RESULTS We identified a homozygous frameshift mutation in TNFSF13, the gene encoding APRIL, in the patient. APRIL mRNA and protein were completely absent in the monocytes and iPS-moDCs of the patient. In contrast to previous animal model studies, the patient showed hypogammaglobulinemia with markedly reduced plasmacytes in peripheral blood and clearly increased circulating marginal zone B cells. Although iPS-moDC-induced in vitro plasmacyte differentiation was reduced in the patient, recombinant APRIL supplementation corrected this abnormality. CONCLUSION The first APRIL deficiency in an adult common variable immunodeficiency patient revealed the role of APRIL in life-long maintenance of plasmacytes and immunoglobulin production in humans. BACKGROUND Whether microbiome characteristics of induced sputum or oral samples demonstrate unique relationships to features of atopy or mild asthma in adults is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine sputum and oral microbiota relationships to clinical or immunologic features in mild atopic asthma and the impact on the microbiota of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment administered to ICS-naïve asthmatic subjects. METHODS Bacterial microbiota profiles were analyzed in induced sputum and oral wash samples from 32 subjects with mild atopic asthma before and after inhaled fluticasone treatment, 18 atopic non-asthmatic subjects, and 16 non-atopic healthy subjects in a multicenter study (NCT01537133). Associations with clinical and immunologic features were examined, including markers of atopy, type 2 inflammation, immune cell populations and cytokines. RESULTS Sputum bacterial burden inversely associated with bronchial expression of type 2 (T2)-related genes. Differences in specific sputum microbiota also associated with T2-low asthma phenotype, a subgroup of whom displayed elevations in lung inflammatory mediators and reduced sputum bacterial diversity. Differences in specific oral microbiota were more reflective of atopic status. After ICS treatment of asthmatics, the compositional structure of sputum microbiota showed greater deviation from baseline in ICS non-responders than in ICS-responders. CONCLUSION Novel associations of sputum and oral microbiota to immunologic features were observed in this cohort of subjects with or without ICS-naïve mild asthma. These findings confirm and extend our prior report of reduced bronchial bacterial burden and compositional complexity in T2-high asthma subjects, with additional identification of a T2-low subgroup with a distinct microbiota-immunologic relationship. BACKGROUND Ara h 2 specific-IgE (sIgE) is to date the best serologic marker to diagnose peanut allergy. Ara h 6 shares ∼60% sequence identity and multiple epitopes with Ara h 2. OBJECTIVE To assess the diagnostic utility and relative importance of Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 in peanut allergy. METHODS A cohort (n=100) of peanut allergic (PA), peanut sensitized but tolerant (PS) and non-sensitized non-allergic (NA) children were studied. sIgE levels to peanut and individual allergens were quantified using ImmunoCAP. ImmunoCAP inhibition experiments and mast-cell activation tests (MAT) were performed to both Ara h 2 and Ara h 6. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v14 and Prism v7. RESULTS Ara h 2-sIgE and Ara h 6-sIgE showed the greatest diagnostic accuracy for peanut allergy compared with sIgE to peanut and other peanut allergens. Most PA patients were sensitized to both Ara h 2 and Ara h 6. Ara h 2 reduced Ara h 2-sIgE binding more than Ara h 6 (p less then 0.001) whereas Ara h 6-sIgE binding was inhibited to a similar degree by Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 (p=0.432). On the MAT, Ara h 2 induced significantly greater maximal reactivity (p=0.001) and lower EC50 (p=0.002) than Ara h 6 when testing co-sensitized individuals. CONCLUSIONS Ara h 2-sIgE and Ara h 6-sIgE provide the greatest accuracy for diagnosis peanut allergy. Ara h 2 is the dominant conglutin in peanut allergy in the UK, despite a degree of cross-reactivity with Ara h 6. BACKGROUND House dust mites (HDM) are one of the most important allergen sources containing many different allergenic molecules. The analysis of patients from a double-blind, placebo-controlled allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) study indicated that patients may benefit to a different extent from AIT depending on their molecular sensitization profiles. OBJECTIVE To investigate in a real-life setting if stratification of HDM allergic patients according to molecular analysis may enhance AIT success. METHODS Serum and nasal secretion samples from HDM allergic patients (n=24) (baseline, 7, 15, 33 and 52 weeks) who had received one year treatment with a well-defined subcutaneous AIT form (Alutard SQ 510) were tested for IgE and IgG reactivity to 15 micro-arrayed HDM allergen molecules with ImmunoCAP ISAC technology. IgG subclass levels to allergens and peptides were determined by ELISA and IgG blocking was assessed by basophil activation. In vitro parameters were related to reduction of symptoms determined by combined symptom medication score (CSMS) and visual analogue (VAS). RESULTS Alutard SQ 510 induced protective IgG mainly against Der p 1 and Der p 2 and to a lower extent to Der p 23, but not to the other important allergens such as Der p 5, Der p 7 and Der p 21 showing better clinical efficacy in patients only sensitized to Der p 1 and/or Der p 2 as compared to patients with additional IgE specificities.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/vcmmae.html  CONCLUSION Stratification of HDM allergic patients according to molecular sensitization profiles and molecular monitoring of AIT-induced IgG responses may enhance success of AIT. Vector control is the most effective method to prevent transmission of Chagas disease. Control is mostly made through chemical insecticides although they have negative impact on wild pollinators, such as bees. Reducing pesticide use through biological alternatives could minimize the damage to these beneficial insects. Triatoma virus (TrV) is a pathogen able to kill triatomines and thus a valid candidate to be used as biological control agent. In this study we evaluate the capacity of TrV to infect an important beneficial insect (Apis mellifera) as well as a plague insect (Aedes aegypti). Results indicate that TrV does not infect the bees or mosquitoes tested in this study. The possible specificity of TrV for kissing bugs reinforces the possible use of TrV as a biological control agent for triatomines.