September 2025 Member Publications

    1. Doelling B, Chaudhari M, Hoetker D, Brittian K, Nong Y, Stephan JK, Jouja I, Mitchell T, Wysoczynski M, Bhatnagar A, Jones SP, Baba SP. Carnosinylation of Cardiac Antigens Attenuates Immunogenic Responses and Improves Function in Failing Hearts. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Aug 31:2025.08.22.671840. doi: 10.1101/2025.08.22.671840. PMID: 40909674; PMCID: PMC12407691.
      Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that increasing myocardial carnosine levels through β-alanine supplementation protects against adverse cardiac remodeling in heart failure. By binding to aldehyde-modified proteins and reducing their immunogenicity, carnosine mitigates oxidative and immune-driven cardiac damage, highlighting its therapeutic potential in heart failure management. 
    2. Kitching M, Ribble A, Wright A, Bhatnagar A, Haberzettl P. Sex differences in the redox response to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution protects female mice against metabolic and cardiac injury. Physiol Rep. 2025 Sep;13(17):e70536. doi: 10.14814/phy2.70536. PMID: 40892707; PMCID: PMC12404245.
      Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that female mice are protected from the cardiometabolic toxicity of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), unlike males who exhibited impaired cardiac insulin signaling and increased oxidative stress. The findings highlight sex-specific resilience mechanisms, suggesting that enhanced pulmonary antioxidant defenses in females may mitigate PM2.5-induced metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunction. 
    3. Thakurdesai A, Kumari A, Shay H, Elgharabawy K, Winrich EJ, Zhang W, Jackson A, Cave MC, Kong M, Zhang X, Singal AK, McClain CJ, Vatsalya V. Chronic and Heavy Drinking, Nutrition Status, and Progression of Liver Injury Negatively Affect the Mortality Risk in Patients Suffering from Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis. J Clin Med. 2025 Aug 31;14(17):6157. doi: 10.3390/jcm14176157. PMID: 40943916; PMCID: PMC12429474.
      Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that chronic and recent heavy alcohol consumption, combined with poor nutritional status, significantly worsens the severity and mortality risk of alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH). Incorporating assessments of alcohol use patterns and nutrition into routine clinical care could help identify high-risk patients earlier and improve treatment outcomes. 
    4. Kakar A, Litkowski EM, Scadden AW, Anwar MY, Konigsberg IR, Stanislawski MA, DuPre NC, Mitra R, Baumgartner R, Raffield LM, Lange EM, Lange LA, Taylor KC. A multi-ethnic polygenic risk score for chronic kidney disease is associated with increased risk of hypertension in African American individuals. BMC Nephrol. 2025 Sep 26;26(1):524. doi: 10.1186/s12882-025-04425-4. PMID: 41013308; PMCID: PMC12465664.
      Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that genetic predisposition to chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases the risk of hypertension among African American individuals, highlighting the complex genetic interplay between the two conditions. These findings underscore the potential clinical utility of CKD polygenic risk scores in improving risk prediction and guiding precision medicine approaches in African American populations. 
    5. Eadon MT, Hein DW, Andersen MA, Chapman AB, Cooper-DeHoff RM, Desta Z, Duarte JD, Elchynski AL, Gaedigk A, Karol SE, Limdi NA, Lteif C, Sosinski L, Zubiaur P, Whirl-Carrillo M, Klein TE, Caudle KE, Donnelly RS, Agúndez JAG. Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium Guideline for NAT2 Genotype and Hydralazine Therapy. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2025 Sep 19. doi: 10.1002/cpt.70071. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40974042.
      Impact Statement: This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for hydralazine prescribing based on NAT2 genotype, enabling clinicians to tailor therapy according to a patient’s predicted acetylator phenotype. Implementing these recommendations can improve treatment efficacy and minimize adverse drug reactions, advancing precision medicine in hypertension and heart failure management. 
    6. Asplund H, Dreyer HH, Zheng JJ, Singhal R, Hellmann JL, Sansbury BE . Splenic erythrophagocytosis is regulated by ALX/FPR2 signaling. Haematologica. 2025 Sep 11. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2025.288007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40931861.
      Impact Statement: This study identifies the ALX/FPR2 signaling axis as a key regulator of red blood cell homeostasis by controlling red pulp macrophage activation and erythrophagocytosis. Findings demonstrate that lipoxin A4 (LXA4)–mediated activation of this pathway is essential for efficient clearance of damaged RBCs and adaptation to acute erythroid stress.
    7. Curnutte M, Karimi S, Cohen J, LePreze D, Little B. Competitive Food Policy and Food Behavior and Health Metrics in K-12 Students: A Scoping Review. J Sch Nurs. 2025 Sep 17:10598405251374728. doi: 10.1177/10598405251374728. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40961227.
      Impact Statement: This review demonstrates that competitive food policies, particularly those implemented after the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, consistently improve student health outcomes without adverse effects. By synthesizing evidence across multiple studies, it highlights school food policy as an effective and equitable strategy for promoting childhood health and guiding future research and practice. 
    8. Shakib SH, Karimi SM, McGeeney JD, Parh MYA, Zarei H, Chen Y, Goldman B, Novario D, Schurfranz M, Warren CA, Antimisiaris D, Little BB, McKinney WP, Graham AJ. Local Health Department COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts and Associated Outcomes: Evidence from Jefferson County, Kentucky. Vaccines (Basel). 2025 Aug 26;13(9):901. doi: 10.3390/vaccines13090901. PMID: 41012107; PMCID: PMC12474317.
      Impact Statement:This study shows that locally coordinated COVID-19 vaccination efforts by the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness significantly reduced cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across ZIP codes. However, observed racial disparities in vaccine-related outcomes highlight the need for more equitable, community-driven vaccination strategies to ensure consistent health benefits across populations. 
    9. Stocke KS, Pandey SD, Jin S, Perpich JD, Yakoumatos L, Kosaki H, Wilkey DW, Fitzsimonds ZR, Vashishta A, Snider I, Sriwastva MK, Li H, Jin JZ, Miller DP, Merchant ML, Bagaitkar J, Uriarte SM, Potempa J, Lamont RJ. Tyrosine phosphorylation coupling of one-carbon metabolism and virulence in an endogenous pathogen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Oct 7;122(40):e2514754122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2514754122. Epub 2025 Sep 29. PMID: 41021815.
      Impact Statement:This study reveals that Porphyromonas gingivalis modulates its virulence through a metabolic signaling mechanism linking one-carbon metabolism to protease localization. By identifying tyrosine phosphorylation–dependent control of gingipain partitioning via the pABA–Ltp1–Ptk1 pathway, the work uncovers a novel coupling between bacterial metabolism and pathogenic potential.
    10. Diaz LA, Thiele M, Louvet A, Lee BP, Ajmera V, Tavaglione F, Hsu CL, Huang DQ, Pose E, Bataller R, McClain C, Mellinger J, Tincopa M, Mitchell MC, Ratziu V, Rinella ME, Sarin SK, Shah VH, Szabo G, Wong VW, Bansal MB, Leggio L, Kamath PS, Krag A, Sanyal AJ, Arrese M, Arab JP, Anstee QM, Mathurin P, Loomba R. Clinical trial design, biomarkers and end points in metabolic and alcohol-related liver disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025 Sep 26. doi: 10.1038/s41575-025-01120-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41006824.
      Impact Statement: This study outlines key considerations for improving clinical trial design in metabolic and alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD), a condition driven by both metabolic dysfunction and alcohol use. By integrating non-invasive biomarkers, imaging modalities, and adaptive trial designs, these recommendations aim to enhance diagnostic precision, trial feasibility, and the development of effective therapies for MetALD. 
    11. Dasarathy S, Tu W, Welch N, Gawrieh S, Yu Y, Tang Q, Kettler C, Sanyal AJ, Szabo G, Shah VH, Bataller R, Nagy LE, McClain C, Chalasani N, Kerr T, Mitchell M; for AlcHepNet Investigators. Natural history and development of a novel composite endpoint in patients with alcohol-associated Hepatitis: Data from a prospective multicenter study. Hepatology. 2025 Sep 9. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001513. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40924794.
      Impact Statement: This study provides the most comprehensive characterization to date of the clinical course and outcomes in alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), revealing that nearly two-thirds of patients experience major liver or alcohol-related events within six months. By introducing the AlcHepNet composite index—which integrates mortality, liver decompensation, transplantation, and return to drinking—these findings establish a robust framework for future clinical trials and prognostic assessment in AH.
    12. Williams K, Puvvula J, Holmes JH, Yang W, Veasey S, Liu J, Yolton K, Cecil KM, Xu Y, Braun JM, Lanphear BP, Sears C, Vuong AM, Sjödin A, Chen A. Associations between gestational polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) serum concentrations and child sleep outcomes from ages 2-8 years. Environ Res. 2025 Sep 3;286(Pt 1):122756. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122756. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40912623.
      Impact Statement: This study found that higher gestational exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was associated with greater sleep irregularity and disruption in children from ages 2 to 8 years. These findings suggest that disrupted sleep may be an important pathway linking prenatal PBDE exposure to adverse neurobehavioral outcomes. 
    13. Reynolds BR, Raph SM, Ramalingam A, Srivastava S, Lorkiewicz P, Watson LE, Brittian KR, Collins HE, Carll AP. Don't go vaping my heart: e-cigarette exposure during pregnancy promotes peripartum ventricular arrhythmias and sympathetic dominance. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2025 Oct 1;329(4):H889-H898. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00509.2025. Epub 2025 Sep 4. PMID: 40908112.
      Impact Statement: This study demonstrates that e-cigarette exposure during pregnancy disrupts maternal cardiac function, enhancing sympathetic “fight-or-flight” influence over the heart and evoking ventricular arrhythmias during labor and postpartum. These findings reveal vaping while pregnant may harm the maternal heart, with effects lasting well after exposure cessation. 
    14. Wise JTF, Chiarugi D, Chi J, Wise JP Sr. Hexavalent chromium exposure impacts the metabolome of human lung fibroblast cells. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2025 Sep 12;92:127750. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2025.127750. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40961519.
      Impact Statement: This study is the first to link energy metabolism responses to chemical carcinogenesis, revealing hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] exposure disrupts amino acid and nucleotide metabolism in human lung cells. These findings provide a foundation for future research into how altered cellular energetics contribute to the early stages of lung cancer development.
    15. Miralles-Pérez B, Ramos-Romero S, Charpentier MJ, Sánchez-Martos V, Fortuño-Mar À, Ponomarenko J, Amézqueta S, Piñol-Piñol D, Zhang X, Torres JL, Romeu M. Dietary Consumption of Type 2 Resistant Starch and d-Fagomine Delays Progression of Metabolic Disturbances in Male Rats on High-Fat Diet. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2025 Sep 9:e70230. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.70230. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40926357.
      Impact Statement: This study demonstrated that dietary Type 2 resistant starch (RS2) from high-amylose maize significantly reduced fat accumulation, improved glucose tolerance, and alleviated liver steatosis in rats fed a high-fat diet, likely through modulation of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids. These findings suggest RS2 may offer greater potential than d-fagomine (FG) from buckwheat for preventing obesity-related metabolic disturbances.