Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons^™

But What Is It That You Actually Do? (What It's Really Like Working In The Lab), Michael Reagan

Michael S. Reagan

No abstract provided.

Inhibition Of Sterile Danger Signals, Uric Acid And Atp, Prevents Inflammasome Activation And Protects From Alcoholic Steatohepatitis In Mice., Arvin Iracheta-Vellve, Jan Petrasek, Abhishek Satishchandran, Benedek Gyongyosi, Banishree Saha, Karen Kodys, Katherine Fitzgerald, Evelyn Kurt-Jones, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Background & Aims: The inflammasome is a well-characterized inducer of inflammation in alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). Inflammasome activation requires two signals for mature interleukin (IL)-1β production. Here we asked whether metabolic danger signals trigger inflammasome activation in ASH.

Results:The sterile danger signals, ATP and uric acid, were increased in the serum and liver of alcohol-fed mice. Depletion of uric acid or ATP, or lack of ATP signaling attenuated ASH and prevented inflammasome activation and its major downstream cytokine, IL-1β. Pharmacological depletion of uric acid with allopurinol provided significant protection from alcohol-induced inflammatory response, steatosis and liver damage, and additional protection was …

Metabolic Danger Signals, Uric Acid And Atp, Mediate Inflammatory Cross-Talk Between Hepatocytes And Immune Cells In Alcoholic Liver Disease., Jan Petrasek, Arvin Iracheta-Vellve, Banishree Saha, Abhishek Satishchandran, Karen Kodys, Katherine Fitzgerald, Evelyn Kurt-Jones, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Inflammation defines the progression of ALD from reversible to advanced stages. Translocation of bacterial LPS to the liver from the gut is necessary for alcohol-induced liver inflammation. However, it is not known whether endogenous, metabolic danger signals are required for inflammation in ALD. Uric acid and ATP, 2 major proinflammatory danger signals, were evaluated in the serum of human volunteers exposed to a single dose of ethanol or in supernatants of primary human hepatocytes exposed to ethanol. In vitro studies were used to evaluate the role of uric acid and ATP in inflammatory cross-talk between hepatocytes and immune cells. The …

Translational Research In Stroke: Taking Advances In The Pathophysiology And Treatment Of Stroke From The Experimental Setting To Clinical Trials, Marc Fisher, Nils Henninger

Nils Henninger

Many advances have occurred regarding an increased understanding of the basic pathophysiology of ischemic brain injury that could lead to enhanced therapy for this disorder. Among the more important basic science advances are enhanced knowledge of the components of the ischemic cascade, the phenomenon of ischemic preconditioning, the potential relevance of hibernation, studies on gene expression in ischemic tissue, and imaging identification of the ischemic penumbra. The large number of unsuccessful prior clinical trials with a wide range of purported acute stroke therapies has provided many insights and lessons regarding how to perform better trials in the future. Translating these …

Development Of A Novel Screening Strategy Designed To Discover A New Class Of Hiv Drugs, Nancy Cheng, Sook-Kyung Lee, P. Donover, Mel Reichman, Celia Schiffer, Emily Hull-Ryde, Ronald Swanstrom, William Janzen

Celia A. Schiffer

Current antiretroviral treatments target multiple pathways important for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) multiplication, including viral entry, synthesis and integration of the DNA provirus, and the processing of viral polyprotein precursors. However, HIV is becoming increasingly resistant to these "combination therapies." Recent findings show that inhibition of HIV Gag protein cleavage into its two structural proteins, matrix (MA) and capsid (CA), has a devastating effect on viral production, revealing a potential new target class for HIV treatment. Unlike the widely used HIV protease inhibitors, this new class of inhibitor would target the substrate, not the protease enzyme itself. This approach offers …

Use Of Veterinary Records To Teach Laboratory Thinking Skills In Biology, Christopher Woolverton

Christopher J. Woolverton

No abstract provided.

Human Monoclonal Antibodies Directed Against Toxins A And B Prevent Clostridium Difficile-Induced Mortality In Hamsters, Gregory Babcock, Teresa Broering, Hector Hernandez, Robert Mandell, Katherine Donahue, Naomi Boatright, Anne Stack, Israel Lowy, Robert Graziano, Deborah Molrine, Donna Ambrosino, William Thomas

William D Thomas Jr

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and recent outbreaks of strains with increased virulence underscore the importance of identifying novel approaches to treat and prevent relapse of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). CDAD pathology is induced by two exotoxins, toxin A and toxin B, which have been shown to be cytotoxic and, in the case of toxin A, enterotoxic. In this report we describe fully human monoclonal antibodies (HuMAbs) that neutralize these toxins and prevent disease in hamsters. Transgenic mice carrying human immunoglobulin genes were used to isolate HuMAbs that neutralize the cytotoxic effects of either toxin …