Virus Diseases Commons^™

Sirt1 And Ifi16 Cooperatively Regulate Hbv Replication Via Epigenetic Modulation And Innate Immune Activation, Zahra Zahid Piracha, Umar Saeed, Neelam Abid, Syed Shahan Gilani, Hafiz Ahmad Bilal Akhtar Chughtai, Areesha Wasti, Muhammad Waseem, Dilber Uzun Ozsahin, Andromeda M. Nauli, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) establishes persistent infection through the formation of a covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) minichromosome, which enables immune evasion and sustained viral replication. While SIRT1, IFI16, and STING are known to modulate antiviral pathways, their cooperative role in regulating HBV transcription and host immunity remains poorly defined.

Methods

We investigated the functional interplay between SIRT1, IFI16, and STING using confocal microscopy, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), gene silencing, and quantitative PCR in HBV-replicating cell models. Interactions with HBV cccDNA and effects on viral transcription and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression were analyzed. Northern blotting and RT-qPCR were used to …

Expert Recommendations To Strengthen Chikungunya Outbreak Surveillance And Reporting For Traveler Health Protection, Daniel C. Payne, Karoun H. Bagamian, Jeffery Goad, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Michael A. Johansson, Moritz U. G. Kraemer, Eyal Leshem, Francesca F. Norman, Alfonso J. Rodríguez-Morales, Henrik Salje, Stephen Thomas, Scott C. Weaver, Lindsey A. Laytner, Rebecca Sturgis, Suzanne K. Scheele, Davidson H. Hamer

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Chikungunya, a debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by chikungunya virus, has surged dramatically in the past two decades. Chikungunya outbreaks can intensify rapidly, with infections posing a significant endemic health burden in tropical/subtropical areas and for travelers. Health professionals require timely and accurate outbreak information to adequately protect travelers and assess chikungunya risk. However, detection is often insufficient in the areas most susceptible to outbreaks, leading to diagnostic and reporting delays. Consequently, travelers are often unaware of increased chikungunya infection risk at their destination. We assessed chikungunya surveillance and reporting resources, and we developed expert recommendations for traveler health protection. Because …

Kshv Vil6 Inhibits Functional B Cell Maturation During De Novo Infection, Wajd Zakir, Jessica M. Osborn, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Despite causative links to lymphoproliferative disorders, little is known about early events governing KSHV infection in B lymphocytes. IL-6 signaling plays a critical role in KSHV-mediated disease, with human IL-6 (hIL6) levels correlating with viral load and disease progression. This dynamic is even more complex due to the coexistence of hIL6 and KSHV-encoded viral IL-6 (vIL6) in these diseases. We hypothesize that hIL6 and vIL6 play critical, separable and collective roles in the early stages of KSHV infection in B cells. In this study, we use our ex vivo model of KSHV infection in human tonsil lymphocytes to investigate the …

The Role Of Peptides In Combatting Hiv Infection: Applications And Insights, Naiera M. Helmy, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Peptide-based inhibitors represent a promising approach for the treatment of HIV-1, offering a range of potential advantages, including specificity, low toxicity, and the ability to target various stages of the viral lifecycle. This review outlines the current state of research on peptide-based anti-HIV therapies, highlighting key advancements and identifying future research directions. Over the past few years, there has been significant progress in developing synthetic peptide-based drugs that target various stages of the viral life cycle, including entry and replication. These approaches aim to create effective anti-HIV therapies. Additionally, peptides have proven valuable in the development of anti-HIV vaccines. In …

A Tale Of Two Bills: Lessons Learned In Expanding Pharmacist-Led Hiv Pre-Exposure And Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, Jennifer M. Cocohoba, Jerika Lam, Maria Lopez, Betty J. Dong

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"In December 2023, JACCP published a content analysis of state legislative bills focused on expanding pharmacist scope of practice to provide human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).¹ All states permit pharmacists to prescribe under a collaborative practice agreement with approximately half of the states granting HIV PrEP and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) authority to prescribe either via legislation, standing orders, or statewide protocols.^2-4 New York was the first state to expand pharmacists' specific authority for HIV prevention in 2017; however, California was the first state to pass legislation with Senate Bill 159 …

Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Emergency Department Visits For Opioid Use Disorder Across University Of California Health Centers, Matthew Heshmatipour, Ding Quan Ng, Emily Yi-Wen Truong, Jianwei Zheng, Alexandre Chan, Yun Wang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has had a devastating impact on mental health and access to addiction treatment in the United States, including in California, which resulted in the highest rates of emergency department visits (ED) for opioid poisoning in 2020. As California slowly returns to pre-pandemic normalcy, it remains uncertain whether the rates of opioid-related events have slowed down over time. We hypothesized that the number of opioid-related ED visits were exacerbated after the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue at a high rate in the present.

Methods: In this analysis we searched the University of California (UC) Health …

At A Crossroads: The Crucial Role Of Pharmacists In Healthcare Teams To End The Hiv Epidemic, Jerika Lam, Jennifer M. Cocohoba

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Therapeutic advances in treatment and prevention have slowed the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, yet the virus and complications related to it still claim an alarming 630,000 lives globally every year.^1,2 The United States’ goals for the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative include reducing new infections by 90% by the year 2030 and advancing health equity through key treatment and prevention initiatives.³ Multiple agencies, professions, and patient groups are working diligently to achieve the EHE goals. Pharmacists have long recognized that our profession is a key resource in ending the HIV epidemic. We demonstrate this in the …

Impact Of A Pharmacist-Led Hcv Treatment Program At A Federally Qualified Health Center, Jerika T. Lam, Sharon Xavioer

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Pharmacists are key players who can help to eliminate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic in the United States. This pilot retrospective study evaluated the impact of a pharmacist-led HCV treatment program in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) primary care clinic setting. The primary outcome was to assess sustained virologic response (SVR) rates 12 weeks after patients were initiated and completed their oral direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment regimens. Methods: This pilot retrospective study included historical analyses of patients who received DAA treatment in the pharmacist-led HCV treatment program in a FQHC clinic between 1 January 2019 and 31 …

Broad-Spectrum Activity Of Membranolytic Cationic Macrocyclic Peptides Against Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria And Fungi, Sandeep Lohan, Anastasia G. Konshina, Rakesh K. Tiwari, Roman G. Efremov, Innokentiy Maslennikov, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains causes severe problems in the treatment of microbial infections owing to limited treatment options. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are drawing considerable attention as promising antibiotic alternative candidates to combat MDR bacterial and fungal infections. Herein, we present a series of small amphiphilic membrane-active cyclic peptides composed, in part, of various nongenetically encoded hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids. Notably, lead cyclic peptides 3b and 4b showed broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant Gram-positive (MIC = 1.5–6.2 µg/mL) and Gram-negative (MIC = 12.5–25 µg/mL) bacteria, and fungi (MIC = 3.1–12.5 µg/mL). Furthermore, lead peptides displayed substantial antibiofilm action comparable …

Positive Changes In Safety Perception Among Blacks With Hiv And Comorbidities: Assessment Of Social Determinants Of Health During Covid‑19, Marc Fleming, Deidra Lee, Chukwuezugo Oranu, Jon C. Schommer, Jennifer M. Cocohoba, Jennifer Cooper, Crystal K. Hodge, Saharnaz Nedjat, Kathleen Borgmann

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on social determinants of health (SDOH) among Blacks with HIV and a comorbid diagnosis of hypertension or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

This was a longitudinal survey study. The inclusion criteria were adults ≥ 18 years and the presence of hypertension and/or diabetes, along with a positive HIV diagnosis. This study enrolled patients in the HIV clinics and chain specialty pharmacies in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area. A survey of ten questions examining SDOH was conducted before, during, and after the lockdown. A proportional odds mixed effects …

The Effectiveness Of Pay-It-Forward In Addressing Hpv Vaccine Delay And Increasing Uptake Among 15–18-Year-Old Adolescent Girls Compared To User-Paid Vaccination: A Study Protocol For A Two-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial In China, Yifan Li, Chuanyu Qin, Shengyue Qiu, Yu He, Linchuan Pang, Xiaolan Xu, Vivian Wan-Cheong Yim, Shenglan Tang, Heng Du, Wenfeng Gong, Fan Yang, Joseph D. Tucker, Weiming Tang, Yun Wang, Leesa Lin, Mark Jit, Wei Song, Chunrong Li, Jennifer Smith, Jing Li, Dan Wu

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination could prevent cervical and other HPV-associated cancers attributable to vaccine-associated HPV types. However, HPV vaccination coverage among women aged 9–18 years old is low in China. Common barriers include poor financial affordability, minimal public engagement, and low confidence in domestically produced HPV vaccines. Pay-it-forward offers an individual a free or subsidized service then an opportunity to voluntarily donate and/or create a postcard message to support future people. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of pay-it-forward as compared to standard-of-care self-paid vaccination to improve HPV vaccine uptake among adolescent girls aged 15–18 years, who are …

Il-21 Signaling Promotes The Establishment Of Kshv Infection In Human Tonsil Lymphocytes By Increasing Differentiation And Targeting Of Plasma Cells, Nedaa Alomari, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Factors influencing Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) transmission and the early stages of KSHV infection in the human immune system remain poorly characterized. KSHV is known to extensively manipulate the host immune system and the cytokine milieu, and cytokines are known to influence the progression of KSHV-associated diseases. Our previous work identified the early targeting of plasma cells for KSHV infection. In this study, we examine whether IL-21, a cytokine known to profoundly influence plasma cell fate, influences the early stages of KSHV infection in B lymphocytes.

Methods: Using our unique model of ex vivo KSHV infection in tonsil lymphocytes, …

Host-Level Susceptibility And Irf1 Expression Influence The Ability Of Ifn-Γ To Inhibit Kshv Infection In B Lymphocytes, Nedaa Alomari, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is associated with vascular endothelial cell tumor, Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and lymphoproliferative disorder, multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS). Dysregulation of proinflammatory cytokines is found in most KSHV associated diseases. However, little is known about the role of host microenvironment in the regulation of KSHV establishment in B cells. In the present study, we demonstrated that IFN-γ has a strong inhibitory effect on KSHV infection but only in a subset of tonsil-derived lymphocyte samples that are intrinsically more susceptible to infection, contain higher proportions of naïve B cells, …

Nanotherapeutics And Hiv: Four Decades Of Infection Canvass The Quest For Drug Development Using Nanomedical Technologies, Bhupender S. Chhikara, Nirpendra Singh, Poonam, Parveen Bazard, Rajender S. Varma, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

We have seen four decades of human struggle to cure or eradicate HIV infection since the first clinical detection of HIV infection. Various developed drugs such as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), protease inhibitors, integrase inhibitors, microbicides, and others have known restrictions, such as side effects and resistance development when used alone, and hidden reservoir of the virus, which have opened the gates for the involvement of nanomedicine associated systems, particularly for latent sites of HIV infection. The nanotechnological vehicles, such as liposomes, dendrimers, metal nanoparticles, polymeric nanocapsules/particles, surfactants, and targeted vehicles have become part …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Anti-Hiv Activity Of Mono- And Di-Substituted Phosphonamidate Conjugates Of Tenofovir, Aaminat Qureshi, Louise A. Ouattara, Naglaa Salem El-Sayed, Amita Verma, Gustavo F. Doncel, Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Hina Siddiqui, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The activity of nucleoside and nucleotide analogs as antiviral agents requires phosphorylation by endogenous enzymes. Phosphate-substituted analogs have low bioavailability due to the presence of ionizable negatively-charged groups. To circumvent these limitations, several prodrug approaches have been proposed. Herein, we hypothesized that the conjugation or combination of the lipophilic amide bond with nucleotide-based tenofovir (TFV) (1) could improve the anti-HIV activity. During the current study, the hydroxyl group of phosphonates in TFV was conjugated with the amino group of L-alanine, L-leucine, L-valine, and glycine amino acids and other long fatty ester hydrocarbon chains to synthesize 43 derivatives. Several …

Development Of A Bamlanivimab Infusion Process In The Emergency Department For Outpatient Covid-19 Patients, Danny Pham, Sandy Wong, Christina T. Nguyen, Stephen C. Lee, Kimberly J. Won

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted the creation of new therapies to help fight against the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Bamlanivimab is a SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody that is administered as an intravenous infusion to ambulatory patients with mild or moderate COVID-19, but a concern that arose was deciding the optimal location for patients to receive the medication. This report describes the development and implementation of a bamlanivimab infusion center in the emergency department of three hospitals in Orange County, California, shortly after bamlanivimab received emergency use authorization. As a result, a total of 601 …

Suppression Of Dc-Sign And Gh Reveals Complex, Subset-Specific Mechanisms For Kshv Entry In Primary B Lymphocytes, Nancy Palmerin, Farizeh Aalam, Romina Nabiee, Murali Muniraju, Javier Gordon Ogembo, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of multiple cancers in immunocompromised patients including two lymphoproliferative disorders associated with KSHV infection of B lymphocytes. Despite many years of research into the pathogenesis of KSHV associated diseases, basic questions related to KSHV molecular virology remain unresolved. One such unresolved question is the cellular receptors and viral glycoproteins needed for KSHV entry into primary B lymphocytes. In this study, we assess the contributions of KSHV glycoprotein H (gH) and the cellular receptor DC-SIGN to KSHV infection in tonsil-derived B lymphocytes. Our results show that (1) neither KSHV-gH nor DC-SIGN are essential …

Molecular Virology Of Kshv In The Lymphocyte Compartment—Insights From Patient Samples And De Novo Infection Models, Farizeh Aalam, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The incidence of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-associated Kaposi Sarcoma has declined precipitously in the present era of effective HIV treatment. However, KSHV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders although rare, have not seen a similar decline. Lymphoma is now a leading cause of death in people living with HIV (PLWH), indicating that the immune reconstitution provided by antiretroviral therapy is not sufficient to fully correct the lymphomagenic immune dysregulation perpetrated by HIV infection. As such, novel insights into the mechanisms of KSHV-mediated pathogenesis in the immune compartment are urgently needed in order to develop novel therapeutics aimed at prevention and treatment of KSHV-associated lymphoproliferations. …

An Update Of The Virion Proteome Of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, Ramina Nabiee, Basir Syed, Jesus Ramirez Castano, Rukhsana Lalani, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The virion proteins of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) were initially characterized in 2005 in two separate studies that combined the detection of 24 viral proteins and a few cellular components via LC-MS/MS or MALDI-TOF. Despite considerable advances in the sensitivity and specificity of mass spectrometry instrumentation in recent years, leading to significantly higher yields in detections, the KSHV virion proteome has not been revisited. In this study, we have re-examined the protein composition of purified KSHV virions via ultra-high resolution Qq time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHR-QqTOF). Our results confirm the detection of all previously reported virion proteins, in addition to 17 …

Analysis Of Kshv B Lymphocyte Lineage Tropism In Human Tonsil Reveals Efficient Infection Of Cd138+ Plasma Cells, Farizeh Aalam, Ramina Nabiee, Jesus Ramirez Castano, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Despite 25 years of research, the basic virology of Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesviruses (KSHV) in B lymphocytes remains poorly understood. This study seeks to fill critical gaps in our understanding by characterizing the B lymphocyte lineage-specific tropism of KSHV. Here, we use lymphocytes derived from 40 human tonsil specimens to determine the B lymphocyte lineages targeted by KSHV early during de novo infection in our ex vivo model system. We characterize the immunological diversity of our tonsil specimens and determine that overall susceptibility of tonsil lymphocytes to KSHV infection varies substantially between donors. We demonstrate that a variety of B lymphocyte …

Cytokine-Targeted Therapeutics For Kshv-Associated Disease, Nedaa Alomari, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), is linked to several human malignancies including Kaposi sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD) and recently KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS). As with other diseases that have a significant inflammatory component, current therapy for KSHV-associated disease is associated with significant off-target effects. However, recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of KSHV have produced new insight into the use of cytokines as potential therapeutic targets. Better understanding of the role of cytokines during KSHV infection and tumorigenesis may lead to new preventive or therapeutic …

Understanding Covid-19: From Origin To Potential Therapeutics, Muhammad Moazzam, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Hamza Shahid, Jahanzaib Butt, Irfan Bashir, Muhammad Jamshaid, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Currently, a global pandemic era of public health concerns is going on with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first case of COVID-19 was reported from Wuhan’s Huanan seafood market in China late December 2019. Bats, pangolins, and snakes have been nominated as salient carriers of the virus. Thanks to its high pathogenicity, it can cause severe respiratory infections. Fever, dry cough, sore throat, pneumonia, septic shock, and ground-glass opacities are the foremost clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Immunocompromised patients are at high risk for COVID-19 infection and may lead to …

Prospects For Rnai Therapy Of Covid-19, Hasan Uludağ, Kylie Parent, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Azita Haddadi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a fast emerging disease with deadly consequences. The pulmonary system and lungs in particular are most prone to damage caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection, which leaves a destructive footprint in the lung tissue, making it incapable of conducting its respiratory functions and resulting in severe acute respiratory disease and loss of life. There were no drug treatments or vaccines approved for SARS-CoV-2 at the onset of pandemic, necessitating an urgent need to develop effective therapeutics. To this end, the innate RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism can be employed to develop front line therapies against …

Comparative Antiviral Activity Of Remdesivir And Anti-Hiv Nucleoside Analogs Against Human Coronavirus 229e (Hcov-229e), Keykavous Parang, Naglaa Salem El-Sayed, Assad J. Kazeminy, Rakesh Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Remdesivir is a nucleotide prodrug that is currently undergoing extensive clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19. The prodrug is metabolized to its active triphosphate form and interferes with the action of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-COV-2. Herein, we report the antiviral activity of remdesivir against human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) compared to known anti-HIV agents. These agents included tenofovir (TFV), 4′-ethynyl-2-fluoro-2′-deoxyadenosine (EFdA), alovudine (FLT), lamivudine (3TC), and emtricitabine (FTC), known as nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and a number of 5′-O-fatty acylated anti-HIV nucleoside conjugates. The anti-HIV nucleosides interfere with HIV RNA-dependent DNA polymerase and/or act as chain terminators. …

A Multivalent Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Like Particle Vaccine Capable Of Eliciting High Titers Of Neutralizing Antibodies In Immunized Rabbits, David H. Mulama, Lorraine Z. Mustvunguma, Jennifer Totonchy, Peng Ye, Joslyn Foley, Gabriela M. Escalante, Esther Rodriguez, Ramina Nabiee, Murali Muniraju, Felix Wussow, Anne K. Barasa, Javier Gordon Ogembo

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an emerging pathogen and the causative agent of multiple cancers in immunocompromised patients. To date, there is no licensed prophylactic KSHV vaccine. In this study, we generated a novel subunit vaccine that incorporates four key KSHV envelope glycoproteins required for viral entry in diverse cell types (gpK8.1, gB, and gH/gL) into a single multivalent KSHV-like particle (KSHV-LP). Purified KSHV-LPs were similar in size, shape, and morphology to KSHV virions. Vaccination of rabbits with adjuvanted KSHV-LPs generated strong glycoprotein-specific antibody responses, and purified immunoglobulins from KSHV-LP-immunized rabbits neutralized KSHV infection in epithelial, endothelial, fibroblast, and B …

Shingrix Revaccination And Vaccination In Vulnerable Populations, Laressa Bethishou, Luma Munjy, John Andraos

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a painful cutaneous eruption that develops following the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.¹ About 1 in 3 people in the United States will develop shingles, with an estimated 1 million cases occurring annually. Anyone with a history of chickenpox is at risk for shingles, but the risk increases with age and in patients who are immunocompromised.²"

Src Family Kinase Inhibitors Block Translation Of Alphavirus Subgenomic Mrnas, Rebecca Broeckel, Sanjay Sarkar, Nicholas A. May, Jennifer Totonchy, Craig N. Kreklywich, Patricia Smith, Lee Graves, Victor R. Defilippis, Mark T. Heise, Thomas E. Morrison, Nathaniel Moorman, Daniel N. Streblow

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Alphaviruses are arthropod-transmitted RNA viruses that can cause arthralgia, myalgia, and encephalitis in humans. Since the role of cellular kinases in alphavirus replication is unknown, we profiled kinetic changes in host kinase abundance and phosphorylation following chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection of fibroblasts. Based upon the results of this study, we treated CHIKV-infected cells with kinase inhibitors targeting the Src family kinase (SFK)–phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)–AKT–mTORC signaling pathways. Treatment of cells with SFK inhibitors blocked the replication of CHIKV as well as multiple other alphaviruses, including Mayaro virus, O’nyong-nyong virus, Ross River virus, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Dissecting the effect of …

Kshv Induces Immunoglobulin Rearrangements In Mature B Lymphocytes, Jennifer Totonchy, Jessica M. Osborn, Amy Chadburn, Ramina Nabiee, Lissenya Argueta, Geoffrey Mikita, Ethel Cesarman

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) is a B cell tropic human pathogen, which is present in vivo in monotypic immunoglobulin λ (Igλ) light chain but polyclonal B cells. In the current study, we use cell sorting to infect specific B cell lineages from human tonsil specimens in order to examine the immunophenotypic alterations associated with KSHV infection. We describe IL-6 dependent maturation of naïve B lymphocytes in response to KSHV infection and determine that the Igλ monotypic bias of KSHV infection in vivo is due to viral induction of BCR revision. Infection of immunoglobulin κ (Igκ) naïve B cells induces expression …

Pneumonia Vaccines: Current Recommendations And Advocacy Opportunities, Laressa Bethishou

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Despite the demonstrated efficacy of these vaccines, only 66.9% of adults over age 65 years have ever received a pneumonia vaccine. Given the consequences of acquiring pneumonia, there is both a need and an opportunity to improve vaccination rates. The pharmacist can play a valuable role in identifying high-risk patients, providing education on benefits and risks, and advocating for pneumonia vaccination when indicated."

Reducing Medication Errors In Pneumonia Patients During Transitions Of Care, Laressa Bethishou, Noah Fang, Lisa Shieh

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: At Stanford Health Care, as part of a hospital-wide initiative to reduce pneumonia readmission rates, an interdisciplinary collaborative effort was created between physicians and transitions of care (ToC) pharmacists to optimize discharge planning and medication management for pneumonia patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of the ToC pharmacist in identifying and reducing medication errors on discharge for pneumonia patients.

Methodology: Retrospective chart review was conducted on patients discharged with a pneumonia diagnosis between December 2015 to Feb 2016. Patients were stratified based on whether they received ToC pharmacist medication review vs. standard …