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Thomas Jefferson University

2013

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Articles 1 - 30 of 42

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Defects In Synapse Structure And Function Precede Motor Neuron Degeneration In Drosophila Models Of Fus-Related Als., Mohammad Shahidullah, Sylvain J Le Marchand, Hong Fei, Jiaming Zhang, Udai Bhan Pandey, Matthew B. Dalva, Piera Pasinelli, Irwin B. Levitan Dec 2013

Defects In Synapse Structure And Function Precede Motor Neuron Degeneration In Drosophila Models Of Fus-Related Als., Mohammad Shahidullah, Sylvain J Le Marchand, Hong Fei, Jiaming Zhang, Udai Bhan Pandey, Matthew B. Dalva, Piera Pasinelli, Irwin B. Levitan

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that leads invariably to fatal paralysis associated with motor neuron degeneration and muscular atrophy. One gene associated with ALS encodes the DNA/RNA-binding protein Fused in Sarcoma (FUS). There now exist two Drosophila models of ALS. In one, human FUS with ALS-causing mutations is expressed in fly motor neurons; in the other, the gene cabeza (caz), the fly homolog of FUS, is ablated. These FUS-ALS flies exhibit larval locomotor defects indicative of neuromuscular dysfunction and early death. The locus and site of initiation of this neuromuscular dysfunction remain unclear. We show here …


Review Of Cerebral Aneurysm Formation, Growth, And Rupture., Nohra Chalouhi, Md, Brian L Hoh, David Hasan Dec 2013

Review Of Cerebral Aneurysm Formation, Growth, And Rupture., Nohra Chalouhi, Md, Brian L Hoh, David Hasan

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.


Intestinal Gucy2c Prevents Tgf-Β Secretion Coordinating Desmoplasia And Hyperproliferation In Colorectal Cancer., Ahmara V Gibbons, Jieru Egeria Lin, Gilbert Won Kim, Glen P Marszalowicz, Peng Li, Brian Arthur Stoecker, Erik S Blomain, Satish Rattan, Adam E. Snook, Stephanie Schulz, Scott A Waldman Nov 2013

Intestinal Gucy2c Prevents Tgf-Β Secretion Coordinating Desmoplasia And Hyperproliferation In Colorectal Cancer., Ahmara V Gibbons, Jieru Egeria Lin, Gilbert Won Kim, Glen P Marszalowicz, Peng Li, Brian Arthur Stoecker, Erik S Blomain, Satish Rattan, Adam E. Snook, Stephanie Schulz, Scott A Waldman

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Tumorigenesis is a multistep process that reflects intimate reciprocal interactions between epithelia and underlying stroma. However, tumor-initiating mechanisms coordinating transformation of both epithelial and stromal components are not defined. In humans and mice, initiation of colorectal cancer is universally associated with loss of guanylin and uroguanylin, the endogenous ligands for the tumor suppressor guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C), disrupting a network of homeostatic mechanisms along the crypt-surface axis. Here, we reveal that silencing GUCY2C in human colon cancer cells increases Akt-dependent TGF-β secretion, activating fibroblasts through TGF-β type I receptors and Smad3 phosphorylation. In turn, activating TGF-β signaling induces fibroblasts to …


Healthcare-Associated Infections-Is Targeting Zero A Global Reality?, Mary Lou Manning Phd, Crnp, Cic, Faan, Denise Murphy Rn, Mph, Cic, Faan Oct 2013

Healthcare-Associated Infections-Is Targeting Zero A Global Reality?, Mary Lou Manning Phd, Crnp, Cic, Faan, Denise Murphy Rn, Mph, Cic, Faan

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.


Generating Hypotheses About Care Needs Of High Utilizers: Lessons From Patient Interviews., Dawn B Mautner, Hauchie Pang, Jeffrey C Brenner, Judy A Shea, Kennen S Gross, Rosemary Frasso, Carolyn C Cannuscio Oct 2013

Generating Hypotheses About Care Needs Of High Utilizers: Lessons From Patient Interviews., Dawn B Mautner, Hauchie Pang, Jeffrey C Brenner, Judy A Shea, Kennen S Gross, Rosemary Frasso, Carolyn C Cannuscio

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Informed by a largely secondary and quantitative literature, efforts to improve care and outcomes for complex patients with high levels of emergency and hospital-based health care utilization have offered mixed results. This qualitative study identifies psychosocial factors and life experiences described by these patients that may be important to their care needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 patients of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers' Care Management Team. Investigators coded transcripts using a priori and inductively-derived codes, then identified 3 key themes: (1) Early-life instability and traumas, including parental loss, unstable or violent relationships, and transiency, informed many participants' …


Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I Regulates Cellular Cholesterol Metabolism And Cell Signaling Associated With Breast Cancer Development., Christiane Danilo, Jorge L Gutierrez-Pajares, Maria Antonietta Mainieri, Isabelle Mercier, Michael P. Lisanti, Philippe G. Frank Sep 2013

Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I Regulates Cellular Cholesterol Metabolism And Cell Signaling Associated With Breast Cancer Development., Christiane Danilo, Jorge L Gutierrez-Pajares, Maria Antonietta Mainieri, Isabelle Mercier, Michael P. Lisanti, Philippe G. Frank

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have identified cholesterol as an important regulator of breast cancer development. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and its cellular receptor, scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) have both been implicated in the regulation of cellular cholesterol homeostasis, but their functions in cancer remain to be established.

METHODS: In the present study, we have examined the role of HDL and SR-BI in the regulation of cellular signaling pathways in breast cancer cell lines and in the development of tumor in a mouse xenograft model.

RESULTS: Our data show that HDL is capable of stimulating migration and can activate signal …


Conservation Of Structure And Mechanism By Trm5 Enzymes., Thomas Christian, Howard Gamper, Ya-Ming Hou Sep 2013

Conservation Of Structure And Mechanism By Trm5 Enzymes., Thomas Christian, Howard Gamper, Ya-Ming Hou

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Enzymes of the Trm5 family catalyze methyl transfer from S-adenosyl methionine (AdoMet) to the N¹ of G37 to synthesize m¹ G37-tRNA as a critical determinant to prevent ribosome frameshift errors. Trm5 is specific to eukaryotes and archaea, and it is unrelated in evolution from the bacterial counterpart TrmD, which is a leading anti-bacterial target. The successful targeting of TrmD requires detailed information on Trm5 to avoid cross-species inhibition. However, most information on Trm5 is derived from studies of the archaeal enzyme Methanococcus jannaschii (MjTrm5), whereas little information is available for eukaryotic enzymes. Here we use human Trm5 (Homo sapiens; HsTrm5) …


Regulation Of Cell Death By Transfer Rna., Ya-Ming Hou, Xiaolu Yang Aug 2013

Regulation Of Cell Death By Transfer Rna., Ya-Ming Hou, Xiaolu Yang

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

SIGNIFICANCE: Both transfer RNA (tRNA) and cytochrome c are essential molecules for the survival of cells. tRNA decodes mRNA codons into amino-acid-building blocks in protein in all organisms, whereas cytochrome c functions in the electron transport chain that powers ATP synthesis in mitochondrion-containing eukaryotes. Additionally, in vertebrates, cytochrome c that is released from mitochondria is a potent inducer of apoptosis, activating apoptotic proteins (caspases) in the cytoplasm to dismantle cells. A better understanding of both tRNA and cytochrome c is essential for an insight into the regulation of cell life and death.

RECENT ADVANCES: A recent study showed that the …


Beginner's Guide To Colorectal Cancer Research, Kayla M. Walker Aug 2013

Beginner's Guide To Colorectal Cancer Research, Kayla M. Walker

Summer Training Program in Cancer Immunotherapy

Introduction

For a while now obesity has been a health care concern for people all over the world. In the many years that obesity research has been conducted, various things have been taken into consideration including diet, exercise and medical history. In relatively recent years, researchers have expanded their definition of physical activity levels to include both the amounts of occupational physical activity and leisure time activity that a person partakes in.

The 2002 census occupation system assigned a 4 digit Metabolic equivalent (MET) to 509 separate occupations. These codes are particularly helpful for statistics agencies that need to collect …


Prophylactic Vs. Therapeutic: Dna Vaccine To Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Using Molecular Marker Guanylyl Cyclase-C, Anmol Khurana, Msii Aug 2013

Prophylactic Vs. Therapeutic: Dna Vaccine To Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Using Molecular Marker Guanylyl Cyclase-C, Anmol Khurana, Msii

Summer Training Program in Cancer Immunotherapy

The role of heat-stable enterotoxin receptor guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) is well known for its aberrant chloride conductance in the intestinal epithelium in response to bacterial infection. Recently, its use as a molecular marker to detect metastatic colon cancer has grown, as has its use as oral hormone therapy for tumor suppression. This study investigates the preliminary stages of a DNA dendritic cell-based vaccine development specific to targeting guanylyl cyclase in systemic tissues. Construction of the plasmid as well as its transduction to Class I MHC molecules in antigen-presenting dendritic cells is examined. Future exploration includes a comparative assessment of …


Unraveling The Mechanism Of 2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-Associated Cell Death, Franklin Thelmo Aug 2013

Unraveling The Mechanism Of 2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-Associated Cell Death, Franklin Thelmo

Summer Training Program in Cancer Immunotherapy

The mechanism by which the hapten 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) mediates cell death is unclear according to current literature. To determine how DNP mediates death in the B16F10 murine melanoma cell line in vitro, cells were modified with 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene (DNFB). Following modification, cell lysates were collected and analyzed via Western blottings with known apoptotic or necrotic markers. Our results indicated that DNFB treated cells do not express the apoptotic marker Cleaved Caspase-3 and have no change in levels of the necrotic marker Cyclophilin A. We conclude that DNFB is not inducing apoptosis in B16F10 cells. Future research will further examine the …


The Conception Of Gcc- Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptors, Raven Smith-Parris Aug 2013

The Conception Of Gcc- Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptors, Raven Smith-Parris

Summer Training Program in Cancer Immunotherapy

Colorectal Cancer is an aggressive disease that claims the lives of both men and women every year. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. The overwhelming mortality rate it amasses begs for the discovery of alternative forms of treatment. The nature of cancer requires immunotherapeutic approach that is tumor specific in nature. Adoptive T-cell therapy is an alternative that satisfies these conditions. Guanylyl Cyclase C is a receptor found on the luminal side of the gut that is tissue-specific for the intestinal epithelium. Further, its expression is maintained throughout colorectal tumorigenesis making in an excellent …


Poor Positive Predictive Value Of Mcconnell’S Sign On Transthoracic Echocardiography For The Diagnosis Of Acute Pulmonary Embolism, Urvashi Vaid, Md, Ms, Esme Singer, Md, Gregary D. Marhefka, Md, Walter K. Kraft, Md, Michael Baram, Md, Fccm Aug 2013

Poor Positive Predictive Value Of Mcconnell’S Sign On Transthoracic Echocardiography For The Diagnosis Of Acute Pulmonary Embolism, Urvashi Vaid, Md, Ms, Esme Singer, Md, Gregary D. Marhefka, Md, Walter K. Kraft, Md, Michael Baram, Md, Fccm

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Abstract: Background: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition. Making a definitive diagnosis with radiologic studies may delay therapy or be unsafe for the patient. Echocardiography is readily available and can suggest PE by demonstrating right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. McConnell’s sign on echocardiogram (ECHO-CG) (RV dysfunction with characteristic sparing of the apex) has been reported to have high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of acute PE. It is hypothesized that McConnell’s sign on ECHO-CG in patients hospitalized with suspected acute PE would have a high positive predictive value (PPV).

Methods: Data, from 2005 to 2010, were retrospectively collected …


Expression Of C-Fos In Hilar Mossy Cells Of The Dentate Gyrus In Vivo., Aine M Duffy, Michael J Schaner, Jeannie Chin, Helen E Scharfman Aug 2013

Expression Of C-Fos In Hilar Mossy Cells Of The Dentate Gyrus In Vivo., Aine M Duffy, Michael J Schaner, Jeannie Chin, Helen E Scharfman

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Granule cells (GCs) of the dentate gyrus (DG) are considered to be quiescent--they rarely fire action potentials. In contrast, the other glutamatergic cell type in the DG, hilar mossy cells (MCs) often have a high level of spontaneous activity based on recordings in hippocampal slices. MCs project to GCs, so activity in MCs could play an important role in activating GCs. Therefore, we investigated whether MCs were active under basal conditions in vivo, using the immediate early gene c-fos as a tool. We hypothesized that MCs would exhibit c-fos expression even if rats were examined randomly, under normal housing conditions. …


Hippocampal Functional Connectivity Patterns During Spatial Working Memory Differ In Right Versus Left Temporal Lobe Epilepsy., Gaelle Eve Doucet, Karol Osipowicz, Ashwini Sharan Md, Michael R Sperling, Joseph I Tracy Aug 2013

Hippocampal Functional Connectivity Patterns During Spatial Working Memory Differ In Right Versus Left Temporal Lobe Epilepsy., Gaelle Eve Doucet, Karol Osipowicz, Ashwini Sharan Md, Michael R Sperling, Joseph I Tracy

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), affecting the medial temporal lobe, is a disorder that affects not just episodic memory but also working memory (WM). However, the exact nature of hippocampal-related network activity in visuospatial WM remains unclear. To clarify this, we utilized a functional connectivity (FC) methodology to investigate hippocampal network involvement during the encoding phase of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) visuospatial WM task in right and left TLE patients. Specifically, we assessed the relation between FC within right and left hippocampus-seeded networks, and patient performance (rate of correct responses) during the encoding phase of a block span WM …


A Preliminary Report Of Percutaneous Craniofacial Osteoplasty In A Rat Calvarium, William J. Parkes, Md, Jewel Greywoode, Md, Brian J. O'Hara, Md, Ryan N. Heffelfinger, Md, Howard Krein, Md, Phd Jun 2013

A Preliminary Report Of Percutaneous Craniofacial Osteoplasty In A Rat Calvarium, William J. Parkes, Md, Jewel Greywoode, Md, Brian J. O'Hara, Md, Ryan N. Heffelfinger, Md, Howard Krein, Md, Phd

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Presentations and Grand Rounds

Objective: To evaluate the potential for injectable, permanent bone augmentation by assessing the biocompatibility and bioactivity of subperiosteal hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) deposition in a rat model.

Methods: Fourteen adult Sprague Dawley rats were injected in the parietal skull with hydroxylapatite (n=10) or a carrier gel control (n=4), using a subperiosteal injection technique on the right and a subcutaneous injection technique on the left. At 1, 3, and 6 months, 3 rats (1 negative control, 2 variables) were sacrificed. At 12 months, the remaining 5 rats were sacrificed. After each harvest, the calvaria were examined under both light and polarized microscopy.

Results: …


Micu1 Controls Both The Threshold And Cooperative Activation Of The Mitochondrial Ca(2+) Uniporter., György Csordás, Tünde Golenár, Erin L Seifert, Kimberli J Kamer, Yasemin Sancak, Fabiana Perocchi, Cynthia Moffat, David Weaver, Sergio De La Fuente Perez, Roman Bogorad, Victor Koteliansky, Jeffrey Adijanto, Vamsi K Mootha, György Hajnóczky Jun 2013

Micu1 Controls Both The Threshold And Cooperative Activation Of The Mitochondrial Ca(2+) Uniporter., György Csordás, Tünde Golenár, Erin L Seifert, Kimberli J Kamer, Yasemin Sancak, Fabiana Perocchi, Cynthia Moffat, David Weaver, Sergio De La Fuente Perez, Roman Bogorad, Victor Koteliansky, Jeffrey Adijanto, Vamsi K Mootha, György Hajnóczky

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake via the uniporter is central to cell metabolism, signaling, and survival. Recent studies identified MCU as the uniporter's likely pore and MICU1, an EF-hand protein, as its critical regulator. How this complex decodes dynamic cytoplasmic [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)]c) signals, to tune out small [Ca(2+)]c increases yet permit pulse transmission, remains unknown. We report that loss of MICU1 in mouse liver and cultured cells causes mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation during small [Ca(2+)]c elevations but an attenuated response to agonist-induced [Ca(2+)]c pulses. The latter reflects loss of positive cooperativity, likely via the EF-hands. MICU1 faces the intermembrane space and responds to …


New Jersey Vaccine Mandates: The Confluence Of Regulations, Rights, And Religion, Drew Harris Dpm, Mph Jun 2013

New Jersey Vaccine Mandates: The Confluence Of Regulations, Rights, And Religion, Drew Harris Dpm, Mph

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.


Exploring Volatile General Anesthetic Binding To A Closed Membrane-Bound Bacterial Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Via Computation., S G Raju, Annika F Barber, David N Lebard, Michael L Klein, Vincenzo Carnevale Jun 2013

Exploring Volatile General Anesthetic Binding To A Closed Membrane-Bound Bacterial Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Via Computation., S G Raju, Annika F Barber, David N Lebard, Michael L Klein, Vincenzo Carnevale

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Despite the clinical ubiquity of anesthesia, the molecular basis of anesthetic action is poorly understood. Amongst the many molecular targets proposed to contribute to anesthetic effects, the voltage gated sodium channels (VGSCs) should also be considered relevant, as they have been shown to be sensitive to all general anesthetics tested thus far. However, binding sites for VGSCs have not been identified. Moreover, the mechanism of inhibition is still largely unknown. The recently reported atomic structures of several members of the bacterial VGSC family offer the opportunity to shed light on the mechanism of action of anesthetics on these important ion …


A Th1 Immune Response Efficiently Clears Rabies Virus From The Cns In The Absence Of Inflammation, Aurore Lebrun, Rhonda Kean, Jianwei Li, Douglas Craig Hooper Jun 2013

A Th1 Immune Response Efficiently Clears Rabies Virus From The Cns In The Absence Of Inflammation, Aurore Lebrun, Rhonda Kean, Jianwei Li, Douglas Craig Hooper

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Little is known about CD4+ T cell entry into the central nervous system (CNS) in the absence of inflammation. Attenuated rabies viruses (RABV) are unique tools to study this process, as they spread from the site of inoculation to the CNS trans-axonally, without compromising the blood-brain barrier. Previous studies with live-attenuated RABV showed that CD4+ T cell entry into the CNS is associated with an increase in IFN-g mRNA in the brain and the production of IgG2a antibodies in the periphery, indicating a bias towards TH1 immunity. To further investigate the nature of the CD4+ T cells involved in the …


Competition For Antigen Selects T Cell Responses That Undergo Memory Inflation And Maintains Clonal Dominance During Mcmv Infection, Holly Turula, Lila A. Farrington, Corinne Smith, Ann B. Hill, Christopher M Snyder May 2013

Competition For Antigen Selects T Cell Responses That Undergo Memory Inflation And Maintains Clonal Dominance During Mcmv Infection, Holly Turula, Lila A. Farrington, Corinne Smith, Ann B. Hill, Christopher M Snyder

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) establishes a life-long, persistent/latent infection. Continuous immune surveillance by CMV-specific CD8+ T cells results in their accumulation over time, a process called “memory inflation”. These “inflationary” T cells migrate systemically and comprise the largest T cell populations in humans, making CMV-based vaccines attractive. Why T cells specific for only some CMV-derived epitopes undergo inflation is unclear. We found previously that recombinant murine (M)CMV expressing the SIINFEKL peptide only induced inflation of SIINFEKL-specific T cells, in contrast to wild-type MCMV infection. We show here that:

  • Co-infecting mice with viruses expressing and lacking SIINFEKL enabled T cells with multiple specificities …


Competition For Antigen At The Level Of The Apc Is A Major Determinant Of Immunodominance During Memory Inflation In Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection., Lila A Farrington, Tameka A Smith, Finn Grey, Ann B Hill, Christopher M. Snyder Apr 2013

Competition For Antigen At The Level Of The Apc Is A Major Determinant Of Immunodominance During Memory Inflation In Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection., Lila A Farrington, Tameka A Smith, Finn Grey, Ann B Hill, Christopher M. Snyder

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The unique ability of CMV to drive the expansion of virus-specific T cell populations during the course of a lifelong, persistent infection has generated interest in the virus as a potential vaccine strategy. When designing CMV-based vaccine vectors to direct immune responses against HIV or tumor Ags, it becomes important to understand how and why certain CMV-specific populations are chosen to inflate over time. To investigate this, we designed recombinant murine CMVs (MCMVs) encoding a SIINFEKL-enhanced GFP fusion protein under the control of endogenous immediate early promoters. When mice were infected with these viruses, T cells specific for the SIINFEKL …


Serotonergic Innervation And Serotonin Receptor Expression Of Npy-Producing Neurons In The Rat Lateral And Basolateral Amygdaloid Nuclei., M Bonn, A Schmitt, K-P Lesch, E J Van Bockstaele, E Asan Mar 2013

Serotonergic Innervation And Serotonin Receptor Expression Of Npy-Producing Neurons In The Rat Lateral And Basolateral Amygdaloid Nuclei., M Bonn, A Schmitt, K-P Lesch, E J Van Bockstaele, E Asan

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Pharmacobehavioral studies in experimental animals, and imaging studies in humans, indicate that serotonergic transmission in the amygdala plays a key role in emotional processing, especially for anxiety-related stimuli. The lateral and basolateral amygdaloid nuclei receive a dense serotonergic innervation in all species studied to date. We investigated interrelations between serotonergic afferents and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-producing neurons, which are a subpopulation of inhibitory interneurons in the rat lateral and basolateral nuclei with particularly strong anxiolytic properties. Dual light microscopic immunolabeling showed numerous appositions of serotonergic afferents on NPY-immunoreactive somata. Using electron microscopy, direct membrane appositions and synaptic contacts between serotonin-containing axon …


Rhob Controls Coordination Of Adult Angiogenesis And Lymphangiogenesis Following Injury By Regulating Vezf1-Mediated Transcription., Damien Gerald, Irit Adini, Sharon Shechter, Carole Perruzzi, Joseph Varnau, Benjamin Hopkins, Shiva Kazerounian, Peter Kurschat, Stephanie Blachon, Santosh Khedkar, Mandrita Bagchi, David Sherris, George C Prendergast, Michael Klagsbrun, Heidi Stuhlmann, Alan C Rigby, Janice A Nagy, Laura E Benjamin Jan 2013

Rhob Controls Coordination Of Adult Angiogenesis And Lymphangiogenesis Following Injury By Regulating Vezf1-Mediated Transcription., Damien Gerald, Irit Adini, Sharon Shechter, Carole Perruzzi, Joseph Varnau, Benjamin Hopkins, Shiva Kazerounian, Peter Kurschat, Stephanie Blachon, Santosh Khedkar, Mandrita Bagchi, David Sherris, George C Prendergast, Michael Klagsbrun, Heidi Stuhlmann, Alan C Rigby, Janice A Nagy, Laura E Benjamin

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Mechanisms governing the distinct temporal dynamics that characterize post-natal angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis elicited by cutaneous wounds and inflammation remain unclear. RhoB, a stress-induced small GTPase, modulates cellular responses to growth factors, genotoxic stress and neoplastic transformation. Here we show, using RhoB null mice, that loss of RhoB decreases pathological angiogenesis in the ischaemic retina and reduces angiogenesis in response to cutaneous wounding, but enhances lymphangiogenesis following both dermal wounding and inflammatory challenge. We link these unique and opposing roles of RhoB in blood versus lymphatic vasculatures to the RhoB-mediated differential regulation of sprouting and proliferation in primary human blood versus …


Possible Steps Of Complete Disassembly Of Post-Termination Complex By Yeast Eef3 Deduced From Inhibition By Translocation Inhibitors., Shinya Kurata, Ben Shen, Jun O Liu, Nono Takeuchi, Akira Kaji, Hideko Kaji Jan 2013

Possible Steps Of Complete Disassembly Of Post-Termination Complex By Yeast Eef3 Deduced From Inhibition By Translocation Inhibitors., Shinya Kurata, Ben Shen, Jun O Liu, Nono Takeuchi, Akira Kaji, Hideko Kaji

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Ribosomes, after one round of translation, must be recycled so that the next round of translation can occur. Complete disassembly of post-termination ribosomal complex (PoTC) in yeast for the recycling consists of three reactions: release of tRNA, release of mRNA and splitting of ribosomes, catalyzed by eukaryotic elongation factor 3 (eEF3) and ATP. Here, we show that translocation inhibitors cycloheximide and lactimidomycin inhibited all three reactions. Cycloheximide is a non-competitive inhibitor of both eEF3 and ATP. The inhibition was observed regardless of the way PoTC was prepared with either release factors or puromycin. Paromomycin not only inhibited all three reactions …


Dynein And Dynactin Leverage Their Bivalent Character To Form A High-Affinity Interaction., Amanda E Siglin, Shangjin Sun, Jeffrey K Moore, Sarah Tan, Martin Poenie, James D Lear, Tatyana Polenova, John A Cooper, John C Williams Jan 2013

Dynein And Dynactin Leverage Their Bivalent Character To Form A High-Affinity Interaction., Amanda E Siglin, Shangjin Sun, Jeffrey K Moore, Sarah Tan, Martin Poenie, James D Lear, Tatyana Polenova, John A Cooper, John C Williams

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Cytoplasmic dynein and dynactin participate in retrograde transport of organelles, checkpoint signaling and cell division. The principal subunits that mediate this interaction are the dynein intermediate chain (IC) and the dynactin p150(Glued); however, the interface and mechanism that regulates this interaction remains poorly defined. Herein, we use multiple methods to show the N-terminus of mammalian dynein IC, residues 10-44, is sufficient for binding p150(Glued). Consistent with this mapping, monoclonal antibodies that antagonize the dynein-dynactin interaction also bind to this region of the IC. Furthermore, double and triple alanine point mutations spanning residues 6 to 19 in the yeast IC homolog, …


Investigating The Role For Il-21 In Rabies Virus Vaccine-Induced Immunity., Corin L Dorfmeier, Evgeni P Tzvetkov, Anthony Gatt, James P Mcgettigan Jan 2013

Investigating The Role For Il-21 In Rabies Virus Vaccine-Induced Immunity., Corin L Dorfmeier, Evgeni P Tzvetkov, Anthony Gatt, James P Mcgettigan

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Over two-thirds of the world's population lives in regions where rabies is endemic, resulting in over 15 million people receiving multi-dose post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and over 55,000 deaths per year globally. A major goal in rabies virus (RABV) research is to develop a single-dose PEP that would simplify vaccination protocols, reduce costs associated with RABV prevention, and save lives. Protection against RABV infections requires virus neutralizing antibodies; however, factors influencing the development of protective RABV-specific B cell responses remain to be elucidated. Here we used a mouse model of IL-21 receptor-deficiency (IL-21R-/-) to characterize the role for IL-21 in RABV …


Isolated Laryngeal Leishmaniasis In Immunocompetent Patients: An Underdiagnosed Disease., Salvatore Cocuzza, Alessio Strazzulla, Marilia Rita Pinzone, Stefano Cosentino, Agostino Serra, Rosario Caltabiano, Salvatore Lanzafame, Bruno Cacopardo, Giuseppe Nunnari Jan 2013

Isolated Laryngeal Leishmaniasis In Immunocompetent Patients: An Underdiagnosed Disease., Salvatore Cocuzza, Alessio Strazzulla, Marilia Rita Pinzone, Stefano Cosentino, Agostino Serra, Rosario Caltabiano, Salvatore Lanzafame, Bruno Cacopardo, Giuseppe Nunnari

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

We describe a case of isolated primary laryngeal leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent Italian patient with a previous medical history negative for visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis, presenting with hoarseness. We also summarize the epidemiological, clinical, and diagnostic features and the therapeutic management of other cases of laryngeal leishmaniasis in immunocompetent subjects, described in the literature. Considering the insidious and nonspecific clinical presentation, the increasing number of different forms of mild or underestimated immunosuppressive conditions, and the number of people travelling in endemic zones, along with the ability of Leishmania amastigotes to survive for a long period in the body, we believe …


Toward A Network Model Of Mhc Class Ii-Restricted Antigen Processing., Michael A Miller, Asha Purnima V Ganesan, Laurence C. Eisenlohr Jan 2013

Toward A Network Model Of Mhc Class Ii-Restricted Antigen Processing., Michael A Miller, Asha Purnima V Ganesan, Laurence C. Eisenlohr

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The standard model of Major Histocompatibility Complex class II (MHCII)-restricted antigen processing depicts a straightforward, linear pathway: internalized antigens are converted into peptides that load in a chaperone dependent manner onto nascent MHCII in the late endosome, the complexes subsequently trafficking to the cell surface for recognition by CD4(+) T cells (TCD4+). Several variations on this theme, both moderate and radical, have come to light but these alternatives have remained peripheral, the conventional pathway generally presumed to be the primary driver of TCD4+ responses. Here we continue to press for the conceptual repositioning of these alternatives toward the center while …


Comparison Of Heterologous Prime-Boost Strategies Against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag Using Negative Stranded Rna Viruses., Tessa M Lawrence, Celestine N Wanjalla, Emily A Gomme, Christoph Wirblich, Anthony Gatt, Elena Carnero, Adolfo García-Sastre, Douglas S Lyles, James P Mcgettigan, Matthias J Schnell Jan 2013

Comparison Of Heterologous Prime-Boost Strategies Against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag Using Negative Stranded Rna Viruses., Tessa M Lawrence, Celestine N Wanjalla, Emily A Gomme, Christoph Wirblich, Anthony Gatt, Elena Carnero, Adolfo García-Sastre, Douglas S Lyles, James P Mcgettigan, Matthias J Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

This study analyzed a heterologous prime-boost vaccine approach against HIV-1 using three different antigenically unrelated negative-stranded viruses (NSV) expressing HIV-1 Gag as vaccine vectors: rabies virus (RABV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV). We hypothesized that this approach would result in more robust cellular immune responses than those achieved with the use of any of the vaccines alone in a homologous prime-boost regimen. To this end, we primed BALB/c mice with each of the NSV-based vectors. Primed mice were rested for thirty-five days after which we administered a second immunization with the same or heterologous NSV-Gag viruses. …