March 11, 2015 "Differential Cardiac microRNA Expression Predicts the Clinical Course in Human Enterovirus Cardiomyopathy”

 

This study conducted microRNA(miR) profiling to identify novel predictive markers for the course of enterovirus(CVB3) cardimyopaty. The transcriptome mapping of CVB3 cardiomyopathy patients showed that patients with spontaneous virus recovery had very different patterns of microRNA than patients who experienced virus persistence and progressive clinical deterioration. Through miR profiling the researchers found differences in cardiac levels of 16 miRs, and the evaluation of the cohorts indicated that 8 miRs, including miRs 135b, 155, 190, 422a, 489, 590, 601, 1290, were induced in patients with persistent virus, but were not found in patients with spontaneous recovery.  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25761932

 

 

 

January 13, 2014 “Human Rhinovirus and Disease Severity in Children”

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/01/07/peds.2013-2216.abstract

 

This study evaluated the factors involved in disease severity by studying nasopharyngeal aspirates from 434 children who had various respiratory infections symptoms. The study showed association of coinfections with lower respiratory tract symptoms and some parameters of disease severity, such as hospitalization. In coinfections, RSV was the most important virus associated with severe disease.”

 

 

January 6, 2014 "PNA Neutralizing antibodies can initiate genome release from human enterovirus 71”

http://www.pnas.org/content/111/6/2134.abstract

 

There are currently no antiviral treatments against Enterovirus 71 (EV71), which causes yearly outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease in Southeast Asia and causes severe neurological disease in young children.  This researchers used an immature EV71 virus as an antigen to generate an antibody that induced the release of genome from EV71 virions and thus neutralizing the virus. The researchers prepared the antibodies by immunizing mice with empty, immature particles of human enterovirus 71(EV71)  The monoclonal antibody E, induced a conformational change when incubated at temperatures between 4 °C and 37 °C with mature virus. As a result, antibody mediated genome release occurred as was demonstrated by cryo-EM and a fluorescent SYBR Green dye assay inactivated the virus. This study is significant in that it elucidates a virus inactivation mechanism and indicates that the E18 antibody has potential as an anti-EV71 therapy. 

 

 

 

October 1, 2014 "Rhinovirus-induced IL-25 in asthma exacerbation drives type 2 immunity and allergic pulmonary inflammation”

http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/6/256/256ra134

 

They found that Rhinovirus infected individuals with asthma had cells with increased expression of IL25, a small molecule that plays an active role in asthma pathogenesis and triggers a chain of events that leads to an asthma attack. What effects do high levels of IL-25 expression in cells have on individuals? They cause increased T and non-T type 2 cellular responses. An important response is increased type 2 cytokine production, which amplifies the pathogenesis of asthma.

 

Why are these findings important? Besides demonstrating how Rhinoviruses play a major role in the worsening of asthma symptoms, they introduce a new possibility of treatment. Since IL-25 is expressed highly in cells of individuals with asthma and rhinoviruses, blocking IL-25 can result in amelioration of symptoms by suppressing inflammation. This research gives validation to therapies of asthma that block IL-25 and/or inhibit T and non-T type 2 cellular responses.

 

 

2013: Evidence of Ljungan virus(LV) specific antibodies in humans and Rodents, Finland

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23852812

 

This research study pointed out that The researchers screened a panel of 37 Finnish sera and 50 samples from Myodes glareolus, a type of rodent,  for anti-LV antibodies and found that 38% of the humans and 18% of M. glareolus were seropositive for LV. This study was the first one in Finland to identify evidence of humans and rodents coming into contact with LV.