Digital Commons Network^™

Peripheral Monocyte-Derived Cells Counter Amyloid Plaque Pathogenesis In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Ping Yan, Ki-Wook Kim, Qingli Xiao, Xiucui Ma, Leah R. Czerniewski, Haiyan Liu, David R. Rawnsley, Yan Yan, Gwendalyn J. Randolph, Slava Epelman, Jin-Moo Lee, Abhinav Diwan

Open Access Publications

Microglia, the parenchymal tissue macrophages in the brain, surround amyloid plaques in brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) but are ineffective at clearing amyloid to mitigate disease progression. Recent studies in mice indicate that microglia are derived exclusively from primitive yolk sac hematopoiesis and self-renew without contribution from ontogenically distinct monocytes/macrophages of definitive adult hematopoietic origin. Using a genetic fate-mapping approach to label cells of definitive hematopoietic origin throughout life span, we discovered that circulating monocytes contribute 6% of plaque-associated macrophages in aged AD mice. Moreover, peripheral monocytes contributed to a higher fraction of macrophages in the choroid plexus, …

Estrogen Metabolites Increase Nociceptor Hyperactivity In A Mouse Model Of Uterine Pain, Zili Xie, Jing Feng, Tao Cai, Ronald Mccarthy, Yuhui Wang, Yonghui Zhao, Zhihua Yi, Kaikai Zang, Yi Yuan, Xueming Hu, Fengxian Li, Qin Liu, Sarah K. England, Hongzhen Hu, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Pain emanating from the female reproductive tract is notoriously difficult to treat, and the prevalence of transient pelvic pain has been placed as high as 70%-80% in women surveyed. Although sex hormones, especially estrogen, are thought to underlie enhanced pain perception in females, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not completely understood. Here, we showed that the pain-initiating TRPA1 channel was required for pain-related behaviors in a mouse model of estrogen-induced uterine pain in ovariectomized female mice. Surprisingly, 2- and 4-hydroxylated estrogen metabolites (2- and 4-HEMs) in the estrogen hydroxylation pathway, but not estrone, estradiol, or 16-HEMs, directly increased …

Oxysterol Compounds In Mouse Mutant Αa- And Αb-Crystallin Lenses Can Improve The Optical Properties Of The Lens, Kehao Wang, Masato Hoshino, Kentaro Uesugi, Naoto Yagi, Barbara K Pierscionek, Usha P Andley

Open Access Publications

Purpose: To investigate how cataract-linked mutations affect the gradient refractive index (GRIN) and lens opacification in mouse lenses and whether there is any effect on the optics of the lens from treatment with an oxysterol compound.

Methods: A total of 35 mice including wild-type and knock-in mutants (Cryaa-R49C and Cryab-R120G) were used in these experiments: 26 mice were treated with topical VP1-001, an oxysterol, in one eye and vehicle in the other, and nine mice were untreated controls. Slit lamp biomicroscopy was used to analyze the lens in live animals and to provide apparent cataract grades. Refractive index in the …

Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Virus Causes Attenuated Disease In Mice And Hamsters, Peter J Halfmann, Shun Iida, Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto, Tadashi Maemura, Maki Kiso, Suzanne M Scheaffer, Tamarand L Darling, Astha Joshi, Baoling Ying, James Brett Case, Zhenlu Chong, Bradley Whitener, Zhenlu Chong, Larissa B Thackray, Adrianus C M Boon, Michael S Diamond, Et Al

Open Access Publications

The recent emergence of B.1.1.529, the Omicron variant

Myeloid Cell Interferon Responses Correlate With Clearance Of Sars-Cov-2, Dhiraj K Singh, Ekaterina Aladyeva, Shibali Das, Bindu Singh, Ekaterina Esaulova, Amanda Swain, Mushtaq Ahmed, Journey Cole, Chivonne Moodley, Smriti Mehra, Larry S Schlesinger, Maxim N Artyomov, Shabaana A Khader, Deepak Kaushal

Open Access Publications

Emergence of mutant SARS-CoV-2 strains associated with an increased risk of COVID-19-related death necessitates better understanding of the early viral dynamics, host responses and immunopathology. Single cell RNAseq (scRNAseq) allows for the study of individual cells, uncovering heterogeneous and variable responses to environment, infection and inflammation. While studies have reported immune profiling using scRNAseq in terminal human COVID-19 patients, performing longitudinal immune cell dynamics in humans is challenging. Macaques are a suitable model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our longitudinal scRNAseq of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell suspensions from young rhesus macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2 (n = 6) demonstrates dynamic changes in transcriptional …

Panobinostat Enhances Olaparib Efficacy By Modifying Expression Of Homologous Recombination Repair And Immune Transcripts In Ovarian Cancer, Andrew J Wilson, Vijayalaxmi G Gupta, Qi Liu, Fiona Yull, Marta A Crispens, Dineo Khabele

Open Access Publications

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) sensitize homologous recombination (HR)-proficient human ovarian cancer cells to PARP inhibitors (PARPi). To investigate mechanisms of anti-tumor effects of combined HDACi/PARPi treatment we performed transcriptome analysis in HR- proficient human ovarian cancer cells and tested drug effects in established immunocompetent mouse ovarian cancer models. Human SKOV-3 cells were treated with vehicle (Con), olaparib (Ola), panobinostat (Pano) or Pano+Ola and RNA-seq analysis performed. DESeq2 identified differentially expressed HR repair and immune transcripts. Luciferised syngeneic mouse ovarian cancer cells (ID8-luc) were treated with the HDACi panobinostat alone or combined with olaparib and effects on cell viability, apoptosis, DNA …

Sglt2 Inhibitors Therapy Protects Glucotoxicity-Induced Β-Cell Failure In A Mouse Model Of Human Katp-Induced Diabetes Through Mitigation Of Oxidative And Er Stress, Zeenat A. Shyr, Zihan Yan, Alessandro Ustione, Erin M. Egan, Maria S. Remedi

Open Access Publications

Progressive loss of pancreatic β-cell functional mass and anti-diabetic drug responsivity are classic findings in diabetes, frequently attributed to compensatory insulin hypersecretion and β-cell exhaustion. However, loss of β-cell mass and identity still occurs in mouse models of human KATP-gain-of-function induced Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus (NDM), in the absence of insulin secretion. Here we studied the temporal progression and mechanisms underlying glucotoxicity-induced loss of functional β-cell mass in NDM mice, and the effects of sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) therapy. Upon tamoxifen induction of transgene expression, NDM mice rapidly developed severe diabetes followed by an unexpected loss of insulin content, decreased …

Advances And Gaps In Sars-Cov-2 Infection Models, César Muñoz-Fontela, Michael S. Diamond, Et Al

Open Access Publications

The global response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now facing new challenges such as vaccine inequity and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). Preclinical models of disease, in particular animal models, are essential to investigate VOC pathogenesis, vaccine correlates of protection and postexposure therapies. Here, we provide an update from the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 modeling expert group (WHO-COM) assembled by WHO, regarding advances in preclinical models. In particular, we discuss how animal model research is playing a key role to evaluate VOC virulence, transmission and immune escape, and how animal models are being refined to …

Ccr2 Signaling Restricts Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Abigail Vanderheiden, Jeronay Thomas, Allison L Soung, Meredith E Davis-Gardner, Katharine Floyd, Fengzhi Jin, David A Cowan, Kathryn Pellegrini, Pei-Yong Shi, Arash Grakoui, Robyn S Klein, Steven E Bosinger, Jacob E Kohlmeier, Vineet D Menachery, Mehul S Suthar

Open Access Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a historic pandemic of respiratory disease (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]), and current evidence suggests that severe disease is associated with dysregulated immunity within the respiratory tract. However, the innate immune mechanisms that mediate protection during COVID-19 are not well defined. Here, we characterize a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection and find that early CCR2 signaling restricts the viral burden in the lung. We find that a recently developed mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 (MA-SARS-CoV-2) strain as well as the emerging B.1.351 variant trigger an inflammatory response in the lung characterized by the expression of …

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Mediate T Cell Dysfunction In Nonhuman Primate Tb Granulomas, Bindu Singh, Dhiraj K Singh, Shashank R Ganatra, Ruby A Escobedo, Shabaana Khader, Larry S Schlesinger, Deepak Kaushal, Smriti Mehra

Open Access Publications

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) represent an innate immune cell population comprised of immature myeloid cells and myeloid progenitors with very potent immunosuppressive potential. MDSCs are reported to be abundant in the lungs of active tuberculosis (TB) patients. We sought to perform an in-depth study of MDSCs during latent TB infection (LTBI) and active TB (ATB) using the nonhuman primate (NHP) model of pulmonary TB. We found a higher proportion of granulocytic, polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) in the lungs of ATB animals compared to those with LTBI or naive control animals. Active disease in the lung, but not LTBI, was …

Cognitive Deficits And Impaired Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation In K Atp-Induced Dend Syndrome, Shaul Yahil, David F Wozniak, Zihan Yan, Steven Mennerick, Maria S Remedi

Open Access Publications

ATP-sensitive potassium (K

Inhibition Of The Nlrp3 Inflammasome Improves Lifespan In Animal Murine Model Of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria, Alvaro González-Dominguez, Raúl Montañez, Beatriz Castejón-Vega, Jéssica Nuñez-Vasco, Débora Lendines-Cordero, Chun Wang, Gabriel Mbalaviele, José M Navarro-Pando, Elísabet Alcocer-Gómez, Mario D Cordero

Open Access Publications

Inflammation is a hallmark of aging and accelerated aging syndromes such as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS). In this study, we present evidence of increased expression of the components of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in HGPS skin fibroblasts, an outcome that was associated with morphological changes of the nuclei of the cells. Lymphoblasts from HGPS patients also showed increased basal levels of NLRP3 and caspase 1. Consistent with these results, the expression of caspase 1 and Nlrp3, but not of the other inflammasome receptors was higher in the heart and liver of Zmpste24

Ketogenic Diet Restrains Aging-Induced Exacerbation Of Coronavirus Infection In Mice, Seungjin Ryu, Irina Shchukina, Maxim Artyomov, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Increasing age is the strongest predictor of risk of COVID-19 severity and mortality. Immunometabolic switch from glycolysis to ketolysis protects against inflammatory damage and influenza infection in adults. To investigate how age compromises defense against coronavirus infection, and whether a pro-longevity ketogenic diet (KD) impacts immune surveillance, we developed an aging model of natural murine beta coronavirus (mCoV) infection with mouse hepatitis virus strain-A59 (MHV-A59). When inoculated intranasally, mCoV is pneumotropic and recapitulates several clinical hallmarks of COVID-19 infection. Aged mCoV-A59-infected mice have increased mortality and higher systemic inflammation in the heart, adipose tissue, and hypothalamus, including neutrophilia and loss …

Transcriptomic And Functional Analyses Of Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Pressure Overload-Induced Right Ventricular Failure, Hyuntae V Hwang, Nefthi Sandeep, Ramesh V Nair, Dong-Qing Hu, Mingming Zhao, Ingrid S Lan, Giovanni Fajardo, Scot J Matkovich, Daniel Bernstein, Sushma Reddy

Open Access Publications

Background In complex congenital heart disease patients such as those with tetralogy of Fallot, the right ventricle (RV) is subject to pressure overload, leading to RV hypertrophy and eventually RV failure. The mechanisms that promote the transition from stable RV hypertrophy to RV failure are unknown. We evaluated the role of mitochondrial bioenergetics in the development of RV failure. Methods and Results We created a murine model of RV pressure overload by pulmonary artery banding and compared with sham-operated controls. Gene expression by RNA-sequencing, oxidative stress, mitochondrial respiration, dynamics, and structure were assessed in pressure overload-induced RV failure. RV failure …

Enhanced Efficacy And Increased Long-Term Toxicity Of Cns-Directed, Aav-Based Combination Therapy For Krabbe Disease, Yedda Li, Christopher A Miller, Lauren K Shea, Xuntian Jiang, Miguel A Guzman, Randy J Chandler, Sai M Ramakrishnan, Stephanie N Smith, Charles P Venditti, Carole A Vogler, Daniel S Ory, Timothy J Ley, Mark S Sands

Open Access Publications

Infantile globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD, Krabbe disease) is a demyelinating disease caused by the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme galactosylceramidase (GALC) and the progressive accumulation of the toxic metabolite psychosine. We showed previously that central nervous system (CNS)-directed, adeno-associated virus (AAV)2/5-mediated gene therapy synergized with bone marrow transplantation and substrate reduction therapy (SRT) to greatly increase therapeutic efficacy in the murine model of Krabbe disease (Twitcher). However, motor deficits remained largely refractory to treatment. In the current study, we replaced AAV2/5 with an AAV2/9 vector. This single change significantly improved several endpoints primarily associated with motor function. However, nearly all …

Hypoxia Enhances Ilc3 Responses Through Hif-1Α-Dependent Mechanism, J L Fachi, L P Pral, J A C Dos Santos, A C Codo, S De Oliveira, J S Felipe, F F F Zambom, N O S Câmara, P M M M Vieira, M Colonna, M A R Vinolo

Open Access Publications

Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) have a prominent role in the maintenance of intestine mucosa homeostasis. The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is an important modulator of immune cell activation and a key mechanism for cellular adaptation to oxygen deprivation. However, its role on ILC3 is not well known. In this study, we investigated how a hypoxic environment modulates ILC3 response and the subsequent participation of HIF-1 signaling in this process. We found increased proliferation and activation of intestinal ILC3 at low oxygen levels, a response that was phenocopied when HIF-1α was chemically stabilized and was reversed when HIF-1 was blocked. …

Dynamic Shifts In The Composition Of Resident And Recruited Macrophages Influence Tissue Remodeling In Nash, Sabine Daemen, Anastasiia Gainullina, Gowri Kalugotla, Li He, Mandy M Chan, Joseph W Beals, Kim H Liss, Samuel Klein, Ariel E Feldstein, Brian N Finck, Maxim N Artyomov, Joel D Schilling

Open Access Publications

Macrophage-mediated inflammation is critical in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Here, we describe that, with high-fat, high-sucrose-diet feeding, mature TIM4

Noninvasive Immuno-Pet Imaging Of Cd8 + T Cell Behavior In Influenza A Virus-Infected Mice, Paul W Rothlauf, Zeyang Li, Novalia Pishesha, Yushu Joy Xie, Andrew W Woodham, Djenet Bousbaine, Stephen C Kolifrath, Vincent L Verschoor, Hidde L Ploegh

Open Access Publications

Immuno-positron emission tomography (immuno-PET) is a noninvasive imaging method that enables tracking of immune cells in living animals. We used a nanobody that recognizes mouse CD8α and labeled it with

Role Of Sirt1 In Isoflurane Conditioning-Induced Neurovascular Protection Against Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Secondary To Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Meizi Liu, Keshav Jayaraman, Tusar Giri, Gregory J Zipfel, Umeshkumar Athiraman

Open Access Publications

We recently reported that isoflurane conditioning provided multifaceted protection against subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-induced delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and this protection was through the upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). SIRT1, an NAD-dependent deacetylase, was shown to be one of the critical regulators of eNOS. The aim of our current study is to examine the role of SIRT1 in isoflurane conditioning-induced neurovascular protection against SAH-induced DCI. Mice were divided into four groups: sham, SAH, or SAH with isoflurane conditioning (with and without EX-527). Experimental SAH via endovascular perforation was performed. Anesthetic conditioning was performed with isoflurane 2% for 1 h, …

Air Pollution Particulate Matter Amplifies White Matter Vascular Pathology And Demyelination Caused By Hypoperfusion, Mikko T Huuskonen, Qinghai Liu, Krista Lamorie-Foote, Kristina Shkirkova, Michelle Connor, Arati Patel, Axel Montagne, Hans Baertsch, Constantinos Sioutas, Todd E Morgan, Caleb E Finch, Berislav V Zlokovic, William J Mack

Open Access Publications

Cerebrovascular pathologies are commonly associated with dementia. Because air pollution increases arterial disease in humans and rodent models, we hypothesized that air pollution would also contribute to brain vascular dysfunction. We examined the effects of exposing mice to nanoparticulate matter (nPM; aerodynamic diameter ≤200 nm) from urban traffic and interactions with cerebral hypoperfusion. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to filtered air or nPM with and without bilateral carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) and analyzed by multiparametric MRI and histochemistry. Exposure to nPM alone did not alter regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) or blood brain barrier (BBB) integrity. However, nPM worsened the white …

Helminth-Virus Interactions: Determinants Of Coinfection Outcomes, Pritesh Desai, Michael S Diamond, Larissa B Thackray

Open Access Publications

Viral infections are often studied in model mammalian organisms under specific pathogen-free conditions. However, in nature, coinfections are common, and infection with one organism can alter host susceptibility to infection with another. Helminth parasites share a long coevolutionary history with mammalian hosts and have shaped host physiology, metabolism, immunity, and the composition of the microbiome. Published studies suggest that helminth infection can either be beneficial or detrimental during viral infection. Here, we discuss coinfection studies in mouse models and use them to define key determinants that impact outcomes, including the type of antiviral immunity, the tissue tropism of both the …

Neonatal Mouse Gut Metabolites Influence Cryptosporidium Parvum Infection In Intestinal Epithelial Cells, Kelli L Vandussen, Lisa J Funkhouser-Jones, Marianna E Akey, Deborah A Schaefer, Kevin Ackman, Michael W Riggs, Thaddeus S Stappenbeck, L David Sibley

Open Access Publications

The protozoan parasite

Striatal Cholinergic Interneuron Numbers Are Increased In A Rodent Model Of Dystonic Cerebral Palsy, Sushma Gandham, Yearam Tak, Bhooma R Aravamuthan

Open Access Publications

Neonatal brain injury leading to cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of childhood dystonia, a painful and functionally debilitating movement disorder. Rare monogenic etiologies of dystonia have been associated with striatal cholinergic interneuron (ChI) pathology. However it is unclear whether striatal ChI pathology is also associated with dystonia following neonatal brain injury. We used unbiased stereology to estimate striatal ChI and parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneuron (PVI) numbers in a rodent model of neonatal brain injury that demonstrates electrophysiological markers of dystonia and spasticity. Striatal ChI numbers are increased following neonatal brain injury while PVI numbers are unchanged. These numbers …

Tlr2/6 Signaling Promotes The Expansion Of Premalignant Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells In The Nup98-Hoxd13 Mouse Model Of Mds, Darlene A Monlish, Zev J Greenberg, Sima T Bhatt, Kathryn M Leonard, Molly P Romine, Qian Dong, Lauren Bendesky, Eric J Duncavage, Jeffrey A Magee, Laura G Schuettpelz

Open Access Publications

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) expression is increased on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and enhanced TLR2 signaling is thought to contribute to MDS pathogenesis. Notably, TLR2 heterodimerizes with TLR1 or TLR6, and while high TLR2 is associated with lower-risk disease, high TLR6, but not TLR1, correlates with higher-risk disease. This raises the possibility of heterodimer-specific effects of TLR2 signaling in MDS, and in the work described here, we tested the effects of specific modulation of TLR1/2 versus TLR2/6 signaling on premalignant HSPCs. Indeed, chronic stimulation of TLR2/6, but not TLR1/2, accelerates leukemic transformation …

Cross-Serotype Protection Against Group A Streptococcal Infections Induced By Immunization With Spy_2191, Pooja Sanduja, Manish Gupta, Vikas Kumar Somani, Vikas Yadav, Meenakshi Dua, Emanuel Hanski, Abhinay Sharma, Rakesh Bhatnagar, Atul Kumar Johri

Open Access Publications

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection causes a range of diseases, but vaccine development is hampered by the high number of serotypes. Here, using reverse vaccinology the authors identify SPy_2191 as a cross-protective vaccine candidate. From 18 initially identified surface proteins, only SPy_2191 is conserved, surface-exposed and inhibits both GAS adhesion and invasion. SPy_2191 immunization in mice generates bactericidal antibodies resulting in opsonophagocytic killing of prevalent and invasive GAS serotypes of different geographical regions, including M1 and M49 (India), M3.1 (Israel), M1 (UK) and M1 (USA). Resident splenocytes show higher interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion upon antigen re-stimulation, suggesting activation …

Multidimensional Imaging Of Liver Injury Repair In Mice Reveals Fundamental Role Of The Ductular Reaction, Kenji Kamimoto, Yasuhiro Nakano, Kota Kaneko, Atsushi Miyajima, Tohru Itoh

Open Access Publications

Upon severe and/or chronic liver injury, ectopic emergence and expansion of atypical biliary epithelial-like cells in the liver parenchyma, known as the ductular reaction, is typically induced and implicated in organ regeneration. Although this phenomenon has long been postulated to represent activation of facultative liver stem/progenitor cells that give rise to new hepatocytes, recent lineage-tracing analyses have challenged this notion, thereby leaving the pro-regenerative role of the ductular reaction enigmatic. Here, we show that the expanded and remodelled intrahepatic biliary epithelia in the ductular reaction constituted functional and complementary bile-excreting conduit systems in injured parenchyma where hepatocyte bile canalicular networks …

Rev-Erb Agonism Improves Liver Pathology In A Mouse Model Of Nash, Kristine Griffett, Gonzalo Bedia-Diaz, Bahaa Elgendy, Thomas P. Burris

Open Access Publications

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects a significant number of people worldwide and currently there are no pharmacological treatments. NAFLD often presents with obesity, insulin resistance, and in some cases cardiovascular diseases. There is a clear need for treatment options to alleviate this disease since it often progresses to much more the much more severe non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The REV-ERB nuclear receptor is a transcriptional repressor that regulates physiological processes involved in the development of NAFLD including lipogenesis and inflammation. We hypothesized that pharmacologically activating REV-ERB would suppress the progression of fatty liver in a mouse model of NASH. Using …

Regulatory T Cells Developing Peri-Weaning Are Continually Required To Restrain Th2 Systemic Responses Later In Life, Kathryn A. Knoop, Keely G Mcdonald, Chyi-Song Hsieh, Phillip I Tarr, Rodney D Newberry

Open Access Publications

Atopic disorders including allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy, and dermatitis, are increasingly prevalent in Western societies. These disorders are largely characterized by T helper type 2 (Th2) immune responses to environmental triggers, particularly inhaled and dietary allergens. Exposure to such stimuli during early childhood reduces the frequency of allergies in at-risk children. These allergic responses can be restrained by regulatory T cells (Tregs), particularly Tregs arising in the gut. The unique attributes of how early life exposure to diet and microbes shape the intestinal Treg population is a topic of significant interest. While imprinting during early life promotes the development …

Advances In Modeling The Immune Microenvironment Of Colorectal Cancer, Paul Sukwoo Yoon, Nuala Del Piccolo, Venktesh S Shirure, Yushuan Peng, Amanda Kirane, Robert J Canter, Ryan C Fields, Steven C George, Sepideh Gholami

Open Access Publications

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US. CRC frequently metastasizes to the liver and these patients have a particularly poor prognosis. The infiltration of immune cells into CRC tumors and liver metastases accurately predicts disease progression and patient survival. Despite the evident influence of immune cells in the CRC tumor microenvironment (TME), efforts to identify immunotherapies for CRC patients have been limited. Here, we argue that preclinical model systems that recapitulate key features of the tumor microenvironment-including tumor, stromal, and immune cells; the extracellular matrix; and the vasculature-are …

Clearance Of Chikungunya Virus Infection In Lymphoid Tissues Is Promoted By Treatment With An Agonistic Anti-Cd137 Antibody, Jun P Hong, Mary K Mccarthy, Bennett J Davenport, Thomas E Morrison, Michael S Diamond

Open Access Publications

CD137, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily of cell surface proteins, acts as a costimulatory receptor on T cells, natural killer cells, B cell subsets, and some dendritic cells. Agonistic anti-CD137 monoclonal antibody (MAb) therapy has been combined with other chemotherapeutic agents in human cancer trials. Based on its ability to promote tumor clearance, we hypothesized that anti-CD137 MAb might activate immune responses and resolve chronic viral infections. We evaluated anti-CD137 MAb therapy in a mouse infection model of chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus that causes chronic polyarthritis in humans and is associated with reservoirs of CHIKV …