Medical Microbiology Commons^™

Histone Proteoform Analysis Reveals Epigenetic Changes In Adult Mouse Brown Adipose Tissue In Response To Cold Stress, Bethany C Taylor, Loic H Steinthal, Michelle Dias, Hari Krishna Yalamanchili, Scott A Ochsner, Gladys E Zapata, Nitesh R Mehta, Neil J Mckenna, Nicolas L Young, Alli M Nuotio-Antar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Regulation of the thermogenic response by brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an important component of energy homeostasis with implications for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. Our preliminary analyses of RNA-Seq data uncovered many nodes representing epigenetic modifiers that are altered in BAT in response to chronic thermogenic activation. Thus, we hypothesized that chronic thermogenic activation broadly alters epigenetic modifications of DNA and histones in BAT.

RESULTS: Motivated to understand how BAT function is regulated epigenetically, we developed a novel method for the first-ever unbiased top-down proteomic quantitation of histone modifications in BAT and validated our results with a …

Headache And Vision Loss As Initial Symptoms For An Acute Invasive Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis, Thanh Le Od, Gregg Wentworth Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Acute invasive rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare fungal infection commonly caused by Rhizopus species. It occurs in immune- compromised individuals who have acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), leukemia, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, or organ transplant patients who are on immunosuppressive therapy. Diagnosing invasive ROCM is challenging because its clinical presentation can be nonspecific, and it is not frequently observed in ophthalmic practices. Case Report: A 66-year-old Hispanic male with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus presented with the complaint of severe headache and retrobulbar pain in the right eye. An ophthalmic examination revealed normal ocular health in both eyes. Computerized tomography …

Modern Approaches To Treating Hospital Acquired Infections: An Overview Of Current Treatments Using Antibiotics And New Therapies Centered Around Photo-Activated Porphyrins, Meghan Johns

Senior Honors Theses

Annually, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. and impose a great economic burden. The current problem is further exacerbated due to the failure of traditional treatment strategies considering the rise in antimicrobial resistance rates. Besides the fact that antimicrobial resistances complicates clinical treatment strategies, patients are also more vulnerable to secondary infections and complications from prolonged antibiotic use. As a result, research investigating novel treatment strategies for bacterial infections has recently increased. A strategy using porphyrin-based compounds is showing promise. Porphyrins and their derivatives have exhibited bactericidal effects against Gram-positive bacteria by the destruction …

The Inflammatory Response Of Patients With Major Burns And Traumatic Injuries, Jared M. Robinson, Sophia Trinh, Jenna Dennis, Cameron Fontenot, Jeffrey Hobden, Jonathan E. Schoen, Herb A. Phelan Iii, Jeffrey E. Carter, Alison A. Smith

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

56th Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association, 2024; April 9 - April 12, 2024; Chicago, IL

Eye Infection Risks From Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Via Hand Soap And Eye Drops, Anna Gitter, Kristina D Mena, Karla S Mendez, Fuqing Wu, Charles P Gerba

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Eye infections from bacterial contamination of bulk-refillable liquid soap dispensers and artificial tear eye drops continue to occur, resulting in adverse health outcomes that include impaired vision or eye enucleation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), a common cause of eye infections, can grow in eye drop containers and refillable soap dispensers to high numbers. To assess the risk of eye infection, a quantitative microbial risk assessment for P. aeruginosa was conducted to predict the probability of an eye infection for two potential exposure scenarios: (i) individuals using bacteria-contaminated eye drops and (ii) contact lens wearers washing their hands with …

Syntaxin 3 Is Haplosufficient For Long-Term Photoreceptor Survival In The Mouse Retina, Tahira Jabeen, Muhammad Shahid Khan, Sana Javaid, Waqar Azeem, Rabia Ayoub, Martin Motola

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Here, synthesis and thorough characterization of β-NaFeO2 nanoparticles utilizing a co-precipitation technique is presented. XRD analysis confirmed a hexagonal-phase structure of β-NaFeO2. SEM revealed well-dispersed spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 45 nm. The FTIR spectrum analysis revealed weak adsorption bands at 1054 cm-1 suggested metal-metal bond stretching (Fe-Na). UV-Visible spectroscopy indicates a 4.4 eV optical band gap. Colloidal stability of β-NaFeO2 was evidenced via Zeta potential (-28.5 mV) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements. BET analysis reveals a substantial 343.27 m2 g-1 surface area with mesoporous characteristics. Antioxidant analysis indicates efficacy comparable to standard antioxidants, while concentration-dependent antibacterial …

An Exploration Of The Effectiveness Of Xanthorrhiza Simplicissima And Its Secondary Alkaloids As Antibiotics Against Staphylococcus Aureus With The Use Of Reserpine, Donald Bothe, Savita Chaurasia

Undergraduate Theses

Xanthorhiza simplicissima is a plant that is steeped in medical history. It has been used for hundreds of years by the Native Americans, and later by the Europeans, of Appalachia for its medicinal properties. One of the most useful medical applications of this plant are its antibiotic properties, as typified by its use as a tea that was consumed to treat mouth sores. These antibiotic properties can be attributed to some of its secondary alkaloids such as berberine, liriodenine, oxyacanthine, and magnoflorine. These compounds have been studied in other systems; however, oxyacanthine and magnoflorine have not been researched in tandem …

Association Of F. Alocis And D. Pneumosintes With Periodontitis Disease Severity And Red Complex Bacteria, Hawaabi F.M. Shaikh, Pratima U. Oswal, Manohar Suresh Kugaji, Sandeep S. Katti, Kishore Gajanan Bhat, Eswar Kandaswamy, Vinayak M. Joshi

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Oral biofilms are considered the principal etiological agent in the development of periodontitis. Novel species that may contribute to periodontitis and dysbiosis have been identified recently. The study aims to evaluate the presence of F. alocis and D. pneumosintes in healthy and diseased patients and their association with clinical parameters and with red complex bacteria. The study included 60 subjects, with 30 patients each in the healthy and periodontitis groups. The clinical parameters were noted, and samples were subjected to DNA extraction followed by a polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis was performed using the Graph Pad Prism software. Results: F. …

Targeted Deletion Of Nr2f2 And Vcam1 In Theca Cells Impacts Ovarian Follicular Development: Insights Into Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?†, Nicholes R Candelaria, Joanne S Richards

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Defining features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) include elevated expression of steroidogenic genes, theca cell androgen biosynthesis, and peripheral levels of androgens. In previous studies, we identified vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) as a selective androgen target gene in specific NR2F2/SF1 (+/+) theca cells. By deleting NR2F2 and VCAM1 selectively in CYP17A1 theca cells in mice, we documented that NR2F2 and VCAM1 impact distinct and sometimes opposing theca cell functions that alter ovarian follicular development in vivo: including major changes in ovarian morphology, steroidogenesis, gene expression profiles, immunolocalization images (NR5A1, CYP11A1, NOTCH1, CYP17A1, INSL3, VCAM1, NR2F2) as well as …

Genomes Of Bacteroides Ovatus, B Cellulosilyticus, B Uniformis, Phocaeicola Vulgatus, And P Dorei Isolated From Gut Cavernous Fistulous Tract Micropathologies In Crohn’S Disease, Vaidhvi Singh, Gail West, Claudio Fiocchi, Fabio Cominelli, Caryn E Good, Michael R Jacobs, Alexander Rodriguez-Palacios

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Surgically removed bowels from Crohn's disease patients exhibit a novel form of micropathologies known as cavernous fistulous tract microlesions (CavFT), resembling fissures. We announce the genomes/plasmids and antimicrobial resistance genes of six CavFT bacterial isolates representing the Bacteroidota genera Bacteroides and Phocaeicola. Plasmids were identified in Bacteroides cellulosilyticus and Phocaeicola vulgatus.

Typhlitis In A Neutropenic Patient, Alice He Bs, Wern Lynn Ng Md, Lay She Ng Md, Si Yuan Khor Md, Chandi Garg Md

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Gut Microbial Dysbiosis Differs In Two Distinct Cachectic Tumor-Bearing Models Consuming The Same Diet, Lauri O. Byerley, Brittany Lorenzen, Hsiao Man Chang, William G. Hartman, Michael J. Keenan, Ryan Page, Meng Luo, Scot E. Dowd, Christopher M. Taylor

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The impact of cancer cachexia on the colonic microbiota is poorly characterized. This study assessed the effect of two cachectic-producing tumor types on the gut microbiota to determine if a similar dysbiosis could be found. In addition, it was determined if a diet containing an immunonutrient-rich food (walnuts) known to promote the growth of probiotic bacteria in the colon could alter the dysbiosis and slow cachexia. Male Fisher 344 rats were randomly assigned to a semi-purified diet with or without walnuts. Then, within each diet group, rats were further assigned randomly to a treatment group: tumor-bearing ad libitum fed (TB), …

Effects Of Sars-Cov-2 Variants On Cd8+ T Cell Epitope Diversity: Estimating Clinical Severity In The United States, Grace Kim, Jacob Elnaggar, Maya Sevalia, Najah Nicholas, Mallory Varnado, Judy Crabtree, Lucio Miele

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Association for Clinical and Translational Science 2024; April 3 - April 5, 2024; Las Vegas, NV

Genetic Ancestry And Radical Prostatectomy Findings In Hispanic/Latino Patients, Natalia L. Acosta-Vega, Rodolfo Varela, Jorge Andrés Mesa, Jone Garai, Alberto Gómez-Gutiérrez, Silvia J. Serrano-Gómez, Jovanny Zabaleta, María Carolina Sanabria-Salas, Alba L. Combita

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: African ancestry is a known factor associated with the presentation and aggressiveness of prostate cancer (PC). Hispanic/Latino populations exhibit varying degrees of genetic admixture across Latin American countries, leading to diverse levels of African ancestry. However, it remains unclear whether genetic ancestry plays a role in the aggressiveness of PC in Hispanic/Latino patients. We explored the associations between genetic ancestry and the clinicopathological data in Hispanic/Latino PC patients from Colombia. Patients and methods: We estimated the European, Indigenous and African genetic ancestry, of 230 Colombian patients with localized/regionally advanced PC through a validated panel for genotypification of 106 Ancestry …

Identification Of Novel F2-Isoprostane Metabolites By Specific Udp-Glucuronosyltransferases, Ginger L Milne, Marina S Nogueira, Benlian Gao, Stephanie C Sanchez, Warda Amin, Sarah Thomas, Camille Oger, Jean-Marie Galano, Harvey J Murff, Gong Yang, Thierry Durand

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze the conjugation of glucuronic acid with endogenous and exogenous lipophilic small molecules to facilitate their inactivation and excretion from the body. This represents approximately 35 % of all phase II metabolic transformations. Fatty acids and their oxidized eicosanoid derivatives can be metabolized by UGTs. F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs) are eicosanoids formed from the free radical oxidation of arachidonic acid. These molecules are potent vasoconstrictors and are widely used as biomarkers of endogenous oxidative damage. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates the efficacy of measuring the β-oxidation metabolites of F2-IsoPs rather than the unmetabolized F2-IsoPs to quantify oxidative damage in …

Rfx Transcription Factor In The Human-Associated Yeast Candida Albicans Regulates Adhesion To Oral Epithelium, Diana L Rodríguez, Elena Lindemann-Perez, J Christian Perez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Adhesion to mucosal surfaces is a critical step in many bacterial and fungal infections. Here, using a mouse model of oral infection by the human fungal pathobiont Candida albicans, we report the identification of a novel regulator of C. albicans adhesion to the oral mucosa. The regulator is a member of the regulatory factor X (RFX) family of transcription factors, which control cellular processes ranging from genome integrity in model yeasts to tissue differentiation in vertebrates. Mice infected with the C. albicans rfx1 deletion mutant displayed increased fungal burden in tongues compared to animals infected with the reference strain. High-resolution …

Cytoplasmic Redox Imbalance In The Thioredoxin System Activates Hsf1 And Results In Hyperaccumulation Of The Sequestrase Hsp42 With Misfolded Proteins, Davi Goncalves, Duong Long Duy, Sara Peffer, Kevin A Morano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cells employ multiple systems to maintain homeostasis when experiencing environmental stress. For example, the folding of nascent polypeptides is exquisitely sensitive to proteotoxic stressors including heat, pH, and oxidative stress, and is safeguarded by a network of protein chaperones that concentrate potentially toxic misfolded proteins into transient assemblies to promote folding or degradation. The redox environment itself is buffered by both cytosolic and organellar thioredoxin and glutathione pathways. How these systems are linked is poorly understood. Here, we determine that specific disruption of the cytosolic thioredoxin system resulted in constitutive activation of the heat shock response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and …

Identification Of An Early Survival Prognostic Gene Signature For Localized Osteosarcoma Patients, Tajhal D Patel, Sandra L Grimm, Rupa S Kanchi, Tanmay Gandhi, Amrit Koirala, Jason T Yustein, Cristian Coarfa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Osteosarcoma is the most prevalent bone tumor in pediatric patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has improved osteosarcoma patient survival, however the 5-year survival rate for localized osteosarcoma is 75% with a 30-50% recurrence rate. We, therefore, sought to identify a prognostic gene signature which could predict poor prognosis in localized osteosarcoma patients. Using the TARGET osteosarcoma transcriptomic dataset, we identified a 13-hub gene signature associated with overall survival and time to death of localized osteosarcoma patients, with the high-risk group showing a 22% and the low-risk group showing 100% overall survival. Furthermore, network analysis identified five modules of co-expressed genes that significantly …

Lncrna Impact On Regorafenib Resistance In Colorectal Cancer, Ricardo Pequeno Bracho, Kyle Doxtater, Dennis Kwabiah, Yamile Abuchard Anaya, Sophia Leslie, Mohammad Shabir Hussain, Manish Tripathi

Research Symposium

Cancer metastasis is one of the deadliest aspects of the disease, with about 90% of all cancer-related deaths due to its development at different sites within the body. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, with 40-50% of all patients developing metastasis at some point during their fight with the disease. With the approval of Regorafenib for treating metastatic colorectal cancer, steps have been taken to combat metastasis in colorectal cancer. A vital aspect of the development of metastasis is the development of resistance to first-line chemotherapy. Regorafenib is an oral small-molecule …

Momkk1 And Moatg1 Dichotomously Regulating Autophagy And Pathogenicity Through Moatg9 Phosphorylation In Magnaporthe Oryzae, Yun Kong, Pusheng Guo, Jiayun Xu, Jiaxu Li, Miao Wu, Ziqi Zhang, Yifan Wang, Xinyu Liu, Leiyun Yang, Muxing Liu, Haifeng Zhang, Ping Wang, Zhengguang Zhang

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Autophagy is a central biodegradation pathway critical in eliminating intracellular cargo to maintain cellular homeostasis and improve stress resistance. At the same time, the key component of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade regulating cell wall integrity signaling MoMkk1 has an essential role in the autophagy of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Still, the mechanism of how MoMkk1 regulates autophagy is unclear. Interestingly, we found that MoMkk1 regulates the autophagy protein MoAtg9 through phosphorylation. MoAtg9 is a transmembrane protein subjected to phosphorylation by autophagy-related protein kinase MoAtg1. Here, we provide evidence demonstrating that MoMkk1-dependent MoAtg9 phosphorylation is required for phospholipid …