Jewel Beetle Opsin Duplication and Divergence Is the Mechanism for Diverse Spectral Sensitivities

The evolutionary history of visual genes in Coleoptera differs from other well-studied insect orders, such as Lepidoptera and Diptera, as beetles have lost the widely conserved short-wavelength (SW) insect opsin gene that typically underpins sensitivity to blue light (∼440 nm). Duplications of the ancestral ultraviolet (UV) and long-wavelength (LW) opsins have occurred in many beetle lineages and have been proposed as an evolutionary route for expanded spectral sensitivity. The jewel beetles (Buprestidae) are a highly ecologically diverse and colorful family of beetles that use color cues for mate and host detection. In addition, there is evidence that buprestids have complex spectral sensitivity with up to five photoreceptor classes. Previous work suggested that opsin duplication and subfunctionalization of the two ancestral buprestid opsins, UV and LW, has expanded sensitivity to different regions of the light spectrum, but this has not yet been tested. We show that both duplications are likely unique to Buprestidae or the wider superfamily of Buprestoidea. To directly test photopigment sensitivity, we expressed buprestid opsins from two Chrysochroa species in Drosophila melanogaster and functionally characterized each photopigment type as UV- (356-357 nm), blue- (431-442 nm), green- (507-509 nm), and orange-sensitive (572-584 nm). As these novel opsin duplicates result in significantly shifted spectral sensitivities from the ancestral copies, we explored spectral tuning at four candidate sites using site-directed mutagenesis. This is the first study to directly test opsin spectral tuning mechanisms in the diverse and specious beetles.

Supernatant Fluid from Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Rapid Next-Generation Sequencing

Introduction/Objective

The aims of our study were to optimize the workflow of non-small cell carcinoma (NSCC) endobronchial ultrasound-guided bronchoscopy with transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) samples to maximize tissue available for next-generation sequencing (NGS), preserve formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cell blocks (CBs) for future testing, and shorten turnaround time (TAT) of NGS results. We evaluated the performance of supernatant fluid (SNF) processed from a dedicated aspirate for NGS testing.

Methods/Case Report

20 EBUS-TBNA samples positive for NSCC on rapid on-site evaluation were collected and processed using a new workflow (Figure 1). Five aspirates were collected in formalin. One additional dedicated pass was collected fresh and centrifuged. The resulting cell pellet was added to the passes in formalin for FFPE CB processing. The SNF was recentrifuged. DNA and RNA were extracted from concentrated SNF for targeted testing using the Oncomine™ Precision Assay (Thermo Scientific™, Waltham, MA). NGS results from the corresponding FFPE CBs were used as “controls” for comparison.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

A total of 31 mutations were detected in SNF (Table 1). The most frequently mutated genes were TP53 (35%), EGFR (23%), KRAS (13%), CTNNB1 (6%), and ERBB2 (6%). EGFR and KRAS amplification, CDKN2A deletion, and SQSTM1-NTRK3 fusion alteration were also detected. There was 100% concordance between the mutations detected in SNF and corresponding FFPE CBs with comparable variant allele frequencies. TAT of NGS results was 1 day for SNF compared to 4 – 10 days for FFPE CB.

Conclusion

In our study, we were able to demonstrate the usefulness of NGS on SNF to provide reliable, rapid molecular results. This testing strategy was successfully incorporated into the workflow for tissue handling and processing between our clinical, cytopathology, and molecular teams. Molecular results were available at the same time as the cytologic diagnosis, allowing for timely reporting of a comprehensive diagnosis. This approach is particularly useful in patients with advanced disease requiring urgent management.

AB1119 GLUCOCORTICOIDS’ TREATMENT IMPAIRS THE MEDIUM-TERM IMMUNOGENIC RESPONSE TO SARS-CoV-2 mRNA VACCINES IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PATIENTS

Background

Patients with rheumatic diseases are at an increased risk for community infections (1,2). There still exists lack of data regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccines’ efficacy in vulnerable collectives with a compromised immune system, either due to a chronic pathology or to therapies targeting an autoimmune disease (3).

Objectives

To evaluate neutralizing antibodies (nAB) to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine after 3 to 5 months from administration in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients, as a surrogate of sustained-immunological response.

Methods

This cross-sectional study compared nAB titre of 39 SLE patients and 37 Healthy individuals with no previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, who had all received two doses of a mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine within the last 3 to 6 months. SLE patients included 10 Not-treated subjects, 10 patients with Hydroxychloroquine (First-Line), 10 subjects with immunosuppressive drugs (Second-Line) and 9 patients under biological treatment (Third-Line). Glucocorticoids were permitted in all patient groups. Neutralization assay were used to determine nAB titre according previously validated protocol (4).

Results

Neutralizing antibody titres were assessed for a total of 76 serum samples from 39 (51%) Lupus patients and 37 (49%) healthy Controls. Healthy individuals showed the highest levels of nAB (1638.0 titre median), which were like not treated SLE subjects (1361.5 titre median). Treated patients presented substantially lower nAB titres compared to Healthy subjects: a 73% decrease for First-Line patients (p-value = 0.0135), 56% for patients received a Second-Line treatment (p-value = 0.2218) and 72% for Third-Line treated patients (p-value = 0.0104). A multivariate analysis pointed to Glucocorticoids as the most associated factor with declining nAB levels (75% decrease, p-value = 0.0037), and the one explaining, to a large extent, the lower acquired response in treated SLE patients. Furthermore, a significant reduction in nAB titres was observed for patients treated with Rituximab compared to Healthy subjects (89% decrease, p-value= 0.0008) (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Neutralizing antibody (nAB) titre after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in Healthy individuals (Controls) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients under different therapy regimes. Estimations are derived from a linear model in which sex, age, time from vaccination, vaccine type and corticoids therapy were included as covariates for statistical control.

Conclusion

Medium-term response of SLE patients to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, as measured by the titre of nABs, may be compromised by Glucocorticoids and Rituximab users. This reduced response likely translates into a higher probability of COVID-19 infection These findings might help to inform recommendations in vaccination protocols for SLE patients.

References

[1]Strangfeld A, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021; 80(7):930-42.

[2]Kroon FPB, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021.

[3]Ostrov BE, et al. Immunol Invest. 2021;50(7):833-56.

[4]Trinité B, et al. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):2608.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Mouthwashes with CPC Reduce the Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 Variants In Vitro

Oral mouthwashes decrease the infectivity of several respiratory viruses including SARS-CoV-2. However, the precise agents with antiviral activity in these oral rinses and their exact mechanism of action remain unknown. Here we show that cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), a quaternary ammonium compound in many oral mouthwashes, reduces SARS-CoV-2 infectivity by inhibiting the viral fusion step with target cells after disrupting the integrity of the viral envelope. We also found that CPC-containing mouth rinses decreased more than a thousand times the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, while the corresponding vehicles had no effect. This activity was effective for different SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the B.1.1.7 or Alpha variant originally identified in United Kingdom, and in the presence of sterilized saliva. CPC-containing mouth rinses could therefore represent a cost-effective measure to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in saliva, aiding to reduce viral transmission from infected individuals regardless of the variants they are infected with.

The RNA content of human sperm reflects prior events in spermatogenesis and potential post-fertilization effects

Transcriptome analyses using high-throughput methodologies allow a deeper understanding of biological functions in different cell types/tissues. The present study provides an RNA-seq profiling of human sperm mRNAs and lncRNAs (messenger and long non-coding RNAs) in a well-characterized population of fertile individuals. Sperm RNA was extracted from twelve ejaculate samples under strict quality controls. Poly(A)-transcripts were sequenced and aligned to the human genome. mRNAs and lncRNAs were classified according to their mean expression values (FPKM: Fragments Per Kilobase of transcript per Million mapped reads) and integrity. Gene Ontology analysis of the Expressed and Highly Expressed mRNAs showed an involvement in diverse reproduction processes, while the Ubiquitously Expressed and Highly Stable mRNAs were mainly involved in spermatogenesis. Transcription factor enrichment analyses revealed that the Highly Expressed and Ubiquitously Expressed sperm mRNAs were primarily regulated by zinc-fingers and spermatogenesis-related proteins. Regarding the Expressed lncRNAs, only one-third of their potential targets corresponded to Expressed mRNAs and were enriched in cell-cycle regulation processes. The remaining two-thirds were absent in sperm and were enriched in embryogenesis-related processes. A significant amount of post-testicular sperm mRNAs and lncRNAs was also detected. Even though our study is solely directed to the poly-A fraction of sperm transcripts, results indicate that both sperm mRNAs and lncRNAs constitute a footprint of previous spermatogenesis events and are configured to affect the first stages of embryo development.

Guidelines for enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery. Consensus document of Spanish Societies of Anesthesia (SEDAR), Cardiovascular Surgery (SECCE) and Perfusionists (AEP)

The ERAS guidelines are intended to identify, disseminate and promote the implementation of the best, scientific evidence-based actions to decrease variability in clinical practice. The implementation of these practices in the global clinical process will promote better outcomes and the shortening of hospital and critical care unit stays, thereby resulting in a reduction in costs and in greater efficiency. After completing a systematic review at each of the points of the perioperative process in cardiac surgery, recommendations have been developed based on the best scientific evidence currently available with the consensus of the scientific societies involved.

Fluorine Labeling of Nanoparticles and In Vivo 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Fluorinated nanoparticles have increasing applications, but they are still challenging to prepare, especially in the case of water-soluble fluorinated nanoparticles. Herein, a fluorine labeling strategy is presented that is based on the conjugation of custom-made small fluorinated building blocks, obtained by simple synthetic transformations, with carboxylated gold nanoparticles through a convenient phase-transfer process. The synthesis of four fluorinated building blocks with different chemical shifts in ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance and varied functionalities is reported, along with their conjugation onto nanoparticles. Fluorinated nanoparticles of small core size obtained by this conjugation methodology and by direct synthesis presented high transverse relaxation times (T₂) ranging from 518 to 1030 ms, and a large number of equivalent fluorine atoms per nanoparticle (340-1260 fluorine atoms), which made them potential candidates for ¹⁹F magnetic resonance related applications. Finally, nontargeted fluorinated nanoparticles were probed by performing in vivo ¹⁹F magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹⁹F MRS) in mice. Nanoparticles were detected at both 1 and 2 h after being injected. ¹⁹F MRI images were also acquired after either intravenous or subcutaneous injection. Their fate was studied by analyzing the gold content in tissues by ICP-MS. Thus, the present work provides a general fluorination strategy for nanoparticles and shows the potential use of small fluorinated nanoparticles in magnetic-resonance-related applications.

Hydro-climatic changes of wetlandscapes across the world

Assessments of ecosystem service and function losses of wetlandscapes (i.e., wetlands and their hydrological catchments) suffer from knowledge gaps regarding impacts of ongoing hydro-climatic change. This study investigates hydro-climatic changes during 1976-2015 in 25 wetlandscapes distributed across the world's tropical, arid, temperate and cold climate zones. Results show that the wetlandscapes were subject to precipitation (P) and temperature (T) changes consistent with mean changes over the world's land area. However, arid and cold wetlandscapes experienced higher T increases than their respective climate zone. Also, average P decreased in arid and cold wetlandscapes, contrarily to P of arid and cold climate zones, suggesting that these wetlandscapes are located in regions of elevated climate pressures. For most wetlandscapes with available runoff (R) data, the decreases were larger in R than in P, which was attributed to aggravation of climate change impacts by enhanced evapotranspiration losses, e.g. caused by land-use changes.

Prevalence and serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in dairy cattle from Northern Portugal

The prevalence of Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) was determined by evaluating its presence in faecal samples from 155 heifers, and 254 dairy cows in 21 farms at North of Portugal sampled between December 2017 and June 2019. The prevalence of STEC in heifers (45%) was significantly higher than in lactating cows (16%) (p<0.05, Fisher exact test statistic value is <0.00001). A total of 133 STEC were isolated, 24 (13.8%) carried Shiga-toxin 1 (stx1) genes, 69 (39.7%) carried Shiga-toxin 2 (stx2) genes, and 40 (23%) carried both stx1 and stx2. Intimin (eae) virulence gene was detected in 29 (21.8%) of the isolates. STEC isolates belonged to 72 different O:H serotypes, comprising 40 O serogroups and 23 H types. The most frequent serotypes were O29:H12 (15%) and O113:H21 (5.2%), found in a large number of farms. Two isolates belonged to the highly virulent serotypes associated with human disease O157:H7 and O26:H11. Many other bovine STEC serotypes founded in this work belonged to serotypes previously described as pathogenic to humans. Thus, this study highlights the need for control strategies that can reduce STEC prevalence at the farm level and, thus, prevent food and environmental contamination.

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) in the Madrid region of Spain are carriers of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli and enteropathogenic E. coli

The role of wildlife in the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance is unclear. Raccoons in North America can carry a variety of enteric bacteria, with associated antimicrobial resistance, that could infect humans and livestock. The potential for raccoons to carry these bacteria in Europe, where they are an invasive species, has not been explored. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of Escherichia coli with associated antimicrobial resistance in raccoons from the Madrid region of Spain and to determine whether they are carriers of potential human pathogens, including verotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). In total, we tested 237 E. coli isolates from the faeces of 83 euthanized raccoons for susceptibility to 14 antimicrobial agents and the presence of VTEC and EPEC. Antimicrobial resistance to at least one antimicrobial was detected in the faeces of 51% (42/83; 95% CI, 40.1-61.1) of the raccoons tested. A high percentage of raccoons carried, in their faeces, E. coli isolates resistant to ampicillin (33%), streptomycin (33%), tetracycline (30%), sulphafurazole (31%) and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (23%). We detected one isolate of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli from the faeces of one raccoon. We detected VTEC in the faeces of one raccoon, and EPEC in the faeces of 12% (10/83) of the raccoons. Of the raccoons that carried EPEC in their faeces, 60% (6/10) carried EPEC isolates that exhibited characteristics associated with pathogenicity in humans. Raccoons in Madrid can carry pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli in their faeces and may be a risk to public health because of their potential to contaminate food and the environment with their faeces.

Clones of enterotoxigenic and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli implicated in swine enteric colibacillosis in Spain and rates of antibiotic resistance

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) are the main agents of swine colibacillosis, an infectious disease which implies important economic losses. We characterized here 186 diarrheagenic E. coli from Spanish industrial pig farms (2005-2017) to know which clones were involved in this syndrome, and the rates of antibiotic resistance. The PCR based on pathotype-associated virulence genes determined that 161 of 186 isolates (86.5 %) exhibited the ETEC pathotype, 10 (5.4 %) the STEC pathotype, and 15 (8.1 %) the hybrid ETEC/STEC pathotype. The majority of the isolates showed phylogroup A (85.5 %), clonotype CH11-24 (72 %) and belonged to the clonal complex (CC) 10, including two ETEC clones accounting for around 50 % of the 186 isolates: O157:HNM-A-ST10 (CH11-24), which exhibited mostly the fimbrial antigen F4ac; and O108:HNM-A-ST10 (CH11-24), which exhibited mainly F18. Other associations were O139:H1-E-ST1 (CH2-54) with the STEC pathotype, and both O141:H4-A-CC10 (CH11-24) and O138:HNM-E-ST42 (CH28-41) with ETEC/STEC. We found that 87.1 % of the isolates were multidrug-resistant, including 9% ESBL-producers, with the highest rates to nalidixic acid (82 %), colistin (77 %), ticarcillin (76 %) and ampicillin (76 %). Besides, more than 50 % of isolates showed non-susceptibility to gentamicin, tobramycin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sufamethoxazole and chloramphenicol. Additionally, 11 out of 17 ESBL-producing isolates were mcr-carriers. Results suggest that O108:HNM-A-ST10 (CH11-24) F18 is an emerging clone taking space left by other classical serogroups. Further follow-up studies on predominant clones in pig colibacillosis are essential for the update of vaccines, as alternative to the use of antibiotics.

Molecular Characteristics of Extraintestinal Pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), and Multidrug Resistant E. coli Isolated from Healthy Dogs in Spain. Whole Genome Sequencing of Canine ST372 Isolates and Comparison with Human Isolates Causing Extraintestinal Infections

Under a one health perspective and the worldwide antimicrobial resistance concern, we investigated extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC), uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), and multidrug resistant (MDR) E. coli from 197 isolates recovered from healthy dogs in Spain between 2013 and 2017. A total of 91 (46.2%) isolates were molecularly classified as ExPEC and/or UPEC, including 50 clones, among which (i) four clones were dominant (B2-CH14-180-ST127, B2-CH52-14-ST141, B2-CH103-9-ST372 and F-CH4-58-ST648) and (ii) 15 had been identified among isolates causing extraintestinal infections in Spanish and French humans in 2015 and 2016. A total of 28 (14.2%) isolates were classified as MDR, associated with B1, D, and E phylogroups, and included 24 clones, of which eight had also been identified among the human clinical isolates. We selected 23 ST372 strains, 21 from healthy dogs, and two from human clinical isolates for whole genome sequencing and built an SNP-tree with these 23 genomes and 174 genomes (128 from canine strains and 46 from human strains) obtained from public databases. These 197 genomes were segregated into six clusters. Cluster 1 comprised 74.6% of the strain genomes, mostly composed of canine strain genomes (p < 0.00001). Clusters 4 and 6 also included canine strain genomes, while clusters 2, 3, and 5 were significantly associated with human strain genomes. Finding several common clones and clone-related serotypes in dogs and humans suggests a potentially bidirectional clone transfer that argues for the one health perspective.

The spectral sensitivity of Drosophila photoreceptors

Drosophila melanogaster has long been a popular model insect species, due in large part to the availability of genetic tools and is fast becoming the model for insect colour vision. Key to understanding colour reception in Drosophila is in-depth knowledge of spectral inputs and downstream neural processing. While recent studies have sparked renewed interest in colour processing in Drosophila, photoreceptor spectral sensitivity measurements have yet to be carried out in vivo. We have fully characterised the spectral input to the motion and colour vision pathways, and directly measured the effects of spectral modulating factors, screening pigment density and carotenoid-based ocular pigments. All receptor sensitivities had significant shifts in spectral sensitivity compared to previous measurements. Notably, the spectral range of the Rh6 visual pigment is substantially broadened and its peak sensitivity is shifted by 92 nm from 508 to 600 nm. We show that this deviation can be explained by transmission of long wavelengths through the red screening pigment and by the presence of the blue-absorbing filter in the R7y receptors. Further, we tested direct interactions between inner and outer photoreceptors using selective recovery of activity in photoreceptor pairs.

Neoantigen prediction and computational perspectives towards clinical benefit: recommendations from the ESMO Precision Medicine Working Group

BACKGROUND

The use of next-generation sequencing technologies has enabled the rapid identification of non-synonymous somatic mutations in cancer cells. Neoantigens are mutated peptides derived from somatic mutations not present in normal tissues that may result in the presentation of tumour-specific peptides capable of eliciting antitumour T-cell responses. Personalised neoantigen-based cancer vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapies have been shown to prime host immunity against tumour cells and are under clinical trial development. However, the optimisation and standardisation of neoantigen identification, as well as its delivery as immunotherapy are needed to increase tumour-specific T-cell responses and, thus, the clinical efficacy of current cancer immunotherapies.

METHODS

In this recommendation article, launched by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), we outline and discuss the available framework for neoantigen prediction and present a systematic review of the current scientific evidence.

RESULTS

A number of computational pipelines for neoantigen prediction are available. Most of them provide peptide major histocompatibility complex (MHC) binding affinity predictions, but more recent approaches incorporate additional features like variant allele fraction, gene expression, and clonality of mutations. Neoantigens can be predicted in all cancer types with high and low tumour mutation burden, in part by exploiting tumour-specific aberrations derived from mutational frameshifts, splice variants, gene fusions, endogenous retroelements and other tumour-specific processes that could yield more potently immunogenic tumour neoantigens. Ongoing clinical trials will highlight those cancer types and combinations of immune therapies that would derive the most benefit from neoantigen-based immunotherapies.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved identification, selection and prioritisation of tumour-specific neoantigens are needed to increase the scope of benefit from cancer vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapies. Novel pipelines are being developed to resolve the challenges posed by high-throughput sequencing and to predict immunogenic neoantigens.

High diversity and variability of pipolins among a wide range of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains

Self-synthesizing transposons are integrative mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that encode their own B-family DNA polymerase (PolB). Discovered a few years ago, they are proposed as key players in the evolution of several groups of DNA viruses and virus–host interaction machinery. Pipolins are the most recent addition to the group, are integrated in the genomes of bacteria from diverse phyla and also present as circular plasmids in mitochondria. Remarkably, pipolins-encoded PolBs are proficient DNA polymerases endowed with DNA priming capacity, hence the name, primer-independent PolB (piPolB). We have now surveyed the presence of pipolins in a collection of 2,238 human and animal pathogenic Escherichia coli strains and found that, although detected in only 25 positive isolates (1.1%), they are present in E. coli strains from a wide variety of pathotypes, serotypes, phylogenetic groups and sequence types. Overall, the pangenome of strains carrying pipolins is highly diverse, despite the fact that a considerable number of strains belong to only three clonal complexes (CC10, CC23 and CC32). Comparative analysis with a set of 67 additional pipolin-harboring genomes from GenBank database spanning strains from diverse origin, further confirmed these results. The genetic structure of pipolins shows great flexibility and variability, with the piPolB gene and the attachment sites being the only common features. Most pipolins contain one or more recombinases that would be involved in excision/integration of the element in the same conserved tRNA gene. This mobilization mechanism might explain the apparent incompatibility of pipolins with other integrative MGEs such as integrons. In addition, analysis of cophylogeny between pipolins and pipolin-harboring strains showed a lack of congruence between several pipolins and their host strains, in agreement with horizontal transfer between hosts. Overall, these results indicate that pipolins can serve as a vehicle for genetic transfer among circulating E. coli and possibly also among other pathogenic bacteria.

Therapeutic targeting of intracellular Toll-like and interleukin-1/18 receptor (TIR) resistance domain containing proteins for protection against infection, inflammation and disease

TIR domain containing proteins are important immune associated proteins shared among Toll-like and interleukin-1/18 receptor family members. In a recent discovery select bacterial, plant and human TIR proteins exhibit enzymatic activity in binding and processing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Based on their abilities to facilitate signaling across biology, we hypothesize that TIR proteins represent unique therapeutic targets for modulating infection, inflammation and disease. Our previous structural studies of bacterial-host TIR proteins B. melitensis (TcpB) and uropathogenic E. coli CFT073 (TcpC) with human host TIRAP and MyD88 characterized peptides that negatively regulate signaling and infection. From these studies we identified interactions that are at or near reported biological TIR protein interfaces. In particular, we identified a functionally important motif found conserved on the C helix of most bacterial, human host and NAD+ consuming TIR proteins. As proof of concept for select targeting of TIR proteins and this region in particular we have used the TLR4 antagonist, TAK-242, which selectively binds within this motif. Treatment with TAK-242 or TLR4-C747S blocks LPS signaling. Additionally, TAK-242 protected mice from lethal influenza challenge similar to an extracellular TLR4 antagonist, Eritoran. Bioinformatic analysis of the region targeted by TAK242 show that it is located within the WxxxE structural motif identified to be important for protecting against microtubule destabilization and includes a catalytically essential glutamic acid (E) residue conserved among nearly all NAD+ consuming TIR proteins. These studies provide a framework for future studies targeting TIR protein function.

Genomic Characterization of Escherichia coli Isolates Belonging to a New Hybrid aEPEC/ExPEC Pathotype O153:H10-A-ST10 eae-beta1 Occurred in Meat, Poultry, Wildlife and Human Diarrheagenic Samples

Different surveillance studies (2005–2015) in northwest Spain revealed the presence of eae-positive isolates of Escherichia coli O153:H10 in meat for human consumption, poultry farm, wildlife and human diarrheagenic samples. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic and genomic relatedness between human and animal/meat isolates, as well as the mechanism of its persistence. We also wanted to know whether it was a geographically restricted lineage, or whether it was also reported elsewhere. Conventional typing showed that 32 isolates were O153:H10-A-ST10 fimH54, fimAv_MT78, traT and eae-beta1. Amongst these, 21 were CTX-M-32 or SHV-12 producers. The PFGE XbaI-macrorestriction comparison showed high similarity (>85%). The plasmidome analysis revealed a stable combination of IncF (F2:A-:B-), IncI1 (STunknown) and IncX1 plasmid types, together with non-conjugative Col-like plasmids. The core genome investigation based on the cgMLST scheme from EnteroBase proved close relatedness between isolates of human and animal origin. Our results demonstrate that a hybrid MDR aEPEC/ExPEC of the clonal group O153:H10-A-ST10 (CH11-54) is circulating in our region within different hosts, including wildlife. It seems implicated in human diarrhea via meat transmission, and in the spreading of ESBL genes (mainly of CTX-M-32 type). We found genomic evidence of a related hybrid aEPEC/ExPEC in at least one other country.

High Prevalence of ST131 Subclades C2-H30Rx and C1-M27 Among Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Causing Human Extraintestinal Infections in Patients From Two Hospitals of Spain and France During 2015

The present study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of sequence type 131 (ST131) among 188 extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) collected in 2015 in Lucus Augusti University hospital (Lugo, Spain) and AP-HP Beaujon hospital (Clichy, France) with regard to other STs and to characterize, the types of ESBL produced, serotypes, virulence factor (VF)-encoding genes and the ST131 clades and subclades. ST131 was detected in 33 (39.1%) and 46 (47.9%) of the isolates in Lucus Augusti and Beaujon, respectively. The 109 remaining isolates displayed 57 other STs, the following STs being displayed by at least three isolates: ST10 (8 isolates), ST23 (3), ST38 (4), ST58 (3), ST88 (5), ST95 (4), ST167 (3), ST354 (5), ST361 (3), ST410 (6), ST648 (4), ST744 (3), and ST1615 (6). ST354, ST410, and ST1615 were significantly (P < 0.05) more frequent in Lucus Augusti (5.4%, 6.5%, and 6.5%) than in Beaujon (0% for the three STs). The new globally emerging clone ST1193 among extraintestinal clinical ESBL-EC was identified in one isolate from France and one from Spain. CTX-M-15 was the commonest ESBL detected in the two hospitals (44.6% in Lucus Augusti and 50.0% in Beaujon). CTX-M-14 was significantly (P = 0.0003) more frequent in Lucus Augusti (31.5%) than in Beaujon (10.4%), whereas CTX-M-1 (20.8 vs. 7.6%; P = 0.008) and CTX-M-27 (15.6 vs. 6.5%; P = 0.0389) were more frequent in Beaujon than in Lucus Augusti. The ST131 isolates showed a higher virulence score (mean 13.367) compared with the non-ST131 isolates (mean 7.661) (P < 0.001). Among the 79 ST131 isolates, most of them (52; 65.8%) belonged to subclade C2 (also known as subclone H30Rx) followed by those belonging to subclade C1 (cluster C1-M27: 16 isolates, 20.3%; cluster non-C1-M27: 6 isolates, 7.6%) and clade A (4 isolates; 5.1%). The C2 subclade isolates showed a higher VF-encoding gene score (mean 14.250) compared with the C1-M27 cluster isolates (mean 10.875) (P < 0.001). In conclusion, this study highlights the epidemiological differences between the ESBL-EC isolated from two hospitals of France and Spain obtain in 2015 and reports, for the first time, the presence of clone ST1193 in Spain.

Whole Genome Sequencing and Characteristics of mcr-1-Harboring Plasmids of Porcine Escherichia coli Isolates Belonging to the High-Risk Clone O25b:H4-ST131 Clade B

Porcine Escherichia coli ST131 isolates are scarcely documented. Here, whole genome sequencing and core genome (CG) and plasmidome analysis of seven isolates collected from diarrheic piglets and four from pork meat were performed. All of the 11 ST131 isolates belonged to serotype O25b:H4 and clade B and showed fimH22 allele or mutational derivatives. The 11 porcine isolates possessed virulence traits that classified the isolates as avian pathogenic, uropathogenic, and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli–like (APEC-, UPEC-, and ExPEC-like) and constituted virotype D. The CG was performed for all porcine isolates in addition to 73 ST131 reference isolates from different origins. Within clade B, the CG showed nine subclusters, allowing us to describe five new subclades (B6, B6-like, B7, B8, and B9). There was an association between subclade B6, PST43, virotype D2, and food origin, whereas subclade B7 included PST9 isolates with virotype D5 from diarrheic piglets (p = 0.007). The distance between human and porcine isolates from subclades B6 and B7 had an average of 20 and 15 SNP/Mb, respectively. [F2:A-:B1]-IncF, ColE1-like, and IncX plasmids were the most prevalent. Besides, IncF plasmids harbored a ColV region frequent among APEC isolates. Antimicrobial resistance genes conferring resistance to penicillin, tetracycline, quinolones, and colistin were the most common. The mcr-1.1 gene was detected in 5 of 11 porcine isolates, integrated into the chromosome of one isolate and into plasmids in the remainder isolates (two MOB_H11/IncHI2-ST4, one MOB_P3/IncX4, and one MOB_F12/IncF [F2:A-:B1] supposedly cointegrated with an IncHI2). The surrounding environments of the mcr-1 cassette showed variability. However, there were conserved structures within the same plasmid family. In conclusion, CG analysis defined five new subclades. The ST131 porcine isolates belonged to new subclades B6 and B7. Moreover, porcine and clinical human isolates were strongly related. The 11 porcine ST131 isolates harbored a wide variety of plasmids, virulence, and resistance genes. Furthermore, epidemic plasmids IncX4 and IncHI2 are responsible for the acquisition of mcr-1.1 gene. We hypothesize that the APEC-IncF plasmid acquired the mcr-1.1 gene via cointegrating an IncHI2 plasmid, which is worrying due to combination of virulence and resistance attributes in a single mobile genetic element.

Roles of C/EBP class bZip proteins in the growth and cell competition of Rp ('Minute') mutants in Drosophila

Reduced copy number of ribosomal protein (Rp) genes adversely affects both flies and mammals. Xrp1 encodes a reportedly Drosophila-specific AT-hook, bZIP protein responsible for many of the effects including the elimination of Rp mutant cells by competition with wild type cells. Irbp18, an evolutionarily conserved bZIP gene, heterodimerizes with Xrp1 and with another bZip protein, dATF4. We show that Irbp18 is required for the effects of Xrp1, whereas dATF4 does not share the same phenotype, indicating that Xrp1/Irbp18 is the complex active in Rp mutant cells, independently of other complexes that share Irbp18. Xrp1 and Irbp18 transcripts and proteins are upregulated in Rp mutant cells by auto-regulatory expression that depends on the Xrp1 DNA binding domains and is necessary for cell competition. We show that Xrp1 is conserved beyond Drosophila, although under positive selection for rapid evolution, and that at least one human bZip protein can similarly affect Drosophila development.

Genomic Characterization of Prevalent mcr-1, mcr-4, and mcr-5 Escherichia coli Within Swine Enteric Colibacillosis in Spain

Antimicrobial agents are crucial for the treatment of many bacterial diseases in pigs, however, the massive use of critically important antibiotics such as colistin, fluoroquinolones and 3rd-4th-generation cephalosporins often selects for co-resistance. Based on a comprehensive characterization of 35 colistin-resistant Escherichia coli from swine enteric colibacillosis, belonging to prevalent Spanish lineages, the aims of the present study were to investigate the characteristics of E. coli clones successfully spread in swine and to assess the correlation of the in vitro results with in silico predictions from WGS data. The resistome analysis showed six different mcr variants: mcr-1.1; mcr-1.10; mcr-4.1; mcr-4.2; mcr-4.5; and mcr-5.1. Additionally, bla _{CTX-M- 14}, bla _{CTX-M- 32} and bla _{SHV- 12} genes were present in seven genomes. PlasmidFinder revealed that mcr-1.1 genes located mainly on IncHI2 and IncX4 types, and mcr-4 on ColE10-like plasmids. Twenty-eight genomes showed a gyrA S83L substitution, and 12 of those 28 harbored double-serine mutations gyrA S83L and parC S80I, correlating with in vitro quinolone-resistances. Notably, 16 of the 35 mcr-bearing genomes showed mutations in the PmrA (S39I) and PmrB (V161G) proteins. The summative presence of mechanisms, associated with high-level of resistance to quinolones/fluoroquinolones and colistin, could be conferring adaptive advantages to prevalent pig E. coli lineages, such as the ST10-A (CH11-24), as presumed for ST131. SerotypeFinder allowed the H-antigen identification of in vitro non-mobile (HNM) isolates, revealing that 15 of the 21 HNM E. coli analyzed were H39. Since the H39 is associated with the most prevalent O antigens worldwide within swine colibacillosis, such as O108 and O157, it would be probably playing a role in porcine colibacillosis to be considered as a valuable subunit antigen in the formulation of a broadly protective Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) vaccine. Our data show common features with other European countries in relation to a prevalent clonal group (CC10), serotypes (O108:H39, O138:H10, O139:H1, O141:H4), high plasmid content within the isolates and mcr location, which would support global alternatives to the use of antibiotics in pigs. Here, we report for first time a rare finding so far, which is the co-occurrence of double colistin-resistance mechanisms in a significant number of E. coli isolates.

Cumulative acquisition of pathogenicity islands has shaped virulence potential and contributed to the emergence of LEE-negative Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are foodborne pathogens causing severe gastroenteritis, which may lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome. The Locus of Enterocyte Effacement (LEE), a Pathogenicity Island (PAI), is a major determinant of intestinal epithelium attachment of a group of STEC strains; however, the virulence repertoire of STEC strains lacking LEE, has not been fully characterized. The incidence of LEE-negative STEC strains has increased in several countries, highlighting the relevance of their study. In order to gain insights into the basis for the emergence of LEE-negative STEC strains, we performed a large-scale genomic analysis of 367 strains isolated worldwide from humans, animals, food and the environment. We identified uncharacterized genomic islands, including two PAIs and one Integrative Conjugative Element. Additionally, the Locus of Adhesion and Autoaggregation (LAA) was the most prevalent PAI among LEE-negative strains and we found that it contributes to colonization of the mice intestine. Our comprehensive and rigorous comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses suggest that the accumulative acquisition of PAIs has played an important, but currently unappreciated role, in the evolution of virulence in these strains. This study provides new knowledge on the pathogenicity of LEE-negative STEC strains and identifies molecular markers for their epidemiological surveillance.

Differences in the cluster of depressive symptoms between subjects with type 2 diabetes and individuals with a major depressive disorder and without diabetes

BACKGROUND

Depressive disorder encompasses a wide spectrum of somatic and psychological symptoms. It is not known whether there are differences regarding the cluster of depressive symptomatology between subjects with depression with and without T2DM.

PURPOSE

To explore whether the cluster of depression that prevails among depressive subjects with T2DM differs from individuals with depression, but without T2DM.

METHODS

87 T2DM patients with a pathological Beck Depression Inventory test (BDI) were compared with 50 age- and gender-matched individuals with a major depressive disorder. All 21 items expressed in the BDI were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The score obtained after administering the BDI was comparable between patients with T2DM and significant depressive symptoms and the control group (18.8 ± 2.7 vs 18.9 ± 3.4; p = 0.9). Subjects with T2DM had higher scores compared with the control group in the following items: sadness (1.4 ± 0.9 vs 0.9 ± 0.9; p = 0.011), difficulty in concentration (1.3 ± 0.8 vs 0.8 ± 0.8; p = 0.01), indecisiveness (1.1 ± 0.8 vs 0.5 ± 0.9; p = 0.012), worries about their health (1.3 ± 0.9 vs 0.6 ± 0.9; p < 0.0001), fatigue (1.2 ± 0.6 vs 0.8 ± 0.7; p = 0.003) and loss of sexual appetite (2.7 ± 0.6 vs 1.2 ± 1.3; p = 0.0001). Suicidal ideation was significantly lower among subjects with T2DM compared with the control group (0.1 ± 0.3 vs 0.6 ± 0.8; p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Subjects with T2DM and a positive screening for depression presented a different cluster of depression compared with depressed subjects without T2DM, with a predominance of somatic-biological depressive symptoms rather than psychological-cognitive cluster and negative emotions, such as suicidal ideation.

Sequence Types, Clonotypes, Serotypes, and Virotypes of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Causing Bacteraemia in a Spanish Hospital Over a 12-Year Period (2000 to 2011)

The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and determine the molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) causing bacteraemia in a Spanish Hospital over a 12-year period (2000 to 2011). As far as we know, this is the first study which has investigated and compared the serotypes, phylogroups, clonotypes, virotypes, and PFGE profiles of ST131 and non-ST131 clones of bacteraemia ESBL-EC isolates. Of the 2,427 E. coli bloodstream isolates, 96 (4.0%) were positive for ESBL production: 40 for CTX-M-15, 36 for CTX-M-14, eight for CTX-M-1, four for CTX-M-9, CTX-M-32, and SHV-12. The number of ESBL-EC increased from 1.0% during 2000 to 2005 to 5.5% during 2006-2011 (P < 0.001). The 96 ESBL-EC isolates belonged to 36 different STs. The commonest was ST131 (41 isolates), followed by ST58, ST354, ST393 and ST405 (four isolates each). Most CTX-M-15 isolates (87.5%, 35/40) were ST131, whereas the 36 CTX-M-14 isolates belonged to 23 different STs and only 3 (8.3%) of them were ST131. The 35 ST131 CTX-M-15-producing isolates belonged to the H30Rx subclone and 29 of them showed the virotype A. A drastic change in ST131 virotypes happened in 2011 due to the emergence of the virotypes E (sat, papGII, cnf1, hlyA, and kpsMII-K5) and F (sat, papGII, and kpsMII-K5) which displaced virotype A (afa/draBC, afa operon FM955459, sat, and kpsMII-K2). Although the 96 ESBL-EC isolates showed 21 O serogroups and 17 H flagellar antigens, 39 belonged to serotype O25b:H4 (ST131 isolates). The second most prevalent serotype (O15:H1) was found to be associated with another important high-risk clone (ST393). In conclusion, the ST131 was the most frequent sequence type, being the H30Rx subclone responsible for the significant increase of ESBL-EC isolates since 2006. Here, we report two new virotypes (E and F) of the H30Rx subclone emerged in 2011. Future molecular studies are needed to understand the dynamics of expansion of this successful high-risk subclone in order to prevent its spread and establish the importance of the two new virotypes.

Novel presenilin 1 mutation (p.Thr-Pro116-117Ser-Thr) in a Spanish family with early-onset Alzheimer's disease

Presenilin 1 (PSEN1) is a γ-secretase component, which is in charge of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleavage. APP is believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). PSEN1 mutations are the most important causes of familial AD, being related to the earlier onset and rapid progression of the disease. Presenilins and APP mutations represent an extraordinary opportunity to study the pathophysiology of AD. We describe the clinical and genetic study of a 37-year-old male patient with a novel mutation in PSEN1 (p.Thr-Pro116-117Ser-Thr). We have studied the pedigree of his family with a further 9 members affected, all of them with onset in their 30s. We have also described the clinical data and results of brain biopsies in 2 of them. DNA sequencing of a tissue sample from an uncle of the patient, who died of AD in the 80s, showed the same mutation as in the patient. These data and predictive analysis indicate the pathogenicity of the mutation.

Emerging Multidrug-Resistant Hybrid Pathotype Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O80 and Related Strains of Clonal Complex 165, Europe

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli serogroup O80, involved in hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with extraintestinal infections, has emerged in France. We obtained circularized sequences of the O80 strain RDEx444, responsible for hemolytic uremic syndrome with bacteremia, and noncircularized sequences of 35 O80 E. coli isolated from humans and animals in Europe with or without Shiga toxin genes. RDEx444 harbored a mosaic plasmid, pR444_A, combining extraintestinal virulence determinants and a multidrug resistance-encoding island. All strains belonged to clonal complex 165, which is distantly related to other major enterohemorrhagic E. coli lineages. All stx-positive strains contained eae-ξ, ehxA, and genes characteristic of pR444_A. Among stx-negative strains, 1 produced extended-spectrum β-lactamase, 1 harbored the colistin-resistance gene mcr1, and 2 possessed genes characteristic of enteropathogenic and pyelonephritis E. coli. Because O80-clonal complex 165 strains can integrate intestinal and extraintestinal virulence factors in combination with diverse drug-resistance genes, they constitute dangerous and versatile multidrug-resistant pathogens.

Association Between Kinetics of Early Biofilm Formation and Clonal Lineage in Escherichia coli

Background

Escherichia coli biofilm formation has mostly been assessed in specific pathogenic E. coli groups. Here, we assessed the early biofilm formation (EBF), i.e., adhesion stage, using the BioFilm Ring Test^® on 394 E. coli clinical isolates (EC) [196 consecutively isolated (CEC) in 2016 and 198 ESBL-producing E. coli (ESBLEC) isolated in 2015]. Then, biofilm-forming ability was contrasted with phylogroups, clonotypes (fumC-fimH), and sequence types (STs), all being used to define clones, virulence factors (VF), and FimB.

Result

According to both biofilm production levels at 2, 3, and 5 h, and EBF kinetics over 5 h, CEC and ESBLEC isolates segregated into three EBF groups: strong (G1), moderate (G2), and weak (G3) producers. At 2 h, strong producers were more frequent among CEC (n = 28; 14.3%) than among ESBLEC (n = 8; 4%) (P = 0.0004). As CEC and ESBLEC isolates showed similar individual EBF kinetics in each group, a comparison of isolate features between each group was applied to gathered CEC and ESBLEC isolates after 2 h of incubation, 2 h being the most representative time point of the CEC and ESBLEC isolate segregation into the three groups. Phylogroup B2 displayed by 51.3% of the 394 isolates was more frequent in G1 (77.8%) than in G3 (47.6%) (P = 0.0006). The 394 isolates displayed 153 clones, of which 31 included at least three isolates. B2-CH14-2-ST127, B2-CH40-22-ST131, B2-CH52-5/14-ST141, and E-CH100-96-ST362 clones were associated with G1 (P < 0.03) and accounted for 41.7% of G1 isolates. B2-CH40-30-ST131 clone was associated with G3 (P < 0.0001) and accounted for 25.5% of G3 isolates. VF mean was higher among G1 than among G3 isolates (P < 0.001). FimB-P2 variant was associated with G1 (P = 0.0011) and FimB-P1 variant was associated with G3 (P = 0.0023). Clone, some VF, and FimB were associated with EBF, with clonal lineage being able to explain 72% of the variability of EBF.

Conclusion

Among our 394 isolates, <10% are able to quickly and persistently produce high biofilm levels over 5 h. These isolates belong to a few clones previously described in various studies as dominant gut colonizers in mammalians and birds and comprised the B2-CH40-22-ST131 clone, i.e., the ancestor of the globally disseminated B2-CH40-30-ST131 clone that is the dominant clone among the weak biofilm producers.

Swine Enteric Colibacillosis in Spain: Pathogenic Potential of mcr-1 ST10 and ST131 E. coli Isolates

This is a wide epidemiological study of 499 E. coli isolates recovered from 179 outbreaks of enteric colibacillosis from pig production farms in Spain during a period of 10 years. Most samples were of diarrheagenic cases occurred during the post-wean period (PWD) which showed to be significantly associated with ETEC (67%) followed by aEPEC (21.7%). On the contrary, aEPEC was more prevalent (60.3%) among diarrheas of suckling piglets, followed by ETEC (38.8%). STEC/ETEC or STEC were recovered in 11.3 and 0.9% of PWD and neonatal diarrhea, respectively. Detection of the F4 colonization factor was not significantly different between isolates recovered from neonatal pigs and those recovered post wean (40.5 versus 27.7%) while F18 was only present among PWD isolates (51.5% of ETEC, STEC, and STEC/ETEC isolates). We also found a high prevalence of resistance to colistin related to the presence of the mcr-1 gene (25.6% of the diarreagenic isolates). The characterization of 65 representative mcr-1 isolates showed that all were phenotypically resistant to colistin (>2 μg/ml), and most (61 of 65) multidrug-resistant (MDR). Six ETEC and one STEC mcr-1 isolates were also carriers of ESBL genes. In addition, other seven mcr-1 isolates harbored mcr-4 (three ETEC) and mcr-5 (two ETEC and two aEPEC) genes. In the phylogenetic analysis of the 65 mcr-1 diarrheagenic isolates we found that more than 50% (38 out of 65) belonged to A-ST10 Cplx and from those, 29 isolates showed the clonotype CH11-24. In this study, we also recovered 18 ST131 isolates including seven mcr-1 carriers. To the best of our knowledge, this would be the first report of ST131 mcr-1 isolation in pigs. Worryingly, the swine mcr-1 ST131 carriers also showed MDR, including to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tobramycin, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. In the PFGE-macrorestriction comparison of clinical swine and human ST131, we found high similarities (≥85%) between two pig and two human ST131 isolates of virotype D5. Acquisition of mcr-1 by this specific clone means an increased risk due to its special feature of congregating virulence and resistance traits, together with its spread capability. Here we show a potential zoonotic swine source of ST131.

A Regulatory Response to Ribosomal Protein Mutations Controls Translation, Growth, and Cell Competition

Ribosomes perform protein synthesis but are also involved in signaling processes, the full extent of which are still being uncovered. We report that phenotypes of mutating ribosomal proteins (Rps) are largely due to signaling. Using Drosophila, we discovered that a bZip-domain protein, Xrp1, becomes elevated in Rp mutant cells. Xrp1 reduces translation and growth, delays development, is responsible for gene expression changes, and causes the cell competition of Rp heterozygous cells from genetic mosaics. Without Xrp1, even cells homozygously deleted for Rp genes persist and grow. Xrp1 induction in Rp mutant cells depends on a particular Rp with regulatory effects, RpS12, and precedes overall changes in translation. Thus, effects of Rp mutations, even the reductions in translation and growth, depend on signaling through the Xrp1 pathway and are not simply consequences of reduced ribosome production limiting protein synthesis. One benefit of this system may be to eliminate Rp-mutant cells by cell competition.

Parkinsonism is associated to fronto-caudate disconnectivity and cognition in schizophrenia

The present work studies the possible relation of parkinsonism and fronto-caudate dysconnectivity, as well as its relation to cognition in schizophrenia patients. We assessed parkinsonism using Simpson-Angus scale and prefronto-caudate connectivity using diffusion magnetic resonance in 22 schizophrenia patients (11 first-episodes) and 14 healthy controls. Fractional anisotropy was calculated for the white matter tracts directly linking rostral middle prefrontal (RMPF) and superior medial prefrontal (SMPF) regions with caudate nucleus. Cognition was assessed using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia Scale (BACS). Total parkinsonism scores were negatively related to fractional anisotropy in the right SMPF-caudate tract in patients, which was also found in the first-episode patients alone, but not in controls. Parkinsonism was also inversely associated in patients to performance in social cognition, verbal memory, working memory and performance speed tests. In conclusion, our data support the involvement of fronto-striatal dysconnectivity in parkinsonism in schizophrenia.

Bilayer polymeric nanocapsules: A formulation approach for a thermostable and adjuvanted E. coli antigen vaccine

One of the strategies used to improve the immunogenicity of purified protein antigens has relied on their association with synthetic nanocarriers, which, in general, have functioned as simple antigen containers. Here, we present a more advanced strategy based on the design of an antigen nanocarrier at the molecular level. The nanocarrier is composed of a vitamin E oily core, surrounded by two layers: a first layer of chitosan and a second of dextran sulphate. The selected antigen, IutA protein from Escherichia coli, was harboured between the two polymeric layers. The final bilayer nanocapsules had a nanometric size (≈ 200 nm), a negative zeta potential (< -40 mV) and a good antigen association efficiency (≈ 70%). The bilayer architecture led to an improvement on the formulation stability and the controlled release of the associated antigen. Remarkably, after being administered to mice, bilayer nanocapsules elicited higher IgG levels than those obtained with antigen precipitated with Alum. Moreover, freeze-dried nanocapsules were stable at room temperature for, at least, 3 months. These promising data, in addition to their contribution to the development of an uropathogenic E. coli vaccine, has allowed us to validate these novel bilayer nanocapsules as adequate platforms for the delivery of protein antigens.