Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity Commons^™

Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer

University Scholar Projects

Somatic mutations may drive tumorigenesis or lead to new, immunogenic epitopes (neoantigens). The immune system is thought to represses neoplastic growths through the recognition of neoantigens presented only by tumor cells. To study mutations as well as the immune response to mutation-generated antigens, we have created a conditional knockin mouse line with a gene encoding, 5’ to 3’, yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), ovalbumin (which is processed to the immunologically recognizable peptide, SIINFEKL), and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), or, YFP-ovalbumin-CFP. A frame shift mutation has been created at the 5’ end of the ovalbumin gene, hence YFP should always be expressed, …

Antioxidant Gene Therapy Against Neuronal Cell Death, Juliana Navarro-Yepes, Laura Zavala-Flores, Anandhan Annadurai, Fang Wang, Maciej Skotak, Namas Chandra, Ming Li, Aglaia Pappa, Daniel Martinez-Fong, Luz Maria Del Razo, Betzabet Quintanilla-Vega, Rodrigo Franco

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Oxidative stress is a common hallmark of neuronal cell death associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, as well as brain stroke/ischemia and traumatic brain injury. Increased accumulation of reactive species of both oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) has been implicated inmitochondrial dysfunction, energy impairment, alterations in metal homeostasis and accumulation of aggregated proteins observed in neurodegenerative disorders, which lead to the activation/modulation of cell death mechanisms that include apoptotic, necrotic and autophagic pathways. Thus, the design of novel antioxidant strategies to selectively target oxidative stress and redox imbalance might represent important therapeutic approaches against neurological disorders. …

Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer

Honors Scholar Theses

Somatic mutations may drive tumorigenesis or lead to new, immunogenic epitopes (neoantigens). The immune system is thought to represses neoplastic growths through the recognition of neoantigens presented only by tumor cells. To study mutations as well as the immune response to mutation-generated antigens, we have created a conditional knockin mouse line with a gene encoding, 5’ to 3’, yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), ovalbumin (which is processed to the immunologically recognizable peptide, SIINFEKL), and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), or, YFP-ovalbumin-CFP. A frame shift mutation has been created at the 5’ end of the ovalbumin gene, hence YFP should always be expressed, …

Cd46-Mediated Transduction Of A Species D Adenovirus Vaccine Improves Mucosal Vaccine Efficacy, Zenaido T. Camacho, Michael A. Barry, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The high levels of preexisting immunity against Adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) have deemed Ad5 unusable for translation as a human vaccine vector. Low seroprevalent alternative viral vectors may be less impacted by preexisting immunity, but they may also have significantly different phenotypes from that of Ad5. In this study we compare species D Ads (26, 28, and 48) to the species C Ad5. In vitro transduction studies show striking differences between the species C and D viruses. Most notably, Ad26 transduced human dendritic cells much more effectively than Ad5. In vivo imaging studies showed strikingly different transgene expression profiles. The …

Heme Oxygenase-1 Induction Improves Cardiac Function Following Myocardial Ischemia By Reducing Oxidative Stress, Yossi Issan, Ran Kornowski, Dan Aravot, Asher Shainberg, Michal Laniado-Schwartzman, Komal Sodhi, Nader G. Abraham, Edith Hochhauser

Internal Medicine

Background

Oxidative stress plays a key role in exacerbating diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a stress response protein, is cytoprotective, but its role in post myocardial infarction (MI) and diabetes is not fully characterized. We aimed to investigate the protection and the mechanisms of HO-1 induction in cardiomyocytes subjected to hypoxia and in diabetic mice subjected to LAD ligation.

Methods

In vitro: cultured cardiomyocytes were treated with cobalt-protoporphyrin (CoPP) and tin protoporphyrin (SnPP) prior to hypoxic stress. In vivo: CoPP treated streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice were subjected to LAD ligation for 2/24 h. Cardiac function, histology, biochemical damage markers …

Deep Rna Sequencing Reveals Hidden Features And Dynamics Of Early Gene Transcription In Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus 1, Guillaume Blanc, Michael Mozar, Irina V. Agarkova, James R. Gurnon, Giane Yanai-Balser, Janet M. Rowe, Yuannan Xia, Jean-Jack Riethoven, David D. Dunigan, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1) is the prototype of the genus Chlorovirus (family Phycodnaviridae) that infects the unicellular, eukaryotic green alga Chlorella variabilis NC64A. The 331-kb PBCV-1 genome contains 416 major open reading frames. A mRNA-seq approach was used to analyze PBCV-1 transcriptomes at 6 progressive times during the first hour of infection. The alignment of 17 million reads to the PBCV-1 genome allowed the construction of single-base transcriptome maps. Significant transcription was detected for a subset of 50 viral genes as soon as 7 min after infection. By 20 min post infection (p.i.), transcripts were detected for …

Vaccines Within Vaccines: The Use Of Adenovirus Types 4 And 7 As Influenza Vaccine Vectors, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Adenovirus Types 4 and 7 (Ad4 and Ad7) are associated with acute respiratory distress (ARD). In order to prevent widespread Ad-associated ARD (Ad-ARD) the United States military immunizes new recruits using a safe and effective lyophilized wildtype Ad4 and Ad7 delivered orally in an enteric-coated capsule. We cloned Ad4 and Ad7 and modified them to express either a GFP-Luciferase (GFPLuc) fusion gene or a centralized influenza H1 hemagglutinin (HA1-con). BALB/c mice were injected with GFPLuc expressing viruses intramuscularly (i.m.) and intranasally (i.n.). Ad4 induced significantly higher luciferase expression levels as compared with Ad7 by both routes. Ad7 transduction was restored …

Inflammation Enhances Il-2 Driven Differentiation Of Cytolytic Cd4 T Cells, Aspen M. Workman, Ashley K. Jacobs, Alexander J. Vogel, Shirley Condon, Deborah M. Brown

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Cytolytic CD4 T cells (CD4 CTL) have been identified in vivo in response to viral infections; however, the factors necessary for driving the cytolytic phenotype have not been fully elucidated. Our previously published work suggests IL-2 may be the master regulator of perforin-mediated cytotoxicity in CD4 effectors. To further dissect the role of IL-2 in CD4 CTL generation, T cell receptor transgenic mice deficient in the ability to produce IL-2 or the high affinity IL-2 receptor (IL-2Rα, CD25) were used. Increasing concentrations of IL-2 were necessary to drive perforin (Prf) expression and maximal cytotoxicity. Granzyme B (GrB) expression and killing …

Chmp1 Negatively Regulates Epidermal Growth Factor Signaling In The Drosophila Wing, Meagan Elisabeth Valentine

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A critical step in cellular signaling through transmembrane receptors is the down-regulation of activated receptors through the multivesicular body (MVB) pathway to the lysosome. MVB generation is mediated by the highly conserved ESCRT (0, I, II, and III) protein complexes. Though the ESCRT-III complex provides the core function of the ESCRT machinery, it is the least characterized of the ESCRT complexes. The Chmp1 protein is an ESCRT-III component and a putative tumor suppressor that has been linked to pancreatic and renal cancers in humans. However, published data on Chmp1 activity are conflicting and its role during tissue development is not …

Identification And Characterization Of Downstream Effector Protein(S) Regulated By P53 And Prb, Miranda B. Carper

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A commonality among cancer types is the high frequency of mutations that inhibit or alter signaling of the p53 and pRb (Retinoblastoma) tumor suppressors. These genes regulate processes vital for cancer suppression such as apoptosis, senescence, and cell cycle arrest among others. Loss of both p53 and pRb promotes processes that support cancer progression and is associated with decreased patient survival and increased rates of tumor reoccurrence. Although data points to the ability of p53 and pRb to collaborate and to inhibit tumorigenesis, it remains unclear how p53 and pRb cooperate toward this task. Using RNA expression profiling, 179 p53 …

The Effects Of Lipoxin A4 (Lxa4) On Neutrophil Biology In Sepsis, Benedict Wu

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

During sepsis, neutrophils are inappropriately activated and have prolonged lifespans, thus becoming dysfunctional. Excessive neutrophil activation can lead to tissue injury while neutrophil dysfunction can lead to decreased free radical production and reduced phagocytosis, preventing the host from clearing preexisting infections. Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) is a specialized pro-resolution mediator which reduces neutrophil migration and expression of proinflammatory mediators. Intact neutrophil functions are critical for the host to efficiently clear invading pathogens. The effects of LXA4 on neutrophil function in sepsis have not been established. Using the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis, LXA4 administered 1 h after sepsis …

High Prevalence Of Early Childhood Infection By Kshv In A Minority Population In China, Yifei Cao, Veenu Minhas, Xiaohua Tan, Jin Huang, Baodong Wang, Meiyi Zhu, Yuan Gao, Tingting Zhao, Lei Yang, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

In China, KSHV seroprevalence varies considerably among different regions and ethnicities. But in Xinjiang province, located in the northwestern China, there is a very high seroprevalence of KSHV in adults of Kazak and Ughur ethnicities. However, KSHV prevalence in children and the risk factors associated with the acquisition of infection are currently not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of KSHV infection, identify associated socio-economic or behavioral risk factors and the humoral immune response among children in this population. This is a cross-sectional study (N=178) to screen children and their caregivers from Xinjiang for total …

Benzyl Isothiocyanate As An Adjuvant Chemotherapy Option For Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Mary Allison Wolf

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are natural phytochemicals produced by cruciferous vegetables. Recent evidence supports that, in addition to cancer prevention, ITCs can use various mechanisms to target malignant cells. Current therapies for cancer often provoke detrimental side effects, however clinical evidence supports that ITCs have little to no side effects in patients. Consequently, ITCs may be a promising treatment option for cancer patients, especially patients suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Despite recent improvements in cancer treatment, overall survival of advanced HNSCC has not improved in the past three decades. Metastasis and chemoresistance represent two detrimental events that greatly …

Global Analysis Of Chlorella Variabilis Nc64a Mrna Profiles During The Early Phase Of Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus-1 Infection, Janet M. Rowe, Adrien Jeanniard, James R. Gurnon, Yuannan Xia, David D. Dunigan, James L. Van Etten, Guillaume Blanc

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The PBCV-1/Chlorella variabilis NC64A system is a model for studies on interactions between viruses and algae. Here we present the first global analyses of algal host transcripts during the early stages of infection, prior to virus replication. During the course of the experiment stretching over 1 hour, about a third of the host genes displayed significant changes in normalized mRNA abundance that either increased or decreased compared to uninfected levels. The population of genes with significant transcriptional changes gradually increased until stabilizing at 40 minutes post infection. Functional categories including cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins, jasmonic acid biosynthesis and anaphase promoting …

Dynamic Attachment Of Chlorovirus Pbcv-1 To Chlorella Variabilis, Irina Agarkova, Brigitte Hertel, Xinzheng Zhang, Les Lane, Alexander Tchourbanov, David D. Dunigan, Gerhard Thiel, Michael G. Rossmann, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Chloroviruses infect their hosts by specifically binding to and degrading the cell wall of their algal hosts at the site of attachment, using an intrinsic digesting enzyme(s). Chlorovirus PBCV-1 stored as a lysate survived longer than virus alone, suggesting virus attachment to cellular debris may be reversible. Ghost cells (algal cells extracted with methanol) were used as a model to study reversibility of PBCV-1 attachment because ghost cells are as susceptible to attachment and wall digestion as are live cells. Reversibility of attachment to ghost cells was examined by releasing attached virions with a cell wall degrading enzyme extract. The …

Genetic Variation And Possible Mechanisms Driving The Evolution Of Worldwide Fig Mosaic Virus Isolates, Jeewan Jyot Walia, Anouk Willemsen, Eminur Elci, Kadriye Caglayan, Bryce W. Falk, Luis Rubio

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Fig mosaic virus (FMV) is a multipartite negative-sense RNA virus infecting fig trees worldwide. FMV is transmitted by vegetative propagation and grafting of plant materials, and by the eriophyid mite Aceria ficus. In this work, the genetic variation and evolutionary mechanisms shaping FMV populations were characterized. Nucleotide sequences from four genomic regions (each within the genomic RNAs 1, 2, 3, and 4) from FMV isolates from different countries were determined and analyzed. FMV genetic variation was low, as is seen for many other plant viruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed some geographically distant FMV isolates which clustered together, suggesting long-distance migration. …

Risk Factors For Early Childhood Infection Of Human Herpesvirus-8 In Zambian Children: The Role Of Early Childhood Feeding Practices, Kay L. Crabtree, Janet M. Wojcicki, Veenu Minhas, David R. Smith, Chipepo Kankasa, Charles D. Mitchell, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Background—Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection in early childhood is common throughout sub-Saharan Africa with prevalence increasing throughout childhood. Specific routes of transmission have not been clearly delineated, though HHV-8 is present in high concentrations in saliva.

Methods—To understand the horizontal transmission of HHV-8 within households to children we enrolled for cross-sectional analysis, 251 households including 254 children, age two and under, in Lusaka, Zambia. For all children, plasma was screened for HHV-8 and HIV-1 and health and behavioral questionnaires were completed. Multi-level logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess independent factors for HHV-8 infection in children.

Results—Risk factors for HHV-8 infection …

Turnip Crinkle Virus Coat Protein Inhibits The Basal Immune Response To Virus Invasion In Arabidopsis By Binding To The Nac Transcription Factor Tip, Teresa Donze, Feng Qu, Paul Twigg, T. Jack Morris

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) has been shown to interact with a NAC transcription factor, TIP, of Arabidopsis thaliana, via its coat protein (CP). This interaction correlates with the resistance response manifested in TCV-resistant Arabidopsis ecotype Di-17. We report that failure of a mutated CP to interact with TIP triggered the corresponding TCV mutant (R6A) to cause more severe symptoms in the TCV-susceptible ecotype Col-0. We hypothesized that TCV regulates antiviral basal immunity through TIP-CP interaction. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that the rate of accumulation of R6A was measurably slower than wild-type TCV over the course of an …

Facile, Regio-And Diastereoselective Synthesis Of Spiro-Pyrrolidine And Pyrrolizine Derivatives And Evaluation Of Their Antiproliferative Activities, Abdulrahman I. Almansour, Raju Suresh Kumar, Farzana Beevi, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Hasnah Osman, Rusli Ismail, Tan Soo Chen, Brian Sullivan, Kellen Mccaffrey, Alaa Nahhas, Keykavous Parang, Mohamed Ashraf Ali

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A number of novel spiro-pyrrolidines/pyrrolizines derivatives were synthesized through [3+2]-cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with 3,5-bis[(E)-arylmethylidene] tetrahydro-4(1H)-pyridinones 2a-n. Azomethine ylides were generated in situ from the reaction of 1H-indole-2,3-dione (isatin, 3) with N-methylglycine (sarcosine), phenylglycine, or proline. All compounds (50 M) were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against human breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231), leukemia lymphoblastic (CCRF-CEM), and ovarian carcinoma (SK-OV-3) cells. N-alpha-Phenyl substituted spiro-pyrrolidine derivatives (5a-n) showed higher antiproliferative activity in MDA-MB-231 than other cancer cell lines. Among spiro-pyrrolizines 6a-n, a number of derivatives including 6a-c and 6i-m showed a comparable activity with doxorubicin in all three cell lines. Among all compounds …

Cyclic Peptide-Capped Gold Nanoparticles For Enhanced Sirna Delivery, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Karissa L. Paquin, Niall G. Howlett, Dindyal Mandal, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Previously, we have reported the synthesis of a homochiral L-cyclic peptide [WR]5 and its use for delivery of anti-HIV drugs and biomolecules. A physical mixture of HAuCl4 and the peptide generated peptide-capped gold nanoparticles. Here, [WR]5 and [WR]5-AuNPs were tested for their efficiency to deliver a small interfering RNA molecule (siRNA) in human cervix adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells. Flow cytometry investigation revealed that the intracellular uptake of a fluorescence-labeled non-targeting siRNA (200 nM) was enhanced in the presence of [WR]5 and [WR]5-AuNPs by 2- and 3.8-fold when compared with that of siRNA alone after 24 h incubation. Comparative toxicity results showed …

Neural Plasticity Following Ischemia, Shira Brickman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Neural plasticity refers to the ability of one’s brain to change its structure and/or function in response to changes in behavior, environment, and neural processes. When a person suffers an ischemic brain injury, it often leads to hemisyndrome with motor and sensory deficits in the arm, leg, and face of one side. This article discusses the various ways that the existing network can be restructured and neuronal connections can be remodeled after the injury to enable partial or complete recovery of motor function. Spontaneous functional recovery after stroke develops through the overlapping sequence of events including a phase of axonal …

Effect Of Heme Oxygenase-1 On Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 Expression In Human Fibroblasts, Theresa A. Stangl

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) is an enzyme that plays a very important role in the resolution of inflammation. HO-1-based therapies are effective in a number of disease conditions. However, HO-1 also increases tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis and chemoresistance. Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) is an enzyme involved in physiological and pathophysiological tissue remodeling. Unbalanced expression of MMPs is a key feature of connective tissue destruction in chronic inflammatory conditions. Previously shown in this laboratory, the HO-1 inducer, hemin, increased MMP-3 mRNA expression in some HGF cultures. To assess whether HO-1 and/or its products regulate expression of MMP-3 in human fibroblasts, the effect of HO-1 …

Lineage Ii Of Southeast Asian/American Denv-2 Is Associated With A Severe Dengue Outbreak In The Peruvian Amazon, Maya Williams, Sandra V. Mayer, William L. Johnson, Rubing Chen, Evgeniya Volkova, Stalin Vilcarromeor, Steven G. Widen, Thomas G. Wood, Luis Suarez-Ognio, Kanya C. Long, Katherine A. Hanley, Amy C. Morrison, Nikos Vasilakis, Eric S. Halsey

Faculty Publications

During 2010 and 2011, the Loreto region of Peru experienced a dengue outbreak of unprecedented magnitude and severity for the region. This outbreak coincided with the reappearance of dengue virus-2 (DENV-2) in Loreto after almost 8 years. Whole-genome sequence indicated that DENV-2 from the outbreak belonged to lineage II of the southeast Asian/American genotype and was most closely related to viruses circulating in Brazil during 2007 and 2008, whereas DENV-2 previously circulating in Loreto grouped with lineage I (DENV-2 strains circulating in South America since 1990). One amino acid substitution (NS5 A811V) in the 2010 and 2011 isolates resulted from …

Cell- And Virus-Mediated Regulation Of The Barrier-To-Autointegration Factor’S Phosphorylation State Controls Its Dna Binding, Dimerization, Subcellular Localization, And Antipoxviral Activity, Augusta Jamin, April Wicklund, Matthew S. Wiebe

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is a DNA binding protein with multiple cellular functions, including the ability to act as a potent defense against vaccinia virus infection. This antiviral function involves BAF’s ability to condense double-stranded DNA and subsequently prevent viral DNA replication. In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that dynamic phosphorylation involving the vaccinia virus B1 kinase and cellular enzymes is likely a key regulator of multiple BAF functions; however, the precise mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we analyzed how phosphorylation impacts BAF’s DNA binding, subcellular localization, dimerization, and antipoxviral activity through the characterization of BAF phosphomimetic and unphosphorylatable …

Characterization Of A Dual-Tropic Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv-1) Strain Derived From The Prototypical X4 Isolate Hxbc2, Shi-Hua Xiang, Beatriz Pacheco, Dane Bowder, Wen Yuan, Joseph Sodroski

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coreceptor usage and tropism can be modulated by the V3 loop sequence of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein. For coreceptors, R5 viruses use CCR5, X4 viruses use CXCR4, and dual-tropic (R5X4) viruses use either CCR5 or CXCR4. To understand the requirements for dual tropism, we derived and analyzed a dual-tropic variant of an X4 virus. Changes in the V3 base, which allow gp120 to interact with the tyrosine-sulfated CCR5 N-terminus, and deletion of residues 310/311 in the V3 tip were necessary for efficient CCR5 binding and utilization. Thus, both sets of V3 changes allowed …

Live Siv Vaccine Correlate Of Protection: Immune Complex-Inhibitory Fc Receptor Interactions That Reduce Target Cell Availability, Anthony J. Smith, Stephen W. Wietgrefe, Liang Shang, Cavan S. Reilly, Peter J. Southern, Katherine E. Perkey, Lijie Duan, Heinz Kohler, Sybille Muller, James Robinson, John V. Carlis, Qingsheng Li, R. Paul Johnson, Ashley T. Haase

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Principles to guide design of an effective vaccine against HIV are greatly needed, particularly to

protect women in the pandemic’s epicentre in Africa. We have been seeking these principles by

identifying correlates of the robust protection associated with SIV_mac239Δnef vaccination in the

SIV-rhesus macaque animal model of HIV-1 transmission to women. We have identified one

correlate of SIV_mac239Δnef protection against vaginal challenge as a resident mucosal system for

SIV-gp41 trimer antibody production and neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)-mediated concentration of

these antibodies on the path of virus entry to inhibit establishment of infected founder populations

at the …

Review Of Epidemiology And Transmission Of Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

This review summarizes the current knowledge pertaining to Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) epidemiology and transmission. Since the identification of KSHV twenty years ago, it is now known to be associated with Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman’s disease. Many studies have been conducted to understand its epidemiology and pathogenesis and their results clearly show that the worldwide distribution of KSHV is uneven. Some geographical areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean region and the Xinjiang region of China, are endemic areas, but Western Europe and United States have a low prevalence in the general population. This makes …

Seroprevalence Of Human Herpesvirus 8 And Hepatitis C Virus Among Drug Users In Shanghai, China, Tiejun Zhang, Ying Liu, Yuyan Zhang, Jun Wang, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood, Na He

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

To elucidate and compare the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among Chinese drug users, a cross-sectional study of 441 participants, was conducted in Shanghai, China, from 2012 through 2013. Seventy-seven (17.5%) participants were found to be positive for HHV8 antibodies, while 271 (61.5%) participants were positive for HCV. No significant association between HHV8 seropositivity and drug use characteristics, sexual behaviors, HCV, or syphilis was observed. In contrast, a statistically significant association between HCV seropositivity and injected drug history (OR, 2.18, 95% CI 1.41–3.37) was detected, whereas no statistically significant association between HCV seropositivity and …

Vaccines Within Vaccines: The Use Of Adenovirus Types 4 And 7 As Influenza Vaccine Vectors, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

adenovirus Types 4 and 7 (ad4 and ad7) are associated with acute respiratory distress (aRD). In order to prevent wide- spread ad-associated aRD (ad-aRD) the United states military immunizes new recruits using a safe and effective lyophi- lized wildtype ad4 and ad7 delivered orally in an enteric-coated capsule. We cloned ad4 and ad7 and modified them to express either a GFP-Luciferase (GFPLuc) fusion gene or a centralized influenza H1 hemagglutinin (Ha1-con). BaLB/c mice were injected with GFPLuc expressing viruses intramuscularly (i.m.) and intranasally (i.n.). ad4 induced significantly higher luciferase expression levels as compared with ad7 by both routes. ad7 transduction …

Isolation And Characterization Of Multipotent Lung Stem Cells From P53 Mutant Mice Models, Venkat Sundar Gadepalli

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in understanding lung biology have shown evidence for the existence of resident lung stem cells. Independent studies in identifying and characterizing these somatic lung stem cells have shown the potential role of these cells in lung repair and regeneration. Understanding the functional characteristics of these tissue resident stem/progenitor cells has gained much importance with increasing evidence of cancer stem cells, cells in a tumor tissue with stem cell characteristics. Lung cancer is most commonly characterized by loss of p53 function which results in uncontrolled cell divisions. Incidence of p53 point mutations is highest in lung cancer, with a …