Medical Immunology Commons^™

New Onset Positive Autoantibodies Following Covid-19 Infection, David Hernandez, Adnaan Sheikh, Shakira Laing, Mariana Adieb, Omar Siddiqui, Rohail Baig, Annabel Antonini, James Vienneau, Camden Burns

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Since the original outbreak in December 2019, over 100 million people have been confirmed to have been infected by COVID-19 and over two million people have died. The presentation seen in patients may vary widely based on multiple factors. Fever has been reported in up to 99% of patients, while other common symptoms seen are dyspnea, fatigue, anosmia, and myalgia. Around 80% of COVID-19 patients present with a mild respiratory illness that can be managed at home, while around 15% need basic …

Chromatin Pattern Quantification For The Differentiation Of White Blood Cells, Paul Young, Ryan Cordner, Abigail Gordhamer

Annual Research Symposium

Nuclear chromatin patterns have been used historically to distinguish between different developmental stages and lineages of white blood cells. While it is common to characterize cells based on arbitrary ‘open’ or ‘closed’ chromatin patterns, quantification of chromatin data is lacking. By extracting nuclei from a database of white blood cells and running fractal analyses using TWOMBLI, we were able to produce meaningful data quantifying chromatin patterns. Our data were put through a random forest algorithm which grouped each point based on relationship probability. The algorithm compared immature and mature cell types as well as cells of similar maturity and differing …

Avaren-Fc, A Novel Immunotherapeutic, Recruits Nk Cells In B16f10 Melanoma Tumor Tissue, Sreevatsa Vemuri, Katarina Mayer, Nobuyuki Matoba

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the US, with limited effective immunotherapeutic options available for patients. Avaren-Fc (AvFc) is a novel experimental immunotherapeutic agent with a unique “lectibody” property. It is capable of targeting cancer cells through the selective recognition of high mannose glycans, which are aberrantly overrepresented on the surface of malignant cells. AvFc can interact with circulating effector immune cells equipped with Fc receptors, such as natural killer (NK) cells to induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and kill cancer cells. Previous work has shown that AvFc effectively induces ADCC activity against B16F10 cancer cells in vitro …

Studying The Molecular Mechanism Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Shabnam Malik, Mohammed Sikander, S. Mishra, Daniel Zubieta, S. K. Jain, Deepshikha Pande Katare, Meena Jaggi, Subhash Chauhan

Research Symposium

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis due to ineffective therapeutic modality and lack of early diagnostic marker. Accumulating studies have shown that elevated expression of mucin 13 as potential oncogene and predictive biomarker for various cancer. However, very little is known about its expression and function for development and progression of HCC.

Objective: To investigate mucin 13 expression in chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma model.

Methodology: Diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) and 2-Acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) induced method was employed for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Male Wistar rats. Serum and tissues were collected at regular intervals of time and routinely validated …

Autoimmune Hepatitis: An Unusual Presentation., Ahmed Ali Aziz, Muhammad Ali Aziz, Deep Mehta, Muhammad Humayoun Rashid

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic inflammatory liver disease that occurs in a bimodal age distribution in the second and fifth-sixth decade of life. The disease is more prevalent in females and presents with variable clinical manifestations ranging from being asymptomatic to acute liver failure. AIH is often overlooked and not worked up in elderly patients who present with liver failure. This can lead to increased morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. AIH should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients who present with elevated transaminases regardless of age or gender as early recognition and treatment leads to improved …

Sutterella And Its Metabolic Pathways Positively Correlate With Vaccine-Elicited Antibody Responses In Infant Rhesus Macaques, Danting Jiang, Ria Goswami, Maria Dennis, Holly Heimsath, Pamela A. Kozlowski, Amir Ardeshir, Koen K.A. Van Rompay, Kristina De Paris, Sallie R. Permar, Neeraj K. Surana

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Introduction: It is becoming clearer that the microbiota helps drive responses to vaccines; however, little is known about the underlying mechanism. In this study, we aimed to identify microbial features that are associated with vaccine immunogenicity in infant rhesus macaques. Methods: We analyzed 16S rRNA gene sequencing data of 215 fecal samples collected at multiple timepoints from 64 nursery-reared infant macaques that received various HIV vaccine regimens. PERMANOVA tests were performed to determine factors affecting composition of the gut microbiota throughout the first eight months of life in these monkeys. We used DESeq2 to identify differentially abundant bacterial taxa, PICRUSt2 …

Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Synthetic Glycovaccines Against Both Murine Acute Chagas Disease And Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Colin D. Knight

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas disease (CD) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are neglected tropical diseases caused by the protozoan trypanosomatids, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp., respectively. There are approximately 6-8 million people infected with T. cruzi worldwide and ~300,000 people in the US. Between 700,000 and 1.2 million new cases of CL occur worldwide yearly. The approved chemotherapies for both diseases are partially effective and may cause serious adverse events, resulting in premature treatment interruption. Moreover, no effective vaccine for either disease is available. Therefore, developing a vaccine that would provide effective cross-protection against both diseases would provide a cost-effective alternative to the existing …

Dynamics Of Serum-Neutralizing Antibody Responses In Vaccinees Through Multiple Doses Of The Bnt162b2 Vaccine, Jared Sheehan, Caleb M. Ardizzone, Mayank Khanna, Amber J. Trauth, Michael E. Hagensee, Alistair J. Ramsay

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines are administered as effective prophylactic measures for reducing virus transmission rates and disease severity. To enhance the durability of post-vaccination immunity and combat SARS-CoV-2 variants, boosters have been administered to two-dose vaccinees. However, long-term humoral responses following booster vaccination are not well characterized. A 16-member cohort of healthy SARS-CoV-2 naïve participants were enrolled in this study during a three-dose BNT162b2 vaccine series. Serum samples were collected from vaccinees over 420 days and screened for antigen (Ag)-specific antibody titers, IgG subclass distribution, and neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses. Vaccine boosting restored peak Ag-specific titers with sustained α-RBD IgG and …

In Vivo Treatment With Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Reduces Ccr5 Expression On Vaccine-Induced Activated Cd4+ T-Cells, Massimiliano Bissa, Veronica Galli, Luca Schifanella, Monica Vaccari, Mohammad Arif Rahman, Giacomo Gorini, Nicolò Binello, Sarkis Sarkis, Anna Gutowska, Isabela Silva De Castro, Melvin N. Doster, Ramona Moles, Guido Ferrari, Xiaoying Shen, Georgia D. Tomaras, David C. Montefiori, Kombo F. N’Guessan, Dominic Paquin-Proulx, Pamela A. Kozlowski, David J. Venzon, Hyoyoung Choo-Wosoba, Matthew W. Breed, Joshua Kramer, Genoveffa Franchini

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

At the heart of the DNA/ALVAC/gp120/alum vaccine’s efficacy in the absence of neutralizing antibodies is a delicate balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory immune responses that effectively decreases the risk of SIVmac251 acquisition in macaques. Vaccine efficacy is linked to antibodies recognizing the V2 helical conformation, DC-10 tolerogenic dendritic cells eliciting the clearance of apoptotic cells via efferocytosis, and CCR5 downregulation on vaccine-induced gut homing CD4+ cells. RAS activation is also linked to vaccine efficacy, which prompted the testing of IGF-1, a potent inducer of RAS activation with vaccination. We found that IGF-1 changed the hierarchy of V1/V2 epitope recognition and …

Penyembuhan Luka: Aspek Seluler Dan Biomolekuler, Yefta Moenadjat

Department of Surgery Teaching Materials and Monographs

Mengulas aspek seluler dan molekuler penyembuhan luka di setiap fase, dimulai dari hemostasis, inflamasi dan resolusi inflamasi, proliferasi, dan maturasi. Pada bagian terakhir dulas pula gangguan proses penyembuhan luka (luka kronik, non–healing wound) yang kerap dijumpai di klinik.

Respons Inflamasi Pada Kasus Bedah, Yefta Moenadjat

Department of Surgery Teaching Materials and Monographs

Buku ini mengulas aspek seluler dan molekuler respons inflamasi pada beberapa kasus bedah, baik akut maupun kronis yang kerap dihadapkan pada masalah di klinik. Beberapa topik diulas antara lain kasus dengan respons inflamasi akut seperti trauma berat, luka bakar, cedera kepala dan respons inflamasi pada pediatrik serta beberapa kasus kronik seperti respons inflamasi pada diabetes mellitus dan lanjut usia

Anticancer Drug Screening Using Invitro Cell Proliferation Assay, Kristopher L. Ezell, Kyle Doxtater, Samantha Lopez, Sophia M. Leslie, Justin Wendel, Kamaldeep Paul, Vijay Lauxmi, Manish Tripathi

Research Colloquium

Introduction: In this presentation cell proliferation methods and how they are related to screening for effective chemotherapy drugs will be reviewed. Cancer in its most basic form is the unchecked mass dividing of cells while normal apoptosis is not undertaken for various reasons, some of which that have yet to be discovered. By these means’ tumors form that inhibit the functions of the organs it is residing in and the effected cells may metastasize and spread throughout the body. For this reason, chemotherapy drugs must be assessed through introduction into working strains of cultured cancer cells that are then screened …

Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia In A Newly Diagnosed Aids Geriatric Patient, Ashley Sareen, Nathan Tanner, James Fahey

Research Colloquium

Background: Approximately 40% of new HIV infections originate from people who are unaware of their diagnosis. Median time from infection to diagnosis was 3 years in 2015. Cases of newly diagnosed HIV in the geriatric population are rare.

Case Presentation: 71 year old Hispanic man with history of diabetes and anemia presenting to the hospital with generalized weakness, presyncopal episodes, shortness of breath, loose stools, and falls for past two weeks. He is a poor historian so wife contacted to provide detailed history. Patient with 100 pound weight loss in 6 months. Intravenous drug use 30 years ago, and blood …

Fornix Volumetric Increase During Aging Associates To Microglia Activation Leading To Defective Cognitive Performance, Marcela Cárdenas Tueme, Luis Ángel Trujillo-Villarreal, Victor Ramírez-Amaya, Eduardo Garza-Villarreal, Alberto Camacho-Morales, Diana Reséndez-Pérez

Research Symposium

Background: Ageing displays a low-grade pro-inflammatory profile in blood and brain. It has been documented proinflammatory cytokines accumulation leading to neuroinflammation during aging. Aged brains integrate pro inflammatory cytokines accumulation, active microglia and volumetric changes which correlates with defective cognitive performance and neurodegeneration.

Methods: Mice from 2-,12- and 20-months-old of age were submitted to different memory tests: Y-maze, Barnes maze, object location test and object location test. Afterwards, we performed structural MRI to evaluate macrostructural changes related to memory and learning regions. Following this, we also evaluated in peripheral blood and in brain tissue the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines …

Diverse Tregs Population And Effects Of Their Inhibition On Growth Of Oral Cancer Cells, Sadhna Aggarwal, Satya N. Das, Suresh C. Sharma

Research Symposium

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the major cancers affecting in Asian countries. The main causative factor has been tobacco habit. It has been reported that immune dysfunction in these patients is one of the major factors for tumor growth and dissemination that affects disease free survival of the patients.

We assessed the phenotypic and functional characteristics of Regulatory T (Treg) CD4+CD25+FoxP3+subsets in patients with OSCC by multicoloured flow cytometry. Subsequently we investigated the effects their inhibition via TDG on growth of OSCC cell lines in vitro.

An increased (p

Hence, it seems reasonable to assume that modulation …

Ybx1 Modulates Drug Resistance In Liver Cancer, Ana G. Ayala Pazzi

Research Symposium

According to the Texas Cancer Registry, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cause of cancer death. In 2015, Texas had the country's highest incidence rate and the fourth highest mortality rate. Texas Hispanics (87% of Mexican origin) showed the highest incidence and mortality rates compared to the overall US Hispanic population, with individuals of Mexican origin having the highest rates. The Rio Grande Valley, which is predominantly Mexican, is extremely affected by this fact, which exacerbates the need to address this issue within our community.

A major challenge in improving patient therapy in liver cancer is Sorafenib resistance. …

Her3 Functions As An Effective Therapeutic Target In Triple Negative Breast Cancer To Potentiate The Antitumor Activity Of Gefitinib And Paclitaxel, Hui Lyu, Fei Shen, Sanbao Ruan, Congcong Tan, Jundong Zhou, Ann D. Thor, Bolin Liu

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a significant clinical challenge. Chemotherapy remains the mainstay for a large part of TNBC patients, whereas drug resistance and tumor recurrence frequently occur. It is in urgent need to identify novel molecular targets for TNBC and develop effective therapy against the aggressive disease. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of HER3 in TNBC samples. Western blots were used to assess protein expression and activation. Cell proliferation and viability were determined by cell growth (MTS) assays. TCGA databases were analyzed to correlate HER3 mRNA expression with the clinical outcomes of TNBC patients. …

Isolated Cerebral Mucormycosis And Aspergillosis Coinfection In An Immunocompromised Adult, George Sun, Allison Weiss, Joy Zhao, Mitchell Silver, Michael Demaio, Sara Dehbashi

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Opportunistic fungal infections are a major cause of mortality in immunosuppressed patients, with mucormycosis and aspergillosis as two of the most commonly identified fungal organisms. Coinfection with mucormycosis and aspergillosis is rare, but cases have been reported in literature, most commonly presenting as disseminated invasive fungal infection with cerebrorhino-orbital involvement in an immunocompromised patient. Infections are most commonly caused by direct implantation of spores with localised angioinvasion. Haematogenous spread is rare, with most cases secondary to haematological malignancies or intravenous drug use. Coinfection with mucormycosis and aspergillosis portends a poor prognosis, with a high mortality rate. Thus, prompt recognition and …

Role Of Circular Rna Asph In Macrophage Polarization And Response In Sepsis, Tan Ze Wang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel non-coding RNA species generated by back-splicing, has been shown to participate in gene regulation of leukocytes. Our previous RNA sequencing results show circular RNA ASPH (circASPH) to be highly expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of sepsis patients at the start of intensive care. Macrophages, as ubiquitous innate immune cells, are responsible for the recruitment of other immune cells at sepsis onset. This work investigates the role of circASPH in the regulation of macrophage polarization in sepsis. Using an in vitro THP-1 cell model, it was found that circASPH levels peaked after 24 h of …

Severe Covid-19 Following Rituximab And Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir Treatment In A Patient With Mctd, Case Report, Rohail A. Baig, Faieja Chowdhury, Omar Siddiqui, Adnaan Sheikh, Varun Mehta, Pranjali Dakwale

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

This is an article about how the use of medications such as nirmatrelvir/ritonavir can cause rebound COVID-19 and how the use of Rituximab, a biologic agent, can prolong the duration and increase severity of symptoms of COVID-19 in patients with pre-disposed autoimmune diseases that are on chronic pharmacotherapy.