A rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction-based live virus microneutralization assay for detection of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in blood/serum.

BACKGROUND: Individuals recovering from COVID-19 are known to have antibodies against the Spike and other structural proteins. Antibodies against Spike have been shown to display viral neutralization. However, not all antibodies against Spike have neutralizing ability although they may be cross-reactive. There is a need for easy-to-use SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing assays for the determination of virus-neutralizing activity in sera of individuals. Here we describe a PCR-based micro-neutralization assay that can be used to evaluate the viral neutralization titers of serum from SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. METHODS: The SARS-CoV-2 strain used was isolated from a nasopharyngeal specimen of a COVID-19 case. The limiting dilution method was used to obtain a 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) of Vero cells. For the micro-neutralization assay, 19 serum samples, with positive IgG titers against Spike Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) were tested. After 24 hours, infected cells were inspected for the presence of a cytopathic effect, lysed and RNA RT-PCR conducted for SARS-CoV-2. PCR target Ct values were used to calculate percent neutralization/inhibition of SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Out of 19 samples, 13 samples gave 100% neutralization at all dilutions, 1 sample showed neutralization at the first dilution, 4 samples showed neutralization at lower dilutions, while one sample did not demonstrate any neutralization. The RBD ODs and neutralization potential percentages were found to be positively correlated. CONCLUSION: We describe a rapid RT-PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 microneutralization assay for the detection of neutralizing antibodies. This can effectively be used to test the antiviral activity of serum antibodies for the investigation of both disease-driven and vaccine-induced responses.

Impact of diabetes on mechanisms of immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a major source of morbidity and mortality in Pakistan. Diabetes caused by imbalance in glycaemic control is also highly prevalent in the country. The coincidence of both diseases results in worsening outcomes of TB, making treatment and management more difficult. Both innate and adaptive arms of the host immune response are required for protection against M. tuberculosis infection. Host immunity is modified in diabetes mellitus type 2 where key pathways such as, the T cell driven interferon-gamma responses to M. tuberculosis antigens and other T cell and macrophage activating cytokines are suppressed. This makes diabetes with TB a more severe disease and results in worse treatment outcomes. Effective coordination between T cells and host macrophages is required for control of TB infection. Therefore, early identification of diabetes and management of hyperglycaemia during TB treatment is essential for favourable outcomes.

Increased expression of efflux pump genes in extensively drug-resistant isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

INTRODUCTION: Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is defined as tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains that are multidrug resistant (MDR) and also resistant to a fluoroquinolone and to one injectable aminoglycoside or capreomycin. Whilst resistance in MTB has been associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), efflux pumps are thought to play a role in conferring resistance to MTB but little is known about them. METHODS: We studied XDR MTB (n=10) strains characterized by whole genome sequencing (WGS; http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/data/view/PRJEB7798). Phenotypic susceptibility testing was performed by the MGIT 960 (Becton, Dickinson and Co., NJ, USA) method. All XDR MTB strains were resistant to at least seven drugs whilst one XDR MTB strain, X54 was resistant to isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, ethambutol, fluoroquinolones, capreomycin, kanamycin, amikacin, and ethionamide. The mRNA expression of efflux candidate genes Rv0194, Rv2688c, Rv1634, drrA, and drrB was determined in XDR MTB strains as compared with the ATCC reference strain, H37Rv, and drug-susceptible (DS) MTB (n=9) strains using the relative quantification method normalized to 16S rRNA. RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels of efflux genes Rv2688c (p=0.0037), Rv1634 (p=0.0042), drrA (p=0.0078) and drrB (p=0.0003) were upregulated in XDR-TB strains as compared with DS MTB strains. CONCLUSION: The differences between XDR-TB and drug-susceptible isolates suggest that the increased expression levels of MTB efflux pump genes may contribute to drug resistance in extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Future studies are needed to determine whether combining efflux pump inhibitors to antitubercular drugs would be effective to treat resistant tuberculosis.

Biological activities of Indian celery, Seseli diffusum (Roxb. ex Sm.) Sant. & Wagh.

In continuation of our work on Indian celery (Seseli diffusum (Roxb. ex Sm.) Santapau & Wagh; Umbelliferae), the fractionation of the 80% MeOH-H(2) O extract of the seeds was performed to identify the principles responsible for its folk use as an antispasmodic and diuretic. Several compounds were isolated as active components: seselin (1) and anthriscinol methyl ether (4) showed a selective cytotoxicity to some yeast strains. Compound 1 also showed spasmolytic activity. On the other hand, isopimpinellin (3) and isorutarin (5) exhibited a spasmogenic effect on the smooth muscle preparations. Compound 5 was also found to have antioxidant activity. Among them, compound 4 was isolated for the first time from this plant.

Isolation and lipoxygenase-inhibition studies of phenolic constituents from Ehretia obtusifolia.

The phenolic compounds methyl 2-O-feruloyl-1a-O-vanillactate (1), caffeic anhydride (2), and trans 4-hydroxycyclohexyl-2-O-p-coumaroyl beta-D-glucopyranoside (3) have been isolated from the AcOEt-soluble fraction of Ehretia obtusifolia, along with methyl rosmarinate (4) and rosmarinic acid (5), which are reported for the first time from this species. Their structures were determined by means of 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques. Compounds 1-5 inhibited lipoxygenase in a concentration-dependent manner, with Ki values ranging from 0.85-57.6 microM. Compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 showed noncompetitive inhibition, whereas 3 was found to be an uncompetitive inhibitor of lipoxygenase.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitory constituents from Duranta repens.

Three C-alkylated flavonoids 7-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-3,5-dihydroxy-3'-(4"-acetoxyl-3"-methylbutyl)-6,4'-dimethoxyflavone (1), 7-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-3,4'-dihydroxy-3'-(4"-acetoxyl-3"-methylbutyl)-5,6-dimethoxyflavone (2), 3,7,4'-trihydroxy-3'-(8"-acetoxy-7"-methyloctyl)-5,6-dimethoxyflavone (3) and a trans-clerodane type diterpenoid (-)-6beta-hydroxy-5beta,8beta,9beta,10alpha-cleroda-3,13-dien-16,15-olid-18-oic acid (4) are reported from Duranta repens along with (+)-hardwickiic acid (5) and (+)-3,13-clerodadien-16,15-olid-18-oic acid (6), isolated for the first time from this species. Their structures were established on the basis of the spectral methods, especially two dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy.

Novel sphingolipids from Conyza canadensis.

New sphingolipids, 1,3,5-trihydroxy-2-hexadecanoylamino-(6E,9E)-heptacosdiene (1). 1,3,5-trihydroxy-2-hexadecanoylamino-(6E,9E)-heptacosdiene-1-O-glucopyranoside (2). 1,3-dihydroxy-2-hexanoylamino-(4E)-heptadecene (3). have been isolated from Conyza canadensis, along with five known compounds, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid, 3beta-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid, and 3beta-erythrodiol, isolated for the first time from this species. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods ((1)H- and (13)C-NMR, IR and MS) and two dimensional (2D)-NMR experiments.

Sphingolipids from Conyza canadensis.

Sphingolipid 1 and its corresponding beta-D-glucopyranoside derivative 2 have been isolated from the ethylacetate fraction of Conyza canadensis along with beta-sitosterol 3, stigmasterol 4, beta-sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-glucoside 5 and harmine 6, reported for the first time from this species. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated through spectroscopy including two-dimensional NMR.