Christine Johnston

Menstruation is associated with cyclical granulysin peaks in vaginal secretions despite stable expression by cervicovaginal immune cells

The paper shows granulysin levels in vaginal secretions peak during menstruation but not the luteal phase, linked to increased granulysin-expressing cells in the endocervical canal.

Improving antibody-mediated protection against HSV infection by eliminating interactions with the viral Fc receptor gE/gI

The study shows engineered antibodies lacking Fc receptor binding improve HSV protection, suggesting vaccine strategies targeting IgG3 could enhance immunity.

Limitations of acyclovir and identification of potent HSV antivirals using 3D bioprinted human skin equivalents

The paper identifies potent HSV antivirals using a 3D bioprinted human skin equivalent platform and evaluates cell-type specific antiviral efficacy.

Herpes Simplex Virus Mistyping due to HSV-1 x HSV-2 Interspecies Recombination in Viral Gene Encoding Glycoprotein B

The paper reports a case of HSV mistyping caused by HSV-1 x HSV-2 recombination in the UL27 gene, which is important for diagnostics and therapeutics.

B cells and HSV-specific antibodies respond to HSV-2 reactivation in skin

The paper shows B cells and HSV-2-specific antibodies are present in skin during HSV-2 reactivation, with dynamic levels in tissue compared to serum.

The impact of interspecies recombination on human herpes simplex virus evolution and host immune recognition

This study identifies interspecies recombination events in HSV-2 genomes and shows their impact on genetic variation and T-cell recognition.

Ultrasensitive capture of human herpes simplex virus genomes directly from clinical samples reveals extraordinarily limited evolution in cell culture

The paper develops tools to directly sequence HSV genomes from clinical samples with high sensitivity and low viral load, revealing limited evolution during cell culture.