The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection

A special issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease (ISSN 2414-6366). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 14918

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
Interests: zoonotic diseases; infectious diseases; vaccines; bacteria; virus; host-pathogen interactions; innate immunity; cell-mediated immunity; humoral immunity; inflammation; immune evasion; pathogenesis; pathology; immune protection; antigens; effectors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Zoonotic infections are generally defined as infections that are transmitted from animals to humans through direct or indirect contact. Animal food products perform the role of the main mediators for zoonotic pathogens. Zoonotic infections cause a high burden worldwide, including short-term and long-term morbidity and mortality. Zoonotic pathogens include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, which can cause different types of diseases in animals and people. Animals frequently act as carriers that can make people sick. 

Understanding the immunology of zoonotic infections is crucial for improved therapeutic or preventive approaches against zoonoses. Zoonotic pathogens use various virulence factors to evade or modify host immune response and cause acute infection or persistent infection in the host. Revealing the immune mechanism of these factors can promote the development of prevention and control approaches such as vaccines or drugs. We are particularly interested in topics on the significant findings of immune responses induced by zoonoses. The topics of interest include but are not limited to:  

  • Pathogenetic mechanism in immune response level of zoonoses;
  • Multi-omics of immune cells in zoonotic infections;
  • Innate immune response induced by zoonoses;
  • Development of vaccines against zoonoses;
  • Immunotherapy for treatment of zoonotic infections.

Prof. Dr. Qiuchun Li
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • infectious diseases
  • vaccines
  • bacteria
  • virus
  • host–pathogen interactions
  • innate immunity
  • cell-mediated immunity
  • humoral immunity
  • inflammation
  • immune evasion
  • pathogenesis
  • pathology
  • immune protection
  • antigens
  • effectors

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 183 KiB  
Editorial
Advancement in Understanding Immune Responses against Zoonotic Infections
by Yuanyue Tang, Zhongyi Jiang and Qiuchun Li
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2023, 8(6), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed8060305 - 2 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1563
Abstract
This Special Issue focuses on the recent advancements in our understanding of immune responses against zoonoses, which include viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal diseases [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection)
2 pages, 161 KiB  
Editorial
The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection
by Yang Li and Qiuchun Li
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2022, 7(7), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed7070127 - 7 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1482
Abstract
Zoonotic infection can threaten public health locally and globally [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

13 pages, 2104 KiB  
Article
Discrepancy in Response of Mouse Dendritic Cells against BCG: Weak Immune Effects of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Compared to Classical Dendritic Cells despite the Uptake of Bacilli
by Chuang Meng, Jun Liu, Xilong Kang, Zhengzhong Xu, Shuangyuan Xu, Xin Li, Zhiming Pan, Xiang Chen and Xinan Jiao
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2023, 8(3), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed8030140 - 25 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1865
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), a zoonosis characterized by chronic respiratory infections, is mainly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is associated with one of the heaviest disease burdens in the world. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role and act as a bridge between innate and [...] Read more.
Tuberculosis (TB), a zoonosis characterized by chronic respiratory infections, is mainly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is associated with one of the heaviest disease burdens in the world. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role and act as a bridge between innate and adaptive immune responses against TB. DCs are divided into distinct subsets. Currently, the response of DCs to mycobacterial infections is poorly understood. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the responses of splenic conventional DCs (cDC) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDC), subsets to Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) infection in mice. Splenic pDC had a significantly higher infection rate and intracellular bacterial count than cDC and the CD8+ and CD8 cDC subsets after BCG infection. However, the expression levels of CD40, CD80, CD86, and MHC-II molecules were significantly upregulated in splenic cDC and the CD8 cDC subsets compared to pDC during BCG infection. Splenic cDC had a higher expression of IFN-γ and IL-12p70 than pDC, whereas pDC had higher levels of TNF-α and MCP-1 than cDC in mice infected with BCG. At early stages of immunization with BCG containing the Ag85A protein, splenic cDC and pDC could present the Ag85A peptide to a specific T hybridoma; however, cDC had a stronger antigen presenting activity than pDC. In summary, splenic cDC and pDC extensively participate in mouse immune responses against BCG infection in vivo. Although pDC had a higher BCG uptake, cDC induced stronger immunological effects, including activation and maturation, cytokine production, and antigen presentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection)
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12 pages, 2825 KiB  
Article
Echinococcus multilocularis Calreticulin Interferes with C1q-Mediated Complement Activation
by Siqi Xian, Lujuan Chen, Yan Yan, Jianfang Chen, Guixia Yu, Yuxiao Shao, Bin Zhan, Yanhai Wang and Limei Zhao
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2023, 8(1), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed8010047 - 7 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3110
Abstract
As a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus multilocularis larvae, alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is one of the most severe forms of parasitic infection. Over a long evolutional process E. multilocularis has developed complex strategies to escape host immune attack and survive within a host. [...] Read more.
As a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus multilocularis larvae, alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is one of the most severe forms of parasitic infection. Over a long evolutional process E. multilocularis has developed complex strategies to escape host immune attack and survive within a host. However, the mechanisms underlying immune evasion remain unclear. Here we investigated the binding activity of E. multilocularis calreticulin (EmCRT), a highly conserved Ca2+-binding protein, to human complement C1q and its ability to inhibit classical complement activation. ELISA, Far Western blotting and immunoprecipitation results demonstrated that both recombinant and natural EmCRTs bound to human C1q, and the interaction of recombinant EmCRT (rEmCRT) inhibited C1q binding to IgM. Consequently, rEmCRT inhibited classical complement activation manifested as decreasing C4/C3 depositions and antibody-sensitized cell lysis. Moreover, rEmCRT binding to C1q suppressed C1q binding to human mast cell, HMC-1, resulting in reduced C1q-induced mast cell chemotaxis. According to these results, E. multilocularis expresses EmCRT to interfere with C1q-mediated complement activation and C1q-dependent non-complement activation of immune cells, possibly as an immune evasion strategy of the parasite in the host. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection)
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11 pages, 3770 KiB  
Article
Vertical Transfer of Humoral Immunity against Nipah Virus: A Novel Evidence from Bangladesh
by Syed Moinuddin Satter, Arifa Nazneen, Wasik Rahman Aquib, Sharmin Sultana, Mohammed Ziaur Rahman, John D. Klena, Joel M. Montgomery and Tahmina Shirin
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2023, 8(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed8010016 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3562
Abstract
A major obstacle to in-depth investigation of the immune response against Nipah virus (NiV) infection is its rapid progression and high mortality rate. This paper described novel information on the vertical transfer of immune properties. In January 2020, a female aged below five [...] Read more.
A major obstacle to in-depth investigation of the immune response against Nipah virus (NiV) infection is its rapid progression and high mortality rate. This paper described novel information on the vertical transfer of immune properties. In January 2020, a female aged below five years and her mother from Faridpur district of Bangladesh were infected. Both had a history of raw date palm sap consumption and were diagnosed as confirmed NiV cases. The daughter passed away, and the mother survived with significant residual neurological impairment. She conceived one and a half year later and was under thorough antenatal follow-up by the surveillance authority. A healthy male baby was born. As part of routine survivor follow-up, specimens were collected from the newborn and tested for NiV infection at the reference laboratory to exclude vertical transmission. Although testing negative for anti-Nipah IgM and PCR for NiV, a high titre of anti-Nipah IgG was observed. The transfer of humoral immunity against NiV from mother to neonate was confirmed for the first time. The article will serve as a reference for further exploration regarding NiV-specific antibodies that are transferred through the placenta, their potential to protect newborns, and how this may influence vaccine recommendations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection)
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12 pages, 2452 KiB  
Article
Immunization with EmCRT-Induced Protective Immunity against Echinococcus multilocularis Infection in BALB/c Mice
by Lujuan Chen, Zhe Cheng, Siqi Xian, Bin Zhan, Zhijian Xu, Yan Yan, Jianfang Chen, Yanhai Wang and Limei Zhao
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2022, 7(10), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed7100279 - 1 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2403
Abstract
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a severe parasitic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis. The identification of the antigens eliciting acquired immunity during infection is important for vaccine development against Echinococcus infection. Here, we identified that E. multilocularis calreticulin ( [...] Read more.
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a severe parasitic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis. The identification of the antigens eliciting acquired immunity during infection is important for vaccine development against Echinococcus infection. Here, we identified that E. multilocularis calreticulin (EmCRT), a ubiquitous protein with a Ca2+-binding ability, could be recognized by the sera of mice infected with E. multilocularis. The native EmCRT was expressed on the surface of E. multilocularis larvae as well as in the secreted products of metacestode vesicles and protoscoleces (PSCs). The coding DNA for EmCRT was cloned from the mRNA of the E. multilocularis metacestode vesicles and a recombinant EmCRT protein (rEmCRT) was expressed in E. coli. Mice immunized with soluble rEmCRT formulated with Freund’s adjuvant (FA) produced a 43.16% larval vesicle weight reduction against the challenge of E. multilocularis PSCs compared to those that received the PBS control associated with a high titer of IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a antibody responses as well as high levels of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-2) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10), produced by splenocytes. Our results suggest that EmCRT is an immunodominant protein secreted by E. multilocularis larvae and a vaccine candidate that induces partial protective immunity in vaccinated mice against Echinococcus infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Immunology of Zoonotic Infection)
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