A5019986056- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- HIV Research and Treatment
- interferon and immune responses
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
- RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
- Viral Infections and Immunology Research
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Platelet Disorders and Treatments
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Diabetes and associated disorders
- Hepatitis C virus research
University of Southern California
2022-2025
University of California, Los Angeles
2011-2024
Black AIDS Institute
2016-2024
Virologie et Pathologies Humaines
2009-2015
Inserm
2006-2015
Broad Center
2013
Institut Cochin
2006
Université Paris Cité
2006
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
2006
Abstract Zoonotic transmission of lethal henipaviruses (HNVs) from their natural fruit bat reservoirs to humans has only been reported in Australia and South/Southeast Asia. However, a recent study discovered numerous HNV clades African samples. To determine the potential for spillover events among Africa, here we examine well-curated sets ( Eidolon helvum, n =44) human =497) serum samples Cameroon Nipah virus (NiV) cross-neutralizing antibodies (NiV-X-Nabs). Using vesicular stomatitis...
ABSTRACT Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra (HeV) are closely related henipaviruses of the Paramyxovirinae . Spillover from their fruit bat reservoirs can cause severe disease in humans livestock. Despite high sequence similarity, NiV HeV exhibit apparent differences receptor tissue tropism, envelope-mediated fusogenicity, replicative fitness, other pathophysiologic manifestations. To investigate molecular basis for these differences, we first established a highly efficient reverse genetics system...
Significance African henipaviruses (HNVs) may be responsible for the misdiagnosis of encephalitis-associated outbreaks malaria. Host-cell infection by an HNV relies on initial interaction between a virally encoded surface glycoprotein and host-cell receptor. Here, we provide structural description how bat-borne Ghanaian hijacks human ephrinB2 to facilitate cross-species transmission. We demonstrate that, although Ghanian is sequence dissimilar (<30% identity) displays receptor-binding...
Abstract Background With successful treatment of HIV, viral loads can drop to levels undetectable by regular qPCR diagnostic methods. However, the virus remains latent in cellular reservoirs . These reservoir cells are rare, and their quantification is a critical parameter assess future HIV treatments. Digital PCR (dPCR) technology bypasses limitation inherent qPCR, quantify some extent with infection within cell population. Methods Here we describe protocol relying on dPCR that allows...
SARS-CoV-2 is an emerging viral pathogen and a major global public health challenge since December of 2019, with limited effective treatments throughout the pandemic. As part innate immune response to infection, type I interferons (IFN-I) trigger signaling cascade that culminates in activation hundreds genes, known as interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), collectively foster antiviral state. We report here identification group suppressed including fatty acid synthase (FASN), which are involved...
The budding of Nipah virus, a deadly member the Henipavirus genus within Paramyxoviridae, has been thought to be independent host ESCRT pathway, which is critical for many enveloped viruses. This conclusion was based on properties virus matrix protein in absence other components. Here, we find that C protein, previously investigated its role antagonism innate immunity, recruits pathway promote efficient release. Inhibition or depletion factor Tsg101 abrogates enhancement and impairs live...
Nipah virus (NiV) is a deadly emerging enveloped paramyxovirus that primarily targets human endothelial cells. Endothelial cells express the innate immune effector galectin-1 we have previously shown can bind to specific N-glycans on NiV envelope fusion glycoprotein (F). NiV-F mediates of infected into syncytia, resulting in disruption and hemorrhage. Galectin-1 an endogenous carbohydrate-binding protein binds glycans reduce cell fusion, effect may pathophysiologic sequelae infection....
ABSTRACT Sophisticated retargeting systems for lentiviral vectors have been developed in recent years. Most seek to suppress the viral envelope's natural tropism while modifying receptor-binding domain such that its is determined by specificity of engineered ligand-binding motif. Here we took advantage Nipah virus (NiV), whose attachment envelope glycoprotein has picomolar affinity ephrinB2, a molecule proposed as molecular marker “stemness” (present on embryonic, hematopoietic, and neural...
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) binding antibody (Ab) levels following vaccination or natural infection could be used as a surrogate for immune protection if results of serological assays were standardized to yield quantitative using an international standard. Using bead-based assay (Luminex xMAP), anti-receptor domain (anti-RBD) Ab determined 1,450 participants enrolled in the Los Angeles Pandemic Surveillance Cohort (LAPSC) study. For 123 participants,...
This cross-sectional study estimates the seroprevalence of antibodies specific to receptor binding domain spike protein SARS-CoV-2 and vaccination coverage among adults in Los Angeles County, California, April 2021.
ABSTRACT Recent evidence identified multiple Henipavirus species in Africa distinct from those Southeast Asia and Australia. The reported fusion glycoprotein (F) sequence of the African Gh-M74a strain (GhV-F) is likely incorrect: a single base pair deletion near N terminus results aberrancies. Rectifying this by adding nucleotide insertions GhV-F that now possesses signal peptide, efficiently cell surface expressed, exhibits syncytium formation when coexpressed with GhV-G protein, mediates...
Abstract Epidemiologic surveillance of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants is essential to assess impact on clinical outcomes and vaccine efficacy. Whole genome sequencing (WGS), the gold-standard identify variants, requires significant infrastructure expertise. We developed a digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay that can rapidly concern/interest (VOC/VOI) using variant-specific mutation combinations in Spike gene. To validate assay, 800 saliva samples known be positive by...
ABSTRACT The transformative potential of gene editing technologies hinges on the development safe and effective delivery methods. In this study, we developed a temperature-sensitive interferon-silent Sendai virus (ts SeV) as novel vector for CRISPR-Cas9 efficient in sensitive human cell types without inducing IFN responses. ts SeV demonstrates unprecedented transduction efficiency CD34+ hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) including CD34+/CD38-/CD45RA-/CD90+(Thy1+)/CD49f high enriched...
ABSTRACT The therapeutic potential of gene editing technologies hinges on the development safe and effective delivery methods. In this study, we developed a temperature-sensitive less immunogenic Sendai virus (ts SeV) as novel vector for CRISPR-Cas9 efficient in sensitive human cell types with limited induction an innate immune response. ts SeV demonstrates high transduction efficiency CD34 + hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) including /CD38 − /CD45RA /CD90 (Thy1 )/CD49f enriched...
Abstract Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with different infectivity, transmission potential, and morbidity change the characteristics of local epidemics affect vaccine effectiveness. As part University Southern California COVID-19 Pandemic Research Center's efforts to understand, control, inform community on disease 2019 (COVID-19), we implemented a SARS-CoV-2 surveillance program among students, employees, USC Keck Medical Center patients. We...
Prevention of COVID-19 with vaccine requires multiple doses and updated boosters to maintain protection; however currently there are no tests that can measure immunity guide clinical decisions about timing booster doses. This study examined the association between risk breakthrough infections receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody levels receipt vaccines. A community sample Los Angeles County adults were surveyed 2021 2022 determine if they had a self-reported infection. Predictors included...