Immune System Diseases Commons^™

Understanding Exosomal Extracellular Vesicles And Morphine In The Neuropathology Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus And Differential Zika Virus Strain-Associated Pathology, Allen Caobi

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exosomal Extracellular Vesicles (xEVs), integral to intercellular communication and regulation of immune responses, have functional effects based on their contents, which they transport to neighboring cells. However, in the context of infection, EV cargo can be modulated, by either infected or uninfected cells. We hypothesize that CNS-associated neuropathology, is partially, due to the cargo transported by the exosomes. We theorize that the cargo released from infected cell-derived xEVs may either facilitate or inhibit viral neuropathogenicity. Here we investigated xEVs in the case of two neurotropic viruses, Zika virus (ZIKV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The hallmark characteristic of ZIKV-infection is …

Gut Integrity, Microbial Translocation, Immune Activation, Inflammation And Vitamin D In Drug Users Living With Hiv, Jacqueline S. Hernandez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between MT, immune activation, inflammation, gut integrity and vitamin D status in the context of cocaine use among People Living with HIV (PLWH). One hundred cocaine and non-cocaine users living with HIV were selected from the Miami Adult Studies in HIV cohort. Blood samples were collected to assess MT (LPS), immune activation (sCD163 and sCD27), inflammation (IL-6, TNF-a, hs-CRP, IL-17 and IL-22), gut integrity damage (I-FABP) and vitamin D status. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometrics, diet and disease progression were collected. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, multiple linear and logistic regressions were …

Randomized Clinical Trial Of The Effect Of Oral Supplementation With N-Acetyl Cysteine And Glycine On Biomarkers Of Oxidative Stress And Inflammation In People Living With Hiv (Plwh) From The Mash Cohort, Alhanoof Al-Ohaly

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

HIV infection has been associated with glutathione (GSH) depletion, oxidatively damaged DNA, and inflammation. People living with HIV (PLWH) have subnormal levels of GSH and elevated levels of inflammation biomarkers such as C-Reactive Protein (CRP). Failure of the antioxidant enzymatic system increases oxidatively damaged DNA. The objective of this double-blinded randomized clinical trial was to supplement PLWH with a combination of N-acetylcysteine, a powerful antioxidant, and glycine, a precursor of GSH or placebo for three months to decrease oxidative stress and inflammation.

The trial recruited 30 PLWH from the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort at the FIU Research …

The Immunosuppressive Role Of Edn3/Ednrb Signaling In The Melanoma Microenvironment, Juliano Tiburcio De Freitas

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endothelins are cytokines ubiquitously expressed in the microenvironment of several tumors. In melanoma is not clear whether stromal cells respond to the endothelin present in the microenvironment. To address this question, I generated tumors derived from different murine melanoma cell lines (B16F10, YUMM1.7, YUMMER1.7) in a transgenic mouse that overexpresses endothelin 3 (Edn3) by keratinocytes in the skin (K5-Edn3). Tumors from all the cell lines grew larger and were more aggressive when Edn3 was overexpressed in the skin. In tumors derived from YUMM1.7-GFP cells, very few tumorigenic cells expressed the Edn3 receptor, Endothelin receptor b (Ednrb) suggesting an …

Hiv Tat And Morphine-Induced Neurodegeneration In A Beclin 1 Hemizygous Mouse Model, Jessica A. Lapierre

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early in infection, HIV crosses the blood-brain barrier and induces neuropathology. Viral presence in the CNS coupled with secretion of neurotoxic proteins causes neuroinflammation, glial dysfunction, excitotoxicity, and neuronal death. Despite advances in combined antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected patients present with a spectrum of cognitive and psychomotor deficits collectively referred to as HIV-associated neurological disorders (HAND). A subset of HAND patients abuses drugs such as opiates like heroin and morphine show an exacerbation and rapid progression of HIV neuropathology; however, the mechanisms of this synergy are not well understood. Autophagy is a lysosomal degradative process which eliminates and recycles cytosolic components …

Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating The Functional Effects Of Chronic Alcohol Exposure Of Human Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells, Tiyash Parira

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effects of alcohol abuse are multi-dimensional since alcohol is widely known to affect both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Recently, epigenetics has come into focus and has been implicated in many diseases as well as substance abuse disorders. Therefore, research efforts of understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying substance abuse effects including alcohol abuse have become more predominant.

In our laboratory, we have studied different epigenetic changes induced by alcohol exposure including regulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs), histone quantity, and histone modifications such as acetylation and deacetylation. We have observed differential effects of acute and chronic alcohol exposure in …

Hiv Knowledge, Attitudes, And Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Women From Trinidad, Rosemarie Graczkowski

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, the Caribbean has the second highest new cases of HIV infection, only after Sub-Saharan Africa. Women are becoming disproportionally more at risk for HIV/AIDS, mainly through heterosexual contact. The purpose of this dissertation study was to evaluate HIV knowledge, attitudes, and sexual risk behaviors among Trinidadian women. A sample of 113 participants was recruited for this study. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Purnell Model of Cultural Competence were used to guide this study. Data were gathered using the HIV Knowledge Questionnaire (HIV-KQ-18), Condom Attitude Scale (CAS), Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ), and a demographic questionnaire. Data were …

Associations Of Hiv Risk Behaviors Among Older Latinas And Their Adult Daughters, Gira J. Ravelo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the associations between adult Latina daughters’ HIV risk behaviors and that of their older Latina mothers’ HIV risk behaviors. The central hypothesis of the study is that adult Latina daughters’ influence their older mothers’ behaviors and that such behaviors interact with the level of their attachment.

Older Latinas are a vulnerable population that face cultural risk factors, health care provider bias, and engage in low rates of HIV testing. The primary mode of HIV infection for Latinas is through heterosexual contact. Yet, traditional gender norms such as marianismo belief place pressure on Latina women to be submissive …