infection interaction" as an extension of pharmacomicrobiomics.

Evolving Horizons: Adenovirus Vectors' Timeless Influence on Cancer, Gene Therapy and Vaccines

Efficient and targeted delivery of a DNA payload is vital for developing safe gene therapy. Owing to the recent success of commercial oncolytic vector and multiple COVID-19 vaccines, adenovirus vectors are back in the spotlight. Adenovirus vectors can be used in gene therapy by altering the wild-type virus and making it replication-defective; specific viral genes can be removed and replaced with a segment that holds a therapeutic gene, and this vector can be used as delivery vehicle for tissue specific gene delivery. Modified conditionally replicative-oncolytic adenoviruses target tumors exclusively and have been studied in clinical trials extensively. This comprehensive review seeks to offer a summary of adenovirus vectors, exploring their characteristics, genetic enhancements, and diverse applications in clinical and preclinical settings. A significant emphasis is placed on their crucial role in advancing cancer therapy and the latest breakthroughs in vaccine clinical trials for various diseases. Additionally, we tackle current challenges and future avenues for optimizing adenovirus vectors, promising to open new frontiers in the fields of cell and gene therapies.

Effect of Human Adenovirus 36 on Response to Metformin Monotherapy in Obese Mexican Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study

Human adenovirus 36 (HAdV-36) has been associated with obesity and changes in glucose and lipid metabolism. The virus has been reported to increase insulin sensitivity and paradoxically promote weight gain. Because of its effects on metabolism, infection with the virus could alter the response to several drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes (DM2), such as metformin. The aim of this study was to test whether HAdV-36 affects the response to metformin in a group of obese patients with DM2.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study, 103 obese patients with newly diagnosed DM2 were divided into two groups based on their HAdV-36 seropositivity (+HAdV-36 and -HAdV-36). Weight, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index, body fat percentage, and waist and hip circumference were measured and compared in both groups at baseline and after 45 days of metformin treatment.

RESULTS

Only glucose was significantly lower in the +HAdV-36 group at baseline, while all other variables were similar between the two study groups. After 45 days of follow-up, it was observed that the effect of metformin did not differ between the groups, but the variables improved significantly after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we did not find that HAdV-36 had an effect on the response to metformin in obese patients with DM2.