UDC 616-018: 616-097

This study addresses the current need for vaccine adjuvants able to induce an immune response to novel or mutated pathogens. It exploits the ability of nanodiamonds (ND) to induce the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) triggering inflammation, accompanied by immune response to co-injected
antigens. Hydrophobic nanodiamonds 10 nm in diameter were covered with 194 a.a. sequence of the receptorbinding domain of Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 via passive adsorption. It was shown that antigen-covered ND induce activation of human neutrophils and stimulate NETs formation and ROS production. When used for immunization antigen-covered ND induce a long-lasting immune response in mice with prevailing IgG1 among antibody subclasses. The injected nanoparticles were sequestered by NETs and safely covered with connective tissues when examined 1 year after injection.

The global spread of SARS-CoV-2 points to unrivaled mutational variation of the virus, contributing to a variety of post-COVID sequelae in immunocompromised subjects and high mortality. Numerous studies have reported the reactivation of "sluggish" herpes virus infections in COVID-19, which exaggerate the course of the disease and complicate with lasting post-COVID manifestations CMV, EBV, HHV6). This study aimed to describe clinical and laboratory features of post-COVID manifestations accompanied by the reactivation of herpes virus infections (CMV, EBV, HHV6). 88 patients were recruited for this study, including subjects with reactivation of herpes viruses, 68 (72.3%) (main group) and 20 (27.7%) subjects without detectable DNA of herpesviruses (control group): 46 (52.3%) female and 42 (47.7%) male; median age was 41.4 ± 6.7 years. Patients with post-COVID manifestations presented with reactivation of EBV in 42.6%, HHV6 in 25.0%, and EBV plus HHV6 in 32.4%. Compared with controls, patients with herpes virus infections presented with more frequent slight fever temperature, headache, psycho-neurological disorders, pulmonary abnormalities and myalgia (p < 0.01), activation of liver enzymes, elevated CRP and D-dimer, and suppressed cellular immune response (p ≤ 0.05). Preliminary results indicate a likely involvement of reactivated herpes virus infections, primarily EBV infections in severe COVID-19 and the formation of the post-COVID syndrome. Patients with the post-COVID syndrome and reactivation of EBV and HHV6 infections are at high risk of developing various pathologies, including rheumatologic diseases.

RATIONALE: Precision allergy molecular diagnostics allows assessment of cross-reactivity between pollen and food allergens using multiplex
measurement arrays.
METHODS: Data from 8016 ALEX tests performed in different regions of Ukraine in 2017-2019 were assessed in patients from 1 to 78 years old.Correlation analysis was performed by the Spearman method.
RESULTS: Cross-reactions were mostly seen with Betulaceae pollen groups. Sensitization to Alnus, Betula and Corylus pollen alone expressed cross-reactivity to other pollen types in 55-60 % of cases. 51 % of pateints sensitive to Bet v 2 profilin were sensitized to olive pollen profilin Ole e 2 and of date palm profilin Pho d 2. 51-53 % of patients were sensitized to PR-10 Bet v 1 of Betula pollen and Ara h 8 peanut allergen. 52 to 60 % of patients were sensitized to birch and alder pollen PR-10 allergens and to Mal d 1 of apple from the same group. Cross-reaction between alder and celery PR-10 allergens (Aln g 1 and Api g 1) was 50 %. 50 % of patients reacted to profilins of birch and latex (Bet v 2 and Hev b 8).
CONCLUSIONS: Pollen-targeted allergen-specific immunotherapy may possibly impact pollen-food oral allergy syndromes based upon allergen
cross-reactivit.