Browsing by Subject "LAP"

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    Oral tolerance to prevent anti-drug antibody formation in protein replacement therapies
    (Elsevier, 2022-12) Rana, Jyoti; Muñoz, Maite Melero; Biswas , Moanaro; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Protein based therapeutics have successfully improved the quality of life for patients of monogenic disorders like hemophilia, Pompe and Fabry disease. However, a significant proportion of patients develop immune responses towards intravenously infused therapeutic protein, which can complicate or neutralize treatment and compromise patient safety. Strategies aimed at circumventing immune responses following therapeutic protein infusion can greatly improve therapeutic efficacy. In recent years, antigen-based oral tolerance induction has shown promising results in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases, food allergies and can prevent anti-drug antibody formation to protein replacement therapies. Oral tolerance exploits regulatory mechanisms that are initiated in the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) to promote active suppression of orally ingested antigen. In this review, we outline general perceptions and current knowledge about the mechanisms of oral tolerance, including tissue specific sites of tolerance induction and the cells involved, with emphasis on antigen presenting cells and regulatory T cells. We define several factors, such as cytokines and metabolites that impact the stability and expansion potential of these immune modulatory cells. We highlight preclinical studies that have been performed to induce oral tolerance to therapeutic proteins or enzymes for single gene disorders, such as hemophilia or Pompe disease. These studies mainly utilize a transgenic plant-based system for oral delivery of antigen in conjugation with fusion protein technology that favors the prevention of antigen degradation in the stomach while enhancing uptake in the small intestine by antigen presenting cells and regulatory T cell induction, thereby promoting antigen specific systemic tolerance.
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    Sex and Genetic Differences in Behavioral Engagement of Crossed High Alcohol‐Preferring and Low Alcohol‐Preferring Mice
    (Wiley, 2025) Starski, Phillip; Siegle, Addyson; White, Danielle; Paras, Bea; Tham, Christy; Hernandez, Maribel; Zareb, Alecsander; Grahame, Nicholas; Boehm, Stephen L., II; Hopf, Frederic; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Excessive levels of alcohol consumption play a major role in numerous alcohol-related harms, including a heightened risk of developing problematic drinking behaviors. Those who develop alcohol use disorder (AUD) often struggle with persistent difficulties in controlling their drinking, experience withdrawal symptoms, and engage in risky behaviors that pose danger to themselves and others. Advances in treating AUD may be supported by identifying specific cognitive and emotional factors that drive excessive alcohol consumption. Recognizing reliable behavioral biomarkers is instrumental in assessing the risk of developing alcohol problems and preventative care strategies. This study investigates innate behavioral differences associated with genetic predisposition for alcohol use by comparing crossed high alcohol-preferring (cHAP) and low alcohol-preferring (LAP) mice. Since there have been links between heightened impulsivity and excessive alcohol use, we hypothesized that cHAP mice would exhibit higher levels of impulsivity compared to LAPs. No significant differences were found in impulsivity between the mouse lines or sexes. cHAPs adapted to shorter stimulus durations (SDs), whereas LAPs showed a marked decline in correct responses and an increase in omission rates as task difficulty increased. Significant sex differences within the cHAP line were found, with females demonstrating higher accuracy, lower correct latency, and increased perseveration. This behavior points to potential sex-specific neural activation in cognitive processing areas. Future studies should explore salient brain regions to understand their roles in behavioral regulation and sex-specific responses to challenges. This study provides a foundation for exploring the interaction of genetic predisposition, sex differences, and neural mechanisms in alcohol preference and behavior.