This study reports the isolation and functional characterization of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) CD4-1+ T cells and the establishment of an IL-15–dependent CD4-1+ T cell line. By using Abs specific for CD4-1 and CD3ε it was possible to isolate the double-positive T cells in spleen and head kidney. The morphology and the presence of transcripts for T cell markers in the sorted CD4-1+CD3ε+ cells were studied next. Cells were found to express TCRα, TCRβ, CD152 (CTLA-4), CD154 (CD40L), T-bet, GATA-3, and STAT-1. The sorted CD4-1+ T cells also had a distinctive functional attribute of mammalian T lymphocytes, namely they could undergo Ag-specific proliferation, using OVA as a model Ag. The OVA-stimulated cells showed increased expression of several cytokines, including IFN-γ1, IL-4/13A, IL-15, IL-17D, IL-10, and TGF-β1, perhaps indicating that T cell proliferation led to differentiation into distinct effector phenotypes. Using IL-15 as a growth factor, we have selected a lymphoid cell line derived from rainbow trout head kidney cells. The morphology, cell surface expression of CD4-1, and the presence of transcripts of T cell cytokines and transcription factors indicated that this is a CD4-1+ T cell line. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the presence of CD4-1+CD3ε+ T cells in salmonids. As in mammals, CD4-1+ T cells may be the master regulators of immune responses in fish, and therefore these findings and the new model T cell line developed will contribute to a greater understanding of T cell function and immune responses in teleost fish.

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Gag synthesis from the full-length unspliced mRNA is critical for the production of the viral progeny during human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) replication. While most spliced mRNAs follow the canonical gene expression pathway in which the recruitment of the nuclear cap-binding complex (CBC) and the exon junction complex (EJC) largely stimulates the rates of nuclear export and translation, the unspliced mRNA relies on the viral protein Rev to reach the cytoplasm and recruit the host translational machinery. Here, we confirm that Rev ensures high levels of Gag synthesis by driving nuclear export and translation of the unspliced mRNA. These functions of Rev are supported by the CBC subunit CBP80, which binds Rev and the unspliced mRNA in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. We also demonstrate that Rev interacts with the DEAD-box RNA helicase eIF4AI, which translocates to the nucleus and cooperates with the viral protein to promote Gag synthesis. Finally, we show that the Rev/RRE axis is important for the assembly of a CBP80-eIF4AI complex onto the unspliced mRNA. Together, our results provide further evidence towards the understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which Rev drives Gag synthesis from the unspliced mRNA during HIV-1 replication.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become one of the most devastating pandemics in recorded history. The main causal agent of AIDS is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which infects various cell types of the immune system that express the CD4 receptor on their surfaces. Today, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) is the standard treatment for all people with HIV; although it has improved the quality of life of people living with HIV (PLWH), it cannot eliminate the latent reservoir of the virus. Therefore HIV/AIDS has turned from a fatal disease to a chronic disease requiring lifelong treatment. Despite significant viral load suppression, it has been observed that at least half of patients under cART present HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), which have been related to HIV-1 infection and replication in the central nervous system (CNS). Several studies have focused on elucidating the mechanism by which HIV-1 can invade the CNS and how it can generate the effects seen in HAND. This review summarizes the research on HIV-1 and its interaction with the CNS with an emphasis on the generation of HAND, how the virus enters the CNS, the relationship between HIV-1 and cells of the CNS, and the effect of cART on these cells.

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In this study, we introduce a biological method for the production of ternary Quantum Dots (QDs): complex nanostructures with tunable optical and structural properties that utilizes post-synthesis modifications through cation exchange. This versatile in-situ cation exchange method being reported for the first time shows great potential for extending the scope of microbial synthesis. By using this bacterial-based method, we easily synthesize and purify CdS, CdSAg, and Ag2S nanocrystals of a size below 15 nm and with variable morphologies that exhibit fluorescence emissions covering a broad spectral range (from 400 to 800 nm). Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results indicate the partial replacement of Cd2+ by Ag+ when AgNO3 concentration is increased. This replacement produces CdSAg ternary QDs hetero-structures with high stability, fluorescence in the NIR-I (700 - 800 nm), and 36.13% quantum yield. Furthermore, this reaction can be extended for the production of soluble Ag2S nanoparticles (NPs) without any traces of Cd. QDs biosynthesized through this cation exchange process display very low toxicity when tested in bacterial or human cell lines. Biosynthesized ternary hetero-structures were used as red fluorescent dyes to label HeLa cells in confocal microscopy studies, which validates its use in bioimaging applications in the near infrared region. In addition, the application of biologically-produced cadmium NPs in solar cells is reported for the first time. The three biosynthesized QDs were successfully used as photosensitizers, where the CdSAg QDs show the best photovoltaic parameters. Altogether, obtained results validate the use of bacterial cells for the controlled production of nanomaterials with properties that allow their application in diverse technologies. We developed a simple biological process for obtaining tunable Quantum Dots (QDs) with different metal compositions through a cation exchange process. Nanoparticles (NPs) are produced in the extracellular space of bacterial cells exposed to cysteine and CdCl2 in a reaction that depends on S2− generation mediated by cysteine desulfhydrase enzymes and uses cellular biomolecules to stabilize the nanoparticle. Using this extracellular approach, water-soluble fluorescent CdS, CdSAg, and Ag2S Quantum Dots with a tunable emission ranging from 400 to 800 nm were generated. This is the first study reporting the use of microorganisms to produce tunable ternary QDs and the first time that a cation exchange process mediated by cells is described. Obtained results validate the use of biological synthesis to produce NPs with new characteristics and opens a completely new research field related to the use of microorganisms to synthesize complex NPs that are difficult to obtain with regular chemical methods.

Control of the COVID-19 pandemic largely depends on the effectiveness of the vaccination process. An understanding of the factors that underlie the willingness to accept vaccination contributes pivotal information to controlling the pandemic. We analyzed the association between the willingness to accept the available COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine determinants amidst the Chilean vaccination process. Individual-level survey data was collected from 744 nationally representative respondents and multivariate regression models were used to estimate the association between outcome and explanatory variables. We found that trust in COVID-19 vaccines, scientists, and medical professionals significantly increased the willingness to: accept the vaccines and booster doses, as well as annual vaccinations and the vaccination of children. Our results are critical to understanding the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in the context of a country with one of the world’s highest vaccination rates. We provide useful information for decision-making and policy design, in addition to establishing guidelines regarding how to effectively explain vaccination programs to citizens.