R. J. P. Brown

Hepatitis C virus cell culture adaptive mutations enhance cell culture propagation by multiple mechanisms but boost antiviral responses in primary human hepatocytes

This study identifies cell culture adaptive mutations in HCV that enhance replicative fitness in cell lines but reduce virion production in primary human hepatocytes by boosting antiviral responses.

Targeting cellular cathepsins inhibits hepatitis E virus infection

This study identifies lysosomal cathepsins, particularly CTSL, as critical for HEV entry and demonstrates the antiviral efficacy of the pan-cathepsin inhibitor K11777.

Spatiotemporal analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection reveals an expansive wave of monocyte-derived macrophages associated with vascular damage and virus clearance in hamster lungs

This study uses 3D spatiotemporal analysis to show that SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters leads to monocyte-derived macrophage infiltration, vascular damage, and virus clearance, followed by tissue remodeling and fibrosis.

SARS-CoV-2 entry route impacts a range of downstream viral and cellular processes

This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 entry via TMPRSS2 or endolysosomal cathepsins affects viral replication, immune response, and genome evolution.

In contrast to TH2-biased approaches, TH1 COVID-19 vaccines protect Syrian hamsters from severe disease in the absence of dexamethasone-treatable vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory pathology

This study compares TH1 and TH2-biased vaccines in Syrian hamsters, showing that TH1 vaccines prevent severe disease without inducing VAERD, while TH2 vaccines cause VAERD through eosinophil recruitment and TH2 cytokine upregulation.

Initial HCV infection of adult hepatocytes triggers a temporally structured transcriptional program containing diverse pro- and anti-viral elements

This study identifies temporally structured transcriptional changes in HCV-infected human hepatocytes, revealing both antiviral and pro-viral programs that may contribute to viral persistence.