Therapeutics and Prevention
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionEnrichment of Antigen-Specific Class-Switched B Cells from Individuals Naturally Immunized by Infection with Group A StreptococcusBacteria called group A streptococci can cause a variety of skin and soft tissue infections ranging from mild pharyngitis (“strep throat”) to deadly necrotizing fasciitis (sometimes called “flesh-eating” disease). In each case, the development of disease and the degree of tissue damage are mediated by toxins released from the bacteria during infection. Consequently, novel therapies aimed at clearing bacterial toxins are greatly needed....
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionDectin-2-Targeted Antifungal Liposomes Exhibit Enhanced EfficacyInvasive fungal diseases caused by Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus have mortality rates ranging from 10 to 95%. Individual patient costs may exceed $100,000 in the United States. All...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionMaternal Humoral Immune Responses Do Not Predict Postnatal HIV-1 Transmission Risk in Antiretroviral-Treated Mothers from the IMPAACT PROMISE StudyEach year, >150,000 infants become newly infected with HIV-1 through MTCT despite ART, with up to 42% of infections occurring during breastfeeding. Several factors contribute to continued pediatric infections, including ART nonadherence, the emergence of drug-resistant HIV strains, acute infection during breastfeeding, and poor access to ART in resource-limited areas. A better understanding of the maternal humoral immune responses...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionDesigned Ankyrin Repeat Protein (DARPin) Neutralizers of TcdB from Clostridium difficile Ribotype 027We report the engineering and characterization of designed ankyrin proteins as potent neutralizers of TcdB toxin secreted by a hypervirulent ribotype 027 strain of Clostridium difficile. We further show that although TcdB toxins from both ribotype 027 and VPI 10461 interact efficiently with TcdB receptors CSPG4 and Pvrl3, TcdB027 lacks significant ability...
Commentary | Therapeutics and PreventionmSphere of Influence: Uncovering New Ways To Control Multidrug Resistance by Dissecting Essential Cell ProcessesAna L. Flores-Mireles works in the fields of microbial pathogenesis and development of new therapeutics. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how the papers “Bacterial cell wall biogenesis is mediated by SEDS and PBP polymerase families functioning semi-autonomously” by H.
Perspective | Therapeutics and PreventionGlycoconjugates: What It Would Take To Master These Well-Known yet Little-Understood Immunogens for Vaccine DevelopmentGlycoconjugate vaccines are a critical component of the medical arsenal against infectious diseases. This established field continues, however, to experience failures in the clinic. The lack of fundamental understanding of factors controlling clinical efficacy of glycoconjugate vaccines is discussed while key parameters demanding focused and collaborative research are identified.
![Identification of 4-Amino-Thieno[2,3-<em>d</em>]Pyrimidines as QcrB Inhibitors in <span class="named-content genus-species" id="named-content-1">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</span>](https://msphere.asm.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/externals/7b56615af4441ab7b2840e5d31309242.jpg?itok=kywyIsdP)
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionIdentification of 4-Amino-Thieno[2,3-d]Pyrimidines as QcrB Inhibitors in Mycobacterium tuberculosisThe global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic has been exacerbated by the rise in drug-resistant TB cases worldwide. To tackle this crisis, it is necessary to identify new vulnerable drug targets in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB, and develop compounds that can inhibit the bacterium through novel mechanisms of action. The QcrB subunit of the electron...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionExperimental Mouse Models of Disseminated Candida auris InfectionIn the last decade, Candida auris has emerged globally as a multidrug‐resistant fungal pathogen. Although C. auris was initially isolated from the external ear canal, it can cause outbreaks of invasive infections with very high mortality and comorbidities. Recent reports highlight the ongoing...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionBroad and Effective Protection against Staphylococcus aureus Is Elicited by a Multivalent Vaccine Formulated with Novel AntigensStaphylococcus aureus infections, especially MRSA infections, are becoming a major global health issue and are resulting in mortality rates that are increasing every year. However, an effective vaccine is lacking due to the complexity of the infection process of S. aureus. In this study, we found...
