Allergy and Immunology Commons^™

Presentation Of External Ear Rosai-Dorfman Disease With Laryngeal Involvement, Kenji R Kobayashi, Yusif Hajiyev, Maren Y Fuller, Gunes Orman, Elton M Lambert

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare benign systemic histiocytic proliferation characterized by massive lymph node enlargement and sometimes associated with extranodal involvement. Even though it is considered to be benign, death can occur depending on the extent and location. Our case highlights a primary extranodal site of the right pinna with extension through the Eustachian tube to the subglottis. A previously healthy 15-year-old female presented with 1-year right pinna swelling, slowly enlarging and becoming more bothersome. An incisional biopsy was performed on the ear along with S100 staining yielding a diagnosis. After multidisciplinary case discussion, clofarabine monotherapy and systemic therapy …

Realizing The Promise Of Dolutegravir In Effectively Treating Children And Adolescents Living With Hiv In Real-World Settings In 6 Countries In Eastern And Southern Africa, Jason Michael Bacha, Sandile Dlamini, Florence Anabwani, Judith Gwimile, Jacqueline Balungi Kanywa, John Farirai, Menard Bvumbwe, Mabene Tsotako, Teresa Steffy, Diane Nguyen, Jose Euberto Mendez-Reyes, Peter Elyanu, Heather Haq

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Despite encouraging results from clinical trials and in high-income countries, large-scale data on the effectiveness and safety of dolutegravir (DTG) in children and adolescents living with HIV (CALHIV) are lacking in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed among CALHIV 0-19 years old and weighing greater than or equal to 20 kg who received DTG from 2017 to 2020 at sites in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda to determine effectiveness, safety and predictors of viral load suppression (VLS) among CALHIV using DTG, including through single drug substitutions (SDS).

RESULTS: Among 9419 CALHIV using DTG, …

Designing A Local Policy To Reduce Hiv In Mexico City, Mayar Al Mohajer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Joint United Nations Program on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS) has recommended 90-90-90 goals to increase the number of patients who are aware of their status, on antiretroviral therapy, and have undetectable viral loads. Mexico City has made several achievements to aid in prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment; however, the incidence of HIV has not decreased over the past decade. This article reviews global initiatives that were successful in achieving some or all these metrics and provide a road map for Mexico to reach the desired goals.

Generation Of Humanized Ldhc Knock-In Mice As A Tool To Assess Human Ldhc-Targeting Contraceptive Drugs, Rie Iida-Norita, Haruhiko Miyata, Yuki Kaneda, Chihiro Emori, Taichi Noda, Tatsuya Nakagawa, Martin M Matzuk, Masahito Ikawa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Lactate dehydrogenase C (LDHC) is specifically expressed in male germ cells and plays critical roles in glycolysis. Glycolysis is required to supply energy for sperm motility. Previous studies showed that Ldhc knock-out mice exhibit impaired sperm motility.

Objectives: We established human LDHC knock-in (hLDHC KI) mice and examined whether hLDHC KI mice can be used to assess LDHC-targeting drugs.

Material and methods: HLDHC was knocked-in to the mouse Ldhc (mLdhc) allele using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Mating tests, sperm motility examinations with a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) were performed. Furthermore, the effect of an …

Alk Fusion In An Adolescent With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Meghan Shekar, Gabriela Llaurador Caraballo, Jyotinder N Punia, Choladda V Curry, Kevin E Fisher, Michele S Redell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Activating mutations and fusions of the ALK oncogene have been identified as drivers in a number of malignancies. Crizotinib and subsequent ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors have improved treatment outcomes for these patients. In this paper, we discuss the case of an adolescent patient with acute myeloid leukemia, who was identified to have an activating ALK fusion, which is a rare finding and has never been reported in cases of AML without monosomy 7. Crizotinib was added to this patient’s frontline therapy and was well tolerated. In cases of more common gene alterations, existing data supports the use of targeted agents …

Increased Adipocyte Hypertrophy In Patients With Nascent Metabolic Syndrome, Ishwarlal Jialal, Beverley Adams-Huet, Sridevi Devaraj

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and Aims: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), a global problem, predisposes to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and premature cardiovascular disease. While MetS is associated with central obesity, there is scanty data on adipocyte hypertrophy, increased fat cell size (FCS), in MetS. The aim of this study was to investigate FCS status in adipose tissue (AT) biopsy of patients with nascent MetS without the confounding of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, smoking, or lipid therapy.

Methods and Results: Fasting blood and subcutaneous gluteal AT biopsies were obtained in MetS (n = 20) and controls (n = 19). Cardio-metabolic features, …

The Axis Of Complement C1 And Nucleolus In Antinuclear Autoimmunity, Shan Wu, Junjie Chen, Boon Heng Dennis Teo, Seng Yin Kelly Wee, Ming Hui Millie Wong, Jianzhou Cui, Jinmiao Chen, Khai Pang Leong, Jinhua Lu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA) are heterogeneous self-reactive antibodies that target the chromatin network, the speckled, the nucleoli, and other nuclear regions. The immunological aberration for ANA production remains partially understood, but ANA are known to be pathogenic, especially, in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Most SLE patients exhibit a highly polygenic disease involving multiple organs, but in rare complement C1q, C1r, or C1s deficiencies, the disease can become largely monogenic. Increasing evidence point to intrinsic autoimmunogenicity of the nuclei. Necrotic cells release fragmented chromatins as nucleosomes and the alarmin HMGB1 is associated with the nucleosomes to activate TLRs and confer anti-chromatin autoimmunogenecity. …

Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis: A Systematic Review Of Hla-Dr In Pigeon Breeder’S Disease, Dylan Thibaut, Ryan A. Witcher, Anitha Kunnath, James Toldi

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Abstract

Introduction: Pigeon Breeder’s Pneumonitis (PBP) results due to a complex pathophysiology that includes exposure to avian antigens. Susceptibility has been linked to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II, though consensus has not been reached. The goal of this systematic review is to further elucidate the association between PBP and HLA-DR subtypes.

Methods: Databases utilized included PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library. Inclusion required a minimum of three studies in English presenting HLA-DR alleles of PBP and control subgroups. Exclusion was due to insufficient data or non-feasible control groups. Forest plots were created for HLA-DR subtypes’ association …

Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes (Tils) And Immune Composition In Breast Cancer Patients From Kenya: Spatial Distributions And Associations With Risk Factors And Tumour Characteristics, Shahin Sayed, Hela Koka, Mustapha Abubakar, Kevin Gardner, Roberto Salgado, Zahir Moloo, Ambar Beatriz Caban-Ureña, Daniel Rosen, Patricia Castro, Mansoor Saleh, Asim Jamal Shaikh, Jasmit Shah, Jonine Figueroa, Francis Makokha, Hien Khanh Ha, Zhong Wang, Pumza Magangane, Richard Naidoo, Veronica Ngundo, Xiaohong Rose Yang, Dhirendra Govender

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The immune landscape of breast cancer (BC) in patients from Sub Saharan Africa is understudied. Our aims were to describe the distribution of Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) within the intratumoural stroma (sTILs) and the leading/invasive edge stroma (LE-TILs), and to evaluate TILs across BC subtypes with established risk factors and clinical characteristics in Kenyan women.

Methods: Visual quantification of sTILs and LE-TILs were performed on Haematoxylin and eosin -stained pathologically confirmed BC cases based on the International TIL working group guidelines. Tissue Microarrays were constructed and stained with immunohistochemistry (IHC) for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD68, CD20, and FOXP3. Linear …

Splendid Isolation, Dimitrios Laurin Wagner, Maksim Mamonkin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Demographic Representation In Clinical Trials: Use Of The Adaptive Coronavirus Disease 2019 Treatment Trial (Actt) As A Test Case, Ana M Ortega-Villa, Noreen A Hynes, Corri B Levine, Katherine Yang, Zanthia Wiley, Nikolaus Jilg, Jing Wang, Jennifer A Whitaker, Christopher J Colombo, Seema U Nayak, Hannah Jang Kim, Nicole M Iovine, Dilek Ince, Stuart H Cohen, Adam J Langer, Jonathan M Wortham, Robert L Atmar, Hana M El Sahly, Mamta K Jain, Aneesh K Mehta, Cameron R Wolfe, Carlos A Gomez, Tatiana Beresnev, Richard A Mularski, Catharine I Paules, Andre C Kalil, Angela R Branche, Annie Luetkemeyer, Barry S Zingman, Jocelyn Voell, Michael Whitaker, Michelle S Harkins, Richard T Davey, Robert Grossberg, Sarah L George, Victor Tapson, William R Short, Varduhi Ghazaryan, Constance A Benson, Lori E Dodd, Daniel A Sweeney, Kay M Tomashek

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Clinical trials initiated during emerging infectious disease outbreaks must quickly enroll participants to identify treatments to reduce morbidity and mortality. This may be at odds with enrolling a representative study population, especially when the population affected is undefined.

Methods: We evaluated the utility of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET), the COVID-19 Case Surveillance System (CCSS), and 2020 United States (US) Census data to determine demographic representation in the 4 stages of the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT). We compared the cumulative proportion of participants by sex, race, ethnicity, and age enrolled at …

Review Of Natural Compounds For Potential Psoriasis Treatment, Omali Y Elkhawaga, Mohamed M Ellety, Sheref O Mofty, Mohamed S Ghanem, Abdallah O Mohamed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Psoriasis represents an immune-mediated disease with an unclear cause that's marked by inflammation triggered by dysfunction in the immune system, which results in inflammation in various parts of the skin. There could be obvious symptoms, such as elevated plaques; these plaques may appear differently depending on the type of skin. This disease can cause inflammation in the elbows, lower back, scalp, knees, or other regions of the body. It can begin at any age, although it most commonly affects individuals between the ages of 50 and 60. Specific cells (such as T cells) have been observed to play an obvious …

Discovery Of Phosphorylated Lantibiotics With Proimmune Activity That Regulate The Oral Microbiome, Abdelahhad Barbour, Leif Smith, Morvarid Oveisi, Mckinley Williams, Ruo Chen Huang, Cara Marks, Noah Fine, Chunxiang Sun, Fereshteh Younesi, Sina Zargaran, Ravi Orugunty, Thomas D Horvath, Sigmund J Haidacher, Anthony M Haag, Amarpreet Sabharwal, Boris Hinz, Michael Glogauer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) that are produced by bacteria. Interest in this group of natural products is increasing rapidly as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Some human microbiome–derived commensals produce lantibiotics to impair pathogens’ colonization and promote healthy microbiomes. Streptococcus salivarius is one of the first commensal microbes to colonize the human oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, and its biosynthesis of RiPPs, called salivaricins, has been shown to inhibit the growth of oral pathogens. Herein, we report on a phosphorylated class of three related RiPPs, collectively referred to as salivaricin 10, that exhibit proimmune activity and …

A Case Of Dock8 Deficiency Treated With Dupilumab, Melissa Anderson, Brandon D. Newell, Hugo Escobar, Erin Stahl, Nikita Raje

Research Days

Background: Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 gene (DOCK8) deficiency is an immune disorder associated with autosomal recessive hyper-IgE syndrome, characterized by elevated IgE levels, atopic dermatitis, and predisposition to recurrent skin and lung infections.

Objectives/Goal: A 12-year-old male presented to Immunology clinic for DOCK8 deficiency. He was diagnosed in infancy due to diffuse papulopustular eruption positive for candidiasis and known family history. Past medical history included severe eczematous dermatitis, asthma, interstitial lung disease, food allergies, and poor growth, with cutaneous HSV and fungal infections, HSV keratitis, and MRSA bacteremia. Family history was notable for two siblings with DOCK8 deficiency, both deceased. …

Rational Design Of Highly Potent And Selective Covalent Map2k7 Inhibitors, Dalton R Kim, Meghan J Orr, Ada J Kwong, Kristine K Deibler, Hasan H Munshi, Cory Seth Bridges, Taylor Jie Chen, Xiaoyu Zhang, H Daniel Lacorazza, Karl A Scheidt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade is conserved across eukaryotes, where it plays a critical role in the regulation of activities including proliferation, differentiation, and stress responses. This pathway propagates external stimuli through a series of phosphorylation events, which allows external signals to influence metabolic and transcriptional activities. Within the cascade, MEK, or MAP2K, enzymes occupy a molecular crossroads immediately upstream to significant signal divergence and cross-talk. One such kinase, MAP2K7, also known as MEK7 and MKK7, is a protein of great interest in the molecular pathophysiology underlying pediatric T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Herein, we describe the rational …

Knowledge And Misconceptions Among Lebanese Community On Immunizations, Hala Ahmadieh, Tala Safa, Ihab Nahle, Yahya Obeid, Dalal Hariri, Etaf Rawass, Tala Kanaan, Ahmad Sabalbal

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Two centuries ago, immunization practices have become the greatest land mark in medical history as they significantly contributed to a decline in several major infectious diseases worldwide thus decreasing both the mortality and morbidity. Moreover, they have been able to eradicate small pox and eliminate poliomyelitis in most regions of the world. However, in recent years the general opinion towards vaccination began shifting due to the emergence of certain opposing views to it, questioning the vaccine's safety and efficacy. This study aims to shed light on the vaccination status in Lebanon by assessing the knowledge, attitude, awareness, and misconceptions among …

Food Insecurity And Dietary Restrictions, Courtney Williams, Savana Rodriguez, Tiffany Guerrero, Stephen Acheampong, Vanesa Pizutelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

According to the USDA Food Insecurity affects around 10.2 percent of the US population as of 2021. For families that have members with certain dietary restriction such as, but not limited to diabetes, hypertension, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, and food allergies, the challenge of securing food becomes an even greater burden with having to navigate food banks or discount stores that may not offer food items that meet their dietary requirements. Families with dietary restrictions often face greater food insecurity and less access to food. More research is needed to understand the challenges families with dietary restrictions face regarding food …

Case Report: Anaphylactic Reaction To Magnesium Sulfate, Nicholas Coan, Kelly Schiers, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 65-year-old female who prior to being discharged from the hospital developed an anaphylactic reaction after receiving an intravenous magnesium sulfate infusion. After extensive literature review, there are few documented hypersensitivity reactions documented. This case report is to highlight a known human response, anaphylaxis, but in response to the repletion of an essential electrolyte to human life, magnesium.

The Management Of Non-Ige-Mediated Allergies In Human Milk-Fed Infants, Sarah Kelly Rowe

Graduate Theses

Background: Non-IgE (immunoglobulin E)-mediated food allergies (FA) present diagnostic and management challenges despite guidelines due to knowledge gaps amongst clinicians. Given that 60% of food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP) cases occur in breast-fed infants, maternal elimination diets are routinely prescribed to manage allergy symptoms. The implications of maternal dietary eliminations extend beyond maternal nutrition to consideration of infant nutrition and feeding skill acquisition.

Methods: A survey-based retrospective, cross-sectional study sought to identify dietary triggers and symptom management techniques practiced by (n=59) lactating mothers of infants with confirmed and suspected cases of non-IgE FA in the United States. Statistical significance was …

A Novel Neuroinvasive Infection Modality For Francisella Tularensis Elicits Neuroinflammation Resulting In Cellular Damage, Mireya Griselle Ramos-Muniz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Francisella tularensis (Ft.) is a gram-negative coccobacillus bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease tularemia in humans. Ft. causes the most severe, often fatal, form of the disease through inhalation. However, Ft. is most commonly transmitted through direct contact with infected animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits, consumption of contaminated food or water, or through arthropod bites, particularly ticks. Due to its extremely low infectious dose, high mortality rate, and potential use as a biological warfare agent, Ft. is classified by the CDC as a "Tier 1 select agent". Ft. infection triggers an overactive inflammatory response, termed a "cytokine storm", …