The CCR5-Delta32 deletion obliterates the CCR5 chemokine and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 coreceptor on lymphoid cells, leading to strong resistance against HIV-1 infection and AIDS. A genotype survey of 4,166 individuals revealed a cline of CCR5-Delta32 allele frequencies of 0%-14% across Eurasia, whereas the variant is absent among native African, American Indian, and East Asian ethnic groups. Haplotype analysis of 192 Caucasian chromosomes revealed strong linkage disequilibrium between CCR5 and two microsatellite loci. By use of coalescence theory to interpret modern haplotype genealogy, we estimate the origin of the CCR5-Delta32-containing ancestral haplotype to be approximately 700 years ago, with an estimated range of 275-1,875 years. The geographic cline of CCR5-Delta32 frequencies and its recent emergence are consistent with a historic strong selective event (e.g. , an epidemic of a pathogen that, like HIV-1, utilizes CCR5), driving its frequency upward in ancestral Caucasian populations.

Congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD) is a heterogeneous disorder, largely due to mutations in the cystic fibrosis (CFTR) gene. Patients with unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD) and patients with CAVD in association with renal agenesis appear to have a different aetiology to those with isolated CAVD. We have studied 134 Spanish CAVD patients [110 congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) and 24 CUAVD], 16 of whom (six CBAVD, 10 CUAVD) had additional renal anomalies. Forty-two different CFTR mutations were identified, seven of them being novel. Some 45% of the CFTR mutations were specific to CAVD, and were not found in patients with cystic fibrosis or in the general Spanish population. CFTR mutations were detected in 85% of CBAVD patients and in 38% of those with CUAVD. Among those patients with renal anomalies, 31% carried one CFTR mutation. Anomalies in seminal vesicles and ejaculatory ducts were common in patients with CAVD. The prevalence of cryptorchidism and inguinal hernia appeared to be increased in CAVD patients, as well as nasal pathology and frequent respiratory infections. This study confirms the molecular heterogeneity of CFTR mutations in CAVD, and emphasizes the importance of an extensive CFTR analysis in these patients. In contrast with previous studies, this report suggests that CFTR might have a role in urogenital anomalies.

BackgroundOncolytic virus (OV)-based therapies have an emerging role in the treatment of solid tumors, involving both direct cell lysis and immunogenic cell death. Nonetheless, tumor-associated stroma limits the efficacy of oncolytic viruses by forming a barrier that blocks efficient viral penetration and spread. The stroma also plays a critical role in progression, immunosuppression and invasiveness of cancer. Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is highly overexpressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the main cellular component of tumor stroma, and in this study we assessed whether arming oncolytic adenovirus (OAd) with a FAP-targeting Bispecific T-cell Engager (FBiTE) could retarget infiltrated lymphocytes towards CAFs, enhancing viral spread and T cell-mediated cytotoxicity against the tumor stroma to improve therapeutic activity.MethodsThe bispecific T-cell Engager against FAP was constructed using an anti-human CD3 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) linked to an anti-murine and human FAP scFv. This FBiTE was inserted in the oncolytic adenovirus ICOVIR15K under the control of the major late promoter, generating the ICO15K-FBiTE. ICO15K-FBiTE replication and potency were assessed in HT1080 and A549 tumor cell lines. The expression of the FBiTE and the activation and proliferation of T cells that induced along with the T cell-mediated cytotoxicity of CAFs were evaluated by flow cytometry in vitro. In vivo, T-cell biodistribution and antitumor efficacy studies were conducted in NOD/scid/IL2rg−/− (NSG) mice.ResultsFBiTE expression did not decrease the infectivity and replication potency of the armed virus. FBiTE-mediated binding of CD3+ effector T cells and FAP+ target cells led to T-cell activation, proliferation, and cytotoxicity of FAP-positive cells in vitro. In vivo, FBiTE expression increased intratumoral accumulation of T cells and decreased the level of FAP, a marker of CAFs, in tumors. The antitumor activity of the FBiTE-armed adenovirus was superior to the parental virus.ConclusionsCombination of viral oncolysis of cancer cells and FBiTE-mediated cytotoxicity of FAP-expressing CAFs might be an effective strategy to overcome a key limitation of oncolytic virotherapy, encouraging its further clinical development.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s40425-019-0505-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Mutations in the cystic fibrosis (CF) conductance transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene have been detected in patients with CF and in males with infertility attributable to congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD). Thirty individuals with CBAVD and 10 with congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD) were analyzed by single-strand conformation analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis for mutations in most of the CFTR gene. All 40 individuals were pancreatic sufficient, but twenty patients had recurrent or sporadic respiratory infections, asthma/asthmatic bronchitis, and/or rhino-sinusitis. Agenesia or displasia of one or both seminal vesicles was detected in 30 men and other urogenital malformations were present in six subjects. Among the 40 samples, we identified 13 different CFTR mutations, two of which were previously unknown. One new mutation in exon 4 was the deletion of glutamic acid at codon 115 (delta E115). A second new mutation was found in exon 17b, viz., an A --> C substitution at position 3311, changing lysine to threonine at codon 1060 (K1060T). CFTR mutations were detected in 22 out of 30 (73.3%) CBAVD patients and in one out of 10 (10%) CUAVD individuals, showing a significantly lower incidence of CFTR mutations in CBAVD/CUAVD patients (P << 0.0001), compared with that found in the CF patient population. Only three CBAVD patients were found with more than one CFTR mutation (delta F508/L206W, delta F508/R74W + D1270N, R117H/712-1G --> T), highlighting L206W, R74W/D1270N, and R117H as benign CF mutations. Sweat electrolyte values were increased in 76.6% of CBAVD patients, but three individuals without CFTR mutations had normal sweat electrolyte levels (10% of the total CBAVD patients), suggesting that factors other than CFTR mutations are involved in CBAVD. The failure to identify a second mutation in exons and their flanking regions of the CFTR gene suggests that these mutations could be located in introns or in the promoter region of CFTR. Such mutations could result in CFTR levels below the minimum 6%-10% necessary for normal protein function.