Search

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness worldwide, particularly in infants and older adults. Vaccines targeting the fusion glycoprotein (F protein) —one of the surface antigens of RSV— are highly effective in preventing RSV-associated severe lower respiratory tract disease. However, the efficacy of these vaccines against upper respiratory tract challenge needs improvement. Here, we aimed to examine the efficacy of F protein vaccines with or without CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG ODN) as an adjuvant in the upper and lower respiratory tracts in mice. F + CpG ODN induced higher levels of F-specific IgG than that induced by F alone; however, levels of neutralizing antibodies did not increase compared to those induced by F alone. F + CpG ODN induced T helper 1 (Th1) cells while F alone induced T helper 2 (Th2) cells. Moreover, F + CpG ODN improved the protection against RSV challenge in the upper respiratory tract compared to F alone, which was largely dependent on CD4+ T cells. Meanwhile, both F + CpG ODN and F alone protected the lower respiratory tract. In conclusion, we demonstrated that induction of F-specific Th1 cells is an effective strategy to prevent RSV challenge in the upper respiratory tract in F protein vaccines. These data support the development of novel F protein vaccines. • F protein vaccine efficacy in the upper respiratory tract (URT) needs improvement. • We examined the potential of CpG ODN to improve F protein efficacy in mice. • F + CpG ODN increases F-specific Th1 cells but not neutralizing antibody levels. • F + CpG ODN improves protection against RSV challenge in the URT. • CD4+ T cells help protect against RSV challenge in the URT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has been the standard modality for breast cancer patients with clinically node negative disease. In patients who undergo axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) due to SLN metastasis, the harvested nodes (non-SLNs) often contain no metastasis. Here, we evaluated the predictive factors associated with non-SLN metastasis in breast cancer patients. This was a retrospective study of patients with operable cT1-3, cN0 invasive breast cancer who underwent SLN biopsy followed by ALND due to SLN metastasis. The clinicopathologic factors and predictive factors of non-SLN metastasis were analyzed. The optimal cutoff for the Ki67 index and the number of positive and negative SLNs that were predictive of non-SLN metastasis were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. The median number of SLN and non-SLN was 3 and 11, respectively. Of the 150 patients, 52 (35.0%) had metastases in non-SLNs. The optimal cutoffs for the Ki67 index and the number of positive and negative SLNs were of 12%, 2, and 1, respectively. In the univariate analysis, the Ki67 index and the number of positive SLNs≥2 and negative SLNs≤1 were higher in the non-SLN + group than that in the non-SLN – group. The number of negative SLNs was as a predictive factor for non-SLNs metastasis in the multivariate analysis. The number of negative SLNs predicts the risk of non-SLN metastasis in breast cancer. When deciding on whether to omit ALND, the number of positive and negative SLNs should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has found that oxytocin (OT) is associated with intergroup behaviour in humans as well as wild chimpanzees, and that exogenous OT affects Pan social attention. The two Pan species, bonobos and chimpanzees, differ drastically from one another in their intensity of intergroup competition, with lethal intergroup aggression often led by males in chimpanzees and more tolerant associations often centered around females in bonobos. However, it remains unclear how exogenous OT changes the two species' responses to ingroup and outgroup individuals. In this study, after intranasal administration of nebulized OT or placebo control, chimpanzees and bonobos viewed image pairs of ingroup and outgroup conspecifics while their eye movements were tracked with an eye-tracker. Although the overall effect of OT was small, we found that OT shifted bonobos' and chimpanzees' attention to outgroup images of the sex primarily involved in intergroup encounters in each species. Specifically, OT selectively shifted attention towards outgroup photos of female conspecifics in bonobos, and those of outgroup male conspecifics in chimpanzees. This suggests that OT generally promotes outgroup attention in both bonobos and chimpanzees but this effect is restricted to the sex most relevant in intergroup relations. These results suggest that, although OT may have a generally conserved role in hominid intergroup behaviour, it may act in species-relevant ways under the influence of their socio-ecological backgrounds. • Oxytocin (OT) is known to promote ingroup-outgroup psychology in humans. • We tested how OT affects bonobo and chimpanzee gaze to ingroup and outgroup images. • In both species, OT promoted outgroup attention. • However, this effect was restricted to sex more relevant to intergroup encounters. • This suggests a common evolutionary role of OT, acting in species-relevant ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]