Paper-based immunosensor with signal amplification by enzyme-labeled anti-p16INK4a multifunctionalized gold nanoparticles for cervical cancer screening

The aim of this study was to develop a paper-based immunosensor for cervical cancer screening, with signal amplification by multifunctionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs were functionalized with a highly specific antibody to the p16^INK4a cancer biomarker. The signal was amplified using a combination of the peroxidase activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme-antibody conjugate and the peroxidase-like activity of the AuNPs. The immune complex of p16^INK4a protein and multifunctionalized AuNPs was deposited on the nitrocellulose membrane, and a positive result was generated by catalytic oxidation of peroxidase enzyme substrate 3,3’,5,5’-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The entire reaction occurred on the membrane within 30 min. Evaluation in clinical samples revealed 85.2% accuracy with a kappa coefficient of 0.69. This proof of concept study demonstrates the successful development of a highly accurate, paper-based immunosensor that is easy to interpret using the naked eye and that is suitable for cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings.     

Chimeric dengue type 2/type 1 viruses induce immune responses in cynomolgus monkeys

Chimeric dengue type 2/type 1 (DEN2/1) viruses, which contain the structural genes of the dengue-1 (16007) parental virus and the nonstructural genes of the DEN2-PDK53 virus, have been constructed. These DEN2/1 viruses induce high levels of DEN1 virus-specific neutralizing antibodies in mice. In this study, the DEN2/1 viruses induced DEN1 virus-specific neutralizing antibodies without the development of viremia in cynomolgus monkeys. Dengue virus-specific IgM antibodies were detected in the sera of the immunized animals as early as 3 days post-immunization. After challenge with the DEN1-16007 wild-type virus, only a low level of viremia was detected in chimeric DEN2/1 virus-immunized monkeys. A second challenge, with DEN2-16681 virus, was given while the levels of DEN2-specific neutralizing antibodies were very low: infectious Dengue 2 virus could not be detected in sera of the monkeys. A correlation between the level of neutralizing antibody and the incidence of viremia could not be found. In addition, there was no significant increase in the levels of interferon gamma and soluble interleukin 2 receptor in the sera of the challenged monkeys, which suggests a reduction in immunopathogenesis caused by T-cell activation. Our findings suggest that DEN2/1 viruses may used as a live-attenuated candidate vaccine because of their safety, broad immunogenicity, and lower immunopathogenicity.     

Attenuating characteristics of DEN-2 PDK53 in flavivirus-naïve peripheral blood mononuclear cells

A live-attenuated DEN-2 virus, DEN-2 strain 16681-PDK53, has been found to be attenuated for both humans and mice with an unknown mechanism. To partially answer this question, responses of flavivirus-na?ve primary human PBMC to infection with attenuated DEN-2 PDK53 (D2/IC-VV45R) virus and its parental, virulent DEN-2 16681 virus (D2/IC-30P-A) were investigated at the cellular and genetic levels using cDNA array analysis. Both DEN-2 viruses produced similar replication kinetics in flavivirus-na?ve PBMC. In contrast, virulent DEN-2 virus caused a higher percentage of apoptotic death. A macro-array analysis showed that the virulent D2/IC-30P-A virus induced changes in the expression of a greater number of genes than did the attenuated D2/IC-VV45R virus, 31 genes versus 19 genes, respectively, by 24 h post-infection. Interestingly, both viruses stimulated cytokines known to be virulence factors for DEN virus infection, such as IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MIP-1beta, and MIP-1alpha. The virulent virus additionally up-regulates immune suppression factors and down-regulates immune activator and growth factors. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that D2-PDK53 effected less change in PBMC than D2-16681 in terms of observable cellular effect and expression of cytokine and chemokine related genes.     

Cytopathogenesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Naegleria fowleri</Emphasis> Thai strains for cultured human neuroblastoma cells

The aim of this study is to evaluate cellular interaction between free-living amoebae Naegleria fowleri strains and mammalian target cells in vitro. Two Thai strains of N. fowleri; Khon Kaen strain from the environment and Siriraj strain from the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid and the Center of Disease Control VO 3081 strain from Atlanta (US) were studied. Human neuroblastoma (SK-N-MC) and African Green monkey Kidney (Vero) cells were used as target cells. Each cell line was inoculated with each strain of N. fowleri at a ratio of 1:1 and observed for 7 days. The uninoculated target cells and each strain of N. fowleri were used as control. The numbers of the challenged and unchallenged cells as well as the free-living amoebae were counted three times by trypan blue exclusion method. The inoculation began when the amoebae attached to the cell membrane and ingested the target cells. In this study, extensive cytopathogenesis with many floating inoculated cells and abundant number of amoebae were observed. The destruction pattern of both inoculated SK-N-MC and Vero target cells were similar. Interestingly, SK-N-MC was more susceptible to N. fowleri strains than the Vero cell. In addition, N. fowleri Siriraj strain showed the highest destruction pattern for each target cell. Our findings suggest that the SK-N-MC should be used as a base model for studying the neuropathogenesis in primary amoebic meningoencephalitis patients.     

Dengue virus specific T cell responses to live attenuated monovalent dengue-2 and tetravalent dengue vaccines

The proliferative T cell responses to dengue vaccines were studied using the parental strains of dengue vaccines as antigens in 26 dengue immune individuals who resided in Bangkok which is the endemic area of dengue infection. The magnitude of the T cell responses in subjects with flavivirus cross-reactive neutralizing antibody was much higher and the cross-reactivity was broader than in those with dengue serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies, Japanese encephalitis (JE) specific antibodies or dengue cross-reactive antibodies. The T cell response in those with neutralizing antibody against a single serotype or in those who had dengue cross-reactive neutralizing antibody was relatively low, independent of the level or degree of cross-reactivity of the antibody. Evaluation of the proliferative T cell responses in 8 recipients of the monovalent dengue-2 (16681-PDK53) or the tetravalent dengue vaccines demonstrated that both vaccines induced high levels of neutralizing antibody as well as high levels of T cell responses to all serotypes of dengue virus. These results indicate that the evaluated dengue vaccines efficiently induced humoral and cell mediated immunity comparable to natural infection with dengue virus.     

Scanning electron microscopic study of human neuroblastoma cells affected with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Naegleria fowleri</Emphasis> Thai strains

In order to understand the pathogenesis of Naegleria fowleri in primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, the human neuroblastoma (SK-N-MC) and African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells were studied in vitro. Amoeba suspension in cell-culture medium was added to the confluent monolayer of SK-N-MC and Vero cells. The cytopathic activity of N. fowleri trophozoites in co-culture system was elucidated by scanning electron microscope at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h. Two strains of N. fowleri displayed well-organized vigorous pseudopods in Nelson's medium at 37 degrees C. In co-culture, the target monolayer cells were damaged by two mechanisms, phagocytosis by vigorous pseudopods and engulfment by sucker-like apparatus. N. fowleri trophozoites produced amoebostomes only in co-culture with SK-N-MC cells. In contrast, we could not find such apparatus in the co-culture with Vero cells. The complete destruction time (100%) at 1:1 amoeba/cells ratio of SK-N-MC cells (1 day) was shorter than the Vero cells (12 days). In conclusion, SK-N-MC cells were confirmed to be a target model for studying neuropathogenesis of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.