2019
Inhibition of Chikungunya Virus Replication in Primary Human Fibroblasts by Liver X Receptor Agonist
Hwang J, Wang Y, Fikrig E. Inhibition of Chikungunya Virus Replication in Primary Human Fibroblasts by Liver X Receptor Agonist. Antimicrobial Agents And Chemotherapy 2019, 63: 10.1128/aac.01220-19. PMID: 31307983, PMCID: PMC6709483, DOI: 10.1128/aac.01220-19.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAntiviral AgentsApolipoproteins EATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 1Chikungunya virusCholesterolFibroblastsGene Expression RegulationHost-Pathogen InteractionsHumansIndazolesInterferonsLiver X ReceptorsPrimary Cell CultureRNA, Small InterferingSignal TransductionVirus ReplicationConceptsChikungunya virusLiver X receptor agonistMosquito-borne chikungunya virusX receptor agonistLiver X receptorChikungunya Virus ReplicationLXR-623Acute painJoint inflammationReceptor agonistCHIKV replicationPharmacological activationSynthetic agonistsAntiviral stateVirus replicationX receptorLarge epidemicsHost factorsAgonistsPrimary human fibroblastsVirusHuman fibroblastsPainInflammationGeographic areas
2018
Small Interfering RNA-Mediated Control of Virus Replication in the CNS Is Therapeutic and Enables Natural Immunity to West Nile Virus
Beloor J, Maes N, Ullah I, Uchil P, Jackson A, Fikrig E, Lee SK, Kumar P. Small Interfering RNA-Mediated Control of Virus Replication in the CNS Is Therapeutic and Enables Natural Immunity to West Nile Virus. Cell Host & Microbe 2018, 23: 549-556.e3. PMID: 29606496, PMCID: PMC6074029, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.03.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBrainDisease Models, AnimalDrug CarriersMicePlacebosRabies virusRNA, Small InterferingSurvival AnalysisVirus ReplicationWest Nile FeverWest Nile virusConceptsWest Nile virusWNV infectionCell-mediated immune responsesLate-stage therapySubsequent WNV infectionWNV-infected miceLong-term immunityNile virusWNV E proteinViral burdenIntranasal routeVirus clearanceVirus infectionImmune responseMice succumbPeripheral tissuesNatural immunitySurvival rateDisease resultsDay 9Virus replicationInfectionImmunityCNSVirus
2017
Infection-derived lipids elicit an immune deficiency circuit in arthropods
Shaw DK, Wang X, Brown LJ, Chávez AS, Reif KE, Smith AA, Scott AJ, McClure EE, Boradia VM, Hammond HL, Sundberg EJ, Snyder GA, Liu L, DePonte K, Villar M, Ueti MW, de la Fuente J, Ernst RK, Pal U, Fikrig E, Pedra JH. Infection-derived lipids elicit an immune deficiency circuit in arthropods. Nature Communications 2017, 8: 14401. PMID: 28195158, PMCID: PMC5316886, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14401.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAnaplasma marginaleAnaplasma phagocytophilumAnimalsArthropodsBorrelia burgdorferiCarrier ProteinsDisease Models, AnimalDrosophila melanogasterDrosophila ProteinsEscherichia coliFas-Associated Death Domain ProteinGene SilencingHEK293 CellsHumansImmunologic Deficiency SyndromesIxodesLipidsLyme DiseasePhosphatidylglycerolsRecombinant ProteinsRNA, Small InterferingSignal TransductionTranscription FactorsUbiquitin-Conjugating EnzymesUbiquitin-Protein LigasesX-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis ProteinConceptsAdaptor molecule FasImmune deficiency (IMD) pathwayPeptidoglycan recognition proteinsE3 ubiquitin ligaseLyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferiIMD pathwayGram-negative bacteriaRecognition proteinsUbiquitin ligaseDeath domainApoptosis proteinDistinct bacteriaBiochemical interactionsMolecule FasSpirochete Borrelia burgdorferiReceptor networkA. marginaleProteinAnaplasma phagocytophilumBacteriaPathwayBorrelia burgdorferiInsectsLipidsArthropods
2015
Ixodes scapularis dystroglycan-like protein promotes Borrelia burgdorferi migration from the gut
Coumou J, Narasimhan S, Trentelman JJ, Wagemakers A, Koetsveld J, Ersoz JI, Oei A, Fikrig E, Hovius JW. Ixodes scapularis dystroglycan-like protein promotes Borrelia burgdorferi migration from the gut. Journal Of Molecular Medicine 2015, 94: 361-370. PMID: 26594018, PMCID: PMC4803822, DOI: 10.1007/s00109-015-1365-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB. burgdorferi transmissionTick gutLyme borreliosisTick feedingMurine modelVaccine targetsUninfected ticksRNA interferenceInfected ticksSalivary glandsBorrelia burgdorferiPotential targetGut tissueB. burgdorferiCausative agentIxodes ticksGutPrevious screeningTick proteinsGut cellsBurgdorferiMiceTicks resultsBorreliosisConfocal microscopyDengue Virus Infection of Aedes aegypti Requires a Putative Cysteine Rich Venom Protein
Londono-Renteria B, Troupin A, Conway MJ, Vesely D, Ledizet M, Roundy CM, Cloherty E, Jameson S, Vanlandingham D, Higgs S, Fikrig E, Colpitts TM. Dengue Virus Infection of Aedes aegypti Requires a Putative Cysteine Rich Venom Protein. PLOS Pathogens 2015, 11: e1005202. PMID: 26491875, PMCID: PMC4619585, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005202.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDENV infectionVirus infectionDengue virusCysteine-rich venom proteinsSpecific antiviral therapyDengue virus infectionMosquito-borne flavivirusAedes aegypti cellsAntiviral therapyFlavivirus infectionMultiple flavivirusesTherapeutic measuresNew treatmentsAedes aegyptiInfectionGene targetsSerious human diseasesAegypti cellsMosquito vectorsVaccineVenom proteinsFlavivirusesHuman diseasesMosquitoesAntiserum inhibits
2014
Gut Microbiota of the Tick Vector Ixodes scapularis Modulate Colonization of the Lyme Disease Spirochete
Narasimhan S, Rajeevan N, Liu L, Zhao YO, Heisig J, Pan J, Eppler-Epstein R, DePonte K, Fish D, Fikrig E. Gut Microbiota of the Tick Vector Ixodes scapularis Modulate Colonization of the Lyme Disease Spirochete. Cell Host & Microbe 2014, 15: 58-71. PMID: 24439898, PMCID: PMC3905459, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2013.12.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeritrophic matrixTranscription factor signal transducerPathogen colonizationLyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferiActivator of transcriptionGut microbiotaArthropod gutsSignal transducerLyme disease spirocheteFunctional linkArthropod vectorsMajor vectorKey glycoproteinsHuman pathogensSpirochete Borrelia burgdorferiGut epitheliumIxodes scapularis ticksColonizationGut epithelial barrierMicrobiotaExpressionGut lumenScapularis ticksBorrelia burgdorferiEpithelial barrier
2013
UBXN1 Interferes with Rig-I-like Receptor-Mediated Antiviral Immune Response by Targeting MAVS
Wang P, Yang L, Cheng G, Yang G, Xu Z, You F, Sun Q, Lin R, Fikrig E, Sutton RE. UBXN1 Interferes with Rig-I-like Receptor-Mediated Antiviral Immune Response by Targeting MAVS. Cell Reports 2013, 3: 1057-1070. PMID: 23545497, PMCID: PMC3707122, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2013.02.027.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntiviral immune responseInnate immune responseImmune responseLike receptorsSystemic antiviral immune responsesVirus-induced innate immune responsesDengue virus infectionType I interferon responseI interferon responseRNA virusesVirus infectionViral infectionStrong inhibitory effectViral replicationVirus replicationInterferon responseRNA virus replicationInhibitory effectWest NileMAVSVesicular stomatitisInfectionAdaptor moleculeFamily membersReceptors
2010
Tick Histamine Release Factor Is Critical for Ixodes scapularis Engorgement and Transmission of the Lyme Disease Agent
Dai J, Narasimhan S, Zhang L, Liu L, Wang P, Fikrig E. Tick Histamine Release Factor Is Critical for Ixodes scapularis Engorgement and Transmission of the Lyme Disease Agent. PLOS Pathogens 2010, 6: e1001205. PMID: 21124826, PMCID: PMC2991271, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1001205.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBiomarkers, TumorBlotting, WesternBorrelia burgdorferiFeeding BehaviorFemaleHistamineHumansImmunizationIxodesLyme DiseaseMiceMice, Inbred C3HReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionRNA, MessengerRNA, Small InterferingSalivaTick InfestationsTumor Protein, Translationally-Controlled 1ConceptsTick-borne pathogensB. burgdorferi transmissionTick engorgementB. burgdorferi burdenHistamine-releasing factorRapid feeding phaseBurgdorferi-infected ticksAnimal healthTick feedingTick salivaDiverse infectious agentsDisease agentsTicksIxodes scapularisLyme disease agentRNA interferenceFeeding phaseVaccine potentialQuantitative reverse transcription PCRReverse transcription-PCRHistamine releaseEffective vaccineVascular permeabilityBlood flowInfectious agents
2009
Effective siRNA targeting of the 3′ untranslated region of the West Nile virus genome
Anthony KG, Bai F, Krishnan MN, Fikrig E, Koski RA. Effective siRNA targeting of the 3′ untranslated region of the West Nile virus genome. Antiviral Research 2009, 82: 166-168. PMID: 19135091, DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2008.12.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWest Nile virusSiRNA targetsSpecific antiviral therapyRelated dengue virusAntiviral therapyWNV pathogenesisShort hairpin RNA sequencesDengue virusWNV replicationTherapeutic potentialViral replicationRNA interferenceAntiviral therapeuticsSiRNA targetingPotential antiviral therapeuticsVero cellsNile virusSequence-specific inhibitorsHuman pathogensUntranslated regionVirusVirus genomeWest Nile virus genomeTargetPathogenesis
2005
Use of RNA Interference to Prevent Lethal Murine West Nile Virus Infection
Bai F, Wang T, Pal U, Bao F, Gould LH, Fikrig E. Use of RNA Interference to Prevent Lethal Murine West Nile Virus Infection. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2005, 191: 1148-1154. PMID: 15747251, DOI: 10.1086/428507.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWest Nile virusNile virusWest Nile virus infectionWest Nile virus replicationInjection 24 hAdministration of siRNAsIntraperitoneal inoculumViral loadProphylactic useFatal encephalitisLethal infectionVirus infectionViral infectionVirus replicationPartial protectionInfectionVirusMicePresent studyRNA interferenceEncephalitisSiRNAsAdministration