Suzanne M. Scheaffer
A5081075487- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Glioma Diagnosis and Treatment
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Viral Infections and Immunology Research
- Neurofibromatosis and Schwannoma Cases
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Ocular Oncology and Treatments
- Neuroblastoma Research and Treatments
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
- Diet, Metabolism, and Disease
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
Washington University in St. Louis
2015-2024
University of Missouri–St. Louis
2022
The recent emergence of B.1.1.529, the Omicron variant
Maternal obesity impairs offspring health, but the responsible mechanisms are not fully established. To address this question, we fed female mice a high-fat/high-sugar diet from before conception until weaning and then followed outcomes in next three generations of offspring, all control diet. We observed that born to obese mothers had impaired peripheral insulin signaling was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction altered dynamic complex proteins skeletal muscle. This phenotype persisted...
Abstract Currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants have acquired convergent mutations at hot spots in the receptor-binding domain 1 (RBD) of spike protein. The effects these on viral infection and transmission efficacy vaccines therapies remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that recently emerged BQ.1.1 XBB.1.5 bind host ACE2 with high affinity promote membrane fusion more efficiently than earlier Omicron variants. Structures BQ.1.1, XBB.1 BN.1 RBDs bound to fragment antigen-binding...
Although Zika virus (ZIKV) can be transmitted sexually and cause congenital birth defects, immune control mechanisms in the female reproductive tract (FRT) are not well characterized. Here we show that treatment of primary human vaginal cervical epithelial cells with interferon (IFN)-α/β or IFN-λ induces host defense transcriptional signatures inhibits ZIKV infection. We also assess effects IFNs on intravaginal infection FRT using ovariectomized mice treated hormones. find receiving...
Mitochondria are the most prominent organelle in oocyte. Somatic cells maintain a healthy population of mitochondria by degrading damaged via mitophagy, specialized autophagy pathway. However, evidence from previous work investigating more general macroautophagy pathway oocytes suggests that mitophagy may not be active This would leave vast numbers - poised to inherited offspring vulnerable damage. Here we test hypothesis inactive oocyte underlies maternal transmission dysfunctional...
Abstract Despite the development and deployment of antibody vaccine countermeasures, rapidly-spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations at key antigenic sites in spike protein jeopardize their efficacy. The recent emergence B.1.1.529, Omicron variant1,2, which has more than 30 protein, raised concerns for escape from protection by vaccines therapeutic antibodies. A test potential countermeasures against B.1.1.529 is activity pre-clinical rodent models respiratory tract disease. Here, using...
Abstract Neuronal activity is emerging as a driver of central and peripheral nervous system cancers. Here, we examined neuronal physiology in mouse models the tumor predisposition syndrome Neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1), with different propensities to develop We show that neurons from mice tumor-causing Nf1 gene mutations exhibit hyperexcitability increased secretion activity-dependent tumor-promoting paracrine factors. discovered neurofibroma mitogen (COL1A2) produced by an activity-regulated...
Currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants acquired convergent mutations at receptor-binding domain (RBD) hot spots 1 . Their impact on viral infection, transmission, and efficacy of vaccines therapeutics remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that recently emerged BQ.1.1. XBB.1 bind ACE2 with high affinity promote membrane fusion more efficiently than earlier Omicron variants. Structures the BQ.1.1 RBDs bound to human S309 Fab (sotrovimab parent) explain altered recognition...
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the promise of monoclonal antibody-based prophylactic and therapeutic drugs
ABSTRACT The B.1.1.529 Omicron variant jeopardizes vaccines designed with early pandemic spike antigens. Here, we evaluated in mice the protective activity of Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine against before or after boosting preclinical mRNA-1273.529, an Omicron-matched vaccine. Whereas two doses induced high levels serum neutralizing antibodies historical WA1/2020 strains, were lower and associated infection inflammation lung. A primary vaccination series mRNA-1273.529 potently neutralized but...
The primary two-dose SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine series are strongly immunogenic in humans, but the emergence of highly infectious variants necessitated additional doses these vaccines and development new variant-derived ones
With the success of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019, strategies can now focus on improving vaccine potency, breadth, and stability. We designed evaluated domain-based mRNA encoding wild-type spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) or N-terminal (NTD) alone in combination. An NTD-RBD-linked candidate vaccine, mRNA-1283, showed improved antigen expression, antibody responses, stability at refrigerated temperatures (2° to 8°C) compared with clinically...
The chloride channel calcium-activated (CLCA) family are secreted proteins that regulate both transport and mucin expression, thus controlling the production of mucus in respiratory other systems. Accordingly, human CLCA1 is a critical mediator hypersecretory lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, manifest obstruction. Despite relevance to homeostasis mechanism function remains largely undefined. We address this void by showing CLCA contain...
Maternal obesity is correlated with cardiovascular disease in offspring, a 1.3-fold increase events observed offspring of obese women. We have that obesity-exposed oocytes demonstrate impaired mitophagy and transmit damaged mitochondria to the offspring. Accordingly, we hypothesized maternal induces cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction via transgenerational inheritance abnormal oocyte mitochondria. mated female mice fed high-fat/high-sucrose (HFS) diet (or chow) chow-fed males assessed...
ABSTRACT The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants in the Omicron lineage with large numbers substitutions spike protein that can evade antibody neutralization has resulted diminished vaccine efficacy and persistent transmission. One strategy to broaden vaccine-induced immunity is administer bivalent vaccines encode for proteins from both historical newly-emerged variant strains. Here, we evaluated immunogenicity protective two recently were authorized use Europe United States contain mRNAs...
The continued evolution and emergence of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants have resulted in challenges to vaccine antibody efficacy. each new variant necessitates the need re-evaluate refine animal models used for countermeasure testing. Here, we tested a recently circulating SARS-CoV-2 Omicron lineage variant, BQ.1.1, multiple rodent including K18-human ACE2 (hACE2) transgenic, C57BL/6J, 129S2 mice, Syrian golden hamsters. In contrast previously...
Abstract Maternal metabolic diseases increase offspring risk for low birth weight and cardiometabolic in adulthood. Excess fructose consumption may confer risks both women their offspring. However, the direct consequences of intake per se are unknown. We assessed impact a maternal high-fructose diet on fetal-placental unit mice absence syndrome determined association between serum placental uric acid levels humans. In mice, led to inefficiency, fetal growth restriction, elevated glucose...