Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 168

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Human Cryptochrome Exhibits Light-Dependent Magnetosensitivity, Lauren Foley, Robert Gegear, Steven Reppert Dec 2015

Human Cryptochrome Exhibits Light-Dependent Magnetosensitivity, Lauren Foley, Robert Gegear, Steven Reppert

Robert J. Gegear

Humans are not believed to have a magnetic sense, even though many animals use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation and navigation. One model of magnetosensing in animals proposes that geomagnetic fields are perceived by light-sensitive chemical reactions involving the flavoprotein cryptochrome (CRY). Here we show using a transgenic approach that human CRY2, which is heavily expressed in the retina, can function as a magnetosensor in the magnetoreception system of Drosophila and that it does so in a light-dependent manner. The results show that human CRY2 has the molecular capability to function as a light-sensitive magnetosensor and reopen an area …


Differential Effects Of Egf And Tgf-Beta1 On Fibroblast Activity In Fibrin-Based Tissue Equivalents, Jaime Grouf, Angela Throm, Jenna Balestrini, Katie Bush, Kristen Billiar Dec 2015

Differential Effects Of Egf And Tgf-Beta1 On Fibroblast Activity In Fibrin-Based Tissue Equivalents, Jaime Grouf, Angela Throm, Jenna Balestrini, Katie Bush, Kristen Billiar

Kristen L. Billiar

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is commonly used to promote matrix production for engineered tissues in vitro, yet it also enhances fibroblast contractility. For applications where contraction is undesirable, we hypothesized that epidermal growth factor (EGF) would yield equivalent mechanical properties without enhancing contractility. In this study, the response of human dermal fibroblasts to EGF (5 ng/mL) and TGF-beta1 (5 ng/mL) was determined within hemispheric fibrin-based gels by assessing matrix compaction and strength, cell number, collagen production, and contractility. After 3 weeks, both cytokines enhanced compaction relative to controls, and EGF roughly doubled matrix strength over controls and TGF-beta1-treated samples. TGF-beta1 …


Alcohol And Hcv: Implications For Liver Cancer, Gyongyi Szabo, Banishree Saha, Terence Bukong Jun 2015

Alcohol And Hcv: Implications For Liver Cancer, Gyongyi Szabo, Banishree Saha, Terence Bukong

Gyongyi Szabo

Liver cancers are one of the deadliest known malignancies which are increasingly becoming a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Overwhelming evidence suggests a strong role of infection with hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV), alcohol abuse, as well as metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes either individually or synergistically to cause or exacerbate the development of liver cancers. Although numerous etiologic mechanisms for liver cancer development have been advanced and well characterized, the lack of definite curative treatments means that gaps in knowledge still exist in identifying key molecular mechanisms and pathways …


The Genetics Of Hepatitis C Virus Underlie Its Ability To Escape Humoral Immunity, Jay Kolls, Gyongyi Szabo Jun 2015

The Genetics Of Hepatitis C Virus Underlie Its Ability To Escape Humoral Immunity, Jay Kolls, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease, and efforts to develop therapeutic vaccine strategies have been limited by immune escape due to HCV variants that are resistant to current vaccines or HCV variants that rapidly acquire new resistance-conferring mutations. Recently, the crystal structure of the viral envelope protein E2 region was resolved as well as how E2 docks to the host CD81 protein; therefore, antibodies that block this interaction should prevent viral entry into host cells. In this issue of the JCI, Bailey and colleagues show that immune escape of HCV can occur by naturally …


Prepubertal Organochlorine Pesticide Concentrations And Age Of Pubertal Onset Among Russian Boys, Thuy Lam, Paige Williams, Mary Lee, Susan Korrick, Linda Birnbaum, Jane Burns, Oleg Sergeyev, Boris Revich, Larisa Altshul, Donald Patterson, Wayman Turner, Russ Hauser Jun 2015

Prepubertal Organochlorine Pesticide Concentrations And Age Of Pubertal Onset Among Russian Boys, Thuy Lam, Paige Williams, Mary Lee, Susan Korrick, Linda Birnbaum, Jane Burns, Oleg Sergeyev, Boris Revich, Larisa Altshul, Donald Patterson, Wayman Turner, Russ Hauser

Mary M. Lee

BACKGROUND: In animal studies, organochlorine pesticide (OCP) exposure alters pubertal development; however, epidemiological data are limited and inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associations of serum OCP concentrations [hexachlorobenzene (HCB), beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE)] with male pubertal onset. METHODS: In Chapaevsk, Russia, a town environmentally contaminated with OCPs, 350 8-9 year old boys with measured OCPs were enrolled during 2003-2005 and were followed annually for eight years. We evaluated three measures of pubertal onset: testicular volume (TV) > 3 mL in either testis, or stage 2 or greater for genitalia (G2+), or pubic hair (P2+). We used multivariable interval-censored models to …


Association Between Chlorinated Pesticides In The Serum Of Prepubertal Russian Boys And Longitudinal Biomarkers Of Metabolic Function, Jane Burns, Paige Williams, Susan Korrick, Russ Hauser, Oleg Sergeyev, Boris Revich, Thuy Lam, Mary Lee Jun 2015

Association Between Chlorinated Pesticides In The Serum Of Prepubertal Russian Boys And Longitudinal Biomarkers Of Metabolic Function, Jane Burns, Paige Williams, Susan Korrick, Russ Hauser, Oleg Sergeyev, Boris Revich, Thuy Lam, Mary Lee

Mary M. Lee

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been linked to adult metabolic disorders; however, few studies have examined these associations in childhood. We prospectively evaluated the associations of baseline serum OCPs (hexachlorobenzene, beta-hexachlorocyclohexane, and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) in Russian boys with subsequent repeated measurements of serum glucose, insulin, lipids, leptin, and calculated homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (IR). During 2003-2005, we enrolled 499 boys aged 8-9 years in a prospective cohort; 318 had baseline serum OCPs and serum biomarkers measured at ages 10-13 years. Multivariable generalized estimating equation and mediation regression models were used to examine associations and direct and indirect (via body mass …


Argonaute Protein Identity And Pairing Geometry Determine Cooperativity In Mammalian Rna Silencing, Jennifer Broderick, William Salomon, Sean Ryder, Neil Aronin, Phillip Zamore May 2015

Argonaute Protein Identity And Pairing Geometry Determine Cooperativity In Mammalian Rna Silencing, Jennifer Broderick, William Salomon, Sean Ryder, Neil Aronin, Phillip Zamore

Sean P. Ryder

Small RNAs loaded into Argonaute proteins direct silencing of complementary target mRNAs. It has been proposed that multiple, imperfectly complementary small interfering RNAs or microRNAs, when bound to the 3' untranslated region of a target mRNA, function cooperatively to silence target expression. We report that, in cultured human HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, Argonaute1 (Ago1), Ago3, and Ago4 act cooperatively to silence both perfectly and partially complementary target RNAs bearing multiple small RNA-binding sites. Our data suggest that for Ago1, Ago3, and Ago4, multiple, adjacent small RNA-binding sites facilitate cooperative interactions that stabilize Argonaute binding. In contrast, small RNAs …


Use Of Telemedicine To Increase Thrombolysis And Advance Care In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Nils Henninger, Nabi Chowdhury, Marc Fisher, Majaz Moonis Apr 2015

Use Of Telemedicine To Increase Thrombolysis And Advance Care In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Nils Henninger, Nabi Chowdhury, Marc Fisher, Majaz Moonis

Nils Henninger

The use of the only proven therapy for acute ischemic stroke, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), remains disappointingly low. One potential way to increase the use of tPA is by the implementation of telemedicine stroke care networks. Preliminary data from several studies indicate that the safe and expanded use of tPA for ischemic stroke can be accomplished with the help of telemedicine. Telemedicine stroke care networks can also be used in the future to enhance stroke diagnosis with advanced CT and MRI technology and to potentially increase the number of patients referred to tertiary stroke centers for intra-arterial therapies. It …


Translational Research In Stroke: Taking Advances In The Pathophysiology And Treatment Of Stroke From The Experimental Setting To Clinical Trials, Marc Fisher, Nils Henninger Apr 2015

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 …


Acute Ischemic Stroke Therapy, Nils Henninger, Rajat Kumar, Marc Fisher Apr 2015

Acute Ischemic Stroke Therapy, Nils Henninger, Rajat Kumar, Marc Fisher

Nils Henninger

Data from the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS) III trial demonstrated that tissue plasminogen activator given up to 4.5 h after stroke onset improves outcome and treatment guidelines support its use during this time window. Intra-arterial therapy with tissue plasminogen activator or devices is commonly used at large tertiary centers up to 6-8 h after stroke onset, but conclusive evidence of efficacy remains lacking. During the acute phase after stroke onset, blood pressure elevations should be reduced as should substantial elevations in blood glucose. Statins are recommended in essentially all non-cardioembolic stroke patients. The most important future directions for …


Interview With Celia Schiffer, Celia Schiffer Jan 2015

Interview With Celia Schiffer, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

Celia Schiffer, a Professor in Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology; a former Director of UMass Center for AIDS Research; and a Founder and Co-Director for the Institute for Drug Resistance (University of Massachusetts Medical School, MA, USA). Schiffer has an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Chicago, with a PhD in biophysics from University of California, San Francisco (CA, USA). She was a postdoctoral associate first at the ETH in Zurich and then at Genentech in San Francisco. Schiffer has published more than 100 peer reviewed journal articles. Her laboratory primarily uses structural biology, biophysical and chemistry techniques to …


Xk Aprosencephaly And Anencephaly In Sibs, Phillip Townes, Karen Reuter, E. Rosquete, B. Magee Nov 2014

Xk Aprosencephaly And Anencephaly In Sibs, Phillip Townes, Karen Reuter, E. Rosquete, B. Magee

B. Dale Magee

Recent studies have suggested a causal and pathogenetic relationship between holoprosencephaly and anencephaly. In support of the proposed relationship we report a sibship that includes anencephalic male twins and a female infant with a severe form of alobar holoprosencephaly, radial aplasia, and oligodactyly. The upper limb and brain malformations are considered to represent aprosencephaly syndrome. The coexistence of anencephaly and aprosencephaly within a sibship suggests that XK aprosencephaly syndrome may be an autosomal recessive disorder.


The Capacity To Vote Of Persons With Alzheimer's Disease, Paul Appelbaum, Richard Bonnie, Jason Karlawish Nov 2014

The Capacity To Vote Of Persons With Alzheimer's Disease, Paul Appelbaum, Richard Bonnie, Jason Karlawish

Jason Karlawish

OBJECTIVE: The right to vote can be abrogated when persons become incompetent to cast a ballot. This applies particularly to people with Alzheimer's disease, who at some point will lose capacity. A 2001 federal court decision offered the first clear criteria ("Doe voting capacity standard") for determining voting competence, focused on understanding the nature and effect of voting and on the ability to choose. This article explores how persons with Alzheimer's disease perform on these criteria. METHOD: The Doe standard was operationalized in a brief questionnaire, along with measures of appreciation and reasoning about voting choices. Performance was assessed in …


Beneath The Surface: Discovering The Unvoiced Concerns Of Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Jennifer Tjia, Jane Givens, Jason Karlawish, A. Okoli-Umeweni, Frances Barg Nov 2014

Beneath The Surface: Discovering The Unvoiced Concerns Of Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Jennifer Tjia, Jane Givens, Jason Karlawish, A. Okoli-Umeweni, Frances Barg

Jason Karlawish

Emerging clinical guidelines recommend shared decision making to individualize drug regimens for older adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. While the current health education campaign for diabetes in the United States recommends physician-initiated medication-related discussions about adherence and side effects, little emphasis is placed on soliciting patient concerns. This study's aim was to explore the concerns of older adults with diabetes about the complexity of their drug regimens and to determine whether they discussed medication-related concerns with their physician. Twenty-two patients with Type 2 diabetes age 65 years and older who used five or more medications were selected from an …


The Role Of Correctional Officers In Multidisciplinary Mental Health Care In Prisons, Kenneth Appelbaum, James Hickey, Ira Packer Oct 2014

The Role Of Correctional Officers In Multidisciplinary Mental Health Care In Prisons, Kenneth Appelbaum, James Hickey, Ira Packer

Ira K Packer

Prisons have become the homes of thousands of inmates who have mental disorders. The stress of incarceration can cause morbidity among these individuals, resulting in more severe symptoms and more disruptive behavior. Effective treatment for such inmates often involves services provided by a multidisciplinary treatment team that includes correctional officers. Correctional officers can assist in observations and interventions, and they play a unique role on specialized housing units. Successful collaboration between correctional officers and treatment teams requires a foundation of mutual respect, shared training, and ongoing communication and cooperation. With these elements in place, correctional officers can assist the treatment …


Relationship Between Race And Ethnicity And Forensic Clinical Triage Dispositions, Debra Pinals, Ira Packer, William Fisher, Kristen Roy-Bujnowski Oct 2014

Relationship Between Race And Ethnicity And Forensic Clinical Triage Dispositions, Debra Pinals, Ira Packer, William Fisher, Kristen Roy-Bujnowski

Ira K Packer

OBJECTIVE: Racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system have been widely reported, as have racial and ethnic disparities in diagnoses and certain aspects of clinical management. This study examined the association between race and ethnicity and dispositions for pretrial defendants who were referred for forensic mental health evaluations. METHODS: Available data were reviewed for all defendants in Massachusetts who were referred to a Massachusetts court clinic from 1994 to 2001 for a screening evaluation of their competence to stand trial, their criminal responsibility, or both. Logistic regression models were developed to assess the relationship between defendants' race and …


Use Of A State Inpatient Forensic System Under Managed Mental Health Care, William Fisher, Barbara Dickey, Sharon-Lise Normand, Ira Packer, Albert Grudzinskas, Hocine Azeni Oct 2014

Use Of A State Inpatient Forensic System Under Managed Mental Health Care, William Fisher, Barbara Dickey, Sharon-Lise Normand, Ira Packer, Albert Grudzinskas, Hocine Azeni

Ira K Packer

OBJECTIVES: One of the goals of managed mental health care has been to lower the use of inpatient psychiatric treatment. In the past, interventions that have limited hospitalization for persons with severe mental illness have led to greater involvement of these individuals with the criminal justice and forensic mental health systems. The authors examined associations between Medicaid managed mental health care in Massachusetts and rates of admission to the inpatient forensic mental health service maintained by the state's mental health department. METHODS: A total of 7,996 persons who were receiving services from the department before and after the introduction of …


Another Armed Cd4(+) T Cell Ready To Battle Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Roniel Cabrera, Gyongyi Szabo Sep 2014

Another Armed Cd4(+) T Cell Ready To Battle Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Roniel Cabrera, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

No abstract provided.


Human Ezrin-Moesin-Radixin Proteins Modulate Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Terence Bukong, Karen Kodys, Gyongyi Szabo Sep 2014

Human Ezrin-Moesin-Radixin Proteins Modulate Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Terence Bukong, Karen Kodys, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Host cytoskeletal proteins of the ezrin-moesin-radixin (EMR) family have been shown to modulate single-stranded RNA virus infection through regulating stable microtubule formation. Antibody engagement of CD81, a key receptor for hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry, induces ezrin phosphorylation. Here we tested the role of EMR proteins in regulating HCV infection and explored potential therapeutic targets. We show that HCV E2 protein induces rapid ezrin phosphorylation and its cellular redistribution with F-actin by way of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK). Therapeutically blocking the functional roles of SYK or F-actin reorganization significantly reduced Huh7.5 cell susceptibility to HCV J6/JFH-1 infection. Using gene regulation, …


Differences In Innate Immune Signaling Between Alcoholic And Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, Jan Petrasek, Timea Csak, Michal Ganz, Gyongyi Szabo Sep 2014

Differences In Innate Immune Signaling Between Alcoholic And Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, Jan Petrasek, Timea Csak, Michal Ganz, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

The similar histopathological characteristics of alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and the crucial role of the innate immune response in both conditions may lead to the assumption that ASH and NASH represent the same pathophysiological entities caused by different risk factors. In this review paper, we elaborate on the pathophysiological differences between these two entities and highlight the disease-specific involvement of signaling molecules downstream of the Toll-like receptor 4, and the differential mechanism by which the inflammasome contributes to ASH versus NASH. Our findings emphasize that ASH and NASH have disease-specific mechanisms and therefore represent distinct biological entities. …


Human Type 2 Myeloid Dendritic Cells Produce Interferon-Lambda And Amplify Interferon-Alpha In Response To Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Shuye Zhang, Karen Kodys, Kui Li, Gyongyi Szabo Sep 2014

Human Type 2 Myeloid Dendritic Cells Produce Interferon-Lambda And Amplify Interferon-Alpha In Response To Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Shuye Zhang, Karen Kodys, Kui Li, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

BACKGROUND and AIMS: The type III interferons (IFN-lambdas: interleukin [IL]-28a, IL-28b, and IL-29) have important roles in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but little is understood about what cells produce these cytokines or how production is activated. We investigated whether human immune cells recognize HCV-infected cells and respond by producing IFN-lambda. METHODS: We cultured healthy human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with different populations of immune cells and Japanese fulminant hepatitis-1 (JFH-1) HCV-infected Huh7.5 (cell culture-derived HCV particles [HCVcc]/Huh7.5) cells. RESULTS: Human PBMCs recognized HCVcc/Huh7.5 cells and responded by producing IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IFN-lambda. A rare subset of myeloid dendritic …


Toll-Like Receptors In Liver Disease, Jan Petrasek, Timea Csak, Gyongyi Szabo Sep 2014

Toll-Like Receptors In Liver Disease, Jan Petrasek, Timea Csak, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Activation of inflammatory signaling pathways is of central importance in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Recent studies demonstrated that Toll-like receptors, the sensors of microbial and endogenous danger signals, are expressed and activated in innate immune cells as well as in parenchymal cells in the liver and thereby contribute to ALD and NASH. In this review, we emphasize the importance of gut-derived endotoxin and its recognition by TLR4 in the liver. The significance of TLR-induced intracellular signaling pathways and cytokine production as well as the contribution of individual cell types to the inflammation is …


Evaluation Of Short And Tall Stature In Children, Benjamin Nwosu, Mary Lee Sep 2014

Evaluation Of Short And Tall Stature In Children, Benjamin Nwosu, Mary Lee

Mary M. Lee

Children and adolescents whose heights and growth velocities deviate from the normal percentiles on standard growth charts present a special challenge to physicians. Height that is less than the 3rd percentile or greater than the 97th percentile is deemed short or tall stature, respectively. A growth velocity outside the 25th to 75th percentile range may be considered abnormal. Serial height measurements over time documented on a growth chart are key in identifying abnormal growth. Short or tall stature is usually caused by variants of a normal growth pattern, although some patients may have serious underlying pathologies. A comprehensive history and …


Infant Formula, Autoimmune Triggers, And Type 1 Diabetes, David Harlan, Mary Lee Sep 2014

Infant Formula, Autoimmune Triggers, And Type 1 Diabetes, David Harlan, Mary Lee

Mary M. Lee

No abstract provided.


Viral Replication And Paracrine Effects Result In Distinct, Functional Responses Of Dendritic Cells Following Infection With Dengue 2 Virus, Zachary Nightingale, Chinmay Patkar, Alan Rothman Aug 2014

Viral Replication And Paracrine Effects Result In Distinct, Functional Responses Of Dendritic Cells Following Infection With Dengue 2 Virus, Zachary Nightingale, Chinmay Patkar, Alan Rothman

Alan Rothman

Dengue virus (DENV), a re-emerging arbovirus, readily infects dendritic cells (DC) in culture and in vivo. However, there have been contradictory reports regarding the effect of DENV infection on DC activation and maturation. DC undergo a series of functional changes following exposure to infectious agents, including cytokine production and costimulatory and MHC molecule induction, culminating in stimulation of adaptive immune responses. Immunological memory to primary DENV infection critically influences disease severity during subsequent infections with heterologous serotypes. To explore these phenomena, we examined DENV infection-dependent and -independent effects on DC secretory, phenotypic, and allostimulatory functions. DENV infection of DC resulted …


Multiple Specificities In The Murine Cd4+ And Cd8+ T-Cell Response To Dengue Virus, Alan Rothman, Ichiro Kurane, Francis Ennis Aug 2014

Multiple Specificities In The Murine Cd4+ And Cd8+ T-Cell Response To Dengue Virus, Alan Rothman, Ichiro Kurane, Francis Ennis

Alan Rothman

The target epitopes, serotype specificity, and cytolytic function of dengue virus-specific T cells may influence their theoretical roles in protection against secondary infection as well as the immunopathogenesis of dengue hemorrhagic fever. To study these factors in an experimental system, we isolated dengue virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell clones from dengue-2 virus-immunized BALB/c mice. The T-cell response to dengue virus in this mouse strain was heterogeneous; we identified at least five different CD4+ phenotypes and six different CD8+ phenotypes. Individual T-cell clones recognized epitopes on the dengue virus pre-M, E, NSl/NS2A, and NS3 proteins and were restricted by the I-Ad, …


Impaired T Cell Proliferation In Acute Dengue Infection, Anuja Mathew, Ichiro Kurane, Sharone Green, David Vaughn, Siripen Kalayanarooj, Saroj Suntayakorn, Francis Ennis, Alan Rothman Aug 2014

Impaired T Cell Proliferation In Acute Dengue Infection, Anuja Mathew, Ichiro Kurane, Sharone Green, David Vaughn, Siripen Kalayanarooj, Saroj Suntayakorn, Francis Ennis, Alan Rothman

Alan Rothman

Decreased proliferative responses to mitogens and recall Ags have been observed in PBMC obtained during several acute human viral infections. To determine whether cell-mediated responses are altered during acute dengue infection, we examined the proliferative responses of PBMC from children enrolled in a prospective study of dengue infections in Thailand. All responses of PBMC during acute illness were compared with the same patients' PBMC obtained at least 6 mo after their infection. Proliferative responses to PHA, anti-CD3, tetanus toxoid, and dengue Ags were decreased significantly in PBMC obtained during the acute infection. The proliferative responses to PHA were restored by …


Development Of Antigen-Specific Memory Cd8+ T Cells Following Live-Attenuated Chimeric West Nile Virus Vaccination, Heidi Smith, Thomas Monath, Pamela Pazoles, Alan Rothman, Diane Casey, Masanori Terajima, Francis Ennis, Farshad Guirakhoo, Sharone Green Aug 2014

Development Of Antigen-Specific Memory Cd8+ T Cells Following Live-Attenuated Chimeric West Nile Virus Vaccination, Heidi Smith, Thomas Monath, Pamela Pazoles, Alan Rothman, Diane Casey, Masanori Terajima, Francis Ennis, Farshad Guirakhoo, Sharone Green

Alan Rothman

ChimeriVax-WN02 is a novel live-attenuated West Nile virus (WNV) vaccine containing modified WNV premembrane (prM) and envelope (E) sequences inserted into the yellow fever 17D vaccine genome. We investigated the induction and evolution of CD8(+) T cell responses to a WNV envelope epitope, which is a dominant target in naturally infected HLA-A*02-positive individuals. WNV epitope-specific CD8(+) T cells were detected by HLA tetramer staining in 22 of 23 donors tested, with peak frequencies occurring between days 14 and 28. WNV epitope-specific T cells evolved from an effector phenotype to a long-lived memory phenotype. In the majority of donors, CD8(+) T …


Intracellular Cytokine Production By Dengue Virus-Specific T Cells Correlates With Subclinical Secondary Infection, Steven Hatch, Timothy Endy, Stephen Thomas, Anuja Mathew, James Potts, Pamela Pazoles, Daniel Libraty, Robert Gibbons, Alan Rothman Aug 2014

Intracellular Cytokine Production By Dengue Virus-Specific T Cells Correlates With Subclinical Secondary Infection, Steven Hatch, Timothy Endy, Stephen Thomas, Anuja Mathew, James Potts, Pamela Pazoles, Daniel Libraty, Robert Gibbons, Alan Rothman

Alan Rothman

The pathophysiology of dengue virus infection remains poorly understood, although secondary infection is strongly associated with more severe disease. In the present study, we performed a nested, case-control study comparing the responses of pre-illness peripheral blood mononuclear cells between children who would subsequently develop either subclinical or symptomatic secondary infection 6-11 months after the baseline blood samples were obtained and frozen. We analyzed intracellular cytokine production by CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in response to stimulation with dengue antigen. We found higher frequencies of dengue virus-specific TNFalpha, IFNgamma-, and IL-2-producing T cells among schoolchildren who subsequently developed subclinical infection, compared with …


T Cell Responses To An Hla-B*07-Restricted Epitope On The Dengue Ns3 Protein Correlate With Disease Severity, Iva Zivna, Sharone Green, David Vaughn, Siripen Kalayanarooj, Henry Stephens, Dasnayanee Chandanayingyong, Ananda Nisalak, Francis Ennis, Alan Rothman Aug 2014

T Cell Responses To An Hla-B*07-Restricted Epitope On The Dengue Ns3 Protein Correlate With Disease Severity, Iva Zivna, Sharone Green, David Vaughn, Siripen Kalayanarooj, Henry Stephens, Dasnayanee Chandanayingyong, Ananda Nisalak, Francis Ennis, Alan Rothman

Alan Rothman

Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), the severe manifestation of dengue virus (DV) infection characterized by plasma leakage, is more common in secondary DV infections in previously infected individuals and is associated with high levels of immune activation. To determine the Ag specificity of this immune response, we studied the response to an HLA-B*07-restricted T cell epitope, residues 221-232 of the DV NS3 protein, in 10 HLA-B*07(+) Thai children who were studied during and after acute DV infections. Peptide-specific T cells were detected in 9 of 10 subjects. The frequency of peptide-specific T cells was higher in subjects who had experienced DHF …