Zika Virus NS3 Mimics a Cellular 14-3-3-Binding Motif to Antagonize RIG-I- and MDA5-Mediated Innate Immunity

14-3-3 protein family members facilitate the translocation of RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) to organelles that mediate downstream RLR signaling, leading to interferon production. 14-3-3ϵ promotes the cytosolic-to-mitochondrial translocation of RIG-I, while 14-3-3η facilitates MDA5 translocation to mitochondria. We show that the NS3 protein of Zika virus (ZIKV) antagonizes antiviral gene induction by RIG-I and MDA5 by binding to and sequestering the scaffold proteins 14-3-3ϵ and 14-3-3η. 14-3-3-binding is mediated by a negatively charged RLDP motif in NS3 that is conserved in ZIKV strains of African and Asian lineages and is similar to the one found in dengue and West Nile viruses. ZIKV NS3 is sufficient to inhibit the RLR-14-3-3ϵ/η interaction and to suppress antiviral signaling. Mutational perturbation of 14-3-3ϵ/η binding in a recombinant ZIKV leads to enhanced innate immune responses and impaired growth kinetics. Our study provides molecular understanding of immune evasion functions of ZIKV, which may guide vaccine and anti-flaviviral therapy development.

Advanced Stacked Elemental Layer Process for Cu(InGa)Se2 Thin Film Photovoltaic Devices

Targeting large area and low cost processing of highly efficient thin film solar modules an advanced stacked elemental layer process for Cu(InGa)Se2 (CIGS) thin films is presented. Key process steps are i) barrier coating of the soda lime glass substrate combined with the addition of a sodium compound to the elemental Cu/In/Ga/Se-precursor stack and ii) rapid thermal processing (RTP) to form the CIGS compound.

By this strategy exact impurity control is achieved and the advantageous influence of sodium on device performance and on CIGS film formation is demonstrated unambiguously by means of electrical characterisation, XRD, SEM, TEM and SIMS. Sodium enriched and sodium free precursor stacks were heated to intermediate states (300°C–500°C) of the RTPreaction process. The experiment clearly reveals that on the reaction pathway to the chalcopyrite semiconductor increased amounts of copper-selenide are formed, if sodium is added to the precursor films. TEM-electron diffraction unambiguously identifies the CuSe-phase which is localised at the surface of the forming CIGS-film. These experimental findings propose a sodium assisted quasi liquid growth model for the CIS formation taking into account that sodium promotes the existence of CuSe at higher temperatures and its effect as a flux agent. The model contributes to a better understanding of the observed superior crystal qualitiy for sodium enriched in contrast to sodium free CIGS films.

Application of these experimental findings in the technique of the optimized and controlled sodium incorporation significantly improves process reproducibility, CIGS film homogenity over larger substrate areas and shifts the average efficiency of cells and modules to a significantly higher level. This is demonstrated by a 12-cell integrated series connected minimodule with an aperture area of 51 cm2 and a confirmed efficiency of 11.75 %.

ISG15-dependent Activation of the RNA Sensor MDA5 and its Antagonism by the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease

Activation of the RIG-I-like receptors, RIG-I and MDA5, establishes an antiviral state by upregulating interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs). Among these is ISG15 whose mechanistic roles in innate immunity still remain enigmatic. Here we report that ISGylation is essential for antiviral IFN responses mediated by the viral RNA sensor MDA5. ISG15 conjugation to the caspase activation and recruitment domains of MDA5 promotes the formation of higher-order assemblies of MDA5 and thereby triggers activation of innate immunity against a range of viruses including coronaviruses, flaviviruses and picornaviruses. The ISG15-dependent activation of MDA5 is antagonized through direct de-ISGylation mediated by the papain-like protease (PLpro) of SARS-CoV-2, a recently emerged coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work demonstrates a crucial role for ISG15 in the MDA5-mediated antiviral response, and also identifies a novel immune evasion mechanism of SARS-CoV-2, which may be targeted for the development of new antivirals and vaccines to combat COVID-19.

Radiotherapy in stage I-III follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Retrospective analysis of a series of 50 patients

PURPOSE

The goal of this work was to analyze the response rate and outcome of patients with stage I-III follicular lymphoma (FL) treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The records of 50 consecutive patients with stage I-III FL treated with RT alone at our department from 1988-2009 were analyzed. The median age was 60 years (range 32-80 years) with a median follow-up duration of 8 years (range 4-11 years). Clinical staging was performed according to the Ann Arbor system. Stage I: 30 patients (60%), stage II: 15 patients (30%), stage III: 5 patients (10%). Thirty-two patients (64%) presented with nodal disease, 14 patients (28%) presented with disease in extranodal sites, and 4 patients (8%) had nodal and extranodal involvement. The RT field encompassed only the involved Ann Arbor nodal regions (involved-field RT) in 26 patients (52%), mantle and whole abdominopelvic fields in 6 patients (12%), mantle field in 10 patients (20%), whole abdominopelvic fields in 5 patients (10%), and a so-called mini-mantle in 3 patients (6%). The total RT dose ranged from 26-56 Gy (median 40 Gy) in daily fractions of 1.2-2.5 Gy.

RESULTS

Complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) were observed in 39 (76%) and 9 (20%) patients, respectively. Only 2 of 8 patients (25%) with tumor bulk > 5 cm reached CR, whereas 37 of 42 patients (88%) with a maximum lymphoma diameter < 5 cm achieved CR (p = 0.0001). The median overall survival (OS) and median event-free survival (EFS) were 18 years (CI 95% 10-26 years) and 7 years (6-8 years), respectively. The 2-, 5-, and 10-year OS were 96 ± 3%, 90 ± 5%, and 70 ± 9%, respectively. The 2-, 5-, and 10-year EFS were 90 ± 5%, 70 ± 7%, and 38 ± 9%, respectively. Fifteen patients developed a recurrence outside the radiation field (30%) and 4 patients developed an in-field recurrence (8%). All in-field recurrences were observed in regions without clinical (macroscopic) involvement, which were irradiated with a dose of ≤ 26 Gy. Pretreatment maximum lymphoma diameter < 5 cm (p = 0.039) and complete remission after RT (p = 0.021) were significantly associated with a better OS in the univariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

RT is a curative option in the treatment of limited stage FL. If RT of microscopically uninvolved area is necessary, a reduction in the radiation dose should be carefully weighed against the risk of in-field recurrences.

[Diagnosis of pleural effusion in intensive care patients with supine digital thoracic imaging. A study of CT validated cases]

PURPOSE

The significance of the recumbent chest x-ray using digital luminescence radiography was to be assessed in respect of diagnosis of pleural effusions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Three experienced radiologists evaluated 32 digital recumbent chest x-rays of 32 intensive-care patients. The radiologists were asked to estimate the effusion volume and to assess whether typical x-ray signs of pleural effusions were seen. These evaluations were compared with one another and with the simultaneously produced CTs.

RESULTS

Diagnostic accuracy of the digital recumbent chest x-ray is of medium quality in respect of diagnosis of pleural effusions (sensitivity: 69%, specificity: 54%, positive predictive value: 81%, negative predictive value: 34%, rate of accuracy: 65%). Diagnostic safety is the same for right-sided or left-sided pleural effusions, and increases with increasing effusion volume. The ratings by the radiologists are statistically not significantly different, but are significantly different from the CT measurements (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05). Correlations of the assessments and the measurements were weakly positive (r = 0.24, r = 0.36, r = 0.47). The pleural effusions were on the average underestimated by the radiologists. The median predictive error was 203 ml.

CONCLUSIONS

Recumbent chest x-ray with digital luminescence radiography is an imaging method of limited accuracy in respect of diagnosis of pleural effusions. Supplementary diagnostic methods are recommended, as the present results show, especially in such cases where the recumbent chest x-ray does not reveal an effusion or if the volume must be determined accurately. Digital recumbent chest x-ray ranks equal with conventional x-ray in the diagnosis of pleural effusions.

Changes in essential fatty acids in plasma lipid fractions of polytraumatized patients with different parenteral nutrition

We investigated changes in the fatty acid pattern of plasma lipids during the phase of total parenteral nutrition in two groups of polytraumatized patients. For parenteral nutrition we gave L-amino acid solutions in a dose of 0.24 g N day-1kg-1 body weight. In addition, we administered in the first group glucose and fructose, and in the second group glucose, fructose and fat emulsions in a total dose of 30 kcal day-1kg-1 body weight. In the latter group, the proportion of the fat emulsions was 30-40% of the calories administered. The most striking findings were the decrease of the essential fatty acids with regard to the phospholipid fraction from about 60% to 30% in the early post-traumatic phase. In the first group of patients we observed a further reduction of the essential fatty acids in the period of observation. This could be avoided by administering fat emulsions of the same type as we gave in the second group of patients. The functions of essential fatty acids in membranes and in the intermediary metabolism are discussed.

Studies on the effects of betamethasone, L-carnitine, and betamethasone-L-carnitine combinations on the dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine content and phosphatidylcholine species composition in foetal rat lungs

Administration of L-carnitine or betamethasone to pregnant rats failed to increase either the total phospholipid or dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) contents in foetal rat lungs on the 20th day of gestation, compared to controls. The combined administration of betamethasone (0.3 mg/kg) and L-carnitine (80 mg/kg) resulted in a pronounced increase of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (7.8 +/- 2.5 mg/g dry weight) compared with the control group (5.4 +/- 1.8 mg/g dry weight), and compared with the groups receiving betamethasone (5.9 +/- 1.9 mg/g dry weight) or L-carnitine (5.6 +/- 1.5 mg/g dry weight) alone. The proportion of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine in the phosphatidylcholine species increased from 20.9 +/- 2.1% in the foetal lungs of the control group to 22.6 +/- 5.0% in the L-carnitine group, to 24.3 +/- 3.3% (p less than 0.01) in the betamethasone-L-carnitine (20 mg/kg) group, to 25.2 +/- 3.5% (p less than 0.01) in the betamethasone group, to 27.1 +/- 2.6% (p less than 0.01) in the betamethasone-L-carnitine (40 mg/kg) group, and to 28.4 +/- 3.7% (p less than 0.01) in the betamethasone-L-carnitine (80 mg/kg) group, while the palmitic acid portion in the phosphatidylcholine fatty acids was nearly unchanged. A pronounced increase of palmitoyl-myristoyl phosphatidylcholine (PC-30), the second disaturated phosphatidylcholine species present in lungs in significant amounts beside dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, was noted only in betamethasone treated animals. Furthermore, after betamethasone and betamethasone-L-carnitine treatment, a significant diminution (p less than 0.01) of the proportion of palmitoyl-palmitoleyl phosphatidylcholine (16 : 0/16 : 1-PC) in the phosphatidylcholine species was demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Pharmacologic influencing of fetal phospholipid synthesis. Part IV: influencing the DPL(dipalmitoyl-lecithin) content of fetal lung by betamethasone (author's transl)]

Dipalmitoyllecithinic (DPL) is the quantitatively largest and most active portion of the surfactant system. Hence only a quantitative DPL determination allows a relevant statement of fetal lung maturity. The antenatal prophylaxis of RDS should result in an increase of the DPL-level in a fetal lung. A new gaschromatographical method for determination of DPL was developed. The results were secured by gaschromatography-mass-spectrometry-couplings. After treatment with betamethasone an increase of the relative DPL-amount in fetal rat lung lecithin species was found, but not an increase of the lecithin-level in the lung-tissue. Corticosteroids probably induce transesterification of the lecithins.