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Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA monitoring in wastewater has become an important tool for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) surveillance. Grab (quantitative) and passive samples (qualitative) are two distinct wastewater sampling methods. Although many viral concentration methods such as the usage of membrane filtration and skim milk are reported, these methods generally require large volumes of wastewater, expensive lab equipment, and laborious processes., Methods: The objectives of this study were to compare two workflows (Nanotrap ® Microbiome A Particles coupled with MagMax kit and membrane filtration workflows coupled with RNeasy kit) for SARS-CoV-2 recovery in grab samples and two workflows (Nanotrap ® Microbiome A Particles and skim milk workflows coupled with MagMax kit) for SARS-CoV-2 recovery in Moore swab samples. The Nanotrap particle workflow was initially evaluated with and without the addition of the enhancement reagent 1 (ER1) in 10 mL wastewater. RT-qPCR targeting the nucleocapsid protein was used for detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA., Results: Adding ER1 to wastewater prior to viral concentration significantly improved viral concentration results ( P < 0.0001) in 10 mL grab and swab samples processed by automated or manual Nanotrap workflows. SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in 10 mL grab and Moore swab samples with ER1 processed by the automated workflow as a whole showed significantly higher ( P < 0.001) results than 150 mL grab samples using the membrane filtration workflow and 250 mL swab samples using the skim milk workflow, respectively. Spiking known genome copies (GC) of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 into 10 mL wastewater indicated that the limit of detection of the automated Nanotrap workflow was ~11.5 GC/mL using the RT-qPCR and 115 GC/mL using the digital PCR methods., Discussion: These results suggest that Nanotrap workflows could substitute the traditional membrane filtration and skim milk workflows for viral concentration without compromising the assay sensitivity. The manual workflow can be used in resource-limited areas, and the automated workflow is appropriate for large-scale COVID-19 wastewater-based surveillance., Competing Interests: RBarb, BL, RBarc, and CC were employed by Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Liu, Guo, Cavallo, Cantrell, Hilton, Nguyen, Long, Dunbar, Barbero, Barclay, Sablon, Wolfe, Lepene and Moe.)

Infectious uveitis is a sight-threatening infection commonly caused by herpesviruses. Vitreous humor is often collected for molecular confirmation of the causative agent during vitrectomy and mixed in large volumes of buffered saline, diluting the pathogen load. Here, we explore affinity-capture hydrogel particles (Nanotrap ® ) to concentrate low abundant herpesviruses from diluted vitreous. Simulated samples were prepared using porcine vitreous spiked with HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV and CMV at 10 5 copies/mL. Pure undiluted samples were used to test capturing capability of three custom Nanotrap particles (red, white and blue) in a vitreous matrix. We found that all particles demonstrated affinity to the herpesviruses, with the Red Particles having both good capture capability and ease of handling for all herpesviruses. To mimic diluted vitrectomy specimens, simulated-infected vitreous were then serially diluted in 7 mL TE buffer. Diluted samples were subjected to an enrichment protocol using the Nanotrap Red particles. Sensitivity of pathogen detection by qPCR in diluted vitreous increased anywhere between 2.3 to 26.5 times compared to non-enriched specimens. This resulted in a 10-fold increase in the limit of detection for HSV-1, HSV-2 and VZV. These data demonstrated that Nanotrap particles can capture and concentrate HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV and CMV in a vitreous matrix.

Background: Many pathogens, including Yersinia pestis, cannot be consistently and reliably cultured from blood. New approaches are needed to facilitate the detection of proteins, nucleic acid and microorganisms in whole blood samples to improve downstream assay performance. Detection of biomarkers in whole blood is difficult due to the presence of host proteins that obscure standard detection mechanisms. Nanotrap® particles are micron-sized hydrogel structures containing a dye molecule as the affinity bait and used to detect host biomarkers, viral nucleic acids and proteins as well as some bacterial markers. Nanotraps have been shown to bind and enrich a wide variety of biomarkers and viruses in clinically relevant matrices such as urine and plasma. Our objective was to characterize the binding ability of Nanotrap particle type CN3080 to Y. pestis bacteria, bacterial proteins and nucleic acids from whole human blood in order to potentially improve detection and diagnosis., Results: CN3080 Nanotraps bind tightly to Yersinia bacteria, even after washing, and we were able to visualize the co-localized Nanotraps and bacteria by electron microscopy. These magnetic hydrogel Nanotraps were able to bind Yersinia DNA, supporting the utility of Nanotraps for enhancing nucleic acid-based detection methods. Nanotraps were capable of increasing Y. pestis nucleic acid yield by fourfold from whole human blood compared to standard nucleic acid extraction. Interestingly, we found CN3080 Nanotraps to have a high affinity for multiple components of the Yersinia type III secretion system (T3SS), including chaperone proteins, Yop effector proteins and virulence factor protein LcrV (V). Using Nanotraps as a rapid upstream sample-prep tool, we were able to detect LcrV in human blood by western blotting with minimal blood interference in contrast to direct western blotting of blood samples in which LcrV was obscured. We were able to computationally model the interaction of LcrV with the CN3080 Nanotrap dye and found that it had a low delta-G, suggesting high affinity. Importantly, Nanotraps were also able to enhance detection of secreted Yersinia proteins by mass spectrometry., Conclusion: Upstream use of magnetic CN3080 Nanotrap particles may improve the downstream workflow though binding and enrichment of biomarkers and speed of processing. Utilization of Nanotrap particles can improve detection of Yersinia pestis proteins and nucleic acid from whole human blood and contribute to downstream assays and diagnostics including molecular methods such as sequencing and PCR and protein-based methods.

An accurate urine test for diverse populations with active tuberculosis could be transformative for preventing TB deaths. Urinary liporabinomannan (LAM) testing has been previously restricted to HIV co-infected TB patients. In this study we evaluate urinary LAM in HIV negative, pediatric and adult, pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients. We measured 430 microbiologically confirmed pretreatment tuberculosis patients and controls from Peru, Guinea Bissau, Venezuela, Uganda and the United States using three monoclonal antibodies, MoAb1, CS35, and A194, which recognize distinct LAM epitopes, a one-sided immunoassay, and blinded cohorts. We evaluated sources of assay variability and comorbidities (HIV and diabetes). All antibodies successfully discriminated TB positive from TB negative patients. ROAUC from the average of three antibodies' responses was 0.90; 95% CI 0.87-0.93, 90% sensitivity, 73.5% specificity (80 pg/mL). MoAb1, recognizing the 5-methylthio-D-xylofuranose(MTX)-mannose(Man) cap epitope, performed the best, was less influenced by glycosuria and identified culture positive pediatric (N = 19) and extrapulmonary (N = 24) patients with high accuracy (ROAUC 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.98, 0.90 sensitivity 0.80 specificity at 80 pg/mL; ROAUC = 0.96, 95% CI 0.92-0.99, 96% sensitivity, 80% specificity at 82 pg/mL, respectively). The MoAb1 antibody, recognizing the MTX-Man cap epitope, is a novel analyte for active TB detection in pediatric and extrapulmonary disease.

Most of the modern techniques used for identification of viral-induced disease are based on identification of viral antigens and/or nucleic acids in patient's blood. Diagnosis in the field or in remote locations can be challenging and alternatively samples are shipped to diagnostic labs for testing. Shipments must occur under controlled temperature conditions to prevent loss of sample integrity. We have tested the ability of magnetic Nanotrap® (NT) particles to improve stability and detection of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), viral capsid protein, and viral genomic RNA in whole human blood at elevated temperature and prolonged storage conditions. NT particles have previously been shown to capture and enrich multiple pathogens including respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, coronavirus, and Rift Valley fever virus. Our study indicates that samples incubated with NT particles had detectable levels of infectious VEEV in blood equal to or greater than samples without NT treatment across all temperatures. Viral RNA detection was increased in the presence of NT particles at later time points (72 h) and higher temperature (40°C) conditions. Likewise, detection of VEEV capsid protein was enhanced in the presence of NT particles up to 72 h at 40°C. Finally, we intranasally infected C3H mice with TC-83, the live attenuated vaccine strain of VEEV, and demonstrated that NT particles could substantially increase the detection of VEEV capsid in infected blood incubated up to 72 h at 40°C. Samples without NT particles had undetectable capsid protein levels. Taken together, our data demonstrate the ability of NT particles to preserve and enable detection of VEEV in human and mouse blood samples over time and at elevated temperatures., (Copyright © 2020 Akhrymuk, Lin, Sun, Patnaik, Lehman, Altamura, Minogue, Lepene, van Hoek and Kehn-Hall.)

Nanotrap® (NT) particles are hydrogel microspheres developed for target analyte separation and discovery applications. NT particles consist of cross-linked N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) copolymers that are functionalized with a variety of chemical affinity baits to enable broad-spectrum collection and retention of target proteins, nucleic acids, and pathogens. NT particles have been previously shown to capture and enrich arboviruses including Rift Valley fever and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses. Yet, there is still a need to enhance the detection ability for other re-emerging viruses such as Zika (ZIKV), chikungunya (CHIKV), and dengue (DENV) viruses. In this study, we exploited NT particles with different affinity baits, including cibacron blue, acrylic acid, and reactive red 120, to evaluate their capturing and enrichment capability for ZIKV, DENV and CHIKV in human fluids. Our results demonstrate that CN1030, a NT particle conjugated with reactive red 120, can recover between 8-16-fold greater genomic copies of ZIKV, CHIKV and DENV in virus spiked urine samples via RT-qPCR, superior to the other chemical baits. Also, we observed that CN1030 simultaneously enriched ZIKV, CHIKV and DENV in co-infection-based settings and could stabilize ZIKV, but not CHIKV infectivity in saliva spiked samples. CN1030 enriched viral detection at various viral concentrations, with significant enhancement observed at viral titers as low as 100 PFU/mL for ZIKV and 10 PFU/mL for CHIKV. The detection of ZIKV was further enhanced with NT particles by processing of larger volume urine samples. Furthermore, we developed a magnetic NT particle, CN3080, based on the same backbone of CN1030, and demonstrated that CN3080 could also capture and enrich ZIKV and CHIKV in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, in silico docking predictions support that the affinity between reactive red 120 and ZIKV or CHIKV envelope proteins appeared to be greater than acrylic acid. Overall, our data show that NT particles along with reactive red 120 can be utilized as a pre-processing technology for enhancement of detecting febrile-illness causing viruses., Competing Interests: Authors AP and BL are employed by the company Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. Author KKH is a member of the Scientific Advisory board at Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. BL is a shareholder at Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. The nanoparticles used in this study were research grade and provided by Ceres Nanosciences, Inc which are not commercially available products. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Human T-cell leukemia virus-1 (HTLV-1) is a neglected and incurable retrovirus estimated to infect 5 to 10 million worldwide. Specific indigenous Australian populations report infection rates of more than 40%, suggesting a potential evolution of the virus with global implications. HTLV-1 causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), and a neurological disease named HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Even though HTLV-1 transmission primarily occurs from cell-to-cell, there is still a gap of knowledge regarding the mechanisms of viral spread and disease progression. We have recently shown that Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) ubiquitously produced by cells may be used by HTLV-1 to transport viral proteins and RNA, and elicit adverse effects on recipient uninfected cells. The viral proteins Tax and HBZ are involved in disease progression and impairment of autophagy in infected cells. Here, we show that activation of HTLV-1 via ionizing radiation (IR) causes a significant increase of intracellular Tax, but not EV-associated Tax. Also, lower density EVs from HTLV-1-infected cells, separated by an Iodixanol density gradient, are positive for gp61+++/Tax+++/HBZ+ proteins (HTLV-1 EVs). We found that HTLV-1 EVs are not infectious when tested in multiple cell lines. However, these EVs promote cell-to-cell contact of uninfected cells, a phenotype which was enhanced with IR, potentially promoting viral spread. We treated humanized NOG mice with HTLV-1 EVs prior to infection and observed an increase in viral RNA synthesis in mice compared to control (EVs from uninfected cells). Proviral DNA levels were also quantified in blood, lung, spleen, liver, and brain post-treatment with HTLV-1 EVs, and we observed a consistent increase in viral DNA levels across all tissues, especially the brain. Finally, we show direct implications of EVs in viral spread and disease progression and suggest a two-step model of infection including the release of EVs from donor cells and recruitment of recipient cells as well as an increase in recipient cell-to-cell contact promoting viral spread., (Copyright © 2019 Pinto, DeMarino, Pleet, Cowen, Branscome, Al Sharif, Jones, Dutartre, Lepene, Liotta, Mahieux and Kashanchi.)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) is the causative agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), infecting nearly 37 million people worldwide. Currently, there is no definitive cure, mainly due to HIV-1's ability to enact latency. Our previous work has shown that exosomes, a small extracellular vesicle, from uninfected cells can activate HIV-1 in latent cells, leading to increased mostly short and some long HIV-1 RNA transcripts. This is consistent with the notion that none of the FDA-approved antiretroviral drugs used today in the clinic are transcription inhibitors. Furthermore, these HIV-1 transcripts can be packaged into exosomes and released from the infected cell. Here, we examined the differences in protein and nucleic acid content between exosomes from uninfected and HIV-1-infected cells. We found increased cyclin-dependent kinases, among other kinases, in exosomes from infected T-cells while other kinases were present in exosomes from infected monocytes. Additionally, we found a series of short antisense HIV-1 RNA from the 3' LTR that appears heavily mutated in exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells along with the presence of cellular noncoding RNAs and cellular miRNAs. Both physical and functional validations were performed on some of the key findings. Collectively, our data indicate distinct differences in protein and RNA content between exosomes from uninfected and HIV-1-infected cells, which can lead to different functional outcomes in recipient cells.

Background: HTLV-1 infects over 20 million people worldwide and causes a progressive neuroinflammatory disorder in a subset of infected individuals called HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The detection of HTLV-1 specific T cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) suggests this disease is immunopathologically mediated and that it may be driven by viral antigens. Exosomes are microvesicles originating from the endosomal compartment that are shed into the extracellular space by various cell types. It is now understood that several viruses take advantage of this mode of intercellular communication for packaging of viral components as well. We sought to understand if this is the case in HTLV-1 infection, and specifically if HTLV-1 proteins can be found in the CSF of HAM/TSP patients where we know free virus is absent, and furthermore, if exosomes containing HTLV-1 Tax have functional consequences., Results: Exosomes that were positive for HTLV-1 Tax by Western blot were isolated from HAM/TSP patient PBMCs (25/36) in ex vivo cultures by trapping exosomes from culture supernatants. HTLV-1 seronegative PBMCs did not have exosomes with Tax (0/12), (Fisher exact test, p = 0.0001). We were able to observe HAM/TSP patient CSF (12/20) containing Tax + exosomes but not in HTLV-1 seronegative MS donors (0/5), despite the absence of viral detection in the CSF supernatant (Fisher exact test p = 0.0391). Furthermore, exosomes cultivated from HAM/TSP PBMCs were capable of sensitizing target cells for HTLV-1 specific CTL lysis., Conclusion: Cumulatively, these results show that there are HTLV-1 proteins present in exosomes found in virus-free CSF. HAM/TSP PBMCs, particularly CD4 + CD25 + T cells, can excrete these exosomes containing HTLV-1 Tax and may be a source of the exosomes found in patient CSF. Importantly, these exosomes are capable of sensitizing an HTLV-1 specific immune response, suggesting that they may play a role in the immunopathology observed in HAM/TSP. Given the infiltration of HTLV-1 Tax-specific CTLs into the CNS of HAM/TSP patients, it is likely that exosomes may also contribute to the continuous activation and inflammation observed in HAM/TSP, and may suggest future targeted therapies in this disorder.

To date, the most effective treatment of HIV-1 is a combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), which reduces viral replication and reverses pathology. We investigated the effect of cART (RT and protease inhibitors) on the content of extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from HIV-1-infected cells. We have previously shown that EVs contain non-coding HIV-1 RNA, which can elicit responses in recipient cells. In this manuscript, we show that TAR RNA levels demonstrate little change with the addition of cART treatment in cell lines, primary macrophages, and patient biofluids. We determined possible mechanisms involved in the selective packaging of HIV-1 RNA into EVs, specifically an increase in EV-associated hnRNP A2/B1. More recent experiments have shown that several other FDA-approved drugs have the ability to alter the content of exosomes released from HIV-1-infected cells. These findings on cART-altered EV content can also be applied to general viral inhibitors (interferons) which are used to treat other chronic infections. Additionally, we describe unique mechanisms of ESCRT pathway manipulation by antivirals, specifically the targeting of VPS4. Collectively, these data imply that, despite antiretroviral therapy, EVs containing viral products are continually released and may cause neurocognitive and immunological dysfunction.

Ebola virus (EBOV) is an enveloped, ssRNA virus from the family Filoviridae capable of causing severe hemorrhagic fever with up to 80-90% mortality rates. The most recent outbreak of EBOV in West Africa starting in 2014 resulted in over 11,300 deaths; however, long-lasting persistence and recurrence in survivors has been documented, potentially leading to further transmission of the virus. We have previously shown that exosomes from cells infected with HIV-1, HTLV-1 and Rift Valley Fever virus are able to transfer viral proteins and non-coding RNAs to naïve recipient cells, resulting in an altered cellular activity. In the current manuscript, we examined the effect of Ebola structural proteins VP40, GP, NP and VLPs on recipient immune cells, as well as the effect of exosomes containing these proteins on naïve immune cells. We found that VP40-transfected cells packaged VP40 into exosomes, and that these exosomes were capable of inducing apoptosis in recipient immune cells. Additionally, we show that presence of VP40 within parental cells or in exosomes delivered to naïve cells could result in the regulation of RNAi machinery including Dicer, Drosha, and Ago 1, which may play a role in the induction of cell death in recipient immune cells. Exosome biogenesis was regulated by VP40 in transfected cells by increasing levels of ESCRT-II proteins EAP20 and EAP45, and exosomal marker proteins CD63 and Alix. VP40 was phosphorylated by Cdk2/Cyclin complexes at Serine 233 which could be reversed with r-Roscovitine treatment. The level of VP40-containing exosomes could also be regulated by treated cells with FDA-approved Oxytetracycline. Additionally, we utilized novel nanoparticles to safely capture VP40 and other viral proteins from Ebola VLPs spiked into human samples using SDS/reducing agents, thus minimizing the need for BSL-4 conditions for most downstream assays. Collectively, our data indicates that VP40 packaged into exosomes may be responsible for the deregulation and eventual destruction of the T-cell and myeloid arms of the immune system (bystander lymphocyte apoptosis), allowing the virus to replicate to high titers in the immunocompromised host. Moreover, our results suggest that the use of drugs such as Oxytetracycline to modulate the levels of exosomes exiting EBOV-infected cells may be able to prevent the devastation of the adaptive immune system and allow for an improved rate of survival.

The Influenza virus is a leading cause of respiratory disease in the United States each year. While the virus normally causes mild to moderate disease, hospitalization and death can occur in many cases. There are several methodologies that are used for detection; however problems such as decreased sensitivity and high rates of false-negative results may arise. There is a crucial need for an effective sample preparation technology that concentrates viruses at low abundance while excluding resident analytes that may interfere with detection. Nanotrap particles are hydrogel particles that are coupled to chemical dye affinity baits that bind a broad range of proteins and virions. Within minutes (<30 minutes), Nanotrap particles concentrate low abundant proteins and viruses from clinically complex matrices. Nanotrap particles with reactive red baits concentrated numerous respiratory viruses including various strains and subtypes of Influenza virus, Coronavirus, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus from saliva, nasal fluid swab specimens, and nasal aspirates. Detection was enhanced more than 10-fold when coupled to plaque assays and qRT-PCR. Importantly, Nanotrap particle can efficiently capture and concentrate multiple viral pathogens during a coinfection scenario. These results collectively demonstrate that Nanotrap particles are an important tool that can easily be integrated into various detection methodologies.

Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) is a RNA virus that belongs to the genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae. It infects humans and livestock and causes Rift Valley fever. RVFV is considered an agricultural pathogen by the USDA, as it can cause up to 100% abortion in cattle and extensive death of newborns. In addition, it is designated as Category A pathogen by the CDC and the NIAID. In some human cases of RVFV infection, the virus causes fever, ocular damage, liver damage, hemorrhagic fever, and death. There are currently limited options for vaccine candidates, which include the MP-12 and clone 13 versions of RVFV. Viral infections often deregulate multiple cellular pathways that contribute to replication and host pathology. We have previously shown that latent human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) infected cells secrete exosomes that contain short viral RNAs, limited number of genomic RNAs, and viral proteins. These exosomes largely target neighboring cells and activate the NF-κB pathway, leading to cell proliferation, and overall better viral replication. In this manuscript, we studied the effects of exosome formation from RVFV infected cells and their function on recipient cells. We initially infected cells, isolated resistant clones, and further purified using dilution cloning. We then characterized these cells as resistant to new RVFV infection, but sensitive to other viral infections, including Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV). These clones contained normal markers (i.e., CD63) for exosomes and were able to activate the TLR pathway in recipient reporter cells. Interestingly, the exosome rich preparations, much like their host cell, contained viral RNA (L, M, and S genome). The RNAs were detected using qRT-PCR in both parental and exosomal preparations as well as in CD63 immunoprecipitates. Viral proteins such as N and a modified form of NSs were present in some of these exosomes. Finally, treatment of recipient cells (T-cells and monocytic cells) showed drastic rate of apoptosis through PARP cleavage and caspase 3 activation from some but not all exosome enriched preparations. Collectively, these data suggest that exosomes from RVFV infected cells alter the dynamics of the immune cells and may contribute to pathology of the viral infection.

HIV-1 infection results in a chronic illness because long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy can lower viral titers to an undetectable level. However, discontinuation of therapy rapidly increases virus burden. Moreover, patients under highly active antiretroviral therapy frequently develop various metabolic disorders, neurocognitive abnormalities, and cardiovascular diseases. We have previously shown that exosomes containing trans-activating response (TAR) element RNA enhance susceptibility of undifferentiated naive cells to HIV-1 infection. This study indicates that exosomes from HIV-1-infected primary cells are highly abundant with TAR RNA as detected by RT-real time PCR. Interestingly, up to a million copies of TAR RNA/μl were also detected in the serum from HIV-1-infected humanized mice suggesting that TAR RNA may be stable in vivo. Incubation of exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells with primary macrophages resulted in a dramatic increase of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and TNF-β, indicating that exosomes containing TAR RNA could play a direct role in control of cytokine gene expression. The intact TAR molecule was able to bind to PKR and TLR3 effectively, whereas the 5' and 3' stems (TAR microRNAs) bound best to TLR7 and -8 and none to PKR. Binding of TAR to PKR did not result in its phosphorylation, and therefore, TAR may be a dominant negative decoy molecule in cells. The TLR binding through either TAR RNA or TAR microRNA potentially can activate the NF-κB pathway and regulate cytokine expression. Collectively, these results imply that exosomes containing TAR RNA could directly affect the proinflammatory cytokine gene expression and may explain a possible mechanism of inflammation observed in HIV-1-infected patients under cART., (© 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Objectives: Prompt antibiotic treatment of early stage Lyme borreliosis (LB) prevents progression to severe multisystem disease. There is a clinical need to improve the diagnostic specificity of early stage Lyme assays in the period prior to the mounting of a robust serology response. Using a novel analyte harvesting nanotechnology, Nanotrap particles, we evaluated urinary Borrelia Outer surface protein A (OspA) C-terminus peptide in early stage LB before and after treatment, and in patients suspected of late stage disseminated LB., Method: We employed Nanotrap particles to concentrate urinary OspA and used a highly specific anti-OspA monoclonal antibody (mAb) as a detector of the C-terminus peptides. We mapped the mAb epitope to a narrow specific OspA C-terminal domain OspA236-239 conserved across infectious Borrelia species but with no homology to human proteins and no cross-reactivity with relevant viral and non-Borrelia bacterial proteins. 268 urine samples from patients being evaluated for all categories of LB were collected in a LB endemic area. The urinary OspA assay, blinded to outcome, utilized Nanotrap particle pre-processing, western blotting to evaluate the OspA molecular size, and OspA peptide competition for confirmation., Results: OspA test characteristics: sensitivity 1.7 pg/mL (lowest limit of detection), % coefficient of variation (CV) = 8 %, dynamic range 1.7-30 pg/mL. Pre-treatment, 24/24 newly diagnosed patients with an erythema migrans (EM) rash were positive for urinary OspA while false positives for asymptomatic patients were 0/117 (Chi squared p < 10(-6)). For 10 patients who exhibited persistence of the EM rash during the course of antibiotic therapy, 10/10 were positive for urinary OspA. Urinary OspA of 8/8 patients switched from detectable to undetectable following symptom resolution post-treatment. Specificity of the urinary OspA test for the clinical symptoms was 40/40. Specificity of the urinary OspA antigen test for later serology outcome was 87.5 % (21 urinary OspA positive/24 serology positive, Chi squared p = 4.072e(-15)). 41 of 100 patients under surveillance for persistent LB in an endemic area were positive for urinary OspA protein., Conclusions: OspA urinary shedding was strongly linked to concurrent active symptoms (e.g. EM rash and arthritis), while resolution of these symptoms after therapy correlated with urinary conversion to OspA negative.

Infections that result in natural or manmade spread of lethal biological agents are a concern and require national and focused preparedness. In this manuscript, as part of an early diagnostics and pathogen treatment strategy, we have focused on extracellular vesicles (EVs) that arise following infections. Although the field of biodefense does not currently have a rich resource in EVs literature, none the less, similar pathogens belonging to the more classical emerging and non-emerging diseases have been studied in their EV/exosomal contents and function. These exosomes are formed in late endosomes and released from the cell membrane in almost every cell type in vivo. These vesicles contain proteins, RNA, and lipids from the cells they originate from and function in development, signal transduction, cell survival, and transfer of infectious material. The current review focuses on how different forms of infection exploit the exosomal pathway and how exosomes can be exploited artificially to treat infection and disease and potentially also be used as a source of vaccine. Virally-infected cells can secrete viral as well as cellular proteins and RNA in exosomes, allowing viruses to cause latent infection and spread of miRNA to nearby cells prior to a subsequent infection. In addition to virally-infected host cells, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi can all release small vesicles that contain pathogen-associated molecular patterns, regulating the neighboring uninfected cells. Examples of exosomes from both virally and bacterially infected cells point toward a re-programming network of pathways in the recipient cells. Finally, many of these exosomes contain cytokines and miRNAs that in turn can effect gene expression in the recipient cells through the classical toll-like receptor and NFκB pathway. Therefore, although exosomes do not replicate as an independent entity, they however facilitate movement of infectious material through tissues and may be the cause of many pathologies seen in infected hosts.

Background: Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a highly pathogenic arthropod-borne virus that has a detrimental effect on both livestock and human populations. While there are several diagnostic methodologies available for RVFV detection, many are not sensitive enough to diagnose early infections. Furthermore, detection may be hindered by high abundant proteins such as albumin. Previous findings have shown that Nanotrap particles can be used to significantly enhance detection of various small analytes of low abundance. We have expanded upon this repertoire to show that this simple and efficient sample preparation technology can drastically improve the detection of the RVFV nucleoprotein (NP), the most abundant and widely used viral protein for RVFV diagnostics., Results: After screening multiple Nanotrap particle architectures, we found that one particle, NT45, was optimal for RVFV NP capture, as demonstrated by western blotting. NT45 significantly enhanced detection of the NP at levels undetectable without the technology. Importantly, we demonstrated that Nanotrap particles are capable of concentrating NP in a number of matrices, including infected cell lysates, viral supernatants, and animal sera. Specifically, NT45 enhanced detection of NP at various viral titers, multiplicity of infections, and time points. Our most dramatic results were observed in spiked serum samples, where high abundance serum proteins hindered detection of NP without Nanotrap particles. Nanotrap particles allowed for sample cleanup and subsequent detection of RVFV NP. Finally, we demonstrated that incubation of our samples with Nanotrap particles protects the NP from degradation over extended periods of time (up to 120 hours) and at elevated temperatures (at 37ºC)., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Nanotrap particles are capable of drastically lowering the limit of detection for RVFV NP by capturing, concentrating, and preserving RVFV NP in clinically relevant matrices. These studies can be extended to a wide range of pathogens and their analytes of diagnostic interest.

Detection of early infectious disease may be challenging due to the low copy number of organisms present. To overcome this limitation and rapidly measure low concentrations of the pathogen, we developed a novel technology: Nanotrap particles, which are designed to capture, concentrate, and protect biomarkers from complex biofluids. Nanotrap particles are thermoresponsive hydrogels that are capable of antigen capture through the coupling of affinity baits to the particles. Here, we describe recent findings demonstrating that Nanotrap particles are able to capture live infectious virus, viral RNA, and viral proteins. Capture is possible even in complex mixtures such as serum and allows the concentration and protection of these analytes, providing increased performance of downstream assays. The Nanotrap particles are a versatile sample preparation technology that has far reaching implications for biomarker discovery and diagnostic assays., (© 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.)

HIV-1 infection results in a chronic but incurable illness since long-term HAART can keep the virus to an undetectable level. However, discontinuation of therapy rapidly increases viral burden. Moreover, patients under HAART frequently develop various metabolic disorders and HIV-associated neuronal disease. Today, the main challenge of HIV-1 research is the elimination of the residual virus in infected individuals. The current HIV-1 diagnostics are largely comprised of serological and nucleic acid based technologies. Our goal is to integrate the nanotrap technology into a standard research tool that will allow sensitive detection of HIV-1 infection. This study demonstrates that majority of HIV-1 virions in culture supernatants and Tat/Nef proteins spiked in culture medium can be captured by nanotrap particles. To determine the binding affinities of different baits, we incubated target molecules with nanotrap particles at room temperature. After short sequestration, materials were either eluted or remained attached to nanotrap particles prior to analysis. The unique affinity baits of nanotrap particles preferentially bound HIV-1 materials while excluded albumin. A high level capture of Tat or Tat peptide by NT082 and NT084 particles was measured by western blot (WB). Intracellular Nef protein was captured by NT080, while membrane-associated Nef was captured by NT086 and also detected by WB. Selective capture of HIV-1 particles by NT073 and NT086 was measured by reverse transcriptase assay, while capture of infectious HIV-1 by these nanoparticles was demonstrated by functional transactivation in TZM-bl cells. We also demonstrated specific capture of HIV-1 particles and exosomes-containing TAR-RNA in patients' serum by NT086 and NT082 particles, respectively, using specific qRT-PCR. Collectively, our data indicate that certain types of nanotrap particles selectively capture specific HIV-1 molecules, and we propose to use this technology as a platform to enhance HIV-1 detection by concentrating viral proteins and infectious virions from infected samples.

The implementation of new antiretroviral therapies targeting transcription of early viral proteins in postintegrated HIV-1 can aid in overcoming current therapy limitations. Using high-throughput screening assays, we have previously described a novel Tat-dependent HIV-1 transcriptional inhibitor named 6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (6BIO). The screening of 6BIO derivatives yielded unique compounds that show potent inhibition of HIV-1 transcription. We have identified a second-generation derivative called 18BIOder as an inhibitor of HIV-1 Tat-dependent transcription in TZM-bl cells and a potent inhibitor of GSK-3β kinase in vitro. Structurally, 18BIOder is half the molecular weight and structure of its parental compound, 6BIO. More importantly, we also have found a different GSK-3β complex present only in HIV-1-infected cells. 18BIOder preferentially inhibits this novel kinase complex from infected cells at nanomolar concentrations. Finally, we observed that neuronal cultures treated with Tat protein are protected from Tat-mediated cytotoxicity when treated with 18BIOder. Overall, our data suggest that HIV-1 Tat-dependent transcription is sensitive to small-molecule inhibition of GSK-3β.

Background: Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic virus that is not only an emerging pathogen but is also considered a biodefense pathogen due to the threat it may cause to public health and national security. The current state of diagnosis has led to misdiagnosis early on in infection. Here we describe the use of a novel sample preparation technology, NanoTrap particles, to enhance the detection of RVFV. Previous studies demonstrated that NanoTrap particles lead to both 100 percent capture of protein analytes as well as an improvement of more than 100-fold in sensitivity compared to existing methods. Here we extend these findings by demonstrating the capture and enrichment of viruses., Results: Screening of NanoTrap particles indicated that one particle, NT53, was the most efficient at RVFV capture as demonstrated by both qRT-PCR and plaque assays. Importantly, NT53 capture of RVFV resulted in greater than 100-fold enrichment from low viral titers when other diagnostics assays may produce false negatives. NT53 was also capable of capturing and enhancing RVFV detection from serum samples. RVFV that was inactivated through either detergent or heat treatment was still found bound to NT53, indicating the ability to use NanoTrap particles for viral capture prior to transport to a BSL-2 environment. Furthermore, both NP-40-lysed virus and purified RVFV RNA were bound by NT53. Importantly, NT53 protected viral RNA from RNase A degradation, which was not observed with other commercially available beads. Incubation of RVFV samples with NT53 also resulted in increased viral stability as demonstrated through preservation of infectivity at elevated temperatures. Finally, NanoTrap particles were capable of capturing VEEV and HIV, demonstrating the broad applicability of NanoTrap particles for viral diagnostics., Conclusion: This study demonstrates NanoTrap particles are capable of capturing, enriching, and protecting RVFV virions. Furthermore, the use of NanoTrap particles can be extended to a variety of viruses, including VEEV and HIV.