Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Archives - Sanford Burnham Prebys
Institute News

New insight on the development of T cells that promote autoimmune disease

Authorjmoore
Date

February 8, 2016

Generally, T cells, the policemen of the body, activate immune responses upon finding infected or diseased cells, but some T cells respond the same way to normal cells in the body. If unchecked, such T cells can cause autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. These self-reactive T cells are a recently discovered type of T cell, the TH17 cell. Preventing young T cells from becoming TH17 cells is of major interest as a means to treat autoimmune diseases. Continue reading “New insight on the development of T cells that promote autoimmune disease”

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New method to identify bacteria in the gut may facilitate development of probiotics

Authorjmoore
Date

January 19, 2016

The gut microbiome, the community of bacteria living in the intestines, has an enormous impact on human health, affecting risk for obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), neurological disorders, and even cancer. Accordingly, there has been an explosion of research in this area in the past ten years, with the long-term goal of developing ways to manipulate the microbiome to promote the survival of bacteria that promote health and/or eliminate those associated with disease. Continue reading “New method to identify bacteria in the gut may facilitate development of probiotics”

Institute News

HIV and METH: An unpredictable storm

Authorsgammon
Date

January 6, 2016

 

Research has shown that methamphetamine (METH) use among HIV-positive individuals may be as high as 25%, compared with a national average of less than one percent. On its own, METH can cause irreparable physical, psychological, and social damage to individuals who abuse or become dependent on the drug. For HIV-positive patients, particularly individuals undergoing treatment with antivirals, the combined effects of METH and HIV infection on the central nervous system are particularly concerning.

A new study by SBP researchers evaluates the neuronal damage caused by HIV proteins, METH, and combinations of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). Combinations of ARVs are the most common treatment for HIV-positive individuals, and are credited for increasing the survival of patients to near normal life spans. The results, published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, are surprising.

  • The overall positive effect of ARVs—keeping patients alive—comes with a downside. Certain ARV drug combinations are neurotoxic.
  • Some combinations of HIV, ARVs and METH increase neuronal impairment, while others have no additive effect. And the results are unpredictable.

“Our finding that ARVs can be neurotoxic is concerning,” said Marcus Kaul, PhD, associate professor in the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program at SBP. “We already know the virus on its own can cause a condition called HAND, which stands for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. That’s a fancy way of describing changes in memory, concentration, attention, and motor skills that affect up to 50% of HIV-positive patients.”

“Since the goal is to keep HIV-positive patients alive and healthy, it’s important to learn if the treatments we use to prolong life have unwanted side effects. Our research suggests that some ARV combination therapies aggravate neurocognitive decline. ”

Adding methamphetamine to the mix further complicates matters.

“We found that even though METH on its own is toxic to neurons, with some combinations of ARVs, we observe increased neuronal impairment, but in other combinations there is no additive affect. This means that the neurocognitive effects of METH may depend on the ARV combination prescribed to the patient.”

The study tested four of the most commonly used ARTs in the presence and absence of METH and gp120, a neurotoxic HIV protein that sits on the surface of the virus but can also be released from infected cells. The researchers used an in vitro system to assess neuronal damage produced by various combinations of the drugs and virus protein. Damage was measured by assessing the number of neurons and quantifying components of their processes and synapses. The analysis also included measurement of neuronal ATP levels—the main energy source of cells. Measuring ATP levels is a well-established method for evaluating toxicity. A reduction in ATP levels is indicative of cell damage.

“In a perfect world we would be able to predict which ARV therapy combinations are best suited to HIV-positive individuals prone to recreational drug use. While we are probably a few years from this degree of personalizing HIV treatment, in the short term the information adds to our understanding of the pathways and mechanisms that lead to neurocognitive decline and dementia, so the lessons we learn may ultimately be applied more broadly to neurological disorders,” Kaul added.

 

Institute News

You’re invited to a psoriasis research update and reception

Authormigartua
Date

December 15, 2015

Come join us at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) to learn about the latest research in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis taking place in your community. The Psoriasis Research Update and Reception is jointly sponsored by SBP and the National Psoriasis Foundation. The event will take place on:

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute Building 12 Auditorium 10905 Road to the Cure San Diego, CA 92121

Take a tour of the SBP Psoriasis Research Lab and come to the reception where we will provide hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

 

Our guest speakers will include:

  • Carl Ware, PhD, Director of SBP’s Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center
  • John Sedy, PhD, Research Assistant Professor
  • Randy Beranek, President and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation
  • Erik Gilbertson, MD, Division Head of Dermatology at Scripps Clinic

RSVP to hbuthmann@sbpdiscovery.org by January 29, 2015 to reserve your spot.

 

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Existing compound holds promise for reducing Huntington’s disease progression

Authorsgammon
Date

December 7, 2015

Currently, there is no treatment to halt the progression of Huntington’s disease (HD), a fatal genetic disorder that slowly robs sufferers of their physical and mental abilities. In a new collaboration between SBP’s Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics (Prebys Center) and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, researchers have discovered that an existing compound, previously tested in humans for diabetes, offers hope for slowing HD and its symptoms. Continue reading “Existing compound holds promise for reducing Huntington’s disease progression”

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Lilly and Sanford-Burnham announce collaboration to investigate immunological therapies

Authorpbartosch
Date

May 14, 2015

Today, Eli Lilly and Sanford-Burnham announced a novel collaboration to discover and develop immunological therapies. The two organizations will investigate potential therapeutics using biotechnology approaches in targeting multiple immune checkpoint modulators for the treatment of immunological diseases such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune disorders. Continue reading “Lilly and Sanford-Burnham announce collaboration to investigate immunological therapies”

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Research suggests new way to prevent HIV-associated brain injury

Authorsgammon
Date

December 5, 2014

For about 50 percent of HIV-1-infected people, things as simple as buttoning a shirt, remembering the alphabet, and handling money may become compromised by a disorder known as HIV-induced brain injury. The condition occurs when receptors and proteins in an HIV-infected immune system produce toxic substances that lead to brain- and nerve-cell death. There is currently no treatment available for the more than 600,000 affected individuals in the U.S. In a new study by Sanford-Burnham researchers, blocking CCR5—an HIV co-receptor—was found to protect against brain injury and impairment of learning and memory. The findings, reported in The Journal of Immunology, create a new approach to treating HIV-induced brain injury and may help our understanding of the potential involvement of CCR5 in other diseases of the brain. Continue reading “Research suggests new way to prevent HIV-associated brain injury”

Institute News

Sanford-Burnham’s 36th Annual Symposium: The Microbiome and Human Health

Authorsgammon
Date

November 3, 2014

On Thursday, October 30, 2014, Sanford-Burnham hosted more than 250 attendees at its 36th annual symposium to hear opinion-leading scientists discuss their latest findings on the microbiome. The microbiome is a relatively new frontier for research scientists with aims to understand how the trillions of microbes—bacteria, viruses, fungi, and others—that live in our nose, mouth, gut, and skin interact with human cells to influence health and disease. Continue reading “Sanford-Burnham’s 36th Annual Symposium: The Microbiome and Human Health”