Immune System Diseases Commons^™

Can Viruses Cause Lupus?, Stephen I. Reeder

Selected Honors Theses

Like so many autoimmune diseases, the exact cause of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains unknown. Evidence points to both genetics and environment playing roles in the onset of the disease, but neither acts independent of the other. Genetics are the easier of the two to study with recent advances in the field making it easier to isolate genes shared by individuals with the disease. However, genetic studies reveal that there is almost certainly an environmental component to the development of SLE. The underlying pathology and existing research on environmental contributors to the development of SLE suggest that viruses could potentially …

Cancer-Targeting Immunostimulatory Peptides As An Immunotherapeutic Approach To Cancer, Rachel Montel

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This dissertation reports the synthesis and biological applications of bifunctional trimeric peptides with B7H6-derived NKp30 binding motifs that serve to activate an immunocytotoxic response in natural killer cells and a GRP78-binding motif that can target tumors that express surface GRP78. In this manner the cancer-targeting immunostimulatory peptides are anticipated to directly bind and activate effector NK92-MI cells while also recognizing and binding to target A549 tumor cells to facilitate NK cell-dependent immunocytotoxicity of the targeted tumors. The NKp30 binding peptide motifs are derived from the tumor associated B7H6 antigen that is often downregulated or shed from the surface of tumors …

Development, Expansion And Role Of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Post-Sepsis Immune Suppression, Tuqa Alkhateeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) numbers increase significantly in sepsis and are associated with high mortality rates. These myeloid cell precursors promote immunosuppression, especially in the late (post sepsis) stage. However, the mechanisms that underlie MDSC expansion and programming are not completely understood. To investigate these mechanisms, we used a cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis that progresses from an early/acute proinflammatory phase to a late/chronic immunosuppressive phase. Previous studies in our laboratory showed that microRNA (miR)-21 and miR-181b elevate levels of the transcription factor nuclear factor 1 (NFI-A) that promotes MDSC expansion. We report here that miR-21 …

Development And Evaluation Of A Heterogenous Virus-Like Particle (Vlp) Formulation To Achieve Hiv-1 Latency Reversal And Cure., Joshua P. Pankrac

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

HIV-1 is the etiological agent behind acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) – a chronic, life-threatening condition that compromises host immune function. After nearly four decades and despite ongoing global efforts, HIV-1 persists in nearly 38 million individuals worldwide. Of this population, only 60% have access to life-saving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), clearly emphasizing the need to realize a cure. Unfortunately, the establishment of replication-competent provirus in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes represents a significant barrier to HIV-1 curative research. The viral reservoir is highly stable and has a half-life of ~44 months. Therefore, it is unlikely that infection will naturally exhaust …

Gut Pathophysiology In Mouse Models Of Social Behavior Deficits, Kyla Scott

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encompass neurodevelopment disorders characterized by atypical patterns of development that impact multiple areas of functioning beginning in early childhood. The etiology of ASD is unknown and there are currently no preventative treatment options. Gastrointestinal symptoms are commonly associated comorbidities. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a multidirectional communication chain that connects the central and enteric nervous system that relates brain function to peripheral intestinal functions. Changes within this axis have been postulated in ASD. For example, the “leaky gut theory” proposes that chronic inflammation is linked to alterations in the bacterial profiles of the gut microbiome and subsequent …

Quantifying The Heterogeneity Of The Immunoglobulin G N-Glycome In An Ageing Australian Population: The Busselton Healthy Ageing Study, Alyce Russell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The use of immunoglobulin G N-glycomics to study chronic non-communicable disorders and other complex phenotypes emerged following the Human Genome Project. The consortium discovered that most phenotypes were too complex to be explained by genetics alone. Thus, the biological importance of epigenetics was recognised; heritable modifications to gene expression rather than the genome itself. Nglycosylation is a form of epigenetic regulation known as a post-translational modification. It stabilises the immunoglobulin G structure and alters downstream responses elicited by the antibody and is extensively studied as a candidate biomarker in the post-genomic era.

The N-glycosylation of immunoglobulin G itself is complex, …