January 2024 Member Publications

Missed Publication from November 2023:

1. Mo Y, Mo L, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yuan J, Zhang Q. High glucose enhances the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by ambient fine particulate matter in alveolar macrophages. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2023 Nov 2;20(1):41. doi: 10.1186/s12989-023-00552-8. PMID: 37919797; PMCID: PMC10621103.
Impact Statement: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that individuals with preexisting conditions, including diabetes mellitus (DM), are more susceptible to air pollution. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our study demonstrated that exposure of mouse alveolar macrophages to PM2.5 in a high glucose setting enhanced PM2.5-induced production of IL-1β through activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and nuclear translocation of NF-κB due to PM2.5-induced oxidative stress, leading to MMP-9 upregulation. Our study provides a further understanding of the potential mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of individuals with DM to air pollution and suggests potential therapeutic targets.

January 2024 Member Publications:

1. Behrooz L, Xie W, Goghari A, Robertson R, Bhatnagar A, Stokes A, Hamburg NM. Electronic cigarette use and chest pain in US adults: Evidence from the PATH study. Tob Induc Dis. 2024 Jan 19;22. doi: 10.18332/tid/175732. PMID: 38250630; PMCID: PMC10798225.
   Impact Statement: This study found exclusive e-cigarette use is associated with a lower rate of chest pain compared to combustible cigarette use and dual use. 
2. Riggs DW, Baumgartner KB, Baumgartner R, Boone S, Judd SE, Bhatnagar A. Long-term exposure to air pollution and risk of stroke by ecoregions: The REGARDS study. Environ Pollut. 2024 Jan 25;345:123367. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123367. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38280465.
   Impact Statement: This study provides crucial insights into the complex relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and stroke risk, highlighting the influence of surrounding ecology on these associations. The findings reveal that the impact of air pollution on stroke risk varies significantly across different ecoregions, emphasizing the importance of considering the type, quality, and quantity of the surrounding environment when assessing the effects of air pollution on public health outcomes. 
3. Abouleisa RRE, Tang XL, Ou Q, Salama AM, Woolard A, Hammouri D, Abdelhafez H, Cayton S, Abdulwali SK, Arai M, Sithu ID, Conklin DJ, Bolli R, Mohamed TMA. Gene therapy encoding cell cycle factors to treat chronic ischemic heart failure in rats. Cardiovasc Res. 2024 Jan 4:cvae002. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvae002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38175760.
   Impact Statement: This study establishes the long-term efficacy of TNNT2-4Fpolycistronic-NIL gene therapy in inducing cardiomyocyte (CM) cell cycle re-entry and improving left ventricular (LV) function in a rat model of chronic ischemic heart failure (IHF), a clinically relevant setting with significant pathophysiological differences from subacute IHF. The findings offer a promising therapeutic avenue for the treatment of chronic IHF, addressing a condition with high clinical prevalence and highlighting the potential of gene therapies in revolutionizing approaches to combat this life-threatening disease. 
4. Zhao J, Adiele N, Gomes D, Malovichko M, Conklin DJ, Ekuban A, Luo J, Gripshover T, Watson WH, Banerjee M, Smith ML, Rouchka EC, Xu R, Zhang X, Gondim DD, Cave MC, O'Toole TE. Obesogenic polystyrene microplastic exposures disrupt the gut-liver-adipose axis. Toxicol Sci. 2024 Jan 30:kfae013. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38291899.
   Impact Statement: Microplastics derived from the physicochemical degradation of larger polymers are ubiquitous contaminants in the environment and have found their way into water supplies and the food chain. Despite evidence that these particles can be found in several human tissues, the health impacts of such exposure are not clear. Using a mouse model of exposure, polystyrene beads in drinking water, we found that consumption of these beads was associated with obesity, adipose inflammation, changes in the gut microbiome, and altered liver metabolism and signal transduction. This study identifies the wide-ranging physiological impact of microplastics consumption. 
5. Taylor MJ, Chitwood CP, Xie Z, Miller HA, van Berkel VH, Fu XA, Frieboes HB, Suliman SA. Disease diagnosis and severity classification in pulmonary fibrosis using carbonyl volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath. Respir Med. 2024 Feb;222:107534. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107534. Epub 2024 Jan 18. PMID: 38244700.
   Impact Statement: This paper investigated analysis of carbonyl compounds including ketones and aldehydes in exhaled breath for detection and evaluation of severity of pulmonary fibrosis. The results indicated that there were higher levels of many aldehydes for pulmonary fibrosis subjects than healthy controls. 
6. Harris LM, Kerr JC, Skidmore BD, Ghare S, Reyes-Vega A, Remenik-Zarauz V, Samanapally H, Anwar RU, Rijal R, Bryant K, Hall MT, Barve S. A conceptual analysis of SBIRT implementation alongside the continuum of PrEP awareness: domains of fit and feasibility. Front Public Health. 2024 Jan 8;11:1310388. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1310388. PMID: 38259734; PMCID: PMC10801388.
   Impact Statement: This conceptual analysis underscores the potential of integrating Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) into the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Care Continuum, offering a strategic approach to enhance HIV prevention initiatives. By applying the Transtheoretical Model of Change and the PrEP Awareness Continuum, the study reveals how SBIRT can effectively bridge identified gaps, providing a client-centered, destigmatized mechanism to boost PrEP awareness, initiation, and overall success in combating Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission. 
7. Kerr J, Combs R, Sterrett-Hong E, Harris L, Northington T, Krigger K, Parker K. Evaluation of a community-informed multimedia intervention to increase PrEP awareness and intention among African American young adults. AIDS Care. 2024 Feb 1:1-7 doi: 10.1080/09540121.2023.2297739. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38301133.
   Impact Statement: This study showcases the impact of a community-informed multimedia campaign in increasing PrEP awareness and use intentions among African American young adults in Louisville, Kentucky. The findings not only reveal a significant improvement in PrEP awareness over time but also demonstrate that participants with higher campaign affinity exhibit greater PrEP intentions, emphasizing the effectiveness of community-engaged health communication strategies in addressing HIV prevention disparities within specific populations.
8. Ander M, Mugve N, Crouch C, Kassel C, Fukazawa K, Isaak R, Deshpande R, McLendon C, Huang J. Regional anesthesia for transplantation surgery - A White Paper Part 2: Abdominal transplantation surgery. Clin Transplant. 2024 Jan;38(1):e15227. doi: 10.1111/ctr.15227. PMID: 38289879.
   Impact Statement: Transplantation surgery continues to evolve and improve through advancements in transplant technique and technology. With the increased availability of ultrasound machines as well as the continued development of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols, regional anesthesia has become an essential component of providing analgesia and minimizing opioid use perioperatively. 
9. Ghosh S, Erickson D, Chua MJ, Collins J, Jala VR. The microbial metabolite urolithin A reduces Clostridioides difficile toxin expression and toxin-induced epithelial damage. mSystems. 2024 Jan 9:e0125523. doi: 10.1128/msystems.01255-23. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38193707.
   Impact Statement: Therapy for Clostridioides difficile infections includes the use of antibiotics, immunosuppressors, and fecal microbiota transplantation. However, these treatments have several drawbacks, including the loss of colonization resistance, the promotion of autoimmune disorders, and the potential for unknown pathogens in donor samples. To date, the potential benefits of microbial metabolites in CDI-induced colitis have not been fully investigated. Here, we report for the first time that the microbial metabolite urolithin A has the potential to block toxin production from C. difficile and enhance gut barrier function to mitigate CDI-induced colitis. 
10. Sagaram M, Frimodig J, Jayanty D, Hu H, Royer AJ, Bruner R, Kong M, Schwandt ML, Vatsalya V. One-month assessment of Th-cell axis related inflammatory cytokines, IL-17 and IL-22 and their role in alcohol-associated liver disease. Front Immunol. 2023 Dec 14;14:1202267. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1202267. PMID: 38162671; PMCID: PMC10755956.
    Impact Statement: This study examined plasma levels of two key cytokines, Il-17 and Il-22, which construct the proinflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory axes across the spectrum of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). IL-17 was highly elevated in the severe alcohol-associated hepatitis group, and IL-17 showed a strong positive association with MELD. Baseline IL-22 levels differentiated AH patients from the AUD patients, and showed positive association with the stages of ALD.
11. Fromer MW, Xu Q, Shindorf ML, Mouw TJ, Kong M, Myers J, Feygin Y, Ghosh I, Martin RCG 2nd, McMasters KM, Philips P, Scoggins CR, Ellis CT, Egger ME. Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer after Cholecystectomy in the Elderly. Am Surg. 2024 Jan 11:31348241227165. doi: 10.1177/00031348241227165. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38205662.
    Impact Statement: This study reveals a significant association between recent cholecystectomy and the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, with a 4.7-fold higher rate of cholecystectomy in the year preceding cancer diagnosis compared to a non-cancer population. The findings underscore the potential relevance of cholecystectomy as a factor in pancreatic cancer diagnosis among elderly patients and highlight demographic and clinical differences between those with and without cancer, providing valuable insights into the epidemiological aspects of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 
12. Egger ME, Feygin Y, Kong M, Poddar T, Ghosh I, Xu Q, McCabe RM, McMasters KM, Ellis CT. Variation in Lymph Node Assessment for Colon Cancer at the Tumor, Surgeon, and Hospital Level. J Am Coll Surg. 2024 Jan 11. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000963. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38205923.
    Impact Statement: This study challenges the common assumption that surgeon characteristics primarily influence the adherence to the ≥12 lymph nodes examined quality standard for resected colon cancer. The findings demonstrate that a substantial portion (71%) of the variation in achieving the 12 lymph node standard is attributed to non-modifiable tumor-level factors, shedding light on the need for a nuanced understanding of the contributors to quality metrics in colon cancer resection and highlighting potential areas for improvement in achieving standardized outcomes. 
13. Cai J, Song M, Li M, Merchant M, Benz F, McClain C, Klein J. Site-Specific Identification of Protein S-Acylation by IodoTMT0 Labeling and Immobilized Anti-TMT Antibody Resin Enrichment. J Proteome Res. 2023 Dec 29. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00525. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38157263.
    Impact Statement: This study introduces a site-specific method for the identification of protein S-acylation, addressing the limitations of the widely used aminolysis with hydroxylamine method, and discusses efforts to enhance the method's performance and identification confidence. The findings reveal a substantial increase in the number of newly identified S-acylation sites, underscoring the importance of stringent criteria and highlighting significant variations in S-acylation abundance across different samples, with implications for understanding the regulation of protein function through reversible post-translational modification. 
14. Sundaram K, Teng Y, Mu J, Xu Q, Xu F, Sriwastva MK, Zhang L, Park JW, Zhang X, Yan J, Zhang SQ, Merchant ML, Chen SY, McClain CJ, Dryden GW, Zhang HG. Outer Membrane Vesicles Released from Garlic Exosome-like Nanoparticles (GaELNs) Train Gut Bacteria that Reverses Type 2 Diabetes via the Gut-Brain Axis. Small. 2024 Jan 15:e2308680. doi: 10.1002/smll.202308680. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38225709.
    Impact Statement: This study introduces a novel approach wherein gut microbiota can be trained by diet-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) to release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), exemplified by garlic ELN (GaELNs) training on Akkermansia muciniphila, effectively reversing high-fat diet-induced type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in mice and inhibiting brain inflammation. The findings elucidate a molecular mechanism demonstrating how OMVs from plant nanoparticle-trained gut bacteria regulate gene expression in the brain, offering potential implications for the treatment of metabolic syndrome-induced brain dysfunction. 
15. Chigwechokha P, Nyirenda RL, Dalitsani D, Namaumbo RL, Kazembe Y, Smith T, Holm RH. Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella Typhi culture-based wastewater or non-sewered sanitation surveillance in a resource-limited region. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2024 Jan 4. doi: 10.1038/s41370-023-00632-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38177335.
    Impact Statement: This work represents a significant advancement in public health surveillance in resource-limited settings, offering a cost-effective and scalable method to monitor and respond to outbreaks of diseases such as Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella serotype Typhi. By demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of using local diagnostic methods for disease detection in wastewater, this work has the potential to improve disease control and prevention efforts, particularly in regions where traditional clinical surveillance systems may be impractical or unavailable. 
16. Kucera C, Ramalingam A, Srivastava S, Bhatnagar A, Carll AP. Nicotine Formulation Influences the Autonomic and Arrhythmogenic Effects of Electronic Cigarettes. Nicotine Tob Res. 2023 Nov 27:ntad237. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntad237. Epub ahead of print. PMID:38011908.
    Impact Statement: This study provides evidence that the chemical formulation and concentration of nicotine in pod-based e-cigarettes, specifically protonated nicotine salts, significantly promote vaping-induced heart arrhythmias in mice, challenging the perceived harmlessness of e-cigarette nicotine. This underscores the necessity for regulatory frameworks to address and potentially reduce nicotine concentration and acidity in e-liquids to enhance global e-cigarette user safety.
17. Lin X, Wang W, Chang X, Chen C, Guo Z, Yu G, Shao W, Wu S, Zhang Q, Zheng F, Li H. ROS/mtROS promotes TNTs formation via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to protect against mitochondrial damages in glial cells induced by engineered nanomaterials. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2024 Jan 15;21(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12989-024-00562-0. PMID: 38225661; PMCID: PMC10789074.
    Impact Statement: Despite their biophysical properties, various types of nanomaterials promote Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) formation and mitochondrial transfer, preventing cell apoptosis and disrupting ATP production induced by nanomaterials. ROS/mtROS and the activation of the downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway are common mechanisms to regulate TNTs formation and mitochondrial transfer. Our study reveals that engineered nanomaterials share the same molecular mechanism of TNTs formation and intercellular mitochondrial transfer, and the proposed adverse outcome pathway contributes to a better understanding of the intercellular protection mechanism against nanomaterials-induced neurotoxicity.