Biology subjects

Chojnacki, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Chojnacki, J..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

MIF overexpression upon SARS-CoV-2 infection induces neural regeneration in human-derived brain organoids

While SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets the respiratory system, its neurological effects have become a significant clinical concern. Postmortem analyses reveal astrogliosis, neuronal death, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction, yet the interplay between neural injury and endogenous repair remains unclear. Here, we employed human embryonic stem cell-derived brain organoids to examine viral tropism, bystander effects, and regenerative responses following infection. Single-cell transcriptomics and histological assays showed that SARS-CoV-2 productively infects neurons, neural progenitors, astroglia, and choroid plexus cells, triggering widespread apoptosis and senescence in both infected and neighboring cells. Despite low infection rates, organoids activated robust regenerative programs, including axon guidance, Wnt pathway signaling in mature neurons, and radial glia proliferation. Importantly, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) emerged as a key mediator, being strongly upregulated in both infected and uninfected cells, particularly in the choroid plexus. Recombinant MIF promoted dendritic outgrowth and cortical progenitor activation in uninfected organoids. Computational analyses indicated that MIF stimulates neural regenerative via EGFR signaling and upregulates its own expression in non-infected cells. These findings identify MIF as a molecular link between SARS-CoV-2-induced neural damage and regenerative activation in cortical cells.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

HIV-1 Envelope glycoprotein modulates CXCR4 clustering and dynamics on the T cell membrane

HIV-1 entry into susceptible cells requires the dynamic interaction of its envelope (Env) glycoprotein with the host cell receptor CD4 and a co-receptor, either CCR5 or CXCR4. While the core molecular mechanisms driving Env-receptor interactions and subsequent membrane fusion are well characterized, the precise nanoscale spatial reorganization of these co-receptors at the viral binding site remains poorly defined. In this study, we employed single-particle tracking total internal reflection fluorescence (SPT-TIRF) microscopy to quantitatively analyze nanoscale organizational changes of CXCR4 on the surface of CD4+ T cells following binding by X4-tropic HIV-1. Our data reveal that both recombinant X4-gp120 and virus-like particles expressing physiological levels of X4 Env proteins (gp120 and gp41) promote CXCR4 clustering, a phenomenon linked to cell infection. Furthermore, these ligands induced oligomerization of CXCR4R334X, a naturally occurring mutant associated with WHIM syndrome that supports HIV-1 infection but fails to oligomerize in response to CXCL12. Our findings establish a link between CXCR4 clustering and HIV-1 infection, enhancing our understanding of the initial events in viral attachment and entry. These results further suggest that HIV-1 depends on a specific spatial arrangement of co-receptors, distinct from that induced by their natural chemokine ligands, highlighting the critical role of cell-surface receptor spatial organization in dictating cellular function.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

Siglec-1 on dendritic cells mediates SARS-CoV-2 trans-infection of target cells while on macrophages triggers proinflammatory responses

COVID-19 pandemic is not yet under control by vaccination, and effective antivirals are critical for preparedness. Here we report that macrophages and dendritic cells, key antigen presenting myeloid cells (APCs), are largely resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection. APCs effectively captured viruses within cellular compartments that lead to antigen degradation. Macrophages sense SARS-CoV-2 and released higher levels of cytokines, including those related to cytokine storm in severe COVID-19. The sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 1 (Siglec-1/CD169) present on APCs, which interacts with sialylated gangliosides on membranes of retroviruses or filoviruses, also binds SARS-CoV-2 via GM1. Blockage of Siglec-1 receptors by monoclonal antibodies reduces SARS-CoV-2 uptake and transfer to susceptible target cells. APCs expressing Siglec-1 and carrying SARS-CoV-2 are found in pulmonary tissues of non-human primates. Single cell analysis reveals the in vivo induction of cytokines in those macrophages. Targeting Siglec-1 could offer cross-protection against SARS-CoV-2 and other enveloped viruses that exploit APCs for viral dissemination, including those yet to come in future outbreaks.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

HIV-1 Gag specifically restricts PI(4,5)P2 and cholesterol mobility in living cells creating a nanodomain platform for virus assembly.

HIV-1 Gag protein self-assembles at the plasma membrane of infected cells for viral particle formation. Gag targets lipids, mainly the phosphatidylinositol (4, 5) bisphosphate, at the inner leaflet of this membrane. Here, we address the question whether Gag is able to trap specifically PI(4,5)P2 or other lipids during HIV-1 assembly in the host CD4+ T lymphocytes. Lipid dynamics within and away from HIV-1 assembly sites was determined using super-resolution STED microscopy coupled with scanning Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy in living T cells. Analysis of HIV-1 infected cells revealed that, upon assembly, HIV-1 is able to specifically trap PI(4,5)P2, and cholesterol, but not phosphatidylethanolamine or sphingomyelin. Furthermore, our data show that Gag is the main driving force to restrict PI(4,5)P2 and cholesterol mobility at the cell plasma membrane. This is first direct evidence showing that HIV-1 creates its own specific lipid environment by selectively recruiting PI(4,5)P2 and cholesterol, as a membrane nano-platform for virus assembly.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2018

Lipid composition but not curvature is a determinant of a low molecular mobility within HIV-1 lipid envelope

Human Immunodeficiency Virus type-1 (HIV-1) acquires its lipid membrane from the plasma membrane of the infected cell from where it buds out. Previous studies have shown that the HIV-1 envelope is a very low mobility environment with the diffusion of incorporated proteins two orders of magnitude slower than in plasma membrane. One of the reasons for this difference is thought to be due to HIV-1 membrane composition that is characterised by a high degree of rigidity and lipid packing. To further refine the model of the molecular mobility on HIV-1 surface, we here investigated the relative importance of membrane composition and curvature in Large Unilamellar Vesicles of different composition and size (0.2-1 m) by super-resolution STED microscopy-based fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (STED-FCS) analysis. We find that lipid composition and its rigidity but not membrane curvature play an important role in the decreased molecular mobility on vesicle surface thus confirming that this factor is an essential determinant of HIV-1 low surface mobility. Our results provide further insight into the dynamic properties of the surface of individual HIV-1 particles.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2017

Advanced processing and analysis of conventional confocal microscopy generated scanning FCS data

Scanning Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (scanning FCS) is a variant of conventional point FCS that allows molecular diffusion at multiple locations to be measured simultaneously. It enables disclosure of potential spatial heterogeneity in molecular diffusion dynamics and also the acquisition of a large amount of FCS data at the same time, providing large statistical accuracy. Here, we optimize the processing and analysis of these large-scale acquired sets of FCS data. On one hand we present FoCuS-scan, scanning FCS software that provides an end-to-end solution for processing and analysing scanning data acquired on commercial turnkey confocal systems. On the other hand, we provide a thorough characterisation of large-scale scanning FCS data over its intended time-scales and applications and propose a unique solution for the bias and variance observed when studying slowly diffusing species. Our manuscript enables researchers to straightforwardly utilise scanning FCS as a powerful technique for measuring diffusion across a broad range of physiologically relevant length scales without specialised hardware or expensive software.

biophysics↗