Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Therapeutic Peptide-Based Vaccination Strategies Against Hpv-Induced Cancers, Kelly Barrios Marrugo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is an urgent need for the development of an effective therapeutic vaccine against cancer caused by human papilloma virus (HPV). We focused on HPV-induced malignancies because of their high worldwide prevalence (e.g., cervical carcinoma and head & neck cancer). A successful therapeutic vaccine could prevent the 250 000 deaths/year worldwide and the 2.25 billion dollars that

are expended in related care in the US.

We used an HPV-induced mouse cancer model to test vaccines

composed of a CD8 T cell peptide epitope administered with potent adjuvants designed to generate vast numbers of high avidity cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for …

Lenalidomide Targets The T-Cell Co-Stimulatory Pathway To Mediate Immune Modulation, Jessica Marie Mcdaniel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

T-cells are lymphocytes that make up part of the adaptive arm of the immune system, and are essential for efficient protection from and eradication of viruses and pathogens. T-cells not only play an important role in protection from external agents, but also regulate and prevent activation towards self-peptides and detect and remove erratically growing cells. Alterations in T-cell activation and suppression contribute to auto-immunity, immunocompromised disorders, and cancer progression.

The immune system, and T-cells in particular, provides daily surveillance, recognition and destruction of aberrant cells. Although the immune system is proficient at suppressing malignant progression, tumor cells acquire various methods …

Amino Acid Residues In The Non-Structural Protein 1 Of Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Involved In Down-Regulation Of Tnf-Cx Expression In Vitro And Attenuation In Vivo, Sakthivel Subramaniam, Lalit Beura, Byungjoon Kwon, Asit K. Pattnaik, Fernando A. Osorio

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) suppresses tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels by its non-structural proteins 1α and 1β (Nsp1α and Nsp1β). To identifY the amino acid residues responsible for this activity, we generated several alanine substitution mutants of Nsp1α and Nsp1β. Examination of the mutant proteins revealed that Nsp1α residues Gly90, Asn91 , Arg97, Argl 00 and Arg124 were necessary for TNF-α promoter suppression, whereas several amino acids spanning the entire Nsp1β ~ were found to be required for this activity. Two mutant viruses, with mutations at Nsp1α Gly90 or Nsp1β residues …

Coxsackievirus B3 Infection Leads To The Generation Of Cardiac Myosin Heavy Chain-Α-Reactive Cd4 T Cells In A/J Mice, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Chandirasegaran Massilamany, Deborah M. Brown, Gustavo A. Delhon, Asit K. Pattnaik, Nora Chapman, Noel Rose, David J. Steffen, Jay Reddy

Jay Reddy Publications

Enteroviruses like coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) are common suspects in myocarditis/dilated cardiomyopathy patients. Autoimmunity has been proposed as an underlying mechanism, but direct evidence of its role is lacking. To delineate autoimmune response in CVB3 myocarditis, we used IA^k dextramers for cardiac myosin heavy chain (Myhc)-α 334–352. We have demonstrated that myocarditis-susceptible A/J mice infected with CVB3 generate Myhc-α-reactive CD4 T cells and such a repertoire was absent in naïve mice as measured by proliferative response to Myhc-α 334–352 and IA^k dextramer staining. We also detected Myhc-α 334–352 dextramer⁺ cells in the hearts of CVB3-infected mice. The autoreactive …

The Role Of Intestinal Epithelial Cells And The Regulation Of The Polymeric Immunoglobulin Receptor In Homeostasis And Inflammation, Aubrey Leigh Frantz

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

The mammalian intestine harbors an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms, which normally maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with the host. The intestinal epithelium consists of a single layer of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) that provides a physical barrier as well as innate immune defense, preventing this vast community of microbes from entering host tissues. Secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) acts as the first line of antigen-specific immunity at the interface between the gut microbiota and the intestinal epithelium. Polymeric IgA secreted by plasma cells in the intestinal lamina propria is transported across IECs by the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR). Defects in epithelial …

Efficacies Of Fenbendazole And Albendazole In The Treatment Of Commercial Turkeys Artificially Infected With Ascaridia Dissimilis, Jessica Perkins, Tom Yazwinski, Chris Tucker

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The goal of this research was to determine the extent of resistance that turkey roundworms, Ascaridia dissimilis, have developed to anti-parasitic chemicals used in commercial poultry operations. Roundworm infections in turkeys have resulted in monetary losses for the poultry industry for years, generally due to poor feed conversion. The infection itself is subclinical and many turkeys have a light to moderate worm burden. Since parasitisms are light, this leads to the infections being noticed only during processing. Ascaridia dissimilis infections consist of adult worms and developing larvae with the latter comprising most of the worm burden and causing the most …

Parasites Of Civets (Mammalia, Viverridae) In Sabah, Borneo: A Coprological Survey, Christina P. Colon, Sharon Patton

Publications and Research

Parasite data were collected from unlogged and selectively logged lowland rain forests in Borneo. Scat from a female Viverra tangalunga (Malay civet) in the unlogged forest contained eggs of Capillaria spp., Trichuris sp., Mamomoganomus sp., and nematode larvae. Scat attributed to V. tangalunga contained reproductive products (eggs/oocysts/cysts/larvae) of Capillaria sp., Toxocara sp., Ancylostoma sp. (probably A. ceylanicum), Isospora spp., strongylate-type eggs (probably Ancylostoma spp.), Paragoni­ mus sp. and other Trematoda eggs, Monocystis sp. cysts, Gnathostoma sp. (probably G. spinigerum), the lungworm Viverrostrongylus brauni, pinworm-type eggs, Eimeria spp., Sarcocystis-type sporocyst, dermanysid mites and mesostigmatid mites. Parasites from gut samples from two …

Vip And Host Immunity, Xiaoyu Jiang

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the current dissertation was to examine how VIP regulates host immunity and corneal healing, specifically, its control of growth factors and TLR expression in the P. aeruginosa infected cornea. Firstly, VIP treatment increased growth factor expression (EGF, GHF, FGF and VEGF) in infected cornea. Notably, treatment with a mixture of EGF, FGF and HGF prevented corneal perforation, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and bacterial plate count, while increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobials such as murine beta-defensin2 and 3.

We also investigated the expression of TLR-signaling pathways in P. aeruginosa infected corneas with or without VIP treatment. PCR array and …

Sublethal Effects Of Methylmercury On The Songbird Immune Response: An Experimental Study, Catherine Ann Lewis

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Bacterial Host Interactions In Cystic Fibrosis, Máire Callaghan, Siobhan Mcclean

Articles

Chronic infection is a hallmark of cystic fibrosis (CF) and the main contributor to morbidity. Microbial infection in CF is complex, due to the number of different species that colonise the CF lung. Their colonisation is facilitated by a host response that is impaired or compromised by highly viscous mucous, zones of hypoxia and the lack of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR). Successful dominant CF pathogens combine an effective arsenal to establish infection and counter-attack the host response, together with an ability to adapt readily to an unfavourable environment. Hypermutability is common among CF pathogens facilitating adaptation and as …

Antibody Production During Ehrlichial Infection : Development And Specificity Of T Cell-Independent Igm, Derek Daniel Jones

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Historically, the role for antibodies in mediating protective immunity against intracellular pathogens was thought to be minimal. However, our previous studies demonstrated that antibodies were both necessary and sufficient to establish protective immunity against Ehrlichia muris, a tick-transmitted intracellular bacterium. The identification of a unique population of CD11c-expressing IgM-secreting plasmablasts in the spleen during early infection of mice led to the appreciation that IgM was a critical component of the humoral immune response, and that IgM was required for control of acute ehrlichial infection. Here, we addressed the generation of the IgM-secreting cells, as well as the properties of the …

Identification Of Epitopes On Ricin Toxin's Enzymatic Subunit (Rta) Critical For Eliciting Neutralizing Antibodies And Protective Immunity, Joanne Marie O'Hara

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ricin toxin's enzymatic subunit (RTA) is a 267 amino acid RNA N-glycosidase that selectively depurinates eukaryotic ribosomal RNA and arrests protein synthesis. The crystal structure of RTA revealed that the protein assumes three distinct folding domains (FD). Residues within FD1 and FD2 form RTA's active site pocket and are proposed to interface with ribosomal proteins, while FD3's primary function is to associate with ricin's B subunit (RTB). In this study I sought to identify the regions of RTA that are important in eliciting toxin-neutralizing antibodies (TNA), as this information is critical for current efforts to develop RTA-based subunit vaccines. I …

Establishment Of A Quiescent Infection Of Hsv-1 In L929 Fibroblasts Using A Mitotic Inhibitor And Ifn-Γ, Neelam V. Shinde

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The goal for this study was to determine if a quiescent infection of HSV-1 could be induced in murine fibroblasts L929 by treating them with the anti-mitotic agent 5-fluoro 2'deoxy uridine (FUDR) alone and with interferon-γ. Since neurons are post-mitotic and exhibit a lower metabolic rate than other cells, fibroblasts were treated with FUDR to induce a post-mitotic state. The cell cycle arrest of fibroblasts would decrease the thymidylate metabolism and impair HSV-1 replication. An evaluation of cytopathic effects of FUDR was used to determine the optimal concentration which arrests cell growth and inhibits viral replication. Image J program developed …

Q-Ve-Oph, A Control Caspase Inhibitor For Analyzing Neuronal Death, Rebecca L. Bricker

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sarin is a neurotoxin that has been used in terrorist attacks in Japan and is a potential bioterrorist weapon. It induces seizures by affecting the regulation of neurotransmitters in the brain. Seizures are directly correlated to neuronal damage. Two types of neuronal damage that can occur are apoptosis and necrosis. One of the main regions of the brain where neuronal death occurs is the hippocampus, which is involved in memory. Victims showed chronic decline of memory loss 3 and 7 years after the Tokyo's terrorist attack incident. There are treatments available that can break down sarin or can block the …

The Effects Of Enteropathogenic And Commensal Escherichia Coli On Tight Junction Permeability, Hilary Kaye Allen

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The intestinal mucosa maintains a barrier between materials from the external environment and the internal environment of the host. Disruption of the gut wall integrity is involved in the development of various intestinal diseases, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Crohn's disease. The intestinal mucosa is lined with epithelial cells that are connected by tight junctions, the intercellular junctions that form a selectively permeable barrier between paracellular pathways. Enteric pathogens, such as enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), can disrupt the tight junctions of epithelial cells by altering the cellular cytoskeleton or by directly affecting tight junction proteins. Commensal Escherichia coli …

Mhc Class I Expression In Murine Fibroblast And Keratinocyte Cell Lines During The First Twenty-Four Hours Of Infection With Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (Hsv-1), Prasanthi Kumchala

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The hypothesis of this study is: HSV-1 infection of murine fibroblasts and keratinocytes inhibits expression of MHC class I molecules during first 24 hours of infection. IFN-γ pretreatment of fibroblasts protected the cells from virus-induced inhibition of MHC class I expression, but did not protect keratinocytes. Herpesviruses are known for their ability to establish persistent infections. Herpesviruses exert many different ways to suppress host defense mechanisms. One such way is by down regulating expression of the major histocompatibility complex I (MHC I) molecules in infected cells. Epidermal cells such as keratinocytes are the major sites for herpes simplex virus type …

The Effects Of Hsv-1 Challenge On Polarized Murine Macrophages: An In Vitro Model Using The J774a.1 Murine Macrophage Cell Line, Adam Craig Reichard

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In our current study we examined the effects of HSV-1 challenge on J774A.1 macrophages polarized to either a proinflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype. Polarized J774A.1 macrophages were characterized using CD14-CD86 and SOCS1-SOCS3 expression levels. SOCS proteins are a family of proteins that are capable of inhibiting cytokine-signaling pathways. HSV-1 up regulates expression of SOCS1 protein levels in infected cells, inhibiting the ability of infected cells to produce proinflammatory products (Nowoslawski Akhtar and Benveniste, 2011). This study shows that signals within the microenvironment play a greater role in macrophage polarization, and SOCS1-SOCS3 expression levels, than does HSV-1 challenge. M1 macrophages …

Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling (Socs) 1 & 3 Expression In Hsv-1- Infected And Interferon-Γ-Treated Neuro-2a Cells, Melinda Jones

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This study examined the effects of HSV-1 infection and IFN-γ treatment on Neuro-2A cells. HSV-1 induces expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 in infected cells, inhibiting the ability of these cells to produce the pro inflammatory, antiviral cytokine IFN-γ (Nowoslawski and Benveniste, 2011). SOCS1 and SOCS3 levels were determined in IFN-γ-treated cells, virus-infected cells, and cells that were both IFN-γ-treated and virus-infected. Results were compared with untreated, uninfected control cells. Flow cytometry data analysis showed a slight decrease in SOCS1 and SOCS3 protein levels in cells treated with IFN-γ for 6 hours compared to control cells. A significant decrease in SOCS1 …

The Construction Of A Plasmid For Detecting The Pathway Of Arginine Metabolism In Human Macrophages: A Real-Time Assessment Of Macrophage Polarity, Benjamin A. Holmes

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Macrophages are "first responders", innate immune system cells which quickly arrive to a site of infection and injury, consuming cell debris and foreign matter and recruiting other immune system cells to the area. While historically they have been thought to react uniformly to all challenges, the discovery of toll-like receptors has shown that macrophages actually work closely with the adaptive immune system in fine-tuning the immune response. Furthermore, it has recently been discovered that macrophages can become polarized to one of two subtypes-M1 or M2.

M1 macrophages are efficient producers of reactive oxygen species, nitrogen intermediates, and inflammatory cytokines. They …

Synthesizing Parasitology With Archaeology In Paleopathology, Karl Reinhard, Adauto Araujo

Karl Reinhard Publications

Parasitology is the study of organisms that are symbiotic with other organisms. In this form of symbiosis, the parasite species by definition benefits from the interaction while the host is harmed to some degree. In actuality, some parasites benefit their hosts. The animals traditionally studied by parasitologists range from protozoa to arthropods, and include all types of internal and external worms. Ticks, fleas, lice, and a variety of insects that transmit parasites are also studied by parasitologists. Recently, a more holistic view of parasitism appeared, including bacteria and viruses. In essence, parasitology is the study of a certain kind of …