Public release date: 30-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Tiffany Trent ttrent@vt.edu 540-231-6822 Virginia Tech
Researchers in the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute have discovered how a common diarrhea-causing bacterium sends the body's natural defenses into overdrive, actually intensifying illness while fighting infection.
The discovery, recently published in PLOS One, may lead to new drug treatments for Clostridium difficile, a common germ in health care-associated infections often referred to as C. diff. It has been linked to the death of 14,000 Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers with the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens at Virginia Tech applied computational and mathematical modeling in combination with RNA-sequencing and mouse studies to understand an important regulatory pathway during Clostridium difficile infection.
"We have found that tissue damage and disease severity in C. difficile infection is associated with a disruption of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR) pathway," said Josep Bassaganya-Riera, a professor of immunology, director of the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory and the principal investigator with the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens.
The human intestine must peacefully coexist with trillions of beneficial bacteria while swiftly responding to pathogens such as C. difficile. Sometimes the immune system will go into overdrive when responding to pathogens, causing more damage in an attempt to clear the infection.
Scientists studying mice bowels found the PPARy pathway keeps the immune response in check, allowing the body to heal while the immune cells that fight infection do their work in a controlled manner. When PPARy was absent or inactive, disease was more rampant and colonic lesions from C. difficile were much worse.
In addition, researchers found the protective mechanism can be activated and the severity of the C. difficile infection can be reduced by using an existing diabetes drug. More studies will be needed before the drug can be tested against C. difficile.
"This research demonstrates that the integration of powerful computer simulations of host responses with immunology experimentation not only contributes to a better understanding of the immunoregulatory processes in the gut mucosa during C. difficile infection, but it also advances the discovery of broad-based therapeutic targets in the host for infectious diseases," said Raquel Hontecillas, an assistant professor of immunology at Virginia Tech, co-director of the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory and leader of the immunology component of the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens.
The rest is here:
Researchers discover how C. diff red lines immune response
- Podcast 9 Athens part 3 and news [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Podcast 10 Athens part 4 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Podcast 11 Athens Part 5 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 12 Cardiac Nuclear Medicine in the UK [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Podcast 13 Choline PET and prostate cancer [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode14 ED function and Dysponea [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- ep 15 Collimator Choice and Reconstruction algorithm [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 16 Dr Strauss on vulnerable plaque [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode17 Chemical Stress [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 18 Myocardial Perfusion Imaging and Diabetes [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 19 The INSPIRE trial [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- 20 Dual isotope with a difference [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 21 The real effect of stress [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 22 D-SPECT [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 23 VQ Reprise [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 24 Hepatobiliary Nuclear Medicine [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 25 Sleep Apnea [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 26 Imaging Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 27 Cardiac Stem Cells [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 28 Molly Supply [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 29 Melanoma therapy interview with Dr Ekaterina Dadachova [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 30 Viral Therapy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 31 breast radiotherapy using radioisotopes [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 32 news from snm [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 33 EBV Imaging and Therapy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Episode 34 Dr Lele SNM India 2009 [Last Updated On: December 14th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 14th, 2009]
- Episode 35 Dr Andrew Scott from the Ludwig institute [Last Updated On: January 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 10th, 2010]
- Episode 36 CardiArc [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2010]
- Episode 37 Dr Modder Radiosynoviorthesis (Radiation Synovectomy) [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2010]
- Episode 38 Indian Nuclear Medicine With Dr Malhotra and Dr Krishna [Last Updated On: May 28th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 28th, 2010]
- Episode 39 Prof Ora Israel The Utility of Hybrid Imaging [Last Updated On: July 13th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 13th, 2010]
- Episode 40 New V/Q SPECT developments [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2010]
- Episode 41 scintimun [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2011]
- Episode 42 Radio-Isotope Supply into the future [Last Updated On: March 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 6th, 2011]
- Podcast 4: DNA therapy [Last Updated On: April 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 24th, 2011]
- Sorry about the delay a new podcast will be out soon! [Last Updated On: April 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 24th, 2011]
- Podcast 5 Flash 3D [Last Updated On: April 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 24th, 2011]
- Podcast 6 Affibody [Last Updated On: April 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 24th, 2011]
- Podcast 7 EANM 2006 Athens Part 1 [Last Updated On: April 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 24th, 2011]
- Podcast 8 Athens Part 2 [Last Updated On: April 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 24th, 2011]
- Episode 43 Rapidscan Part 1, 720P high quality video version [Last Updated On: May 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 1st, 2011]
- Episode 43 Rapidscan Part 1, Ipod quality video [Last Updated On: May 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 1st, 2011]
- Episode 43 Rapidscan Part 1, Audio version [Last Updated On: May 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 1st, 2011]
- Episode 45 Mummies with cardiovascular disease video [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2011]
- Episode 45 Mummies with cardiovascular disease audio edition [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2011]
- Episode 46 Dr Gordon DePuey Choosing Reconstruction clinical perspective [Last Updated On: August 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 7th, 2011]
- Episode 46 Dr Gordon DePuey Choosing Reconstruction clinical perspective audio version [Last Updated On: August 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 7th, 2011]
- Episode 47 Cardiac Image Fusion With Dr Kaufmann [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2011]
- Episode 47 Cardiac Fusion with Dr Kaufmann video version [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2011]
- Dear Steve, I am and many more like me are your one more thing. [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2011]
- EPISODE 48 PET MRI camera from Siemens with Dr Georgi audio [Last Updated On: October 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 23rd, 2011]
- EPISODE 48 PET MRI camera from Siemens Dr Georgi video [Last Updated On: October 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 23rd, 2011]
- Silicon Biosystems to Present Single-Circulating Tumor Cell Molecular Characterization at the Fourth World CTC Summit [Last Updated On: April 25th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 25th, 2012]
- Leukaemia cells have a remembrance of things past [Last Updated On: April 25th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 25th, 2012]
- Technologist Education Requirements Can Help Cut Repeat Scans [Last Updated On: April 25th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 25th, 2012]
- HKU Collaborative Research Discovers A Novel Molecular Mechanism Of A New Anti-HIV-1 Drug Candidate [Last Updated On: April 25th, 2012] [Originally Added On: April 25th, 2012]
- Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis and the Nephrotic Syndrome - Part 1 Clinical - Video [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Electro-Medicine : Biological Physics - The Molecular Basis of Alzheimers Disease - Video [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- osdd heterocyclic compounds and molecular medicines - Video [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Molecule to Medicine: The Biomarker Frontier - Video [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Fulfilling the Promise of Molecular Medicine in a Developmental Brain Disorder - Video [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Focus on Stefanie Dimmeler - Video [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Dundee [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2012]
- Nanotechnology In Medicine: Huge Potential, But What Are The Risks? [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2012]
- Cutting Edge Technology Coming To DMH [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2012]
- This Week in Experimental and Molecular Pathology [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2012]
- Researchers' discovery offers hope for cancer, heart disease miracle drugs [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2012]
- Penn State student Zachary Hostetler from Garnet Valley is being honored as a student marshal [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2012]
- NCKU Student Wins Prestigious Award for Anti-Cancer Research [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2012]
- In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Market (Clinical Chemistry, Immunoassays, Molecular Diagnostics, Hematology Analyzers ... [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2012]
- Pitt team uses genomics to identify a molecular-based treatment for a viral skin cancer [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2012]
- Genomics used to identify a molecular-based treatment for a viral skin cancer [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2012]
- 2 molecular biologists get $500K medical prize [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2012]
- 2 molecular biologists share $500K medical prize [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2012]
- Lab21 Unveils New Molecular Analysis Services at Greenville Site [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2012]
- 2 molecular biologists from NYC to share $500K medical prize for pioneering research on cells [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2012]
- Two Molecular Biologists Get $500K Medical Prize [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2012]
- Pair of molecular biologists receive Albany Medical Center Prize [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2012]
- CNIO scientists successfully test the first gene therapy against aging-associated decline [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2012]
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey Aims to Advance Personalized Cancer Treatments Through 'Precision Medicine' [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2012]