Project description:14 children vertically HIV infected ART treated within 6 months of life (ET) and 6 children vertically HIV infected ART treated after 12 months of life were studied to understand the effect of early ART initiation on HIV specific CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells functionalities. Additionally, RNAseq on unstimulated PBMC was performed to also evaluate the impact of early ART on the immune transcriptome.
Project description:Antiretroviral treatment (ART) reduces the risk of developing active tuberculosis (TB) in HIV co-infected persons. We aimed to investigate the mechanisms of ART-mediated prevention of TB in HIV and TB co-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART), recruited in Khayelitsha, South Africa. RNA was extracted from whole blood collected in TempusTM Blood RNA tubes at day 0 and at 1, 3 and 6 months of ART. We first performed a pilot RNAseq experiment of 12 samples (3 patients at 4 timepoints) for 50 million reads to assess if samples with lower quality and/or quantity will still yield meaningful outputs and the minimum number of reads required for sufficient coverage. This was followed by a second RNAseq experiment of 35 samples with sufficient quality: 11 from day 0 and 24 from 6 months of ART, 8 of which are paired. However, only n=6 samples from day 0 and n=6 samples from 6 months of ART could be analyzed. Results indicated reduced immune activation at 6 months of ART compared to day 0 with significant fall in the Hallmark Interferon alpha, Interferon gamma and IL-6-JAK-STAT-signalling pathway genes. These results were supported by similar changes in soluble protein markers in the plasma. Overall, our data indicates that ART- induced decrease in immune activation may contribute to reduced susceptibility to tuberculosis in HIV-TB co-infected persons.
Project description:Concerns about impending failure of artemisinin compounds (ART) have grown with global use of ART-based combination therapy (ACT) against malaria. WHO has defined Plasmodium falciparum resistance to ART as prolonged parasite clearance half-life in vivo (t1/2) plus the presence of certain K13 Kelch-propeller substitutions, e.g. C580Y. Recrudescences and fever clearance times after ART monotherapy, however, have not correlated well with these criteria. We have crossed K13 C580 wild-type and 580Y-mutant parasites for ART studies in Aotus. Artesunate treated C580- but not 580Y-infections recrudesced requiring retreatment, and K13 type had little or no effect on t1/2. These results challenge K13 and t1/2 variations as markers of increased resistance to ART per se and emphasize the need for effective partner drugs in ACTs.
Project description:The androgen receptor (AR) directs diverse biological processes through interaction with coregulators such as androgen receptor trapped clone-27 (ART-27). The impact of ART-27 on genome-wide transcription was examined. The studies indicate that loss of ART-27 enhances expression of many androgen-regulated genes, suggesting that ART-27 inhibits gene expression. Surprisingly, classes of genes that are upregulated upon ART-27 depletion include regulators of DNA damage checkpoint and cell cycle progression, suggesting that ART-27 functions to keep expression levels of these genes low. Experiment Overall Design: Steroid-deprived LNCaP cells were transfected with control or ART-27 siRNA and stimulated with ethanol vehicle or 10 nM R1881 for 18 hrs. 8 samples, 4 conditions, 2 replicates per condition.
Project description:HIV-1 persistence during ART is due to the establishment of long-lived viral reservoirs in resting immune cells. Using an NHP model of barcoded SIVmac239 intravenous infection and therapeutic dosing of the anti-TGFBR1 inhibitor galunisertib (LY2157299), we confirmed the latency reversal properties of in vivo TGF-beta blockade, decreased viral reservoirs and stimulated immune responses. Eight SIV-infected macaques on suppressive ART were treated with 4 2-week cycles of galunisertib. ART was discontinued 3 weeks after the last dose, and macaques euthanized 6 weeks after ART-interruption(ATI). One macaque did not rebound, while the remaining rebounded between week 2 and 6 post-ATI. Galunisertib led to viral reactivation as indicated by plasma viral load and immunoPET/CT with the 64Cu-DOTA-F(ab')2-p7D3-probe. Half to 1 Log decrease in cell-associated (CA-)SIV DNA was detected in lymph nodes, gut and PBMC, while intact pro-virus in PBMC decreased by 3-fold. No systemic increase in inflammatory cytokines was observed. High-dimensions cytometry, bulk and single-cell RNAseq revealed a shift toward an effector phenotype in T and NK cells.
Project description:HIV-1 persistence during ART is due to the establishment of long-lived viral reservoirs in resting immune cells. Using an NHP model of barcoded SIVmac239 intravenous infection and therapeutic dosing of the anti-TGFBR1 inhibitor galunisertib (LY2157299), we confirmed the latency reversal properties of in vivo TGF-beta blockade, decreased viral reservoirs and stimulated immune responses. Eight SIV-infected macaques on suppressive ART were treated with 4 2-week cycles of galunisertib. ART was discontinued 3 weeks after the last dose, and macaques euthanized 6 weeks after ART-interruption(ATI). One macaque did not rebound, while the remaining rebounded between week 2 and 6 post-ATI. Galunisertib led to viral reactivation as indicated by plasma viral load and immunoPET/CT with the 64Cu-DOTA-F(ab')2-p7D3-probe. Half to 1 Log decrease in cell-associated (CA-)SIV DNA was detected in lymph nodes, gut and PBMC, while intact pro-virus in PBMC decreased by 3-fold. No systemic increase in inflammatory cytokines was observed. High-dimensions cytometry, bulk and single-cell RNAseq revealed a shift toward an effector phenotype in T and NK cells.