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Articles 1651 - 1680 of 2007

Full-Text Articles in Medical Immunology

Novel Mechanisms In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Razvan I. Arsenescu Jan 2011

Novel Mechanisms In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Razvan I. Arsenescu

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative colitis, are idiopathic chronic conditions with multifactorial determinants. In general, terms, intestinal inflammation results from abnormal host-microbe interactions. Alterations in homeostasis involve host genetic factors, environmental cues and unique luminal microbial niches. We have examined the coordinated expressions of several molecular targets relevant to the mucosal immune system and identified signature biomarkers of IBD. Qualitative and quantitative changes in the composition of microbiota can be related to unique immuno-phenotypes. This in turn can have more systemic effects that involve energy metabolism. Adiponectin, an adipose tissue derived adipokine, can restore cellular ATP levels and …


Lack Of An Association Of Mir-938 Snp In Iddm10 With Human Type 1 Diabetes, Xiaofan Mi, Hongzhi He, Yangxin Deng, Abert M. Levin, Jin-Xiong She, Qing-Sheng Mi, Li Zhou Jan 2011

Lack Of An Association Of Mir-938 Snp In Iddm10 With Human Type 1 Diabetes, Xiaofan Mi, Hongzhi He, Yangxin Deng, Abert M. Levin, Jin-Xiong She, Qing-Sheng Mi, Li Zhou

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a newly discovered type of small non-protein coding RNA that function in the inhibition of effective mRNA translation, and may serve as susceptibility genes for various disease developments. The SNP rs12416605, located in human type 1 diabetes IDDM10 locus, changes the seeding sequence (UGU[G/A]CCC) of miRNA miR-938 and potentially alters miR-938 targets, including IL-16 and IL-17A. In an attempt to test whether miR-938 may be a susceptibility gene for IDDM10, we assessed the possible association of the miR-938 SNP with T1D in an American Caucasian cohort of 622 patients and 723 healthy controls by TaqMan assay. …


Enhancement Of Reactive Oxygen Species Production And Chlamydial Infection By The Mitochondrial Nod-Like Family Member Nlrx1, Ali A. Abdul-Sater, Najwene Saïd-Sadier, Verissa M. Lam, Bhavni Singh, Matthew A. Pettengill, Fraser Soares, Ivan Tattoli, Simone Lipinski, Stephen E. Girardin, Philip Rosenstiel, David M. Ojcius Dec 2010

Enhancement Of Reactive Oxygen Species Production And Chlamydial Infection By The Mitochondrial Nod-Like Family Member Nlrx1, Ali A. Abdul-Sater, Najwene Saïd-Sadier, Verissa M. Lam, Bhavni Singh, Matthew A. Pettengill, Fraser Soares, Ivan Tattoli, Simone Lipinski, Stephen E. Girardin, Philip Rosenstiel, David M. Ojcius

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Chlamydia trachomatis infections cause severe and irreversible damage that can lead to infertility and blindness in both males and females. Following infection of epithelial cells, Chlamydia induces production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Unconventionally, Chlamydiae use ROS to their advantage by activating caspase-1, which contributes to chlamydial growth. NLRX1, a member of the Nod-like receptor family that translocates to the mitochondria, can augment ROS production from the mitochondria following Shigella flexneri infections. However, in general, ROS can also be produced by membrane-bound NADPH oxidases. Given the importance of ROS-induced caspase-1 activation in growth of the chlamydial vacuole, we investigated the …


The Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Magnesium Transporter Mgte Inhibits Transcription Of The Type Iii Secretion System, Gregory G. Anderson, Timothy L. Yahr, Rustin R. Lovewell, George A. O'Toole Dec 2010

The Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Magnesium Transporter Mgte Inhibits Transcription Of The Type Iii Secretion System, Gregory G. Anderson, Timothy L. Yahr, Rustin R. Lovewell, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes life-long pneumonia in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). These long-term infections are maintained by bacterial biofilm formation in the CF lung. We have recently developed a model of P. aeruginosa biofilm formation on cultured CF airway epithelial cells. Using this model, we discovered that mutation of a putative magnesium transporter gene, called mgtE, led to increased cytotoxicity of P. aeruginosa toward epithelial cells. This altered toxicity appeared to be dependent upon expression of the type III secretion system (T3SS). In this study, we found that mutation of mgtE results in increased T3SS …


Interactions Of Francisella Tularensis With Components Of The Host Fibrinolytic System, Shawn Russell Clinton Dec 2010

Interactions Of Francisella Tularensis With Components Of The Host Fibrinolytic System, Shawn Russell Clinton

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Francisella tularensis (FT) is a Gram-negative coccobacillus and causative agent of a life-threatening disease commonly referred to as tularemia. Due to the highly infectious nature of the organism, its previous development as a biowarfare agent and its potential use in acts of bioterrorism, this bacterium is listed as a Category A select agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Efforts to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of FT within the host environment are vital for the development of safe and effective vaccines, as well as treatments, against tularemia. Though considered an intracellular pathogen, FT research of late has …


Ms4a4b, A Cd20 Homologue In T Cells, Inhibits T Cell Propagation By Modulation Of Cell Cycle., Hui Xu, Yaping Yan, Mark S Williams, Gregory B Carey, Jingxian Yang, Hongmei Li, Guang-Xian Zhang, Abdolmohamad Rostami Nov 2010

Ms4a4b, A Cd20 Homologue In T Cells, Inhibits T Cell Propagation By Modulation Of Cell Cycle., Hui Xu, Yaping Yan, Mark S Williams, Gregory B Carey, Jingxian Yang, Hongmei Li, Guang-Xian Zhang, Abdolmohamad Rostami

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

MS4a4B, a CD20 homologue in T cells, is a novel member of the MS4A gene family in mice. The MS4A family includes CD20, FcεRIβ, HTm4 and at least 26 novel members that are characterized by their structural features: with four membrane-spanning domains, two extracellular domains and two cytoplasmic regions. CD20, FcεRIβ and HTm4 have been found to function in B cells, mast cells and hematopoietic cells respectively. However, little is known about the function of MS4a4B in T cell regulation. We demonstrate here that MS4a4B negatively regulates mouse T cell proliferation. MS4a4B is highly expressed in primary T cells, natural …


The Addition Of Rituximab To Fludarabine And Cyclophosphamide Improves Progression-Free Survival In Patients With Previously Treated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia., Amit Mahipal, Mark Weiss Nov 2010

The Addition Of Rituximab To Fludarabine And Cyclophosphamide Improves Progression-Free Survival In Patients With Previously Treated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia., Amit Mahipal, Mark Weiss

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common form of leukemia in the United States. There has been considerable progress in understanding the biology and treatment of CLL in last 20 years. The introduction of purine analogs (pentostatin, fludarabine, and cladribine) dramatically increased the response rates compared to alkylating agents. Combination chemoimmunotherapy has further improved the overall frequency of response to over 80% in treatment-naïve and over 60% in relapsed/ refractory disease, respectively.


Complement Factor H-Related Proteins Cfhr2 And Cfhr5 Represent Novel Ligands For The Infection-Associated Crasp Proteins Of Borrelia Burgdorferi, Corinna Siegel, Teresia Hallström, Christine Skerka, Hannes Eberhardt, Barbara Uzonyi, Tobias Beckhaus, Michael Karas, Reinhard Wallich, Brian Stevenson, Peter F. Zipfel, Peter Kraiczy Oct 2010

Complement Factor H-Related Proteins Cfhr2 And Cfhr5 Represent Novel Ligands For The Infection-Associated Crasp Proteins Of Borrelia Burgdorferi, Corinna Siegel, Teresia Hallström, Christine Skerka, Hannes Eberhardt, Barbara Uzonyi, Tobias Beckhaus, Michael Karas, Reinhard Wallich, Brian Stevenson, Peter F. Zipfel, Peter Kraiczy

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: One virulence property of Borrelia burgdorferi is its resistance to innate immunity, in particular to complement-mediated killing. Serum-resistant B. burgdorferi express up to five distinct complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins (CRASP) which interact with complement regulator factor H (CFH) and factor H-like protein 1 (FHL1) or factor H-related protein 1 (CFHR1). In the present study we elucidate the role of the infection-associated CRASP-3 and CRASP-5 protein to serve as ligands for additional complement regulatory proteins as well as for complement resistance of B. burgdorferi.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To elucidate whether CRASP-5 and CRASP-3 interact with various human proteins, both borrelial proteins …


Composition And Methods For Treating Yersinia Pestis Infection, Susan C. Straley, Brian S. Murphy, Stanislav Forman, Christine R. Wulff, Robert D. Perry, Tanya Myers-Morales Oct 2010

Composition And Methods For Treating Yersinia Pestis Infection, Susan C. Straley, Brian S. Murphy, Stanislav Forman, Christine R. Wulff, Robert D. Perry, Tanya Myers-Morales

Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics Faculty Patents

Compositions and methods for treating a Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis) infection are provided. Compositions and methods of for inducing an immune response in a subject are provided. Composition can include a YadC polypeptide.


Interferon Regulatory Factor 3-Dependent Pathways Are Critical For Control Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Central Nervous System Infection, Vineet D. Menachery, Tracy J. Pasieka, David A. Leib Oct 2010

Interferon Regulatory Factor 3-Dependent Pathways Are Critical For Control Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Central Nervous System Infection, Vineet D. Menachery, Tracy J. Pasieka, David A. Leib

Dartmouth Scholarship

The initiation of the immune response at the cellular level relies on specific recognition molecules to rapidly signal viral infection via interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3)-dependent pathways. The absence of IRF-3 would be expected to render such pathways inoperative and thereby significantly affect viral infection. Unexpectedly, a previous study found no significant change in herpes simplex virus (HSV) pathogenesis in IRF-3−/− mice following intravenous HSV type 1 (HSV-1) challenge (K. Honda, H. Yanai, H. Negishi, M. Asagiri, M. Sato, T. Mizutani, N. Shimada, Y. Ohba, A. Takaoka, N. Yoshida, and T. Taniguchi, Nature 434:772-777, 2005). In contrast, the …


Factors Associated With The Acquisition And Severity Of Gestational Listeriosis, M. M. Suyemoto, P. A. Spears, T. S. Hamrick, J. A. Barnes, E. A. Havell, P. E. Orndorff Sep 2010

Factors Associated With The Acquisition And Severity Of Gestational Listeriosis, M. M. Suyemoto, P. A. Spears, T. S. Hamrick, J. A. Barnes, E. A. Havell, P. E. Orndorff

Osteopathic Medicine, Jerry M. Wallace School of

No abstract provided.


Hepatitis C Virus Core-Derived Peptides Inhibit Genotype 1b Viral Genome Replication Via Interaction With Ddx3x, Chaomin Sun, Cara T. Pager, Guangxiang Luo, Peter Sarnow, Jamie H. D. Cate Sep 2010

Hepatitis C Virus Core-Derived Peptides Inhibit Genotype 1b Viral Genome Replication Via Interaction With Ddx3x, Chaomin Sun, Cara T. Pager, Guangxiang Luo, Peter Sarnow, Jamie H. D. Cate

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

The protein DDX3X is a DEAD-box RNA helicase that is essential for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) life cycle. The HCV core protein has been shown to bind to DDX3X both in vitro and in vivo. However, the specific interactions between these two proteins and the functional importance of these interactions for the HCV viral life cycle remain unclear. We show that amino acids 16-36 near the N-terminus of the HCV core protein interact specifically with DDX3X both in vitro and in vivo. Replication of HCV replicon NNeo/C-5B RNA (genotype 1b) is significantly suppressed in HuH-7-derived cells expressing green fluorescent …


Sialic Acid Transport And Catabolism Are Cooperatively Regulated By Siar And Crp In Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae, Jason W. Johnston, Haider Shamsulddin, Anne-Frances Miller, Michael A. Apicella Sep 2010

Sialic Acid Transport And Catabolism Are Cooperatively Regulated By Siar And Crp In Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae, Jason W. Johnston, Haider Shamsulddin, Anne-Frances Miller, Michael A. Apicella

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The transport and catabolism of sialic acid, a critical virulence factor for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, is regulated by two transcription factors, SiaR and CRP.

RESULTS: Using a mutagenesis approach, glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN-6P) was identified as a co-activator for SiaR. Evidence for the cooperative regulation of both the sialic acid catabolic and transport operons suggested that cooperativity between SiaR and CRP is required for regulation. cAMP was unable to influence the expression of the catabolic operon in the absence of SiaR but was able to induce catabolic operon expression when both SiaR and GlcN-6P were present. Alteration of helical phasing supported …


A Role For The Histone Deacetylase Hdac4 In The Life-Cycle Of Hiv-1-Based Vectors., Johanna A Smith, Jennifer Yeung, Gary D Kao, René Daniel Sep 2010

A Role For The Histone Deacetylase Hdac4 In The Life-Cycle Of Hiv-1-Based Vectors., Johanna A Smith, Jennifer Yeung, Gary D Kao, René Daniel

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

HIV-1 integration is mediated by the HIV-1 integrase protein, which joins 3'-ends of viral DNA to host cell DNA. To complete the integration process, HIV-1 DNA has to be joined to host cell DNA also at the 5'-ends. This process is called post-integration repair (PIR). Integration and PIR involve a number of cellular co-factors. These proteins exhibit different degrees of involvement in integration and/or PIR. Some are required for efficient integration or PIR. On the other hand, some reduce the efficiency of integration. Finally, some are involved in integration site selection. We have studied the role of the histone deacetylase …


Association Between Chronic Liver And Colon Inflammation During The Development Of Murine Syngeneic Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Jason Anthony Brandon, Jacqueline Perez-Rodriguez, C. Darrell Jennings, Donald A. Cohen, Vishal J. Sindhava, Subbarao Bondada, Alan M. Kaplan, J. Scott Bryson Sep 2010

Association Between Chronic Liver And Colon Inflammation During The Development Of Murine Syngeneic Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Jason Anthony Brandon, Jacqueline Perez-Rodriguez, C. Darrell Jennings, Donald A. Cohen, Vishal J. Sindhava, Subbarao Bondada, Alan M. Kaplan, J. Scott Bryson

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

The murine model of cyclosporine A (CsA)-induced syngeneic graft-versus-host disease (SGVHD) is a bone marrow (BM) transplantation model that develops chronic colon inflammation identical to other murine models of CD4+ T cell-mediated colitis. Interestingly, SGVHD animals develop chronic liver lesions that are similar to the early peribiliary inflammatory stages of clinical chronic liver disease, which is frequently associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Therefore, studies were initiated to investigate the chronic liver inflammation that develops in the SGVHD model. To induce SGVHD, mice were lethally irradiated, reconstituted with syngeneic BM, and treated with CsA. All of the SGVHD animals …


Bpab, A Novel Protein Encoded By The Lyme Disease Spirochete's Cp32 Prophages, Binds To Erp Operator 2 Dna, Logan H. Burns, Claire A. Adams, Sean P. Riley, Brandon L. Jutras, Amy Bowman, Alicia M. Chenail, Anne E. Cooley, Laura A. Haselhorst, Alisha M. Moore, Kelly Babb, Michael G. Fried, Brian Stevenson Sep 2010

Bpab, A Novel Protein Encoded By The Lyme Disease Spirochete's Cp32 Prophages, Binds To Erp Operator 2 Dna, Logan H. Burns, Claire A. Adams, Sean P. Riley, Brandon L. Jutras, Amy Bowman, Alicia M. Chenail, Anne E. Cooley, Laura A. Haselhorst, Alisha M. Moore, Kelly Babb, Michael G. Fried, Brian Stevenson

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Borrelia burgdorferi produces Erp outer surface proteins throughout mammalian infection, but represses their synthesis during colonization of vector ticks. A DNA region 5′ of the start of erp transcription, Operator 2, was previously shown to be essential for regulation of expression. We now report identification and characterization of a novel erp Operator 2-binding protein, which we named BpaB. erp operons are located on episomal cp32 prophages, and a single bacterium may contain as many as 10 different cp32s. Each cp32 family member encodes a unique BpaB protein, yet the three tested cp32-encoded BpaB alleles all bound to the same DNA …


Primary Human Mammary Epithelial Cells Endocytose Hiv-1 And Facilitate Viral Infection Of Cd4+ T Lymphocytes, Stephanie M. Dorosko, Ruth I. Connor Aug 2010

Primary Human Mammary Epithelial Cells Endocytose Hiv-1 And Facilitate Viral Infection Of Cd4+ T Lymphocytes, Stephanie M. Dorosko, Ruth I. Connor

Dartmouth Scholarship

The contribution of mammary epithelial cells (MEC) to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in breast milk remains largely unknown. While breast milk contains CD4(+) cells throughout the breast-feeding period, it is not known whether MEC directly support HIV-1 infection or facilitate infection of CD4(+) cells in the breast compartment. This study evaluated primary human MEC for direct infection with HIV-1 and for indirect transfer of infection to CD4(+) target cells. Primary human MEC were isolated and assessed for expression of HIV-1 receptors. MEC were exposed to CCR5-, CXCR4- and dual-tropic strains of HIV-1 and evaluated for viral reverse transcription …


The Staphylococcus-Specific Gene Rsr Represses Agr And Virulence In Staphylococcus Aureus, Sandeep Tamber, Dindo Reyes, Niles P. Donegan, Joseph D. Schwartzman, Ambrose L. Cheung, Guido Memmi Aug 2010

The Staphylococcus-Specific Gene Rsr Represses Agr And Virulence In Staphylococcus Aureus, Sandeep Tamber, Dindo Reyes, Niles P. Donegan, Joseph D. Schwartzman, Ambrose L. Cheung, Guido Memmi

Dartmouth Scholarship

The expression of virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus is tightly coordinated by a vast network of regulatory molecules. In this report, we characterize a genetic locus unique to staphylococci called rsr that has a role in repressing two key virulence regulators, sarR and agr. Using strain SH1000, we showed that the transcription of virulence effectors, such as hla, sspA, and spa, is altered in an rsr mutant in a way consistent with agr upregulation. Analysis of RNAIII expression of the agr locus in rsr and rsr-sarR mutants indicated that rsr likely contributes to agr expression independently …


Harnessing The Effect Of Adoptively Transferred Tumor-Reactive T Cells On Endogenous (Host-Derived) Antitumor Immunity, Yolanda Nesbeth, Jose R. Conejo-Garcia Aug 2010

Harnessing The Effect Of Adoptively Transferred Tumor-Reactive T Cells On Endogenous (Host-Derived) Antitumor Immunity, Yolanda Nesbeth, Jose R. Conejo-Garcia

Dartmouth Scholarship

Adoptive T cell transfer therapy, the ex vivo activation, expansion, and subsequent administration of tumor-reactive T cells, is already the most effective therapy against certain types of cancer. However, recent evidence in animal models and clinical trials suggests that host conditioning interventions tailored for some of the most aggressive and frequent epithelial cancers will be needed to maximize the benefit of this approach. Similarly, the subsets, stage of differentiation, and ex vivo expansion procedure of tumor-reactive T cells to be adoptively transferred influence their in vivo effectiveness and may need to be adapted for different types of cancer and host …


Mononucleosis And Antigen-Driven T Cell Responses Have Different Requirements For Interleukin-2 Signaling In Murine Gammaherpesvirus Infection, Michael Molloy, Weijun Zhang, Edward Usherwood Aug 2010

Mononucleosis And Antigen-Driven T Cell Responses Have Different Requirements For Interleukin-2 Signaling In Murine Gammaherpesvirus Infection, Michael Molloy, Weijun Zhang, Edward Usherwood

Dartmouth Scholarship

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been implicated as being necessary for the optimal formation of primary CD8+ T cell responses against various pathogens. Here we have examined the role that IL-2 signaling plays in several aspects of a CD8+ T cell response against murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68). Exposure to MHV-68 causes a persistent infection, along with infectious mononucleosis, providing a model for studying these processes in mice. Our study indicates that CD25 is necessary for optimal expansion of the antigen-specific CD8+ T cell response but not for the long-term memory response. Contrastingly, IL-2 signaling through CD25 is absolutely required …


Cross-Reactivity Of Antibodies Against Leptospiral Recurrent Uveitis-Associated Proteins A And B (Lrua And Lrub) With Eye Proteins, Ashutosh Verma, Pawan Kumar, Kelly Babb, John F. Timoney, Brian Stevenson Aug 2010

Cross-Reactivity Of Antibodies Against Leptospiral Recurrent Uveitis-Associated Proteins A And B (Lrua And Lrub) With Eye Proteins, Ashutosh Verma, Pawan Kumar, Kelly Babb, John F. Timoney, Brian Stevenson

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Infection by Leptospira interrogans has been causally associated with human and equine uveitis. Studies in our laboratories have demonstrated that leptospiral lipoprotein LruA and LruB are expressed in the eyes of uveitic horses, and that antibodies directed against LruA and LruB react with equine lenticular and retinal extracts, respectively. These reactivities were investigated further by performing immunofluorescent assays on lenticular and retinal tissue sections. Incubation of lens tissue sections with LruA-antiserum and retinal sections with LruB-antiserum resulted in positive fluorescence. By employing two-dimensional gel analyses followed by immunoblotting and mass spectrometry, lens proteins cross-reacting with LruA antiserum were identified to …


Immune Recognition Of Self Nucleic Acids Driven By Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides: Role In Autoimmunity, Dipyaman Ganguly Aug 2010

Immune Recognition Of Self Nucleic Acids Driven By Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides: Role In Autoimmunity, Dipyaman Ganguly

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Innate immune recognition of extracellular host-derived self-DNA and self-RNA is prevented by endosomal seclusion of the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the dendritic cells (DCs). However, in psoriasis plasmacytoid dendritic cells have been found to be able to sense self-DNA molecules in complex with the endogenous cationic antimicrobial peptide LL37, which are internalized into the endosomal compartments and thus can access TLR9. We investigated whether this endogenous peptide can also interact with extracellular self-RNA and lead to DC activation. We found that LL37 binds self-RNA as well as self-DNA going into an electrostatic interaction; forms micro-aggregates of nano-scale particles protected from …


Avirulent Uracil Auxotrophs Based On Disruption Of Orotidine-5′-Monophosphate Decarboxylase Elicit Protective Immunity To Toxoplasma Gondii, Barbara A. Fox, David J. Bzik Jul 2010

Avirulent Uracil Auxotrophs Based On Disruption Of Orotidine-5′-Monophosphate Decarboxylase Elicit Protective Immunity To Toxoplasma Gondii, Barbara A. Fox, David J. Bzik

Dartmouth Scholarship

The orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC) gene, encoding the final enzyme of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, was deleted using Toxoplasma gondii KU80 knockouts to develop an avirulent nonreverting pyrimidine auxotroph strain. Additionally, to functionally address the role of the pyrimidine salvage pathway, the uridine phosphorylase (UP) salvage activity was knocked out and a double knockout of UP and OMPDC was also constructed. The nonreverting DeltaOMPDC, DeltaUP, and DeltaOMPDC DeltaUP knockout strains were evaluated for pyrimidine auxotrophy, for attenuation of virulence, and for their ability to elicit potent immunity to reinfection. The DeltaUP knockout strain was replication competent and virulent. In …


Rabies Virus Infection Induces Type I Interferon Production In An Ips-1 Dependent Manner While Dendritic Cell Activation Relies On Ifnar Signaling., Elizabeth J Faul, Celestine N Wanjalla, Mehul S Suthar, Michael Gale, Christoph Wirblich, Matthias J Schnell Jul 2010

Rabies Virus Infection Induces Type I Interferon Production In An Ips-1 Dependent Manner While Dendritic Cell Activation Relies On Ifnar Signaling., Elizabeth J Faul, Celestine N Wanjalla, Mehul S Suthar, Michael Gale, Christoph Wirblich, Matthias J Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

As with many viruses, rabies virus (RABV) infection induces type I interferon (IFN) production within the infected host cells. However, RABV has evolved mechanisms by which to inhibit IFN production in order to sustain infection. Here we show that RABV infection of dendritic cells (DC) induces potent type I IFN production and DC activation. Although DCs are infected by RABV, the viral replication is highly suppressed in DCs, rendering the infection non-productive. We exploited this finding in bone marrow derived DCs (BMDC) in order to differentiate which pattern recognition receptor(s) (PRR) is responsible for inducing type I IFN following infection …


Role Of Pknb Kinase In Antibiotic Resistance And Virulence In Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Strain Usa300, S. Tamber, J. Schwartzman, A. L. Cheung Jun 2010

Role Of Pknb Kinase In Antibiotic Resistance And Virulence In Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Strain Usa300, S. Tamber, J. Schwartzman, A. L. Cheung

Dartmouth Scholarship

The regulation of cellular processes by eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinases is widespread in bacteria. In the last 2 years, several studies have examined the role of serine/threonine kinases in Staphylococcus aureus on cell wall metabolism, autolysis, and virulence, mostly in S. aureus laboratory isolates in the 8325-4 lineage. In this study, we showed that the pknB gene (also called stk1) of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain COL and the community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) strain USA300 is involved in cell wall metabolism, with the pknB mutant exhibiting enhanced sensitivity to β-lactam antibiotics but not to other classes of antibiotics, including aminoglycosides, ciprofloxacin, …


Cd4 T-Cell Suppression By Cells From Toxoplasma Gondii-Infected Retinas Is Mediated By Surface Protein Pd-L1, Elizabeth Charles, Sunil Joshi, John D. Ash, Barbara A. Fox May 2010

Cd4 T-Cell Suppression By Cells From Toxoplasma Gondii-Infected Retinas Is Mediated By Surface Protein Pd-L1, Elizabeth Charles, Sunil Joshi, John D. Ash, Barbara A. Fox

Dartmouth Scholarship

In the inflamed retina, CD4(+) T cells can cause retinal damage when they are not properly regulated. Since tissue expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and costimulatory molecules is a key mechanism for regulating effector T cells, we tested the hypothesis that upregulation of these proteins in the retina contributes to the regulation of CD4 T cells. Here we report that in retinas infected with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, MHC class II is upregulated on infiltrating leukocytes as well as on resident retinal cells, including photoreceptors. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that B7 costimulatory family members (CD80, CD86, …


Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Evasion Of Phagocytosis Is Mediated By Loss Of Swimming Motility And Is Independent Of Flagellum Expression, Eyal Amiel, Rustin R. Lovewell, George A. O'Toole, Deborah A. Hogan, Brent Berwin May 2010

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Evasion Of Phagocytosis Is Mediated By Loss Of Swimming Motility And Is Independent Of Flagellum Expression, Eyal Amiel, Rustin R. Lovewell, George A. O'Toole, Deborah A. Hogan, Brent Berwin

Dartmouth Scholarship

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic Gram-negative bacterium that causes severe opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals; in particular, severity of infection with P. aeruginosa positively correlates with poor prognosis in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Establishment of chronic infection by this pathogen is associated with downregulation of flagellar expression and of other genes that regulate P. aeruginosa motility. The current paradigm is that loss of flagellar expression enables immune evasion by the bacteria due to loss of engagement by phagocytic receptors that recognize flagellar components and loss of immune activation through flagellin-mediated Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling. In this work, we employ bacterial …


The Role Of Map Kinases On The Functional Heterogeneity Of Human Cd8+ T Cell Maturation Subsets, Tae Kon Kim May 2010

The Role Of Map Kinases On The Functional Heterogeneity Of Human Cd8+ T Cell Maturation Subsets, Tae Kon Kim

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

While prior studies have focused on naïve (CD45RA+CD27+) and early stage memory (CD45RA-CD27+) CD8+ T cells, late memory CD8+ T cells (CD45RA+CD27) have received less interest because this subset of T cells is generally recognized as effectors, which produce IFNγ (but no IL-2) and perforin. However, multiple studies suggest that late memory CD8+ T cells may provide inadequate protection in infectious diseases and cancer models.

To better understand the unique function of late memory CD8+ T cells, I optimized multi-color flow cytometry techniques to assess the cytokine production of each human CD8+ T cell maturation subset. I demonstrated that late …


Immunomodulatory Properties Of Noni (Morinda Citrifolia), Madhukar Lohani May 2010

Immunomodulatory Properties Of Noni (Morinda Citrifolia), Madhukar Lohani

All Theses

Noni (Morinda citrifolia) is a popular medicinal plant of family Rubiaceae. Its fruit is rich in various phytochemicals and polysaccharides. Anecdotal evidence indicates that it was used to stimulate the immune system and, thus, to fight various infections. Limited in vitro studies also support the immunomodulatory role of Noni, however only one study utilized an animal model. The purpose of this study was to examine the immunomodulatory properties of Noni fruit the broiler chicken.
Different concentrations of dietary Noni were added to diets and fed to day-old broiler chickens for 3 to 6 weeks. Gut tissue and blood were sampled …


The Effects Of Cellular Theta Breathing Meditation On Cell Mediated Immune Response: A Controlled, Randomized Investigation Of Altered Consciousness And Health, Marjorie D. Hardgrave May 2010

The Effects Of Cellular Theta Breathing Meditation On Cell Mediated Immune Response: A Controlled, Randomized Investigation Of Altered Consciousness And Health, Marjorie D. Hardgrave

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Medical anthropology is well positioned to make contributions to consciousness research based on biocultural approaches that integrate methodologies from the biological, behavioral and social sciences to explore aspects of human health. The ubiquity and perseverance of health related activities involving altered states of consciousness (ASC) across cultures past and present suggest that these potentials are deeply rooted in human sociocultural evolution. Analyzing the relationship between immune function and meditative ASC represents an effort to empirically investigate the adaptive value of these human potentials.

A controlled, randomized investigation of two meditation practices was conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas …