University of Münster

Highly Accurate Long-Read Sequencing Data from Revio will Support Germany’s National Genome Initiative and Provide Data to the International Male Infertility ConsortiumMENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB), a leading developer of high-quality, highly accurate sequencing solutions, today announced a collaboration with the University Hospital of Münster, to use long-read whole genome sequencing to significantly advance male infertility and rare disease research. By deploying PacBio’s Revio HiFi sequencing system, researchers at Münster will obtain highly accurate genomic data essential for addressing complex genetic issues associated with male infertility, including the Y chromosome. The announcement follows the opening of the University’s Center of Medical Genetics, which will foster Münster’s role in various fields of genetics including familial breast and ovarian cancer and reproductive genetics. Münster’s Medical Center is the first in Germany to use long-read whole genome sequencing in a translational research and diagnostic setting and owns the first Revio funded by the German healthcare system. The data generated by the Revio will contribute to Germany’s GenomeDE Modellvorhaben project to integrate genomic medicine into standard patient care. The results of this study will also extend beyond Germany, supporting research at the International Male Infertility Genomics Consortium, which has connections with 8 other countries. “The Revio system will be pivotal in furthering the University of Münster as a leader in medical genetics. Its ability to navigate complex genetic landscapes, particularly in studying the Y chromosome’s role in male infertility, will provide critical insights that were previously unattainable,” said Professor Tüttelmann, Director of The Center of Medical Genetics, University of Münster. “The male Y chromosome has until recently been a mystery due to its repetitive regions and challenging structural variants. The exceptional accuracy and depth of Revio will allow us to begin unravelling the causes of male infertility. Such insight is invaluable for aging European populations, where fewer children are being born and more pressure is being put on health systems.” The University of Münster will use the Revio to achieve its goal of whole genome sequencing 500 patients with male infertility over the next year. Professor Tüttelmann will also oversee the trio sequencing of rare disease families, where both parents and the affected child are sequenced on the Revio to determine whether disease is carried on the maternal or paternal haplotype. The findings of Münster Clinic’s research will contribute to Germany’s GenomeDE project, which seeks to advance research into the genetic underpinnings of rare diseases, including developmental delay, and cancer. “Our HiFi technology will unlock deeper genomics insights for Professor Tüttelmann’s research into male infertility and we look forward to seeing how the data will advance this understudied area. Supporting Münster’s new Center of Medical Genetics is an important step in PacBio’s continued growth in Europe, and we’re pleased to support the university in achieving its vision of becoming experts in familial cancer and rare disease,” said Neil Ward, General Manager and Vice President EMEA, PacBio. “These are fields of growing importance for Germany and European healthcare systems, and Münster’s research holds great promise for providing answers for patients internationally. Playing a critical role in such influential projects is key to achieving PacBio’s mission to enable the promise of genomics to better human health.” For more information about how PacBio is revolutionizing the field of genomics and to explore the capabilities of the Revio HiFi sequencing system, please visit our website at https://www.pacb.com/revio/. About PacBioPacBio (NASDAQ: PACB) is a premier life science technology company that designs, develops, and manufactures advanced sequencing solutions to help scientists and clinical researchers resolve genetically complex problems. Our products and technologies stem from two highly differentiated core technologies focused on accuracy, quality and completeness which include our HiFi long-read sequencing and our SBB® short-read sequencing technologies. Our products address solutions across a broad set of research applications including human germline sequencing, plant and animal sciences, infectious disease and microbiology, oncology, and other emerging applications. For more information, please visit www.pacb.com and follow @PacBio. PacBio products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the uses, coverage, advantages, quality or performance of, or benefits or expected benefits of using, PacBio products or technologies, including in connection with the University of Münster’s anticipated use of Revio, its goal of sequencing 500 male infertility patients, and the use of HiFi technology to unlock deeper genomics insights into male infertility and rare diseases; and other future events. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they are subject to assumptions, risks, and uncertainties and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from currently anticipated results, including, challenges inherent in sequencing a large number of genomes; potential product performance and quality issues; third-party claims alleging infringement of patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate PacBio's patents or proprietary rights; and other risks associated with international operations. Additional factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in PacBio's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including PacBio's most recent reports on Forms 8-K, 10-K, and 10-Q, and include those listed under the caption "Risk Factors." These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof; except as required by law, PacBio disclaims any obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available. Contacts Investors:Todd Friedmanir@pacificbiosciences.com Media:pr@pacificbiosciences.com

通过在细胞培养环境中复现活体组织中的中性粒细胞捕获情景，研究团队成功锁定了这一过程中的分子机制。他们发现，肥大细胞会分泌白三烯B4，一种中性粒细胞常用的聚集信号。 肥大细胞，作为免疫系统中的关键角色，因触发过敏反应而闻名。它们在遭遇过敏原时释放出化学信号，引起诸如肿胀、炎症等典型的过敏症状。 如今，来自马克斯-普朗克免疫生物学与表观遗传学研究所和明斯特大学的研究人员发现了肥大细胞的一个隐藏天赋：它们可以捕获并利用另一种叫做中性粒细胞的免疫细胞。这一惊人发现为人们了解免疫系统，尤其是过敏反应的原理提供了新的思路。 相关研究结果于2024年8月2日在线发表在Cell期刊上，论文标题为“Neutrophil trapping and nexocytosis, mast cell-mediated processes for inflammatory signal relay”。 炎症，作为人体对伤害的响应，其特征包括发热、疼痛、红肿及功能障碍，是身体自我保护机制的一部分，旨在清除有害物质并促进修复。然而，过度的炎症会损害组织，引发疾病。在这一过程中，各种免疫细胞扮演着核心角色，协同应对不同的刺激，进而影响炎症的进程。 过敏反应期间的免疫细胞诱捕 肥大细胞，作为组织中的哨兵，蕴藏着丰富的促炎颗粒，是触发炎症反应的核心。当这些细胞感知到威胁，不论是真实的病原体还是误判的过敏原，它们便会释放颗粒中的内容物，引发一系列炎症反应。尤其在某些敏感体质中，即便是日常环境中看似无害的因素，也能激起肥大细胞的过敏警报。目前，肥大细胞与过敏反应部位其他免疫细胞之间的相互作用在很大程度上尚未得到研究。 在本研究中，研究团队利用活体小鼠模型和先进的显微技术，实时观察到了过敏反应中肥大细胞与其他细胞的动态交互。 这一突破性发现由明斯特大学医学生物化学研究所的研究团队于2023年首度揭示，他们惊讶地在肥大细胞内部观测到了中性粒细胞的存在。“我们目瞪口呆，”研究领头人Lämmermann感慨道，“活生生的中性粒细胞竟然躲进了活生生的肥大细胞体内。这一发现超乎寻常，若非借助活体显微镜技术，恐怕难以捕捉到如此微妙的细胞间互动，这充分证明了活体显微镜技术的非凡实力。” 肥大细胞胞内陷阱（MIT） 中性粒细胞，作为免疫系统的前线战士，能迅速响应潜在威胁，它们在血液中巡逻，迅速涌入炎症区域。它们不仅吞噬入侵者，释放抗菌物质，还能构建“中性粒细胞胞外陷阱（NETs）”，形成网状结构捕捉敌人。此外，中性粒细胞间的协作形成了强大的集体防线，保护健康组织。虽然中性粒细胞在感染与非感染性损伤中的作用已被广泛认知，但在过敏引发的炎症中，它们的角色仍鲜为人知。 图片来自Cell, 2024, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2024.07.014 论文的第一作者兼共同通讯作者，马克斯-普朗克免疫生物学与表观遗传学研究所的Michael Mihlan博士解释道：“我们很快意识到，肥大细胞与中性粒细胞之间的这种‘双重捕获’现象绝非偶然。我们渴望探明肥大细胞如何捕捉中性粒细胞，以及这一行为背后的动机。”通过在细胞培养环境中复现活体组织中的中性粒细胞捕获情景，研究团队成功锁定了这一过程中的分子机制。他们发现，肥大细胞会分泌白三烯B4，一种中性粒细胞常用的聚集信号。通过这一信号，肥大细胞能吸引中性粒细胞靠近，一旦距离足够，便将其吞噬至细胞内的特殊结构——“肥大细胞胞内陷阱（MIT）”。 Lämmermann教授补充道：“颇具讽刺意味的是，中性粒细胞在感染状态下构建的由DNA和组蛋白组成的网状陷阱，本用于捕捉微生物，却在过敏环境下反成为肥大细胞的猎物。” 回收的中性粒细胞增强肥大细胞功能 在国际团队的共同努力下，研究者们不仅在人体样本中验证了肥大细胞胞内陷阱（MIT）的形成，还追踪了中性粒细胞被捕捉后的命运。他们发现，被肥大细胞吞噬的中性粒细胞最终会走向凋亡，其残留物质则被肥大细胞存储。Mihlan博士表示：“研究至此，我们见证了一场意想不到的剧情反转。肥大细胞能再利用中性粒细胞的残留物，提升自身功能和代谢效率。更令人惊奇的是，肥大细胞还能以延迟方式释放新吸收的中性粒细胞成分，激发后续免疫反应，辅助炎症和免疫防御的持续。” Lämmermann教授总结道：“我们对肥大细胞与中性粒细胞的协同机制有了全新洞见，这为过敏反应和炎症研究增添了重要维度。这一发现揭示了肥大细胞如何巧妙运用中性粒细胞，强化自身能力，这可能对慢性过敏性炎症疾病的演变产生深远影响。”目前，研究团队正积极探索这一互动模式在肥大细胞介导的人类炎症性疾病中的作用，以及这一发现是否能催生治疗过敏和炎症性疾病的创新疗法。这一系列发现不仅深化了我们对免疫系统复杂互动的理解，也为未来防治相关疾病提供了新的线索和希望。（生物谷Bioon.com） 参考资料： Michael Mihlan et al. Neutrophil trapping and nexocytosis, mast cell-mediated processes for inflammatory signal relay. Cell, 2024, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2024.07.014.

THURSDAY, July 18, 2024 -- You're far less likely to develop Long COVID now than you were in the midst of the pandemic, promising new data shows. Changes in strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 , are playing a role in the lowered risk, but so are the proven benefits of vaccination, the study authors said. “The research on declining rates of long COVID marks the rare occasion when I have good news to report regarding this virus,” said senior study author Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly . “The findings also show the positive effects of getting vaccinated.” Al-Aly is a clinical epidemiologist and COVID-19 research specialist at Washington University in St. Louis. His team published its findings July 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine . The new report comes on the heels of another study published recently by a team at the University of Münster in Germany. That research found that risks for Long COVID declined with the emergence of each new successive strain of the virus, and with multiple vaccinations. In the latest report, Al-Aly's team pored over millions of health records compiled by the largest health care system in the United States, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In total, the data included 441,583 veterans who'd been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infections and more than 4.7 million uninfected veterans, tracked from March 1, 2020, through Jan. 31, 2022. The researchers then divided the veterans into five groups. First were three groups of unvaccinated veterans who became infected with COVID-19 with either the original strain in 2020, the Delta variant in 2021 or the Omicron variant that arose in 2022 (and continues today). As well, the team separated out two other groups: Vaccinated people who had been infected with the Delta variant and vaccinated people infected with Omicron. The researchers then looked at rates of Long COVID occurring within one year of infection among veterans in all five groups. One clear trend emerged: Rates of Long COVID declined as each new strain emerged. Overall, 10.4% of folks who'd been infected with the original strain of COVID-19 went on to develop Long COVID. However, that rate declined to 9.5% of those infected during the Delta era and 7.7% of those infected by Omicron. Being vaccinated cut the odds for Long COVID even further: 5.3% during the Delta era and 3.5% once Omicron took over (vaccines were not available during the 'original strain' era of the pandemic). “You can see a clear and significant difference in risk during the Delta and Omicron eras between the vaccinated and unvaccinated,” said Al-Aly, who is also director of the Clinical Epidemiology Center at the VA St. Louis Health Care System. “So, if people think COVID is no big deal and decide to forgo vaccinations, they’re essentially doubling their risk of developing long COVID.” Al-Aly also stressed that the current risk of developing Long COVID (3.5%) is still substantial. “That’s three to four vaccinated individuals out of 100 getting long COVID,” he said in a university news release. “Multiplied by the large numbers of people who continue to get infected and reinfected, it’s a lot of people. This remaining risk is not trivial. It will continue to add an already staggering health problem facing people across the world.” He stressed that, according to the research, the nature of Long COVID cases is also changing with each new viral strain. For example, the advent of the Omicron strain appeared to coincide with a decline in Long COVID complications involving the heart, brain, kidney and lungs. But over the same time period, health issues linked to metabolic function and the GI system increased, Al-Aly noted. “People tend to think of SARS-CoV-2 as a homogeneous virus,” he said. “But each variant has its own fingerprint. The original virus hit the respiratory system hard. Omicron targeted metabolic and GI issues. It’s important because while the risk of long COVID is quantitatively lower, a person can be at a higher risk of developing an illness based on the part of the body that the COVID variant targets." The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.