May 2021 Member Publications

  1. Ferragut Cardoso AP, Banerjee M, Nail AN, Lykoudi A, States JC. miRNA Dysregulation is an Emerging Modulator of Genomic Instability. Semin Cancer Biol. 2021 May 9:S1044-579X(21)00132-2. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.05.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33979676
    Impact Statement: Induction of genomic instability and dysregulation of miRNAs, are both key processes involved in carcinogenesis. However, how these two processes interact is only beginning to be understood. This review summarizes the literature evidence supporting a causal role of miRNA dysregulation in generating genomic instability and consequently carcinogenesis. Current knowledge gaps and possible approaches to address them are also discussed.
  2. Banerjee M, Ferragut Cardoso A, Al-Eryani L, Pan J, Kalbfleisch TS, Srivastava S, Rai SN, States JC. Dynamic alteration in miRNA and mRNA expression profiles at different stages of chronic arsenic exposure-induced carcinogenesis in a human cell culture model of skin cancer. Arch Toxicol. 2021 May 25. doi: 10.1007/s00204-021-03084-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34032870.
    Impact Statement: Skin cancer is a well-known outcome of chronic environmental arsenic exposure, but the molecular mechanisms are not well understood. This investigation examined the changes in gene expression in a longitudinal study using a well-established cell line model of chronic arsenic exposure-induced squamous cell carcinoma and RNA-seq. The results reveal that the landscape of differentially expressed mRNA and the miRNAs regulating those mRNAs change considerably during cancer development and provide novel insight into the molecular events leading to skin cancer chronic from arsenic exposure.
  3. Huang S, Wang J, Men H, Tan Y, Lin Q, Gozal E, Zheng Y, Cai L. Cardiac metallothionein overexpression rescues diabetic cardiomyopathy in Akt2-knockout mice. J Cell Mol Med. 2021 May 30. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.16687. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34053181.
    Impact Statement: Akt2 play important role in the glucose metabolism of the heart, but its function is down-regulated under diabetic condition. The new study shows that although we previously showed that metallothionein (MT) preserved Akt2 activity along with the prevention of diabetic cardiomyopathy, but, in the absence of Akt2 gene MT may stimulate alternative or Akt2 downstream pathways to protect from diabetic cardiomyopathy. This may provide a new strategy to prevent diabetic complications.
  4. Morrissey SM, Geller AE, Hu X, Tieri D, Ding C, Klaes CK, Cooke EA, Woeste MR, Martin ZC, Chen O, Bush SE, Zhang HG, Cavallazzi R, Clifford SP, Chen J, Ghare S, Barve SS, Cai L, Kong M, Rouchka EC, McLeish KR, Uriarte SM, Watson CT, Huang J, Yan J. A specific low-density neutrophil population correlates with hypercoagulation and disease severity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. JCI Insight. 2021 May 10;6(9):148435. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.148435. PMID: 33986193.
    Impact Statement: Our data suggest that a subset of low density neutrophil population contributes to COVID-19-associated coagulopathy, systemic inflammation, and acute respiratory distress syndrome . The frequency of this neutrophil subset in the circulation could serve as an adjunct clinical marker to monitor disease status and progression.
  5. Tevis DS, Flores SR, Kenwood BM, Bhandari D, Jacob P 3rd, Liu J, Lorkiewicz PK, Conklin DJ, Hecht SS, Goniewicz ML, Blount BC, De Jesús VR. Harmonization of acronyms for volatile organic compound metabolites using a standardized naming system. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2021 May 4;235:113749. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113749. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33962120.
    Impact Statement: Increased interest in volatile organic compound (VOC) exposure has led to an increased need for consistent, systematic, and informative naming of VOC metabolites. Harmonizing the naming of VOC metabolites will lead to more uniform dissemination of knowledge regarding VOC exposures and their relationships with public health.”
  6. DuPre NC, Karimi S, Zhang CH, Blair L, Gupta A, Alharbi LMA, Alluhibi M, Mitra R, McKinney WP, Little B. County-level demographic, social, economic, and lifestyle correlates of COVID-19 infection and death trajectories during the first wave of the pandemic in the United States. Sci Total Environ. 2021 May 3;786:147495. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147495. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33971599; PMCID: PMC8091799.
    Impact Statement: This study identifies and maps counties with similar COVID-19 epidemic curves and highlights that communities with higher proportions of youth, communities of color, smokers, and workers in healthcare, service and goods industries can reduce viral spread by targeting vaccination programs to these populations and increasing access and education on non-pharmaceutical interventions.
  7. Xu Q, Liu Y, Cepulis D, Jerde A, Sheppard RA, Tretter K, Oppy L, Stevenson G, Bishop S, Clifford SP, Liu P, Kong M, Huang J. Implementing an Electronic Hand Hygiene System Improved Compliance in the Intensive Care Unit. Am J Infect Control. 2021 May 27:S0196-6553(21)00383-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.05.014. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34052312. 
    Impact Statement: A sensor-based electronic hand hygiene system improved hand hygiene compliance in the ICU. Significant variations among providers in terms of hand hygiene compliance. Hand rubbing duration in partial compliance occurrences did not change significantly over time.
  8. Song K, Xu Q, Knott VH, Zhao CB, Clifford SP, Kong M, Slaughter MS, Huang Y, Huang J. Liposomal Bupivacaine-Based Erector Spinae Block for Cardiac Surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021 May;35(5):1555-1559. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2020.09.115. Epub 2020 Sep 20. PMID: 33046362. 
    Impact Statement: Liposomal bupivacaine–based single-shot bilateral erector spinae block could reduce total opioid consumption intraoperatively, as well as at 4 and 12 hours after extubation in cardiac surgery.
  9. Gu Z, Li F, Liu Y, Jiang M, Zhang L, He L, Wilkey DW, Merchant M, Zhang X, Deng ZB, Chen SY, Barve S, McClain CJ, Feng W. Exosome-Like Nanoparticles From Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG Protect Against Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Through Intestinal Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Mice. Hepatol Commun. 2021 Feb 5;5(5):846-864. doi: 10.1002/hep4.1679. PMID: 34027273; PMCID: PMC8122379.
    Impact Statement: Alcohol use disorders will effect nearly 1 in 7 Americans across their lifespan and contribute to more than 85,000 deaths annually. Wenke Feng, PhD, Professor of Medicine and his collaborators including some in the CIEHS, demonstrated that small exosome-like nanoparticles purified from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) growth cultures can protect the gut and the liver from alcohol-induced, bacterial endotoxin damage. Probiotics, such as LGG, represent an important part of a healthy lifestyle, are freely available for over-the-counter purchase, and may be one approach to mitigate the damaging effects of alcohol abuse.
  10. Teng Y, Xu F, Zhang X, Mu J, Sayed M, Hu X, Lei C, Sriwastva M, Kumar A, Sundaram K, Zhang L, Park JW, Chen SY, Zhang S, Yan J, Merchant ML, Zhang X, McClain CJ, Wolfe JK, Adcock RS, Chung D, Palmer KE, Zhang HG. Plant-derived exosomal microRNAs inhibit lung inflammation induced by exosomes SARS-CoV-2 Nsp12. Mol Ther. 2021 May 11:S1525-0016(21)00257-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.05.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33984520; PMCID: PMC8110335.
     Impact Statement:COVID-19 is a disease affecting the pulmonary system with devastating inflammation. Our results show that a tiny nanovesicles called exosomes released from SARS-CoV-2 infected lung epithelia cells are preferentially taken up by lung macrophages that subsequently induce lung inflammation. Ginger exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) miRNA inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 induced lung inflammation and viral replication. Therefore, GELNs are a potential therapeutic agent to treat COVID-19
  11. Guardiola JJ, Hardesty JE, Beier JI, Prough RA, McClain CJ, Cave MC. Plasma Metabolomics Analysis of Polyvinyl Chloride Workers Identifies Altered Processes and Candidate Biomarkers for Hepatic Hemangiosarcoma and Its Development. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 11;22(10):5093. doi: 10.3390/ijms22105093. PMID: 34065028; PMCID: PMC8150673.
     Impact Statement: The results of this study help us understand why vinyl chloride causes liver cancer in chemical plant workers. Some of the blood tests we identified could possibly be used to test at-risk workers for cancer.
  12. O'Brien SJ, Kalbflesich T, Srivastava S, Pan J, Rai S, Petras RE, Ronquillo N, Polk HC Jr, Galandiuk S. Decreased Tumoral Expression of Colon-Specific Water Channel Aquaporin 8 Is Associated With Reduced Overall Survival in Colon Adenocarcinoma. Dis Colon Rectum. 2021 May 13. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000002071. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33990498.
     Impact Statement: In collaboration with Dr. Galandiuk, we explore gene signatures for overall survival in colon adenocarcinoma on The Cancer Genome Atlas data repository. We find that Low AQP8 expression is a risk factor for worse overall survival in colon cancer patients.
  13. Linder MW, Egger ME, Van Meter T, Rai SN, Valdes R Jr, Hall MB, Wu X, Alghamdi N, Chesney JA. Longitudinal Relationship between Idylla Plasma ctBRAF V600 Mutation Detection and Tumor Burden in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma. Mol Diagn Ther. 2021 May 10. doi: 10.1007/s40291-021-00528-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33970440.
     Impact Statement: In collaboration with Dr. Linder, we find statistically significant relationship between changes in plasma ctDNA and radiographic imaging among patients with metastatic melanoma. This can supplement early detection of progression and relapse in this population.
  14. 14. Majid S, Keith RJ, Fetterman JL, Weisbrod RM, Nystoriak J, Wilson T, Stokes AC, Blaha MJ, Srivastava S, Robertson RM, Bhatnagar A, Hamburg NM. Lipid profiles in users of combustible and electronic cigarettes. Vasc Med. 2021 May 20:1358863X211009313. doi: 10.1177/1358863X211009313. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34013801.
     Impact Statement: The present study provides insights into the associations of novel tobacco product use with known markers of cardiovascular health. Importantly, when compared to never users, we found use of there earlier generation of electronic cigarettes with and without combustible cigarette use to be associated with lower levels of HDL cholesterol and higher triglycerides