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

Digital Commons Network™

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

2015

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 17701 - 17730 of 27645

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Regulation Of Post-Translational Modifications Of Hmgb1 During Immune Responses, B. Lu, Y. Tang, X. Zhao, D. Antoine, X. Xiao, H. Wang, U. Andersson, T. Billiar, K. J. Tracey Jan 2015

Regulation Of Post-Translational Modifications Of Hmgb1 During Immune Responses, B. Lu, Y. Tang, X. Zhao, D. Antoine, X. Xiao, H. Wang, U. Andersson, T. Billiar, K. J. Tracey

Journal Articles

SIGNIFICANCE: High mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1) is an evolutionarily conserved and multi-functional protein. The biological function of HMGB1 depends on its cellular locations, binding partners, and redox states. Extracellular HMGB1 is a mediator of inflammation during infection or tissue injury. Immune cells actively release HMGB1 in response to infection, which in turn orchestrates both innate and adaptive immune responses. RECENT ADVANCES: Hyperacetylation of HMGB1 within its nuclear localization sequences mobilizes HMGB1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and subsequently promotes HMGB1 release. The redox states of the cysteines in position 23, 45 and 106 determine the biological activity of …


Deletion Of Stat5a/B In Vascular Smooth Muscle Abrogates The Male Bias In Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension In Mice: Implications In The Human Disease, Y. M. Yang, H. Yuan, J. G. Edwards, Y. Skayian, K. Ochani, E. J. Miller, P. B. Sehgal Jan 2015

Deletion Of Stat5a/B In Vascular Smooth Muscle Abrogates The Male Bias In Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension In Mice: Implications In The Human Disease, Y. M. Yang, H. Yuan, J. G. Edwards, Y. Skayian, K. Ochani, E. J. Miller, P. B. Sehgal

Journal Articles

Chronic hypoxia typically elicits pulmonary hypertension (PH) in mice with a male-dominant phenotype. There is an opposite sex-bias in human PH with higher prevalence in women, but greater survival (the "estrogen paradox"). We investigated the involvement of STAT5a/b species, previously established to mediate sexual dimorphism in other contexts, in the sex-bias in PH. Mice with heterozygous or homozygous deletions of the STAT5a/b locus in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) were generated in crosses between STAT5a/bfl/fl and transgelin (SM22alpha)-Cre+/+ parents. Wild-type (wt) males subjected to chronic hypoxia showed significant PH and pulmonary arterial remodeling, with wt females showing minimal changes (a …


Age-Dependent Alterations In The Inflammatory Response To Pulmonary Challenge, H. M. Linge, K. Ochani, K. Lin, J. Y. Lee, E. J. Miller Jan 2015

Age-Dependent Alterations In The Inflammatory Response To Pulmonary Challenge, H. M. Linge, K. Ochani, K. Lin, J. Y. Lee, E. J. Miller

Journal Articles

The aging lung is increasingly susceptible to infectious disease. Changes in pulmonary physiology and function are common in older populations, and in those older than 60 years, pneumonia is the major cause of infectious death. Understanding age-related changes in the innate and adaptive immune systems, and how they affect both pulmonary and systemic responses to pulmonary challenge are critical to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of the elderly patient. In this observational study, we examined age-associated differences in inflammatory responses to pulmonary challenge with cell wall components from Gram-positive bacteria. Thus, male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 6 …


Antibodies As Mediators Of Brain Pathology, L. Brimberg, S. Mader, Y. Fujieda, Y. Arinuma, C. Kowal, B. T. Volpe, B. Diamond Jan 2015

Antibodies As Mediators Of Brain Pathology, L. Brimberg, S. Mader, Y. Fujieda, Y. Arinuma, C. Kowal, B. T. Volpe, B. Diamond

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.


Autoantibodies In Systemic Autoimmune Diseases: Specificity And Pathogenicity, J. Suurmond, B. Diamond Jan 2015

Autoantibodies In Systemic Autoimmune Diseases: Specificity And Pathogenicity, J. Suurmond, B. Diamond

Journal Articles

In this Review we focus on the initiation of autoantibody production and autoantibody pathogenicity, with a special emphasis on the targeted antigens. Release of intracellular antigens due to excessive cell death or to ineffective clearance of apoptotic debris, modification of self-antigens during inflammatory responses, and molecular mimicry contribute to the initiation of autoantibody production. We hypothesize that those autoreactive B cells that survive and produce pathogenic autoantibodies have specificity for self-antigens that are TLR ligands. Such B cells experience both B cell receptor (BCR) activation and TLR engagement, leading to an escape from tolerance. Moreover, the autoantibodies they produce form …


B Cells In The Aging Immune System: Time To Consider B-1 Cells, N. E. Holodick, T. L. Rothstein Jan 2015

B Cells In The Aging Immune System: Time To Consider B-1 Cells, N. E. Holodick, T. L. Rothstein

Journal Articles

The investigation of immune senescence has uncovered many changes in B cell development, maintenance, and function with increasing age. However, most of these studies have focused on conventional B cell subsets in the spleen. The B-1 cell subset is an essential arm of the innate immune system, which in general has been understudied in terms of immune senescence. Here, we review what is currently known about B cells during aging and go on to describe why B-1 cell biology is an important component of the aging immune system in the context of diseases that most affect the aged population.


Brain Metabolism And Autoantibody Titres Predict Functional Impairment In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, M. Mackay, C. C. Tang, B. T. Volpe, C. Aranow, P. J. Mattis, R. A. Korff, B. Diamond, D. Eidelberg Jan 2015

Brain Metabolism And Autoantibody Titres Predict Functional Impairment In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, M. Mackay, C. C. Tang, B. T. Volpe, C. Aranow, P. J. Mattis, R. A. Korff, B. Diamond, D. Eidelberg

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease duration or serology associate with abnormal regional glucose metabolism as measured with [(18)F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and deficits on neuropsychological testing. METHODS: Subjects with SLE with stable disease activity, without brain damage or clinical symptoms of neuropsychiatric (NP) SLE, stratified by disease duration (short-term (ST)-SLE=disease/=10 years), underwent clinical assessments, neuropsychological testing, resting FDG-PET scan imaging and measurement of serum titres of antibody to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (DNRAb). FDG-PET scans were compared with age-matched and gender-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: Subjects with LT-SLE demonstrated hypometabolism in the prefrontal and premotor cortices that correlated …


The Brighter (And Evolutionarily Older) Face Of The Metabolic Syndrome: Evidence From Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection In Cd-1 Mice, W. Brima, D. J. Eden, S. F. Mehdi, M. Bravo, M. M. Wiese, J. Stein, V. Almonte, D. Zhao, J. Roth, F. Nagajyothi, +5 Additional Authors Jan 2015

The Brighter (And Evolutionarily Older) Face Of The Metabolic Syndrome: Evidence From Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection In Cd-1 Mice, W. Brima, D. J. Eden, S. F. Mehdi, M. Bravo, M. M. Wiese, J. Stein, V. Almonte, D. Zhao, J. Roth, F. Nagajyothi, +5 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, results in chronic infection that leads to cardiomyopathy with increased mortality and morbidity in endemic regions. In a companion study, our group found that a high-fat diet (HFD) protected mice from T. cruzi-induced myocardial damage and significantly reduced post-infection mortality during acute T. cruzi infection. METHODS: In the present study metabolic syndrome was induced prior to T. cruzi infection by feeding a high fat diet. Also, mice were treated with anti-diabetic drug metformin. RESULTS: In the present study, the lethality of T. cruzi (Brazil strain) infection in CD-1 …


Calhm1 Deletion In Mice Affects Glossopharyngeal Taste Responses, Food Intake, Body Weight, And Life Span, G. Hellekant, J. Schmolling, P. Marambaud, T. A. Rose-Hellekant Jan 2015

Calhm1 Deletion In Mice Affects Glossopharyngeal Taste Responses, Food Intake, Body Weight, And Life Span, G. Hellekant, J. Schmolling, P. Marambaud, T. A. Rose-Hellekant

Journal Articles

Stimulation of Type II taste receptor cells (TRCs) with T1R taste receptors causes sweet or umami taste, whereas T2Rs elicit bitter taste. Type II TRCs contain the calcium channel, calcium homeostasis modulator protein 1 (CALHM1), which releases adenosine triphosphate (ATP) transmitter to taste fibers. We have previously demonstrated with chorda tympani nerve recordings and two-bottle preference (TBP) tests that mice with genetically deleted Calhm1 (knockout [KO]) have severely impaired perception of sweet, bitter, and umami compounds, whereas their sour and salty tasting ability is unaltered. Here, we present data from KO mice of effects on glossopharyngeal (NG) nerve responses, TBP, …


The Cation Channel Trpv2 Is A New Suppressor Of Arthritis Severity, Joint Damage, And Synovial Fibroblast Invasion, T. Laragione, K. F. Cheng, M. R. Tanner, M. He, C. Beeton, Y. Al-Abed, P. S. Gulko Jan 2015

The Cation Channel Trpv2 Is A New Suppressor Of Arthritis Severity, Joint Damage, And Synovial Fibroblast Invasion, T. Laragione, K. F. Cheng, M. R. Tanner, M. He, C. Beeton, Y. Al-Abed, P. S. Gulko

Journal Articles

Little is known about the regulation of arthritis severity and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) have a central role in joint damage and express increased levels of the cation channel Trpv2. We aimed at determining the role of Trpv2 in arthritis. Treatment with Trpv2-specific agonists decreased the in vitro invasiveness of FLS from RA patients and arthritic rats and mice. Trpv2 stimulation suppressed IL-1beta-induced expression of MMP-2 and MMP-3. Trpv2 agonists, including the new and more potent LER13, significantly reduced disease severity in KRN serum- and collagen-induced arthritis, and reduced histologic joint damage, synovial inflammation, and …


Defects In Germinal Center Selection In Sle, M. Woods, Y. R. Zou, A. Davidson Jan 2015

Defects In Germinal Center Selection In Sle, M. Woods, Y. R. Zou, A. Davidson

Journal Articles

Germinal centers (GCs) are the primary site at which clonal expansion and affinity maturation of B cells occur. B cells encounter antigen and receive T cell help in the GC light zone (LZ) and then migrate to the dark zone where they proliferate and undergo somatic mutation before cycling back to the LZ for further rounds of selection. Tolerance to autoantigens is frequently lost de novo as GC B cells undergo class switching and somatic mutation. This loss of tolerance is regulated by a variety of mechanisms including cell death, failure to compete for T cell help, and failure to …


Enrichment Of Genetic Variants For Rheumatoid Arthritis Within T-Cell And Nk-Cell Enhancer Regions, J. Freudenberg, P. Gregersen, W. Li Jan 2015

Enrichment Of Genetic Variants For Rheumatoid Arthritis Within T-Cell And Nk-Cell Enhancer Regions, J. Freudenberg, P. Gregersen, W. Li

Journal Articles

To identify disease-causative variants, we intersected the published results of a metaanalysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the set of enhancer regions for 71 primary cell types that was provided by the FANTOM consortium. We first retrieved all single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated (P < 5 x 10(8)) with RA in the GWAS meta-analysis and that are located in any of these enhancer regions. After excluding the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region, we identified 50 such RA-associated SNPs that are located in enhancer regions. Enhancer sets from different cell types were then compared with each other for their number of RA-associated SNPs by permutation analysis. This analysis showed that RA-associated SNPs are preferentially located in enhancers from several immunological cell types. In particular, we see a strong relative enrichment in enhancer regions that are active in T cells (P < 0.001) and NK cells (P < 0.001). Several loci display multiple RA-associated SNPs in tight linkage disequilibrium that are located within the same or neighboring enhancers. These haplotypes may have a greater likelihood to influence enhancer activity than any SNP on its own. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that RA-causative variants often act through altering the activity of immune cell enhancers. The enrichment in T-cell and NK-cell enhancer regions indicates that expression changes in these cell types are particularly relevant for the pathogenesis of RA. The specific SNPs that account for this enrichment can be used as a basis for focused genotype-phenotype studies of these cell types.


Excessive Antigen Reactivity May Underlie The Clinical Aggressiveness Of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Stereotyped Subset #8, M. Gounari, S. Ntoufa, B. Apollonio, N. Papakonstantinou, M. Ponzoni, C. C. Chu, D. Rossi, G. Gaidano, N. Chiorazzi, P. Ghia, +1 Additional Author Jan 2015

Excessive Antigen Reactivity May Underlie The Clinical Aggressiveness Of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Stereotyped Subset #8, M. Gounari, S. Ntoufa, B. Apollonio, N. Papakonstantinou, M. Ponzoni, C. C. Chu, D. Rossi, G. Gaidano, N. Chiorazzi, P. Ghia, +1 Additional Author

Journal Articles

Subset #8 is a distinctive subset of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) defined by the expression of stereotyped IGHV4-39/IGKV1(D)-39 B-cell receptors. Subset #8 patients experience aggressive disease and exhibit the highest risk for Richter transformation among all CLL. In order to obtain biological insight into this behavior, we profiled the antigen reactivity and signaling capacity of subset #8 vs other clinically aggressive stereotyped subsets, namely subsets #1 and #2. Twenty-seven monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from subsets #1, #2, and #8 CLL clones were prepared as recombinant human immunoglobulin G1 and used as primary antibodies in enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assays against representatives …


Functional Loss Of I Kappa B Epsilon Leads To Nf-Kappa B Deregulation In Aggressive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, L. Mansouri, L. A. Sutton, V. Ljungstrom, S. Bondza, L. Arngarden, S. Bhoi, X. J. Yan, N. Chiorazzi, R. Rosenquist, +25 Additional Authors Jan 2015

Functional Loss Of I Kappa B Epsilon Leads To Nf-Kappa B Deregulation In Aggressive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, L. Mansouri, L. A. Sutton, V. Ljungstrom, S. Bondza, L. Arngarden, S. Bhoi, X. J. Yan, N. Chiorazzi, R. Rosenquist, +25 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

NF-kappa B is constitutively activated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); however, the implicated molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Thus, we performed targeted deep sequencing of 18 core complex genes within the NF-kappa B pathway in a discovery and validation CLL cohort totaling 315 cases. The most frequently mutated gene was NFKBIE (21/315 cases; 7%), which encodes I kappa B epsilon, a negative regulator of NF-kappa B in normal B cells. Strikingly, 13 of these cases carried an identical 4-bp frameshift deletion, resulting in a truncated protein. Screening of an additional 377 CLL cases revealed that NFKBIE aberrations predominated in poor-prognostic …


Fundamental Role Of C1q In Autoimmunity And Inflammation, M. Son, B. Diamond, F. Santiago-Schwarz Jan 2015

Fundamental Role Of C1q In Autoimmunity And Inflammation, M. Son, B. Diamond, F. Santiago-Schwarz

Journal Articles

C1q, historically viewed as the initiating component of the classical complement pathway, also exhibits a variety of complement-independent activities in both innate and acquired immunity. Recent studies focusing on C1q's suppressive role in the immune system have provided new insight into how abnormal C1q expression and bioactivity may contribute to autoimmunity. In particular, molecular networks involving C1q interactions with cell surface receptors and other ligands are emerging as mechanisms involved in C1q's modulation of immunity. Here, we discuss the role of C1q in controlling immune cell function, including recently elucidated mechanisms of action, and suggest how these processes are critical …


The Hiv Protease Inhibitor Saquinavir Inhibits Hmgb1 Driven Inflammation By Targeting The Interaction Of Cathepsin V With Tlr4/Myd88, J. P. Pribis, Y. Al-Abed, H. Yang, D. Gero, H. Xu, M. F. Montenegro, E. M. Bauer, S. Kim, K. J. Tracey, T. R. Billiar, +5 Additional Authors Jan 2015

The Hiv Protease Inhibitor Saquinavir Inhibits Hmgb1 Driven Inflammation By Targeting The Interaction Of Cathepsin V With Tlr4/Myd88, J. P. Pribis, Y. Al-Abed, H. Yang, D. Gero, H. Xu, M. F. Montenegro, E. M. Bauer, S. Kim, K. J. Tracey, T. R. Billiar, +5 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

Extracellular HMGB1 (disulfide form), via activation of Toll-Like-Receptor (TLR4)-dependent signaling, is a strong driver of pathologic inflammation in both acute and chronic conditions. Identification of selective inhibitors of HMGB1-TLR4 signaling could offer novel therapies that selectively target proximal endogenous activators of inflammation. A cell-based screening strategy led us to identify first generation HIV-protease inhibitors (PI) as potential inhibitors of HMGB1-TLR4 driven cytokine production. Here we report, that the first-generation HIV-PI saquinavir (SQV), as well as a newly identified mammalian protease inhibitor STO33438 (334), potently block disulfide HMGB1 induced TLR4 activation, as assayed by the production of TNF-alpha by human monocyte-derived …


Hmgb1-Driven Inflammation And Intimal Hyperplasia After Arterial Injury Involves Cell-Specific Actions Mediated By Tlr4, J. Cai, H. Yuan, Q. Wang, H. Yang, Yousef Al-Abed, Z. Hua, J. Wang, D. Chen, Kevin J. Tracey, A. F. Chen, +7 Additional Authors Jan 2015

Hmgb1-Driven Inflammation And Intimal Hyperplasia After Arterial Injury Involves Cell-Specific Actions Mediated By Tlr4, J. Cai, H. Yuan, Q. Wang, H. Yang, Yousef Al-Abed, Z. Hua, J. Wang, D. Chen, Kevin J. Tracey, A. F. Chen, +7 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.


Integrative Neuroscience Approach To Neuropsychiatric Lupus, P. T. Huerta, E. L. Gibson, C. Rey, T. S. Huerta Jan 2015

Integrative Neuroscience Approach To Neuropsychiatric Lupus, P. T. Huerta, E. L. Gibson, C. Rey, T. S. Huerta

Journal Articles

We present a succinct review of our approach to study the interactions between the DNA-reactive antibodies that cross-react with the GluN2A and GluN2B subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, denoted DNRABs, and their brain targets in subjects with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). We have analyzed the DNRAB-based brain symptomatology in mouse models of NPSLE by using an integrative neuroscience approach, which includes behavioral assessment coupled with electrophysiological studies of neural networks and synaptic connections in target brain regions, such as the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Our results suggest a framework for understanding the interactions between immune factors and neural …


Resident Endothelial Cells And Endothelial Progenitor Cells Restore Endothelial Barrier Function After Inflammatory Lung Injury, S. Z. Mao, X. B. Ye, G. Liu, D. M. Song, S. F. Liu Jan 2015

Resident Endothelial Cells And Endothelial Progenitor Cells Restore Endothelial Barrier Function After Inflammatory Lung Injury, S. Z. Mao, X. B. Ye, G. Liu, D. M. Song, S. F. Liu

Journal Articles

Objective Disruption of endothelial barrier integrity is a characteristic of many inflammatory conditions. However, the origin and function of endothelial cells (ECs) restoring endothelial barrier function remain unknown. This study defined the roles of resident ECs (RECs) and bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BMDEPCs) in endothelial barrier restoration after endotoxemic lung injury. Approach and Results We generated mice that enable to quantify proliferating RECs or BMDEPCs and also to study the causal link between REC or BMDEPC proliferation and endothelial barrier restoration. Using these mouse models, we showed that endothelial barrier restoration was associated with increased REC and BMDEPC proliferation. …


Tubular Cell Phenotype In Hiv-Associated Nephropathy: Role Of Phospholipid Lysophosphatidic Acid, K. R. Ayasolla, P. Rai, S. Rahimipour, M. Hussain, A. Malhotra, P. C. Singhal Jan 2015

Tubular Cell Phenotype In Hiv-Associated Nephropathy: Role Of Phospholipid Lysophosphatidic Acid, K. R. Ayasolla, P. Rai, S. Rahimipour, M. Hussain, A. Malhotra, P. C. Singhal

Journal Articles

Collapsing glomerulopathy and microcysts are characteristic histological features of HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). We have previously reported the role of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the development of glomerular and tubular cell phenotypes in HIVAN. Since persistent tubular cell activation of NF kappa B has been reported in HIVAN, we now hypothesize that HIV may be contributing to tubular cell phenotype via lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) mediated downstream signaling. Interestingly, LPA and its receptors have also been implicated in the tubular interstitial cell fibrosis (TIF) and cyst formation in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Primary human proximal tubular cells (HRPTCs) were …


Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Contribute To Apol1-Induced Podocyte Injury In Hiv Milieu, X. Lan, H. Wen, M. A. Saleem, J. Mikulak, A. Malhotra, K. Skorecki, P. C. Singhal Jan 2015

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Contribute To Apol1-Induced Podocyte Injury In Hiv Milieu, X. Lan, H. Wen, M. A. Saleem, J. Mikulak, A. Malhotra, K. Skorecki, P. C. Singhal

Journal Articles

Clinical reports have demonstrated that higher rates of non-diabetic glomerulosclerosis in African Americans can be attributed to two coding sequence variants (G1 and G2) in the APOL1 gene; however, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. Kidney biopsy data suggest enhanced expression of APOL1/APOL1 variants (Vs) in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of renal vasculature. Since APOL1 is a secretory protein of relatively low molecular weight (41kDa), SMCs may be a contributory endocrine/paracrine source of APOL1 wild type (WT)/APOL1Vs in the glomerular capillary perfusate percolating podocytes. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that an HIV milieu stimulated secretion of APOL1 …


Vitamin D Receptor And Epigenetics In Hiv Infection And Drug Abuse, N. Chandel, A. Malhotra, P. C. Singhal Jan 2015

Vitamin D Receptor And Epigenetics In Hiv Infection And Drug Abuse, N. Chandel, A. Malhotra, P. C. Singhal

Journal Articles

Illicit drug abuse is highly prevalent and serves as a powerful co-factor for HIV exacerbation. Epigenetic alterations in drug abuse and HIV infection determine expression of several critical genes such as vitamin D receptor (VDR), which participates in proliferation, differentiation, cell death under both physiological and pathological conditions. On that account, active vitamin D, the ligand of VDR, is used as an adjuvant therapy to control infection, slow down progression of chronic kidney diseases, and cancer chemotherapy. Interestingly, vitamin D may not be able to augment VDR expression optimally in several instances where epigenetic contributes to down regulation of VDR; …


Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Clinicopathologic Features And Survival Outcomes In Asian Pacific Islanders Residing In The United States: A Seer Analysis, M. S. Hamid, R. Shameem, K. Gafoor, J. George, B. Mina, K. Sullivan Jan 2015

Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Clinicopathologic Features And Survival Outcomes In Asian Pacific Islanders Residing In The United States: A Seer Analysis, M. S. Hamid, R. Shameem, K. Gafoor, J. George, B. Mina, K. Sullivan

Journal Articles

Background. The objective of our study was to ascertain racial/ethnic disparities in Asian/Pacific Islanders (API) for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) clinicopathologic features and survival outcomes based on various tumor characteristics and treatment modalities. Method. SEER database identified invasive NSCLC cases from 2004 to 2010. Variables included American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage 7, tumor grade, tumor size, histology, age, marital status, radiation, surgery, and reason for no surgery. The Kruskall-Wallis test and the Z test were used to examine differences between races/ethnicities and the referent, non-Hispanic white (NHW). Multivariate Cox proportional analyses were used to establish the weight of …


Patient Considerations In The Management Of Ulcerative Colitis - Role Of Vedolizumab, M. Kothari, P. Mudireddy, A. Swaminath Jan 2015

Patient Considerations In The Management Of Ulcerative Colitis - Role Of Vedolizumab, M. Kothari, P. Mudireddy, A. Swaminath

Journal Articles

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease which causes inflammation of the large intestine and affects approximately 7.6-24.6 per 100,000 persons. The therapeutic goal for UC patients is inducing remission, maintaining remission, and ideally, obtaining mucosal healing. Vedolizumab, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2014 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe UC and Crohn's disease, is a newly developed anti-integrin therapy. This review focuses on the preclinical development of vedolizumab and data from early trials, and details the results of the landmark trails that led to its approval in the USA with a specific …


Protein Domains Of Apol1 And Its Risk Variants, X. Q. Lan, H. X. Wen, R. Lederman, A. Malhotra, J. Mikulak, W. Popik, K. Skorecki, P. C. Singhal Jan 2015

Protein Domains Of Apol1 And Its Risk Variants, X. Q. Lan, H. X. Wen, R. Lederman, A. Malhotra, J. Mikulak, W. Popik, K. Skorecki, P. C. Singhal

Journal Articles

Increasing lines of evidence have demonstrated that the development of higher rates of non-diabetic glomerulosclerosis (GS) in African Americans can be attributed to two coding sequence variants (G1 and G2) in the Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL) gene. Recent studies indicate that the gene products of these APOL1 risk variants have augmented toxicity to kidney cells. However, the biological characteristics of APOL1 and its risk variants are not well elucidated. The APOL1 protein can be divided into several functional domains, including signal peptide (SP), pore forming domain (PFD), membrane address domain (MAD), and SEA-interacting domain. To investigate the relative contribution of each …


A Randomized, Phase 2 Trial Of Docetaxel With Or Without Px-866, An Irreversible Oral Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Inhibitor, In Patients With Relapsed Or Metastatic Head And Neck Squamous Cell Cancer, A. Jimeno, J. E. Bauman, C. Weissman, D. Adkins, I. Schnadig, P. Beauregard, D. W. Bowles, A. Spira, B. Levy, N. Seetharamu, D. Hausman, L. Walker, C. M. Rudin, K. Shirai Jan 2015

A Randomized, Phase 2 Trial Of Docetaxel With Or Without Px-866, An Irreversible Oral Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Inhibitor, In Patients With Relapsed Or Metastatic Head And Neck Squamous Cell Cancer, A. Jimeno, J. E. Bauman, C. Weissman, D. Adkins, I. Schnadig, P. Beauregard, D. W. Bowles, A. Spira, B. Levy, N. Seetharamu, D. Hausman, L. Walker, C. M. Rudin, K. Shirai

Journal Articles

INTRODUCTION: The phosphotidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/serine-threonine kinase (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is frequently altered in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). PX-866 is an oral, irreversible, pan-isoform inhibitor of PI3K. Preclinical models revealed synergy with docetaxel and a phase 1 trial demonstrated tolerability of this combination. This randomized phase 2 study evaluated PX-866 combined with docetaxel in patients with advanced, refractory HNSCC. METHODS: Patients with locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic HNSCC who had received at least one and no more than two prior systemic treatment regimens were randomized (1:1) to a combination of docetaxel (75mg/m(2) IV every …


Epigenetic Modulation Of Human Podocyte Vitamin D Receptor In Hiv Milieu, N. Chandel, K. S. Ayasolla, X. Lan, M. Sultana-Syed, A. Chawla, R. Lederman, V. Vethantham, M. A. Saleem, A. Malhotra, P. C. Singhal, +1 Additional Author Jan 2015

Epigenetic Modulation Of Human Podocyte Vitamin D Receptor In Hiv Milieu, N. Chandel, K. S. Ayasolla, X. Lan, M. Sultana-Syed, A. Chawla, R. Lederman, V. Vethantham, M. A. Saleem, A. Malhotra, P. C. Singhal, +1 Additional Author

Journal Articles

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has been reported to induce podocyte injury through down regulation of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and activation of renin angiotensin system; however, the involved mechanism is not clear. Since HIV has been reported to modulate gene expression via epigenetic phenomena, we asked whether epigenetic factors contribute to down regulation of VDR. Kidney cells in HIV transgenic mice and HIV-infected podocytes (HIV/HPs) displayed enhanced expression of SNAIL, a repressor of VDR. To elucidate the mechanism, we studied the effect of HIV on expression of molecules involved in SNAIL repressor complex formation and demonstrated that HIV enhances expression …


Fungal Infections In Renal Transplant Patients, A. Khan, E. El-Charabaty, S. El-Sayegh Jan 2015

Fungal Infections In Renal Transplant Patients, A. Khan, E. El-Charabaty, S. El-Sayegh

Journal Articles

Organ transplantation has always been considered to be the standard therapeutic interventions in patients with end-stage organ failure. In 2008, more than 29,000 organ transplants were performed in US. Survival rates among transplant recipients have greatly improved due to better understanding of transplant biology and more effective immunosuppressive agents. After transplant, the extent of the immune response is influenced by the amount of interleukin 2 (IL-2) being produced by the T-helper cells. Transplant immunosuppressive therapy primarily targets T cell-mediated graft rejection. Calcineurin inhibitor, which includes cyclosporine, pimecrolimus and tacrolimus, impairs calcineurin-induced up-regulation of IL-2 expression, resulting in increased susceptibility to …


Hepatic Manifestations Of Non-Steroidal Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapy, R. Hirten, K. Sultan, A. Thomas, D. E. Bernstein Jan 2015

Hepatic Manifestations Of Non-Steroidal Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapy, R. Hirten, K. Sultan, A. Thomas, D. E. Bernstein

Journal Articles

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is composed of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and is manifested by both bowel-related and extraintestinal manifestations. Recently the number of therapeutic options available to treat IBD has dramatically increased, with each new medication having its own mechanism of action and side effect profile. A complete understanding of the hepatotoxicity of these medications is important in order to distinguish these complications from the hepatic manifestations of IBD. This review seeks to evaluate the hepatobiliary complications of non-steroid based IBD medications and aide providers in the recognition and management of these side-effects.


The Onion Sign In Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Represents Cholesterol Crystals, C. E. Pang, J. D. Messinger, E. C. Zanzottera, K. B. Freund, C. A. Curcio Jan 2015

The Onion Sign In Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Represents Cholesterol Crystals, C. E. Pang, J. D. Messinger, E. C. Zanzottera, K. B. Freund, C. A. Curcio

Journal Articles

PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency, natural evolution, and histologic correlates of layered, hyperreflective, subretinal pigment epithelium (sub-RPE) lines, known as the onion sign, in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study and experimental laboratory study. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred thirty eyes of 150 consecutive patients with neovascular AMD and 40 human donor eyes with histopathologic diagnosis of neovascular AMD. METHODS: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT), near-infrared reflectance (NIR), color fundus images, and medical charts were reviewed. Donor eyes underwent multimodal ex vivo imaging, including SD OCT, before processing for high-resolution histologic analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of …