Project description:Co-migration / spiking experiment to confirm the retention time of drug analogs detected in HNRC fecal samples with those in microbial cultures
Project description:Co-migration / spiking experiment to confirm the retention time of drug analogs detected in HNRC fecal samples with those in microbial cultures
Project description:Soon after HIV acquisition, circulating HIV-infected monocytes cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and infect resident brain microglia and other susceptible cells, establishing a potential viral reservoir. Despite supressive antiretroviral therapy, these HIV-infected cells mediate a neuroinflammatory process causing HIV-associated neurocognitive deficites (HAND) in at least 20% of people with HIV. Continued migration of HIV-infected monocytes into the brain may further exacerbate neuroinflammation and replenish viral reservoirs. To ascertain how HIV infection facilitates monocyte passage across the BBB in vivo, we developed a novel mouse model to quantify circulating monocytes supporting HIV production that migrated into the brain. We demontrate that significantly more monocytes from HIV-transgenic mice, capable of supporting HIV production, crossed the BBB compared to control transgenic mouse monocytes. This difference was particularly pronounced after recipient mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To explore the underlying mechanism, we compared the transcriptomes of HIV transgenic mouse monocytes and control mouse monocytes and identified multiple differentially expressed genes linked to mononuclear leukocyte trafficking, including several associated with monocyte chemotaxis. We also evaluated the effect of substance use in combination with HIV infection on monocyte migration across the BBB into the brain by treating HIV transgenic mice with either morphine or methamphetamine. Short-term exposure to either drug did not significantly alter the migration of HIV-transgenic monocytes across the BBB.
Project description:Diagnosis of TB, especially in the presence of an HIV co-infection, can be challenging when using conventional diagnostic methods. In this study, we analyzed global gene expression data from PBMC of patients that were either mono-infected with HIV or co-infected with HIV and TB in order to identify a TB-specific gene signature. Total RNA obtained from PBMC from a South African cohort. Microarry analysis was performed to compare gene expression in patients either infected with HIV or co-infected with HIV/TB.
Project description:Genome wide DNA methylation profiling of PBMC from South African patients either infected with HIV only or coinfected with HIV and tuberculosis (TB). The Illumina Infinium 27k Human DNA methylation Beadchip was used to obtain DNA methylation profiles from PBMC samples. Samples included 19 HIV patients and 20 HIV/TB co-infected patients. Bisulphite converted DNA were hybridised to the Illumina Infinium 27k Human Methylation Beadchip v1.2
Project description:Hepatic complications of HCV infection, including fibrosis and cirrhosis are accelerated in HIV-infected individuals. Although liver biopsy remains the gold standard for staging HCV-associated liver disease, this test can result in serious complications and is subject to sampling error. These challenges have prompted a search for non-invasive methods for liver fibrosis staging. To this end, we compared serum proteome profiles at different stages of fibrosis in HIV/HCV co- and HCV mono-infected patients using SELDI-TOF MS.