Torres-Ruesta, A. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2025

A broad-spectrum, biocompatible, virucidal polymer reduces chikungunya virus in murine models

Autochthonous transmission of arboviruses poses significant threats to global health and economies. Yet, no effective antivirals exist. Building on our previous antiviral star-polymer, we designed zwitterionic star-polymers for efficacy in high protein environments. A polymer with 12% positively charged monomer (Zwitterionic Polymer-ZP12) exhibited broad-spectrum, biocompatible antiviral activity against Alphaviridae, Flaviviridae, Herpesviridae, and Picornaviridae. Using murine models for Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection, ZP12 treatment (10 mg/kg every 24 hours for 7 days) reduced tissue viral load by 90% 3 days post-infection and significantly alleviated CHIKV-induced joint swelling. Mechanistically, ZP12 downregulated CHIKV-driven immunopathogenesis by reducing viral load and dampening CD4+ T cell and macrophage activation in virus-infected joints. With no current antiviral interventions for these arboviruses, ZP12 represents a promising intervention for combating future pandemics.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Data-driven analysis of COVID-19 reveals specific severity patterns distinct from the temporal immune response

Key immune signatures of SARS-CoV-2 infection may associate with either adverse immune reactions (severity) or simply an ongoing anti-viral response (temporality); how immune signatures contribute to severe manifestations and/or temporal progression of disease and whether longer disease duration correlates with severity remain unknown. Patient blood was comprehensively immunophenotyped via mass cytometry and multiplex cytokine arrays, leading to the identification of 327 basic subsets that were further stratified into more than 5000 immunotypes and correlated with 28 plasma cytokines. Low-density neutrophil abundance was closely correlated with hepatocyte growth factor levels, which in turn correlated with disease severity. Deep analysis also revealed additional players, namely conventional type 2 dendritic cells, natural killer T cells, plasmablasts and CD16+ monocytes, that can influence COVID-19 severity independent of temporal progression. Herein, we provide interactive network analysis and data visualization tools to facilitate data mining and hypothesis generation for elucidating COVID-19 pathogenesis.

immunology↗