Biological Factors Commons^™

Long-Term Safety And Comparative Efficacy Of Il-17 Inhibitors In Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis, Alyssa L. Sepulveda, Yolanda V. Gutierrez, Ronald A. Shaju

Research Symposium

Background:
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the axial skeleton, characterized by spinal stiffness, sacroiliitis, and potential vertebral fusion. While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are first-line treatments, IL-17 inhibitors, such as secukinumab and ixekizumab, are used in patients with inadequate response or contraindications to TNF inhibitors. These targeted therapies address IL-17’s role in driving inflammation and structural damage in AS.

Methods:
A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Science Direct, and Cochrane to identify studies published between 2000 and 2025. Keywords included “Ankylosing spondylitis” and “IL-17 inhibitors” and “efficacy.” Inclusion criteria …

Immunogenetic Studies In Patients With Gad-Positive Stiff-Person Syndrome Reveal Novel Lymphocytic Genes And Klk10 -Gene Variants, Popianna Tsiortou, Harry Alexopoulos, Konstantinos Kyriakidis, Michalis Kosmidis, Chrysanthi Barba, Sofia Akrivou, Ioannis Michalopoulos, Panagiotis Politis, Marinos Dalakas

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify genetic markers and immunologic characteristics of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody-positive patients with stiff-person syndrome (SPS).

METHODS: We conducted systemic immunogenetic studies in 11 GAD-positive patients: 8 with sporadic SPS and 3 from a three-generation family with very high GAD-ab titers but diverse symptomatology (one with GAD-epilepsy and SPS and 2 only with diabetes), by performing complete immunologic profile and whole-exome sequencing analysis.

RESULTS: Two genes expressed in immune and neuronal tissues were identified: the ORAI1 that codes for a calcium release–activated channel protein with a role in the …

The Application And Innovation Of Casgevy On Sickle Cell Disease, Emily Tackett, Le Thien Truc Pham, Hannah Salamie, Arin Wade, Allison Provenzale, Alexander Defranco, Ashley Jacob, Brianna Lu, Joshua Honaker, Amy Stockert

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Casgevy, sickle cell anemia, SCA, sickle cell disease, SCD, CRISPR/Cas9, hydroxyurea, hemoglobin, Hb, l-glutamine, voxelotor, Crizanlizumab, Lyfgenia, stem cells, genetics, pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics

Development And Validation Of Risk Stratification For Heart Failure After Acute Coronary Syndrome Based On Dynamic S100a8/A9 Levels, Jie Ma, Ke Ma, Jing Chen, Xinying Yang, Fei Gao, Hai Gao, Hui Zhang, Xin-Liang Ma, Jie Du, Ping Li, Yulin Li

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The early assessment of heart failure (HF) risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can help reduce mortality. S100A8/A9 is not only rapidly released after myocardial ischemia, but is also involved in reperfusion injury, which is an important predictor of HF after ACS. We attempted to construct a reliable HF risk stratification tool for evaluating patients with ACS after reperfusion therapy based on S100A8/A9 dynamic changes.

METHODS AND RESULTS: This prospective study included 3 independent cohorts of patients with ACS who received reperfusion therapy. The discovery cohort was divided into 2 subgroups: the longitudinal subgroup (n=264) with serum …

Il-1Β In Neoplastic Disease And The Role Of Its Tumor-Derived Form In The Progression And Treatment Of Metastatic Prostate Cancer, Yetunde Oyende, Luke Taus, Alessandro Fatatis

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Since its discovery, IL-1β has taken center stage as a key mediator of a very broad spectrum of diseases revolving around immuno-mediated and inflammatory events. Predictably, the pleiotropic nature of this cytokine in human pathology has led to the development of targeted therapeutics with multiple treatment indications in the clinic. Following the accumulated findings of IL-1β's central modulatory role in the immune system and the implication of inflammatory pathways in cancer, the use of IL-1β antagonists was first proposed and then also pursued for oncology disorders. However, this approach has consistently relied on the perceived need of interfering with IL-1β …

The Complexity And Significance Of Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) Signaling For Fgf-Targeted Cancer Therapies, Anh Nguyen, Caroline Facey, Bruce Boman

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have diverse functions in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation in development, tissue maintenance, wound repair, and angiogenesis. The goal of this review paper is to (i) deliberate on the role of FGFs and FGF receptors (FGFRs) in different cancers, (ii) present advances in FGF-targeted cancer therapies, and (iii) explore cell signaling mechanisms that explain how FGF expression becomes dysregulated during cancer development. FGF is often mutated and overexpressed in cancer and the different FGF and FGFR isoforms have unique expression patterns and distinct roles in different cancers. Among the FGF members, the FGF 15/19 …

5-Fluorouracil Induced Oxidative Stress Is Variable Across Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Rachel L. Walker

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with treatment limited to chemotherapy. However, not all patient tumors respond to chemotherapy. The variable cytotoxic effects of chemotherapies may be due to how cancer cells regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we examined two mouse breast cancer cell lines: 4T1 and EO771, vary when treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), known ROS-inducing substances. In 4T1 cells H2O2 increased oxidized DNA but caused minimal cell death. While in EO771 cells that same amount of H2O2 caused complete apoptosis. Cell number, ROS, and cell death showed …

Review Of The Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, And Treatment Of Naegleria Fowleri-Induced Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, Terrance Zhang

MCB Articles

Naegleria fowleri is a thermophilic, ubiquitous, free-living amoeba, but is also known as the “brain-eating” amoeba. This is the etiological agent of a rare and fulminant waterborne disease known as Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) that is acutely fatal in 90-99% of reported cases. Those who come into contact with infested waters are at risk of introducing the amoeba into their upper nasal canal, whence the trophozoite form is known to migrate along the olfactory nerve, through the cribriform plate, and enter the central nervous system. Although the exact pathogenesis of N. fowleri is not known, studies have demonstrated contact-dependent and …

Plasma Proteome Alterations Of Laying Hens Subjected To Heat Stress And Fed A Diet Supplemented With Pequi Oil (Caryocar Brasiliense Camb.): New Insights In The Identification Of Heat Stress Biomarkers, Joyce Da Silva, Luane Andrade, Paola Rodrigues, Laís Cordeiro, Gabrieli Lima, Júlia Lopes, Elis Castillo, Renata Martins, Andrey Assunção, José Vieira, Marília Busalaf, Jiri Adamec, José Sartori, Pedro Padilha

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Heat stress can disrupt the balance between the heat poultry release into the environment and the heat they generate. Pequi oil has antioxidant properties, which may mitigate the heat stress effects. This study aimed to investigate the response of laying hens to pequi oil supplementation under heat stress using a proteomic approach. A total of 96 Lohmann White laying hens with 26 weeks old were housed in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. They were housed in two climate chambers, thermal comfort temperature ± 24.04 °C with the relative humidity ± 66.35 and heat stress …

Evaluation Of Sirtuin 1 As A Predictor Of Cardiovascular Outcomes In Diabetic Patients With Limb-Threatening Ischemia, Federico Biscetti, Maria Margherita Rando, Maria Anna Nicolazzi, Enrica Rossini, Michele Santoro, Flavia Angelini, Roberto Iezzi, Luis H. Eraso, Paul J. Dimuzio, Dario Pitocco, Massimo Massetti, Antonio Gasbarrini, Andrea Flex

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) significantly increases the risk of major adverse limb events (MALE) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after lower extremity revascularization (LER). This study aims to identify novel biomarkers that help to further reduce the risk of postoperative cardiovascular complications. In this prospective, nonrandomized, observational study, baseline serum levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were assessed in 147 diabetic patients scheduled for LER due to CLTI, and participants were followed for the occurrence of MALE and MACE over 12 months. Fifty-three patients experienced MALE, and 33 experienced MACE within the follow-up period. Lower baseline SIRT1 levels were significantly …

High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin [Hs-Ctn] As A Valuable Biomarker For Pulmonary Hypertension Risk Stratification: A Contemporary Review Of The Literature, Vijay Durga Pradeep Ganipineni, Sahas Reddy Jitta, Mohan Chandra Vinay Bharadwaj Gudiwada, Jaswanth Rao Jasti, Chaitra Janga, Bhavyasri Merugu, Revanth Reddy Bandaru, Srikanth Puli, Vikramaditya Samala Venkata, Advait Vasavada, Rupak Desai

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can lead to cardiac failure, thereby signif- icantly affecting life expectancy and quality of life. Due to inadequate disease surveillance and risk assessment, clinical challenges persist despite advances in diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to review the potential of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) as a biomarker for predicting outcomes in PH patients. Methods: A thorough examination of the PubMed and Google Scholar databases was conducted through March 2023. Studies involving adult PH patients and hsTn as a prognostic indicator of outcomes such as mortality, hospitalization, and disease progression were included, after screening their titles and abstracts. …

Transcription And Post-Translational Mechanisms: Dual Regulation Of Adiponectin-Mediated Occludin Expression In Diabetes, Yanru Duan, Demin Liu, Huahui Yu, Shihan Zhang, Yihua Xia, Zhiyong Du, Yanwen Qin, Yajing Wang, Xin-Liang Ma, Huirong Liu, Yunhui Du

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Occludin, a crucial component of tight junctions, has emerged as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of acute ischemic disease, highlighting its significant potential in clinical applications. In the diabetes, Occludin serves as a downstream target gene intricately regulated by the adiponectin (APN) signaling pathway. However, the specific mechanism by which adiponectin regulates Occludin expression remains unclear.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Endothelial-specific Ocln knockdown reduced APN-mediated blood flow recovery after femoral artery ligation and nullified APN's protection against high-fat diet (HFD)-triggered apoptosis and angiogenesis inhibition in vivo. Mechanically, we have meticulously elucidated APN's regulatory role in Occludin expression through a …

Cd8Α Structural Domains Enhance Gucy2c Car-T Cell Efficacy, Trevor R. Baybutt, Ariana A. Entezari, Adi Caspi, Ross E. Staudt, Robert D. Carlson, Scott A. Waldman, Adam E. Snook

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Despite success in treating some hematological malignancies, CAR-T cells have not yet produced similar outcomes in solid tumors due, in part, to the tumor microenvironment, poor persistence, and a paucity of suitable target antigens. Importantly, the impact of the CAR components on these challenges remains focused on the intracellular signaling and antigen-binding domains. In contrast, the flexible hinge and transmembrane domains have been commoditized and are the least studied components of the CAR. Here, we compared the hinge and transmembrane domains derived from either the CD8ɑ or CD28 molecule in identical GUCY2C-targeted third-generation designs for colorectal cancer. While these structural …

Keratin 17 Is A Prognostic And Predictive Biomarker In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Lyanne Delgado-Coka, Lucia Roa-Peña, Sruthi Babu, Michael Horowitz, Emanuel Petricoin, Lynn Matrisian, Edik Blais, Natalia Marchenko, Felicia Allard, Ali Akalin, Wei Jiang, Md, Phd, Brent Larson, Andrew Hendifar, Vincent Picozzi, Minsig Choi, Kenneth Shroyer, Luisa Escobar-Hoyos

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: To determine the role of keratin 17 (K17) as a predictive biomarker for response to chemotherapy by defining thresholds of K17 expression based on immunohistochemical tests that could be used to optimize therapeutic intervention for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

METHODS: We profiled K17 expression, a hallmark of the basal molecular subtype of PDAC, by immunohistochemistry in 2 cohorts of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded PDACs (n = 305). We determined a K17 threshold of expression to optimize prognostic stratification according to the lowest Akaike information criterion and explored the potential relationship between K17 and chemoresistance by multivariate predictive analyses.

RESULTS: …

Exploiting The Heavy Chain Glycans For The Improvement Of Radioimmunoconjugates, Cindy Rodriguez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Radiolabeled antibodies have become indispensable tools in nuclear medicine. However, the natural roles of antibodies within the immune system mean that they have several intrinsic limitations as a platform for radiopharmaceuticals. A handful of recent preclinical studies suggest that binding by FcR and particularly FcyRI can affect the pharmacokinetic profiles of 89Zr-labeled radioimmunoconjugates. Fc receptors (FcR) are responsible for many of the interactions between immunoglobulins (IgG) and immune cells. In biomedicine, this interplay is critical to the activity of several types of immunotherapeutics; however, relatively little is known about how FcRs affect the in vivo performance of radiolabeled antibodies. Antibodies …

Genome-Wide Methylation Patterns In Primary Uveal Melanoma: Development Of Methylsig-Um, An Epigenomic Prognostic Signature To Improve Patient Stratification, Emilie Lalonde, Dong Li, Kathryn Ewens, Carol L. Shields, Arupa Ganguly

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Despite studies highlighting the prognostic utility of DNA methylation in primary uveal melanoma (pUM), it has not been translated into a clinically useful tool. We sought to define a methylation signature to identify newly diagnosed individuals at high risk for developing metastasis. Methylation profiling was performed on 41 patients with pUM with stage T2-T4 and at least three years of follow-up using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip (N = 24) and the EPIC BeadChip (N = 17). Findings were validated in the TCGA cohort with known metastatic outcome (N = 69). Differentially methylated probes were identified in patients who developed …

Conformational Alterations Of The Cell Surface Of Monomeric And Dimeric Β2m-Free Hla-I (Proto-Hla) May Enable Novel Immune Functions In Health And Disease, Mepur Ravindranath, Narendranath Ravindranath, Carly Amato-Menker, Fatiha El Hilali, Edward Filippone

Division of Nephrology Faculty Papers

Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) are polymorphic glycoproteins expressed on the cell surface of nucleated cells and consist of two classes, HLA class I and HLA class II. In contrast, in mice, these molecules, known as H-2, are expressed on both nucleated cells and erythrocytes. HLA-I molecules (Face-1) are heterodimers consisting of a polypeptide heavy chain (HC) and a light chain, B2-microglobulin (B2m). The heterodimers bind to antigenic peptides and present them to the T-cell receptors of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The HCs can also independently emerge on the cell surface as B2m-free HC monomers without peptides (Face-2). Early investigators suggested …

Interleukin 24 Induces Apoptosis Through Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Beta Inactivation In Prostate Cancer Cells, Sual J. Lopez, Moira Sauane

Theses and Dissertations

Interleukin 24 (IL-24) is a tumor-suppressing protein currently in clinical trials. IL-24 induces cancer-specific apoptosis by activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondria dysfunction. We have previously demonstrated that IL-24 leads to apoptosis in cancer cells by protein kinase A (PKA) activation in human breast cancer cells. To further understand the mechanism by which IL-24 induces apoptosis, I analyzed the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3), a highly conserved and normally active serine/threonine kinase in cancer cells and downstream target of PKA. The work reported here provides direct evidence that GSK3 was inhibited following IL-24 treatment in human prostate cancer …

Cryotherapy In The Field Of Endodontics: A Literature Review, Amena Al Bast, Roula S. Abiad

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Cryotherapy is a recent approach in the field of endodontics. It is a remedy that subject tissue to low temperature. Low temperature induces vasoconstriction limiting inflammation, pain and edema and analgesia by reducing the nerve conduction velocity. The aim of this review is to point out the different and recent clinical applications of cryotherapy in the field of endodontics and to describe its physiology and its effect regarding postoperative pain and inflammation. A literature search from PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and EBSCO databases and other resources using specific keywords results in articles to determine the effect of applying cryotherapy in the …

Cutaneous Wound Healing And The Effects Of Cannabidiol, Pearl Shah, Kathryne Holmes, Fairouz Chibane, Phillip Wang, Pablo Chagas, Evila Salles, Melanie Jones, Patrick Palines, Mohamad Masoumy, Babak Baban, Jack Yu

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Cutaneous wounds, both acute and chronic, begin with loss of the integrity, and thus barrier function, of the skin. Surgery and trauma produce acute wounds. There are 22 million surgical procedures per year in the United States alone, based on data from the American College of Surgeons, resulting in a prevalence of 6.67%. Acute traumatic wounds requiring repair total 8 million per year, 2.42% or 24.2 per 1000. The cost of wound care is increasing; it approached USD 100 billion for just Medicare in 2018. This burden for wound care will continue to rise with population aging, the increase in …

Soluble Antimicrobial Peptide (Amp) Screening To Rationally Design Amp-Hydrogels That Selectively Prevent Biofilm Formation, Matthias Recktenwald, Muskanjot Kaur, Mohammed M. Benmassaoud, Aryanna Copling, Tulika Khanna, Michael Curry, Denise Cortes, Gilbert Fleischer, Valerie J. Carabetta, Sebastián L. Vega

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that lives on surfaces and skin and can cause serious infections once inside the body. While antibiotics effectively kill bacteria, there are a growing number of infections with antibiotic-resistant strains. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are part of the innate immune system and can eliminate pathogens including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and are a promising alternative to antibiotics. Although studies have reported that AMP-functionalized hydrogels can prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, these materials generally consist of one AMP at an arbitrary concentration, and AMP dosing and the combined effects of multiple AMPs are not well …

Insulin Signal Transduction Mediates Ethanol-Induced Feeding Dysfunction In A Fly Model Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Manae Matsubara

McNair Research Journal SJSU

No abstract provided.

The Complex Protein Analysis Of Purified Extracellular Vesicles In The Study Of Colorectal Cancer, Renee Boone, Cecilia Osthoff

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Proteomics, the study of complex protein mixtures in which liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is used to analyze peptide sequences, is commonly utilized to study the double membrane, cell-derived vesicles known as exosomes. Exosomes are double membrane, cell-derived vesicles that contain cell components such as DNA, lipids, and proteins. They function to transport proteins and cellular materials between cells and are involved in the progression and metastasis of cancer. The impact of these extracellular vesicles on cancer spread can be analyzed using proteomics, through the purification of the proteins isolated from the vesicles. The purpose of our research is to analyze …

Novel Engineering Approaches For Orthopedic Injury Treatment And Infection Diagnosis, Cynthia Co

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Bioengineering has made significant contributions to the treatment of orthopedic injury through interdisciplinary approaches. Central to these advancements are many orthopedic implants, including anchors and joint replacements, which have been designed to restore mobility. Despite their functional efficacy, these products have limited lifespan and are associated with many complications, such as implant-associated infection. The success of implant design and function, both in the short and long term, is paramount for enhancing patient outcomes and overall well-being. Therefore, my thesis work is dedicated to addressing these critical challenges, aiming to maximize their treatment effect while minimizing the implant-associated complications.

Long-term patient …

Developing Cellular Systems To Elucidate Rna Structural Dynamics Of Cag Expansion Transcripts In Spinocerebellar Ataxias, Victoria Demeo

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a diverse group of over 40 genetically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, many of which are caused by a trinucleotide CAG repeat expansion in the coding region of specific genes. These expansions lead to the production of polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts that interfere with normal protein function, triggering cellular dysfunction and contributing to disease pathogenesis. The most well-known of these SCAs, such as SCA1, SCA2, and SCA3, exhibit progressive neurodegeneration, yet the precise mechanisms through which these mutations cause disease remain poorly understood.

A significant challenge in studying CAG repeat expansion disorders lies in the complexity of the disease …

Quantum Dots' Toxicity: A Multi-Level Investigation On The Impact Of Quantum Dots On The Actin Cytoskeleton, Nhi Le

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Quantum dots (QDs) are fluorescence nanomaterials with unique optical and physical properties. As such, they are highly sought after for their potential use in several biomedical and industrial applications. Despite their vast potential, recent studies have suggested that quantum dots are toxic to cells. Yet, the mechanism of quantum dots’ toxicity remains unclear. As such, my thesis aims to comprehensively examine the mechanism of quantum dots’ toxicity, emphasizing how quantum dots disrupt the actin cytoskeleton. In this study, I used RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry to investigate the influence of CdSe/ZnS QDs on the transcriptomic proteomic level of Saccharomyces cerevisiae …

Environmental Exposures And Aging., Daniel Chris Gomes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, research into air pollution has shown that exposure to certain components in air pollution, primarily PM2.5 can accelerate biological aging and thereby lead to increased susceptibility to multiple diseases. We hypothesize that prolonged exposure to air pollutants can result in premature aging leading to extensive tissue dysfunction and susceptibility to diseases. To examine this, we exposed mice to PM2.5 for 9, 15, and 21 days, then measured the telomere lengths, cellular senescence, and histone methylation patterns of multiple cell types. We found consistently increased telomere attrition, cellular senescence and advanced age-consistent histone methylation patterns in groups exposed …

Design Of An Fgf-1-Fgf-2 Heterodimer Variant With Enhanced Stability And Cell Proliferation Activity, Nicholas Alan Pohlman

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

The FGF-1 subfamily, composed of FGF-1 and FGF-2, assists in broad health-related processes such as cell proliferation and angiogenesis respectively.^1,2 The subfamily shows promising signs as a therapeutic, however, the inherent thermal instability leads to a low half-life in vivo.³ To assist in improving the stability, FGF-1 and FGF-2 were connected via a 12-residue glycine linker ultimately producing a heterodimer. This heterodimer was further examined to discover its novel properties. Inspiration for this project was drawn from previous research which performed five mutations on FGF-1 ultimately improving stability in the protein complex. In addition to these five …

Anti-Inflammatory And Antioxidant Effects Of Sea Urchin Spine Extract, Dina Magdy El Gamal

The Undergraduate Research Journal

Diadema savignyi spine extract in an experimental setup using L929 cell line in vitro. The cell metabolic activity of L929 cells is tested through an MTT assay. The sea urchin spine extract is applied to the cells in two concentrations: 100 μg/ml (136% viability) and 200 μg/ml (95% viability). The bioactive components of the sea urchin spine are identified via GC-MS, and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are evaluated using catalase assay (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) tests. Results show that the GC-MS identified bioactive components including the anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant bisabolol oxide and the pro-inflammatory oleic acid. …

Comparative Polar And Lipid Plasma Metabolomics Differentiate Kshv Infection And Disease States, Sara R. Privatt, Camila Pereira Braga, Alicia Johnson, Salum J. Lidenge, Luke Berry, John R. Ngowi, Owen Ngalamika, Andrew G. Chapple, Julius Mwaiselage, Charles Wood, John T. West, Jiri Adamec

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a neoplastic disease etiologically associated with infection by the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). KS manifests primarily as cutaneous lesions in individuals due to either age (classical KS), HIV infection (epidemic KS), or tissue rejection preventatives in transplantation (iatrogenic KS) but can also occur in individuals, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), lacking any obvious immune suppression (endemic KS). The high endemicity of KSHV and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) co-infection in Africa results in KS being one of the top 5 cancers there. As with most viral cancers, infection with KSHV alone is insufficient to induce tumorigenesis. …