Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Parasite Infection, Carcinogenesis And Human Malignancy., Hoang Van Tong, Paul J. Brindley, Christian G Meyer, Thirumalaisamy P Velavan

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Cancer may be induced by many environmental and physiological conditions. Infections with viruses, bacteria and parasites have been recognized for years to be associated with human carcinogenicity. Here we review current concepts of carcinogenicity and its associations with parasitic infections. The helminth diseases schistosomiasis, opisthorchiasis, and clonorchiasis are highly carcinogenic while the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causing agent of Chagas disease, has a dual role in the development of cancer, including both carcinogenic and anticancer properties. Although malaria per se does not appear to be causative in carcinogenesis, it is strongly associated with the occurrence of endemic Burkitt lymphoma in …

A Comparison Of The Quality Of Informed Consent For Clinical Trials Of An Experimental Hookworm Vaccine Conducted In Developed And Developing Countries., David J. Diemert, Lucas Lobato, Ashley Styczynski, Maria Zumer, Amanda Soares, Maria Flávia Gazzinelli

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Informed consent is one of the principal ethical requirements of conducting clinical research, regardless of the study setting. Breaches in the quality of the informed consent process are frequently described in reference to clinical trials conducted in developing countries, due to low levels of formal education, a lack of familiarity with biomedical research, and limited access to health services in these countries. However, few studies have directly compared the quality of the informed consent process in developed and developing countries using the same tool and in similar clinical trials. This study was conducted to compare the quality of the informed …

Detection Of Strongylus Vulgaris In Equine Faecal Samples By Real-Time Pcr And Larval Culture – Method Comparison And Occurrence Assessment, A. Kaspar, K. Pfister, Martin K. Nielsen, C. Silaghi, H. Fink, M. C. Scheuerle

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background: Strongylus vulgaris has become a rare parasite in Germany during the past 50 years due to the practice of frequent prophylactic anthelmintic therapy. To date, the emerging development of resistance in Cyathostominae and Parascaris spp. to numerous equine anthelmintics has changed deworming management and the frequency of anthelmintic usage. In this regard, reliable detection of parasitic infections, especially of the highly pathogenic S. vulgaris is essential. In the current study, two diagnostic methods for the detection of infections with S. vulgaris were compared and information on the occurrence of this parasite in German horses was gained. For this purpose, …

Identification Of Candidate Infection Genes From The Model Entomopathogenic Nematode Heterorhabditis Bacteriophora., Jonathan Vadnal, Ramesh Ratnappan, Melissa Keaney, Eric Kenney, Ioannis Eleftherianos, Damien O'Halloran, John M. Hawdon

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Despite important progress in the field of innate immunity, our understanding of host immune responses to parasitic nematode infections lags behind that of responses to microbes. A limiting factor has been the obligate requirement for a vertebrate host which has hindered investigation of the parasitic nematode infective process. The nematode parasite Heterorhabditis bacteriophora offers great potential as a model to genetically dissect the process of infection. With its mutualistic Photorhabdus luminescens bacteria, H. bacteriophora invades multiple species of insects, which it kills and exploits as a food source for the development of several nematode generations. The ability to culture …

Isolation, Culture And Characterization Of Hirsutella Sinensis Mycelium From Caterpillar Fungus Fruiting Body, Yun-Fei Komi, Jian-Ching Liau, Chien-Sheng Lee, Chen-Yaw Chiu, Jan Martel, Chuan-Sheng Lin, Shan-Fu Tseng, David M. Ojcius, Chia-Chen Lu, Hsin-Chih Lai, John Ding-E. Young

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

The caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (previously called Cordyceps sinensis) has been used for centuries in Asia as a tonic to improve health and longevity. Recent studies show that O. sinensis produces a wide range of biological effects on cells, laboratory animals and humans, including anti-fatigue, anti-infection, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor activities. In view of the rarity of O. sinensis fruiting bodies in nature, cultivation of its anamorph mycelium represents a useful alternative for large-scale production. However, O. sinensis fruiting bodies harvested in nature harbor several fungal contaminants, a phenomenon that led to the isolation and characterization of a large number …

Genomes Of Fasciola Hepatica From The Americas Reveal Colonization With Neorickettsia Endobacteria Related To The Agents Of Potomac Horse And Human Sennetsu Fevers., Samantha N Mcnulty, Jose F Tort, Gabriel Rinaldi, Bruce A Rosa, Victoria H. Mann, Patricia S. Latham, Paul J. Brindley, +Several Additional Authors

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Food borne trematodes (FBTs) are an assemblage of platyhelminth parasites transmitted through the food chain, four of which are recognized as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Fascioliasis stands out among the other NTDs due to its broad and significant impact on both human and animal health, as Fasciola sp., are also considered major pathogens of domesticated ruminants. Here we present a reference genome sequence of the common liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica isolated from sheep, complementing previously reported isolate from cattle. A total of 14,642 genes were predicted from the 1.14 GB genome of the liver fluke. Comparative genomics indicated that F. …

Schistosoma Mansoni Reinfection: Analysis Of Risk Factors By Classification And Regression Tree (Cart) Modeling., Andréa Gazzinelli, Roberta Oliveira-Prado, Leonardo Ferreira Matoso, Bráulio M Veloso, Gisele Andrade, Helmut Kloos, Jeffrey M Bethony, Renato M Assunção, Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Praziquantel (PZQ) is an effective chemotherapy for schistosomiasis mansoni and a mainstay for its control and potential elimination. However, it does not prevent against reinfection, which can occur rapidly in areas with active transmission. A guide to ranking the risk factors for Schistosoma mansoni reinfection would greatly contribute to prioritizing resources and focusing prevention and control measures to prevent rapid reinfection. The objective of the current study was to explore the relationship among the socioeconomic, demographic, and epidemiological factors that can influence reinfection by S. mansoni one year after successful treatment with PZQ in school-aged children in Northeastern Minas …

Ancylostoma Ceylanicum Infective Third-Stage Larvae Are Activated By Co-Culture With Ht-29-Mtx Intestinal Epithelial Cells, Caitlin Feather, John M. Hawdon, John March

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Human hookworm larvae arrest development until they enter an appropriate host. This makes it difficult to access the larvae for studying larval development or host-parasite interactions. While there are in vivo and in vitro animal models of human hookworm infection, there is currently no human, in vitro model. While animal models have provided much insight into hookworm biology, there are limitations to how closely this can replicate human infection. Therefore, we have developed a human, in vitro model of the initial phase of hookworm infection using intestinal epithelial cell culture.

Results

Co-culture of the human hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum with …

H-Ipse Is A Pathogen-Secreted Host Nucleus Infiltrating Protein (Infiltrin) 3 Expressed Exclusively By The Schistosoma Haematobium Egg Stage, Luke Pennington, Abdulaziz Alouffi, Evaristus Mbanefo, Debalina Ray, David Heery, Theodore Jardetzky, Michael Hsieh, Franco Falcone

Urology Faculty Publications

Urogenital schistosomiasis, caused by the parasitic trematode Schistosoma haematobium, affects over 112 million people worldwide. As with S. mansoniinfections, the pathology in urogenital schistosomiasis is mainly related to the egg stage, which induces granulomatous inflammation of affected tissues. Schistosoma eggs and their secretions have been studied extensively for the related S. mansoniorganism which is more amenable to laboratory studies. Indeed, we have shown that IPSE/alpha-1 (M-IPSE herein), a major protein secreted from S .mansoni eggs, can infiltrate host cells. Although M-IPSE function is unknown, its ability to translocate to their nucleus and bind DNA suggests a possible …

A Critical Appraisal Of Extracorporeal Photopheresis As A Treatment Modality For Acute And Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Hind Rafei, Mohamed Kharfan-Dabaja, Taiga Nishihori

Medicine Faculty Publications

Although significant advances have been made in the biologic understanding of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and its treatment options, GVHD remains the single most challenging obstacle to the success of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) due to high risk of disabling morbidity and mortality. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has promising effects in controlling steroid-refractory GVHD, both acute and chronic, and it has been studied extensively. Its putative immunomodulatory mechanisms, while not immunosuppressive, position ECP as an attractive treatment strategy for GVHD patients who are already receiving global immunosuppression. However, ECP is relatively underutilized due in part to limited access and time commitment. …

Development Of Cellular Assays To Monitor Enzymatic And Biological Activity Of Cd73: A Key Modulator Of Anti-Tumor Immune Response, Alexandra Fanuka

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Ecto-5’-nucleotidase, known as CD73, is an extracellular enzyme that converts adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to adenosine and has recently been identified as a potential drug target for cancer immunotherapy. Its immunosuppressive effects, mediated by the activity of adenosine, are associated with higher rates of tumor invasion and metastasis, as well as poorer prognoses overall in many cancer types. CD73 is often co-expressed with ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (CD39), which catalyzes the conversion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and ADP to AMP on the surface of tumor cells. Dual expression further propagates immunosuppressive effects of adenosine in the tumor microenvironment. …

Sleep Disturbance And The Immunological Acute Phase Response In Hospitalized Post-Operative Adults., Jean Dorothy Humphries

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract

Sleep Disturbance and the Immunological Acute Phase Response

in Postoperative Hospitalized Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the subjective and objective (actigraphy) sleep patterns, the immunological acute phase response of IL1-β and TNF-α, and the physiological stress response of cortisol and systolic blood pressure in post-operative abdominal surgical patients. Nineteen subjects, 10 men and 9 women, mean age 45.63 years (SD = 11.44) were enrolled between April 2015 and March 2016. All subjects were elective major invasive abdominal surgery patients. Laparoscopic surgery occurred in 10 patients and incisional surgery occurred in 9 patients. This descriptive …

Nasopharyngeal Microbiome Diversity Changes Over Time In Children With Asthma, Marcos Pérez-Losada, Lamia Alamri, Keith Crandall, Robert J. Freishtat

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background

The nasopharynx is a reservoir for pathogens associated with respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been used to characterize the nasopharyngeal microbiome of infants and adults during health and disease; less is known, however, about the composition and temporal dynamics (i.e., longitudinal variation) of microbiotas from children and adolescents. Here we use NGS technology to characterize the nasopharyngeal microbiomes of asthmatic children and adolescents (6 to 18 years) and determine their stability over time.

Methods

Two nasopharyngeal washes collected 5.5 to 6.5 months apart were taken from 40 children and adolescents with asthma living in the …

Detoxification Of Mitochondrial Oxidants And Apoptotic Signaling Are Facilitated By Thioredoxin-2 And Peroxiredoxin-3 During Hyperoxic Injury, Benjamin J. Forred, Darwin R. Daugaard, Brianna K. Titus, Ryan R. Wood, Miranda J. Floen, Michelle L. Booze, Peter F. Vitiello

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mitochondria play a fundamental role in the regulation of cell death during accumulation of oxidants. High concentrations of atmospheric oxygen (hyperoxia), used clinically to treat tissue hypoxia in premature newborns, is known to elicit oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury to pulmonary epithelial cells. A consequence of oxidative stress in mitochondria is the accumulation of peroxides which are detoxified by the dedicated mitochondrial thioredoxin system. This system is comprised of the oxidoreductase activities of peroxiredoxin-3 (Prx3), thioredoxin-2 (Trx2), and thioredoxin reductase-2 (TrxR2). The goal of this study was to understand the role of the mitochondrial thioredoxin system and mitochondrial injuries during …

Maternal Inflammation At Mid-Gestation In Pregnant Rats Impairs Fetal Muscle Growth And Development At Term, C. N. Cadaret, K. A. Beede, E. M. Merrick, T. L. Barnes, J. D. Loy, D. T. Yates

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Low birth weight resulting from preterm birth and/or IUGR is an underlying factor in 60–80% of perinatal death worldwide, and is particularly common in developing countries (UNICEF, 2008). Furthermore, studies have linked IUGR and the associated fetal malnutrition to increased incidence of metabolic syndrome in adult life (Barker et al., 1993; Godfrey and Barker, 2000). The “thrifty phenotype hypothesis” developed by David Barker (Hales et al., 1991) states that IUGR-associated fetal malnutrition forces the fetus to spare nutrients by altering tissue-specific metabolism in order to survive. In …

A Parapoxviral Virion Protein Targets The Retinoblastoma Protein To Inhibit Nf-Κb Signaling, Ponnuraj Nagendraprabhu, Sushil Khatiwada, Sabal Chaulagain, Gustavo A. Delhon, Daniel L. Rock

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Poxviruses have evolved multiple strategies to subvert signaling by Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB), a crucial regulator of host innate immune responses. Here, we describe an orf virus (ORFV) virion-associated protein, ORFV119, which inhibits NF-κB signaling very early in infection (≤30 min post infection). ORFV119 NF-κB inhibitory activity was found unimpaired upon translation inhibition, suggesting that virion ORFV119 alone is responsible for early interference in signaling. A C-terminal LxCxE motif in ORFV119 enabled the protein to interact with the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) a multifunctional protein best known for its tumor suppressor activity. Notably, experiments using a recombinant virus containing an ORFV119 …

Contributions Of Myd88-Dependent Receptors And Cd11c-Positive Cells To Corneal Epithelial Barrier Function Against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Matteo M. E. Metruccio, Connie Tam, David J. Evans, Anna L. Xie, Michael E. Stern, Suzanne M. J. Fleiszig

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Pharmacy

Previously we reported that corneal epithelial barrier function against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was MyD88-dependent. Here, we explored contributions of MyD88-dependent receptors using vital mouse eyes and confocal imaging. Uninjured IL-1R (−/−) or TLR4 (−/−) corneas, but not TLR2 (−/−), TLR5 (−/−), TLR7 (−/−), or TLR9 (−/−), were more susceptible to P. aeruginosa adhesion than wild-type (3.8-fold, 3.6-fold respectively). Bacteria adherent to the corneas of IL-1R (−/−) or TLR5 (−/−) mice penetrated beyond the epithelial surface only if the cornea was superficially-injured. Bone marrow chimeras showed that bone marrow-derived cells contributed to IL-1R-dependent barrier function. In vivo, but not ex vivo …

Secondary Data Analysis: A Non-Pharmacology Treatment For Individuals Living With Hiv/Aids, Joseph Jean, Carolee Dodge-Francis Ed.D

McNair Poster Presentations

At the end of 2015, 36.7 million people were living with HIV/AIDS world wide (WHO, 2017). Living with this disease puts individuals at increased risk for mental and physical health complications. Opportunistic infections and increased serious mental health conductions are common (NIH, 2016). Advances in antiretroviral therapies have been made to increase life expectancy but often times can adversely affect the individuals quality of life. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is one way to help improve quality of life. One form of CAM, massage therapy may offer benefits to PLWHA in terms of ability to cope with stress.

Role Of Intracellular Growth During The Gastrointestinal Stage Of Listeria Monocytogenes Infection, Grant Steven Jones

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular bacterium that causes foodborne disease in humans. L. monocytogenes invade the gut mucosa and then disseminate, causing systemic infections associated with high mortality rates in immunocompromised individuals. It is unknown how L. monocytogenes traffic to the mesenteric lymph nodes, which represent an important bottleneck for systemic spread. In addition, little is known about the gastrointestinal stage of infection due to the general resistance of mice to oral infection with L. monocytogenes. Our laboratory developed a novel foodborne mouse model of listeriosis utilizing a murinized strain of L. monocytogenes to investigate the gastrointestinal stage …

Lymphocyte-Mediated Inflamm-Aging In The Horse, Melissa Hope Siard

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Senior horses (≥20 years) exhibit inflamm-aging, or chronic, low-grade inflammation that occurs systemically with aging, similarly to humans. Inflamm-aging has previously been characterized in the horse in circulation as well as specifically being mediated by lymphocytes and monocytes. In humans, inflamm-aging has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, in the horse, relatively little about inflamm-aging is known regarding clinical effects or factors influencing severity. The contribution of lymphocytes to inflamm-aging of senior horses was examined, specifically through determining the relationships of inflamm-aging with various other health parameters, effects of seasonality, and the extent to which inflamm-aging can be …

Using Extremophile Bacteriophage Discovery In A Stem Education Professional Development Partnership To Explore Model Classroom Research Experiences Integrating The Three Dimentions Of The Next Generation Science Standards, Carrie L. Boudreau Ms

All Student Scholarship

The National Research Council’s (NRC) A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas describes a vision of what it means to be proficient in science. The project discussed in this thesis was developed with a NIH SEPA Grant 8R25OD010937 to the Virology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory at the University of Southern Maine (USM) under the direction of Dr. S. Monroe Duboise. The goal of the project was to explore using discovery of extreme environment bacteria and their bacteriophages as a model for using the three dimensions of learning to teach Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Specifically, …

Micrornas Modulate Pathogenesis Resulting From Chlamydial Infection In Mice, Laxmi Yeruva, S. Pouncey, Michael R. Eledge, Sudeepa Bhattacharya, Chunqiao Luo, Erin W. Weatherford, David M. Ojcius, Roger G. Rank

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Not all women infected with chlamydiae develop upper genital tract disease, but the reason(s) for this remains undefined. Host genetics and hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle are possible explanations for variable infection outcomes. It is also possible that disease severity depends on the virulence of the chlamydial inoculum. It is likely that the inoculum contains multiple genetic variants, differing in virulence. If the virulent variants dominate, then the individual is more likely to develop severe disease. Based on our previous studies, we hypothesized that the relative degree of virulence of a chlamydial population dictates the microRNA (miRNA) expression …

Efficacy Of Urtoxazumab (Tma-15 Humanized Monoclonal Antibody Specific For Shiga Toxin 2) Against Post-Diarrheal Neurological Sequelae Caused By Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Infection In The Neonatal Gnotobiotic Piglet Model, Rodney A. Moxley, David H. Francis, Mizuho Tamura, David B. Marx, Kristina Santiago-Mateo, Mojun Zhao

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is the most common cause of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome in human patients, with brain damage and dysfunction the main cause of acute death. We evaluated the efficacy of urtoxazumab (TMA-15, Teijin Pharma Limited), a humanized monoclonal antibody against Shiga toxin (Stx) 2 for the prevention of brain damage, dysfunction, and death in a piglet EHEC infection model. Forty-five neonatal gnotobiotic piglets were inoculated orally with 3 x 10⁹ colony-forming units of EHEC O157:H7 strain EDL933 (Stx1⁺, Stx2⁺) when 22–24 h old. At 24 h post-inoculation, piglets were intraperitoneally …

Β1-Adrenergic Receptor Contains Multiple IaK And IeK Binding Epitopes That Induce T Cell Responses With Varying Degrees Of Autoimmune Myocarditis In A/J Mice, Rakesh H. Basavalingappa, Chandirasegaran Massilamany, Bharathi Krishnan, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Rajkumar A. Rajasekaran, Muhammad Z. Afzal, Jean-Jack Riethoven, Jennifer L. Strande, David J. Steffen, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Myocarditis/dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients can develop autoantibodies to various cardiac antigens and one major antigen is β1-adrenergic receptor (β₁AR). Previous reports indicate that animals immunized with a β₁AR fragment encompassing, 197–222 amino acids for a prolonged period can develop DCM by producing autoantibodies, but existence of T cell epitopes, if any, were unknown. Using A/J mice that are highly susceptible to lymphocytic myocarditis, we have identified β₁AR 171–190, β₁AR 181–200, and β₁AR 211–230 as the major T cell epitopes that bind major histocompatibility complex class II/IA^k or IE^{k …}

The Effect Of Feed Form On Diet Digestibility And Cecal Parameters In Rabbits, Isabella Corsato Alvarenga, Charles Gregory Aldrich, Micah Kohles

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Fifteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to one of 3 dietary treatment groups of 5 animals each and fed pelleted, extruded, or muesli diets in a completely randomized design experiment. Rabbits were placed in individual cages with ad libitum access to water and food for 45 days acclimation followed by 30 days experimental period. Feed intake of rabbits fed pelleted and extruded diets was greater (p < 0.05) than rabbits fed the muesli diet (125.6 and 130.4 vs. 91.9 g/d), but weight change and feed efficiency were not affected by treatment. Diet digestibility among the treatments was inconsistent when comparing results obtained from total fecal collection and AIA (please define) as an internal marker. Rabbits fed extruded and pelleted diets had lower (p < 0.05) cecal pH (6.42 and 6.38 vs. 7.02, respectively), and higher (p < 0.05) production of SCFA (18.5 and 19.0 vs. 11.7 mM, respectively) than those fed muesli. The fermentation products from rabbits fed pelleted and extruded diets had a greater proportion of butyrate and less propionate than rabbits fed muesli. The results of this study indicate that the basal dietary composition had a greater impact on diet utilization and cecal fermentation than food form.

Pathogenesis, Molecular Genetics, And Genomics Of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis, The Etiologic Agent Of Johne’S Disease, Govardhan Rathnaiah, Denise K. Zinniel, John P. Bannantine, Judith R. Stabel, Yrjo T. Grohn, Michael T. Collins, Raul G. Barletta

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiologic agent of Johne’s disease in ruminants causing chronic diarrhea, malnutrition, and muscular wasting. Neonates and young animals are infected primarily by the fecal–oral route. MAP attaches to, translocates via the intestinal mucosa, and is phagocytosed by macrophages. The ensuing host cellular immune response leads to granulomatous enteritis characterized by a thick and corrugated intestinal wall. We review various tissue culture systems, ileal loops, and mice, goats, and cattle used to study MAP pathogenesis. MAP can be detected in clinical samples by microscopy, culturing, PCR, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. There are commercial …

Palynological Investigation Of Mummified Human Remains, Karl Reinhard, Marina Milanello Do Amaral, Nicole Wall

Karl Reinhard Publications

Pollen analysis was applied to a mummified homicide victim in Nebraska, U.S.A., to determine the location of death. A control sample showed the normal ambient pollen in the garage crime scene. Ambient windborne types, common in the air of the region, dominated the control. Internal samples were analyzed from the sacrum, intestine, and diaphragm. Microfossils were recovered from the rehydrated intestine lumen. The intestinal sample was dominated by Brassica (broccoli). The sacrum sample was high in dietary types but with a showing of ambient types. The pollen from the diaphragm was dominated by ambient pollen similar to the control samples. …

Type 2 Immune Responses In The Context Of Helminth Infection, Asthma, Dendritic Cells, And Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cell Function, Sheela Ruby Damle

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 (T_H2) immune responses evolved to respond to helminth parasite infections by the production of T_H2 cytokines, which stimulate anti-helminth immunity. Macrophage migration inhibitor factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine, which is produced by many cell types. We demonstrate that mice deficient in MIF have enhanced clearance of a helminth parasite. MIF deficiency in CD4⁺ T cells was found to be the most important for mediating parasite clearance. We mimicked MIF deficiency by administering an inhibitor of the MIF tautomerase activity, sulforaphane, and this also increased parasite clearance (Section I).

T_H2 immune …

Orientia Tsutsugamushi Secretes Two Ankyrin Repeat-Containing Effectors Via A Type 1 Secretion System To Inhibit Host Nf-Κb Function, Sean M. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Scrub typhus is a potentially fatal infection that threatens one billion persons in the Asia-Pacific region and is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium, Orientia tsutsugamushi. How this organism facilitates its intracellular survival and pathogenesis is poorly understood. Intracellular bacterial pathogens utilize the Type 1 (T1SS) or Type 4 secretion system (T4SS) to translocate ankyrin repeat-containing proteins (Anks) into the host cell to modulate host cell processes. The O. tsutsugamushi genome encodes one of the largest known bacterial Ank libraries as well as Type 1 and Type 4 secretion systems (T1SS and T4SS), which are expressed during infection. In …

A Behavioral And Neuroimmune System Model Of The Effects Of Chronic Low-Level Lead Exposure In Young Male C57bl/6j Mice, Mayra Gisel Flores-Montoya

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chronic low-level lead exposure reduces memory in children however the brain mechanisms mediating these effects are not known. In previous studies we showed that early lead exposure reduced olfactory memory and exploratory behavior in young mice, and reduced microglia cell density in hippocampus/dentate gyrus. The present studies aimed to identify additional behavioral tests that were sensitive to early low-level lead exposure in young mice; and to examine whether microglia upregulated factors known to promote cell migration. Seventy-two C57BL/6J male mice were exposed to 0 ppm (controls), 30 ppm (low-dose), or 430 ppm (high-dose) of lead acetate via dams' milk from …