The paper identifies matrimeres as nanoscale mediators of tissue integrity, showing they can restore vascular integrity after injury and are reconstituted from fibronectin, DNA, and acidic conditions.

bioRxiv · Mar 25, 2024 · PreprintBioengineering

GM-CSF-mediated epithelial-immune cell crosstalk orchestrates pulmonary immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus

K. A. M. Mills, F. Westermann, V. Espinosa, E. Rosiek, J. V. Desai, M. A. Aufiero, Y. Guo, K. A. Mitchell, S. Tuzlak, D. De Feo, M. S. Lionakis, A. Rivera, B. Becher, T. M. Hohl

This study identifies GM-CSF produced by SPC+ epithelial cells as critical for neutrophil-mediated immunity against Aspergillus fumigatus, enhancing fungal killing and host survival.

bioRxiv · Jan 3, 2024 · PreprintImmunology

Enhanced fungal specificity and in vivo therapeutic efficacy of a C-22 modified FK520 analog against C. neoformans

A. Rivera, W. Lim, E. Park, P. A. Dome, M. J. Hoy, I. Spasojevic, S. Sun, A. Floyd Averette, S. Pina-Oviedo, P. R. Juvvadi, W. J. Steinbach, M. Ciofani, J. Hong, J. Heitman

This paper identifies a modified FK520 analog, JH-FK-08, with reduced immunosuppression and improved antifungal efficacy against C. neoformans in vivo.

bioRxiv · Jun 5, 2023Microbiology

Interferon epsilon restricts Zika virus infection in the female reproductive tract

C. Xu, A. Wang, L. Ebraham, L. Sullivan, C. Tasker, V. Pizutelli, J. Couret, C. Hernandez, P. Q. Deb, L. Fritzky, S. Subbian, N. Gao, Y. Lo, M. Salvatore, A. Rivera, , T. L. Chang

This study shows that IFNε protects against vaginal ZIKV infection in mice by maintaining epithelial integrity and is effective even without IFNAR1 signaling.

bioRxiv · Apr 6, 2023Immunology

Development of a heat-killed fbp1 mutant strain as a therapeutic agent to treat invasive Cryptococcus infection

Y. Wang, K. Wang, A. Rivera, C. Xue

This paper demonstrates that heat-killed fbp1 mutant cells (HK-fbp1) can protect against lethal Cryptococcus neoformans infection as both a prophylactic vaccine and a therapeutic agent, with T cells mediating protection and early treatment being critical.

bioRxiv · Dec 6, 2022 · PreprintMicrobiology

The ATLAS™ screening assay reveals distinct CD4+ and CD8+ SARS-CoV-2 antigen response profiles which have implications to Omicron cellular immunity

J. J. Foti, K. Lema, J. Strickland, E. Tjon, A. Li, A. Rivera, C. Cabral, L. Cormier, L. Dowal, S. Rao, V. Vemulapalli, J. B. Flechtner

The paper uses the ATLAS assay to identify CD4+ and CD8+ T cell antigen responses to SARS-CoV-2 variants, revealing common epitopes and predicting Omicron spike mutation impacts.

bioRxiv · May 17, 2022 · PreprintImmunology

The In Vivo Source of Type I and Type III IFNs is Pathogen Dependent

M. J. Sandoval, H.-C. Tseng, H. P. Risman, S. Smirnov, Q. Li, J.-D. Lin, A. Rivera, R. K. Durbin, S. V. Kotenko, J. Durbin

This study identifies pathogen-dependent sources of type I and III IFNs during respiratory virus infection, showing that pDCs produce IFN-{lambda} during IAV infection but not NDV.

bioRxiv · Oct 5, 2021 · PreprintImmunology

Lung macrophages mediate helminth resistance through differential activation of recruited monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages and arginine depletion

F. Chen, D. W. El-Naccache, J. J. Ponessa, A. Lemenze, V. Espinosa, W. Wu, K. Lothstein, L. Jin, O. Antao, J. S. Weinstein, P. Damani-Yokota, K. Khanna, P. J. Murray, A. Rivera, M. C. Siracusa, W. C. Gause

This study identifies lung macrophages that kill helminths by depleting arginine through differential activation of recruited monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages.

bioRxiv · Oct 2, 2020 · PreprintImmunology

MDA5 is an essential vita-PAMP sensor necessary for host resistance against Aspergillus fumigatus

X. Wang, A. K. Caffrey-Carr, K.-w. Liu, V. Espinosa, W. Croteau, S. Dhingra, A. Rivera, R. A. Cramer, J. J. Obar

This study shows MDA5 is essential for host resistance against Aspergillus fumigatus through type I and III interferon signaling and antifungal neutrophil activity.

bioRxiv · Jul 6, 2020Immunology

During Aspergillus infection, neutrophil, monocyte-derived DC, and plasmacytoid DC enhance innate immune defense through CXCR3-dependent crosstalk

Y. Guo, S. Kasahara, A. Jhingran, N. L. Tosini, B. Zhai, M. A. Aufiero, K. A. M. Mills, M. Gjonbalaj, V. Espinosa, A. Rivera, A. D. Luster, T. Hohl

The paper shows that pDCs enhance innate immune defense against Aspergillus by amplifying neutrophil activity through CXCR3-dependent crosstalk during infection.

bioRxiv · May 5, 2020Immunology

Transects, quadrats, or points? What is the best combination to get a precise estimation of a coral community?

L. M. Montilla, E. Miyazawa, A. Ascanio, M. A. Lopez-Hernandez, G. Marino-Briceno, Z. Rebolledo, A. Rivera, D. S. Mancilla, A. Verde, A. Croquer

The paper evaluates the precision of coral community sampling using different combinations of transects, quadrats, and points, finding that more transects reduce error more effectively than quadrats or points.

bioRxiv · Jan 31, 2020Ecology

Characterization of C. difficile strains isolated from companion animals and the associated changes in the host fecal microbiota

R. Thanissery, M. R. McLaren, A. Rivera, A. D. Reed, N. S. Betrapally, T. Burdette, J. A. Winston, M. Jacob, B. J. Callahan, C. M. Theriot

This study identifies C. difficile strains in companion animals and their impact on host fecal microbiota, showing potential zoonotic transmission and shared ribotypes with human infections.

bioRxiv · Oct 29, 2019 · PreprintMicrobiology

Secondary bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) alters weight, the gut microbiota, and the bile acid pool in conventional mice

J. A. Winston, A. Rivera, J. Cai, A. D. Patterson, C. M. Theriot

This study shows that ursodiol administration in mice causes weight loss and changes in gut microbiota and bile acid pools.

bioRxiv · Jul 11, 2019Microbiology