Biology subjects

Sprecher, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Sprecher, E..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Potent Neutralization by Antibodies Targeting the Mpox A28 Protein

Mpox is the most pathogenic Poxvirus in circulation. While several antigens have been identified as targets for neutralizing antibodies, many proteins remain unexplored. We isolated and characterized four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the Mpox A28 (OPG153), a virulence factor present on mature Mpox virions. The antibodies were isolated from convalescent individuals, alongside 14 additional mAbs targeting the A35 and H3 proteins. Anti-A28 mAbs potently neutralized Mpox and Vaccinia virus (VACV) through complement-dependent mechanisms involving C1q and C3 deposition. High resolution crystal structures of Anti-A28 mAbs 10M2146 and 8M2110 in complex with VACV A26 revealed two proximal epitopes within the N-terminal domain. Passive transfer of 8M2110 attenuated disease in infected mice. Moreover, immunization with A28 elicited antigen-specific B cells and robust neutralizing antibody responses and provided complete protection against lethal VACV challenge. These findings support Mpox A28 as a promising target for the induction of neutralizing antibodies and antiviral interventions.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Plasma proteomic biomarkers identify non-responders and reveal biological insights about the tumor microenvironment in melanoma patients after PD1 blockade

Most patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) do not have durable treatment responses. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify early non-invasive biomarkers of response. We performed plasma proteomic analysis (>700 proteins) at three timepoints on 174 metastatic melanoma patients treated with ICB. We leverage independent training and testing cohorts to build a predictor of immunotherapy response that outperforms several tissue-based approaches. We found 217 differentially expressed proteins between ICB responders (R) and non-responders (NR), including a co-regulated module of proteins enriched in certain NR patients. By analyzing single-cell RNA-sequencing data of tumor biopsies from 32 patients, we dissected the relative contribution of cells in the tumor to proteins in circulation. The majority of proteins in the co-regulated NR module derived from tumor and myeloid cells. Amongst myeloid cells, we identified a subset of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) with a suppressive phenotype that expressed high levels of the co-regulated NR module, thus suggesting they are key drivers of non-response signatures. Together, our data demonstrates the utility of plasma proteomics in biomarker discovery and in understanding the biology of host response to tumors.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Th17-skewed inflammation due to genetic deficiency of a cadherin stress sensor

Desmoglein 1 (Dsg1) is a cadherin restricted to stratified tissues of terrestrial vertebrates, which serve as essential physical and immune barriers. Dsg1s importance in epidermal integrity is underscored by genetic, autoimmune and bacterial toxin-mediated disorders interfering with Dsg1 function. Dsg1 loss-of-function mutations in humans result not only in skin lesions, but also multiple allergies, and isolated patient keratinocytes exhibit increased pro-allergic cytokine expression. However, the mechanism by which genetic deficiency of Dsg1 causes chronic inflammation is unknown. To determine the systemic response to Dsg1 loss, we deleted the three tandem Dsg1 genes in mice using CRISPR/Cas9. Whole transcriptome analysis of E18.5 Dsg1-/- skin showed changes consistent with the observed aberrant differentiation and barrier impairment. Comparing epidermal transcriptomes from E18.5 Dsg1-deficient mice and humans with Dsg1 mutations revealed a shared psoriatic-like IL-17-skewed inflammatory signature and less so a pro-allergic IL-4/13 signature. Although the impaired intercellular adhesion observed in Dsg1-/- mice resembles that resulting from autoimmune anti-Dsg1 pemphigus foliaceus antibodies, transcriptomic analysis of pemphigus skin lesions lacks a prominent IL-17 signature. Thus, beyond impairing the physical barrier, chronic loss of Dsg1 function through gene mutation results in a psoriatic-like inflammatory signature before birth, possibly predisposing to skin inflammation.

immunology↗