2024
Intranasal neomycin evokes broad-spectrum antiviral immunity in the upper respiratory tract
Mao T, Kim J, Peña-Hernández M, Valle G, Moriyama M, Luyten S, Ott I, Gomez-Calvo M, Gehlhausen J, Baker E, Israelow B, Slade M, Sharma L, Liu W, Ryu C, Korde A, Lee C, Monteiro V, Lucas C, Dong H, Yang Y, Initiative Y, Gopinath S, Wilen C, Palm N, Dela Cruz C, Iwasaki A, Vogels C, Hahn A, Chen N, Breban M, Koch T, Chaguza C, Tikhonova I, Castaldi C, Mane S, De Kumar B, Ferguson D, Kerantzas N, Peaper D, Landry M, Schulz W, Grubaugh N. Intranasal neomycin evokes broad-spectrum antiviral immunity in the upper respiratory tract. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2024, 121: e2319566121. PMID: 38648490, PMCID: PMC11067057, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319566121.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInterferon-stimulated genesRespiratory infectionsStrains of influenza A virusTreatment of respiratory viral infectionsRespiratory virus infectionsInfluenza A virusMouse model of COVID-19Respiratory viral infectionsNeomycin treatmentExpression of interferon-stimulated genesUpper respiratory infectionInterferon-stimulated gene expressionLower respiratory infectionsBroad spectrum of diseasesAdministration of neomycinRespiratory viral diseasesDisease to patientsUpper respiratory tractIntranasal deliveryCongenic miceIntranasal applicationNasal mucosaSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2A virusBeyond antiviral: role of IFN-I in brain development
Baker C, Iwasaki A. Beyond antiviral: role of IFN-I in brain development. Trends In Immunology 2024, 45: 322-324. PMID: 38644134, DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2024.04.004.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersExploring new perspectives in immunology
Medzhitov R, Iwasaki A. Exploring new perspectives in immunology. Cell 2024, 187: 2079-2094. PMID: 38670066, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.038.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Polymer nanoparticles deliver mRNA to the lung for mucosal vaccination
Suberi A, Grun M, Mao T, Israelow B, Reschke M, Grundler J, Akhtar L, Lee T, Shin K, Piotrowski-Daspit A, Homer R, Iwasaki A, Suh H, Saltzman W. Polymer nanoparticles deliver mRNA to the lung for mucosal vaccination. Science Translational Medicine 2023, 15: eabq0603. PMID: 37585505, PMCID: PMC11137749, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abq0603.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Lethal viral challengeAntigen-presenting cellsSyndrome coronavirus 2Humoral adaptive immunityLung-targeting deliveryIntranasal vaccinationMucosal vaccinationPulmonary diseaseMucosal vaccinesSusceptible miceCoronavirus 2Viral challengeAdaptive immunityLungTranslational potentialMessenger RNA (mRNA) therapeuticsVaccinationMRNADeliveryTherapeuticsRNA therapeuticsTherapeutic deliveryIL-7R licenses a population of epigenetically poised memory CD8+ T cells with superior antitumor efficacy that are critical for melanoma memory
Micevic G, Daniels A, Flem-Karlsen K, Park K, Talty R, McGeary M, Mirza H, Blackburn H, Sefik E, Cheung J, Hornick N, Aizenbud L, Joshi N, Kluger H, Iwasaki A, Bosenberg M, Flavell R. IL-7R licenses a population of epigenetically poised memory CD8+ T cells with superior antitumor efficacy that are critical for melanoma memory. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2304319120. PMID: 37459511, PMCID: PMC10372654, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304319120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIL-7R expressionT cellsIL-7RAntitumor memorySuperior antitumor efficacyCell-based therapiesTumor-specific T cellsAntigen-specific T cellsAntitumor efficacyPowerful antitumor immune responseMarkers of exhaustionTumor-specific CD8Antitumor immune responseIndependent prognostic factorAntitumor immune memoryMemory T cellsMajor risk factorSuperior antitumor activityFunctional CD8Memory CD8Prognostic factorsSurgical resectionAdvanced melanomaLymph nodesNaive miceType 2 Dendritic Cells Orchestrate a Local Immune Circuit to Confer Antimetastatic Immunity
Weizman O, Luyten S, Krykbaeva I, Song E, Mao T, Bosenberg M, Iwasaki A. Type 2 Dendritic Cells Orchestrate a Local Immune Circuit to Confer Antimetastatic Immunity. The Journal Of Immunology 2023, 210: 1146-1155. PMID: 36881866, PMCID: PMC10067787, DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200697.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsType 2 dendritic cellsMetastatic burdenImmune circuitsDendritic cellsConventional type 2 dendritic cellsSyngeneic murine melanomaNK cell compartmentImmune cell responsesColon cancer modelEarly metastatic seedingMetastatic controlTranscription factor IRF3DC populationsNK cellsProinflammatory cytokinesNucleic acid sensingPrimary tumorEffector responsesMetastatic spreadDisease outcomeIntracardiac injectionT cellsInitial immunityTissue-specific ablationCancer model
2022
Unadjuvanted intranasal spike vaccine elicits protective mucosal immunity against sarbecoviruses
Mao T, Israelow B, Peña-Hernández MA, Suberi A, Zhou L, Luyten S, Reschke M, Dong H, Homer RJ, Saltzman WM, Iwasaki A. Unadjuvanted intranasal spike vaccine elicits protective mucosal immunity against sarbecoviruses. Science 2022, 378: eabo2523. PMID: 36302057, PMCID: PMC9798903, DOI: 10.1126/science.abo2523.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRespiratory mucosaSystemic immunityLethal SARS-CoV-2 infectionAcute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemicSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemicSARS-CoV-2 infectionProtective mucosal immunityCross-reactive immunityT cell responsesCoronavirus 2 pandemicPrimary vaccinationParenteral vaccinesMucosal immunityVaccine strategiesRespiratory tractImmunoglobulin AMemory BImmune memoryPartial immunityCell responsesPoor immunityImmunitySpike proteinMucosaVaccineGut microbiome dysbiosis in antibiotic-treated COVID-19 patients is associated with microbial translocation and bacteremia
Bernard-Raichon L, Venzon M, Klein J, Axelrad J, Zhang C, Sullivan A, Hussey G, Casanovas-Massana A, Noval M, Valero-Jimenez A, Gago J, Putzel G, Pironti A, Wilder E, Thorpe L, Littman D, Dittmann M, Stapleford K, Shopsin B, Torres V, Ko A, Iwasaki A, Cadwell K, Schluter J. Gut microbiome dysbiosis in antibiotic-treated COVID-19 patients is associated with microbial translocation and bacteremia. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 5926. PMID: 36319618, PMCID: PMC9626559, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33395-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGut microbiome dysbiosisCOVID-19 patientsMicrobiome dysbiosisSecondary infectionSARS-CoV-2 infection inducesLife-threatening secondary infectionsTranslocation of bacteriaBlood culture resultsCOVID-19 severityAntimicrobial-resistant speciesCOVID-19Different clinical sitesMicrobial translocationBloodstream infectionsInfection inducesBarrier permeabilitySystemic circulationDysbiosisGoblet cellsPaneth cellsClinical sitesCulture resultsPatient healthGut microbiomePatientsLINE-1 activation in the cerebellum drives ataxia
Takahashi T, Stoiljkovic M, Song E, Gao XB, Yasumoto Y, Kudo E, Carvalho F, Kong Y, Park A, Shanabrough M, Szigeti-Buck K, Liu ZW, Kristant A, Zhang Y, Sulkowski P, Glazer PM, Kaczmarek LK, Horvath TL, Iwasaki A. LINE-1 activation in the cerebellum drives ataxia. Neuron 2022, 110: 3278-3287.e8. PMID: 36070749, PMCID: PMC9588660, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.08.011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLINE-1 activationL1 activationAtaxia telangiectasia patientsNuclear element-1Transposable elementsEpigenetic silencersHuman genomeL1 promoterMolecular regulatorsDNA damagePurkinje cell dysfunctionElement 1First direct evidenceTelangiectasia patientsDirect targetingCerebellar expressionNeurodegenerative diseasesDisease etiologyCalcium homeostasisMild respiratory COVID can cause multi-lineage neural cell and myelin dysregulation
Fernández-Castañeda A, Lu P, Geraghty AC, Song E, Lee MH, Wood J, O'Dea MR, Dutton S, Shamardani K, Nwangwu K, Mancusi R, Yalçın B, Taylor KR, Acosta-Alvarez L, Malacon K, Keough MB, Ni L, Woo PJ, Contreras-Esquivel D, Toland AMS, Gehlhausen JR, Klein J, Takahashi T, Silva J, Israelow B, Lucas C, Mao T, Peña-Hernández MA, Tabachnikova A, Homer RJ, Tabacof L, Tosto-Mancuso J, Breyman E, Kontorovich A, McCarthy D, Quezado M, Vogel H, Hefti MM, Perl DP, Liddelow S, Folkerth R, Putrino D, Nath A, Iwasaki A, Monje M. Mild respiratory COVID can cause multi-lineage neural cell and myelin dysregulation. Cell 2022, 185: 2452-2468.e16. PMID: 35768006, PMCID: PMC9189143, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2 infectionMicroglial reactivityCognitive impairmentCSF cytokines/chemokinesCytokines/chemokinesSARS-CoV-2Early time pointsCCL11 levelsMild COVIDRespiratory influenzaHippocampal neurogenesisOligodendrocyte lossHippocampal pathologyMyelin lossNeurological symptomsImpaired neurogenesisCOVID survivorsNeurobiological effectsNeural dysregulationMyelin dysregulationCCL11Neural cellsTime pointsNeurogenesisMiceNo evidence of fetal defects or anti-syncytin-1 antibody induction following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination
Lu-Culligan A, Tabachnikova A, Pérez-Then E, Tokuyama M, Lee HJ, Lucas C, Monteiro V, Miric M, Brache V, Cochon L, Muenker MC, Mohanty S, Huang J, Kang I, Dela Cruz C, Farhadian S, Campbell M, Yildirim I, Shaw AC, Ma S, Vermund SH, Ko AI, Omer SB, Iwasaki A. No evidence of fetal defects or anti-syncytin-1 antibody induction following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. PLOS Biology 2022, 20: e3001506. PMID: 35609110, PMCID: PMC9129011, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001506.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOVID-19 mRNA vaccinationMRNA vaccinationEarly pregnancyFetal sizeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccinationSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Maternal antibody statusAdverse neonatal outcomesSyndrome coronavirus 2Birth defectsPolyinosinic-polycytidylic acidCrown-rump lengthGross birth defectsUnvaccinated adultsMaternal illnessNeonatal outcomesVaccinated adultsAntibody statusTLR3 agonistEarly immunizationMurine pregnancyAntibody inductionCoronavirus 2UVB-mediated DNA damage induces matrix metalloproteinases to promote photoaging in an AhR- and SP1-dependent manner
Kim DJ, Iwasaki A, Chien AL, Kang S. UVB-mediated DNA damage induces matrix metalloproteinases to promote photoaging in an AhR- and SP1-dependent manner. JCI Insight 2022, 7: e156344. PMID: 35316219, PMCID: PMC9090247, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.156344.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpecificity protein 1DNA damageSp1-dependent mannerProtein 1Activator protein-1HaCaT human immortalized keratinocytesExtracellular matrix componentsTranscription factorsAryl hydrocarbon receptorHuman immortalized keratinocytesMatrix componentsHydrocarbon receptorPotential targetImmortalized keratinocytesROSSun-exposed skinType IV collagenMMP2 expressionAhRMatrix metalloproteinasesMechanistic studiesMMP2IV collagenTopical treatmentMMP-1Inflammasome activation in infected macrophages drives COVID-19 pathology
Sefik E, Qu R, Junqueira C, Kaffe E, Mirza H, Zhao J, Brewer JR, Han A, Steach HR, Israelow B, Blackburn HN, Velazquez SE, Chen YG, Halene S, Iwasaki A, Meffre E, Nussenzweig M, Lieberman J, Wilen CB, Kluger Y, Flavell RA. Inflammasome activation in infected macrophages drives COVID-19 pathology. Nature 2022, 606: 585-593. PMID: 35483404, PMCID: PMC9288243, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04802-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInflammasome activationLung inflammationInflammatory responseInfected macrophagesSARS-CoV-2 infectionHuman macrophagesChronic lung pathologyPersistent lung inflammationSevere COVID-19Immune inflammatory responseInflammatory cytokine productionHumanized mouse modelNLRP3 inflammasome pathwayCOVID-19 pathologyCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2Productive viral cycleHyperinflammatory stateChronic stageIL-18Cytokine productionInflammatory cytokinesLung pathologyInflammasome pathwayInterleukin-1Targeting stem-loop 1 of the SARS-CoV-2 5′ UTR to suppress viral translation and Nsp1 evasion
Vora SM, Fontana P, Mao T, Leger V, Zhang Y, Fu TM, Lieberman J, Gehrke L, Shi M, Wang L, Iwasaki A, Wu H. Targeting stem-loop 1 of the SARS-CoV-2 5′ UTR to suppress viral translation and Nsp1 evasion. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2022, 119: e2117198119. PMID: 35149555, PMCID: PMC8892331, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117198119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 1Host protein synthesisSARS-CoV-2 5Nonstructural protein 1Viral translationNucleic acid antisenseAntiviral immunityProtein synthesisTherapeutic targetTransgenic miceViral protein synthesisViral replicationDrug resistanceHuman ACE2Infected cellsProtein 1COVID-19Virulence mechanismsNanomolar concentrationsHost translationPathogenic virusesEntry channelSuppressionTranslational suppressionHigh-affinity, neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can be made without T follicular helper cells
Chen JS, Chow RD, Song E, Mao T, Israelow B, Kamath K, Bozekowski J, Haynes WA, Filler RB, Menasche BL, Wei J, Alfajaro MM, Song W, Peng L, Carter L, Weinstein JS, Gowthaman U, Chen S, Craft J, Shon JC, Iwasaki A, Wilen CB, Eisenbarth SC. High-affinity, neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can be made without T follicular helper cells. Science Immunology 2022, 7: eabl5652. PMID: 34914544, PMCID: PMC8977051, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abl5652.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2 infectionSARS-CoV-2Follicular helper cellsB cell responsesHelper cellsAntibody productionCell responsesSARS-CoV-2 vaccinationB-cell receptor sequencingSevere COVID-19Cell receptor sequencingIndependent antibodiesT cell-B cell interactionsViral inflammationAntiviral antibodiesImmunoglobulin class switchingVirus infectionGerminal centersViral infectionClonal repertoireInfectionAntibodiesClass switchingCOVID-19PatientsEndogenous Retroviruses Provide Protection Against Vaginal HSV-2 Disease
Jayewickreme R, Mao T, Philbrick W, Kong Y, Treger RS, Lu P, Rakib T, Dong H, Dang-Lawson M, Guild WA, Lau TJ, Iwasaki A, Tokuyama M. Endogenous Retroviruses Provide Protection Against Vaginal HSV-2 Disease. Frontiers In Immunology 2022, 12: 758721. PMID: 35058919, PMCID: PMC8764156, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.758721.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHSV-2 infectionHSV-2 diseaseHerpes simplex virus type 2 infectionSimplex virus type 2 infectionEnhanced type I interferonIntravaginal HSV-2 infectionVaginal HSV-2 infectionVirus type 2 infectionEndogenous retrovirusesReceptor-deficient miceType 2 infectionHigh systemic levelsWildtype C57BL/6 miceType I interferonTLR7-/- miceC57BL/6 miceInfectious endogenous retrovirusDeficient miceIntravaginal applicationAntiviral immunityI interferonVaginal tissueDetrimental functionsTLR7Mice
2021
A humanized mouse model of chronic COVID-19
Sefik E, Israelow B, Mirza H, Zhao J, Qu R, Kaffe E, Song E, Halene S, Meffre E, Kluger Y, Nussenzweig M, Wilen CB, Iwasaki A, Flavell RA. A humanized mouse model of chronic COVID-19. Nature Biotechnology 2021, 40: 906-920. PMID: 34921308, PMCID: PMC9203605, DOI: 10.1038/s41587-021-01155-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic COVID-19Humanized mouse modelImmune responseMouse modelAcute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectionSyndrome coronavirus 2 infectionCOVID-19Adaptive human immune responsesInterferon-stimulated gene signaturePersistent viral RNACoronavirus 2 infectionPatient-derived antibodiesT-cell lymphopeniaHuman immune responseHyperactive immune responseCoronavirus disease 2019Inflammatory macrophage responseImmunological injuryLung pathologyCell lymphopeniaDisease 2019Severe diseaseRodent modelsInflammatory macrophagesIntranasal priming induces local lung-resident B cell populations that secrete protective mucosal antiviral IgA
Oh JE, Song E, Moriyama M, Wong P, Zhang S, Jiang R, Strohmeier S, Kleinstein SH, Krammer F, Iwasaki A. Intranasal priming induces local lung-resident B cell populations that secrete protective mucosal antiviral IgA. Science Immunology 2021, 6: eabj5129. PMID: 34890255, PMCID: PMC8762609, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abj5129.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVirus infectionIgA secretionB cellsMucosal surfacesIgA-secreting B cellsIgA-expressing cellsRole of IgARespiratory virus infectionsIgA-secreting cellsLower respiratory tractInfluenza virus infectionEffective immune protectionHeterologous virus infectionMemory B cellsSecretory immunoglobulin AProtein-based vaccinesB cell populationsPredominant Ig isotypeSite of entryIntranasal primingBronchoalveolar spaceProtective immunityVaccine strategiesRespiratory mucosaImmune protectionA stem-loop RNA RIG-I agonist protects against acute and chronic SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice
Mao T, Israelow B, Lucas C, Vogels CBF, Gomez-Calvo ML, Fedorova O, Breban MI, Menasche BL, Dong H, Linehan M, Alpert T, Anderson F, Earnest R, Fauver J, Kalinich C, Munyenyembe K, Ott I, Petrone M, Rothman J, Watkins A, Wilen C, Landry M, Grubaugh N, Pyle A, Iwasaki A. A stem-loop RNA RIG-I agonist protects against acute and chronic SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice. Journal Of Experimental Medicine 2021, 219: e20211818. PMID: 34757384, PMCID: PMC8590200, DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211818.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2 infectionChronic SARS-CoV-2 infectionVariants of concernLethal SARS-CoV-2 infectionPost-infection therapyLower respiratory tractPost-exposure treatmentType I interferonSARS-CoV-2Effective medical countermeasuresAdaptive immune systemBroad-spectrum antiviralsContext of infectionSingle doseRespiratory tractViral controlImmunodeficient miceSevere diseaseMouse modelI interferonViral infectionImmune systemInnate immunityDisease preventionConsiderable efficacyKDM5B promotes immune evasion by recruiting SETDB1 to silence retroelements
Zhang SM, Cai WL, Liu X, Thakral D, Luo J, Chan LH, McGeary MK, Song E, Blenman KRM, Micevic G, Jessel S, Zhang Y, Yin M, Booth CJ, Jilaveanu LB, Damsky W, Sznol M, Kluger HM, Iwasaki A, Bosenberg MW, Yan Q. KDM5B promotes immune evasion by recruiting SETDB1 to silence retroelements. Nature 2021, 598: 682-687. PMID: 34671158, PMCID: PMC8555464, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03994-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsCell Line, TumorDNA-Binding ProteinsEpigenesis, GeneticGene SilencingHeterochromatinHistone-Lysine N-MethyltransferaseHumansInterferon Type IJumonji Domain-Containing Histone DemethylasesMaleMelanomaMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutNuclear ProteinsRepressor ProteinsRetroelementsTumor EscapeConceptsImmune checkpoint blockadeImmune evasionCheckpoint blockadeImmune responseAnti-tumor immune responseRobust adaptive immune responseTumor immune evasionAnti-tumor immunityAdaptive immune responsesType I interferon responseDNA-sensing pathwayMouse melanoma modelImmunotherapy resistanceMost patientsCurrent immunotherapiesTumor immunogenicityImmune memoryMelanoma modelCytosolic RNA sensingRole of KDM5BConsiderable efficacyInterferon responseImmunotherapyEpigenetic therapyBlockade