• Published: January 14, 2026
• Proc Natl Acad Sci
• Corresponding Author: Jana Radin, PhD
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Research Summary:

Antibiotic failure is a major clinical problem that cannot always be explained by traditional resistance mechanisms. This study reveals that the host immune protein calprotectin, which is abundant at infection sites, can interfere with β-lactam antibiotics by sequestering zinc and inactivating bacterial autolysins that mediate cell lysis. This finding uncovers a mechanism of antibiotic tolerance that arises from the host response itself, rather than from the pathogen. Understanding how immune factors like calprotectin alter antibiotic activity opens the door to host-targeted strategies that enhance treatment outcomes. These findings suggest that local zinc availability during infection could be a critical, and previously underappreciated, determinant of β-lactam efficacy.

Authors: Amanda Z. Velez, Jana N. Radin, Emily N. Kennedy, Joshua B. Parsons, Heather M. Tong, Emma Jung, Emily Alam, Lauren C. Radlinski, Nikki J. Wagner, Vance G. Fowler Jr., Sarah E. Rowe, Thomas Kehl-Fie, Brian P. Conlon

• Published: August 8, 2025
• Journal of Virology
• Authors: Boopathi Sownthirarajan, Maya Mason, Gayathri Loganathan, Senthamizharasi Manivasagam, Rohit K. Jangra, Gene S. Tan, Daniel R. Perez, Balaji Manicassamy
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Research Summary:

The H5N1 strain of influenza A virus (IAV) continues to cause severe infections in a range of avian and mammalian species, including sporadic but concerning cases in humans. There is growing concern that circulating H5N1 strains could lead to widespread human outbreaks. Research with highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses is restricted to Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based vaccine vectors expressing heterologous viral proteins from Ebola, SARS-CoV-2, Lassa virus, etc., have previously been shown to be safe and effective in animal models and human clinical trials. Here, we report the development of a recombinant VSV expressing the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of H5N1 IAV (H5N1-VSV), which serves as a versatile platform to study various aspects of H5N1 IAV biology.