Publications by authors named "Asif Elahi"

The 90 kilo-Dalton heat shock protein (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone that facilitates the maturation of nascent polypeptides into their biologically active conformation. Because many of the >400 known client protein substrates are implicated in the development/progression of cancer, it is hypothesized that Hsp90 inhibition will simultaneously shut down numerous oncogenic pathways. Unfortunately, most of the small molecule Hsp90 inhibitors that have undergone clinical evaluation thus far have failed due to various toxicities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Low response rates and immune-related adverse events limit the remarkable impact of cancer immunotherapy. To improve clinical outcomes, preclinical studies have shown that combining immunotherapies with N-terminal Hsp90 inhibitors resulted in improved efficacy, even though induction of an extensive heat shock response (HSR) and less than optimal dosing of these inhibitors limited their clinical efficacy as monotherapies. We discovered that the natural product Enniatin A (EnnA) targets Hsp90 and destabilizes its client oncoproteins without inducing an HSR.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Various retinal degenerative disorders manifest in alterations of the AKT/mTOR axis. Despite this, consensus on the therapeutic targeting of mTOR in degenerating retinas has not yet been achieved. Therefore, we investigated the role of AKT/mTOR signaling in rd16 retinas, in which we restored the AKT/mTOR axis by genetic ablation of pseudokinase TRB3, known to inhibit phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Biotin (vitamin B7) is essential for human health because of its involvement, as a cofactor, in a variety of critical cellular metabolic reactions. Previous studies have shown that biotin deficiency enhances inflammation, and certain chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with biotin deficiency; however, the mechanisms that mediate the association between biotin status and inflammation are not well understood. In this study, we examined the effect of biotin deficiency on human CD4 T cell responses to determine their role in biotin deficiency-associated inflammation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Calcined Jade (CJ) is a metasilicate frequently used in traditional system of medicine as tonic to vital organs with several other pharmacological activities. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and CHNS analyzer techniques were used to characterize CJ sample. CJ was administered orally to Swiss albino mice at a dose of 50, 75, 100 and 200 μg/kg body weight for 10 days and modulation of the macrophage mediated innate immune responses was studied.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a new emerging threat around the globe which might be responsible for microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome in the infants. Recently, ZIKV outbreak has caused a public health crisis in Brazil after being linked to a sharp increase in birth defects. ZIKV is ssRNA virus belongs to the family Flaviviridae.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Enormous phenotypic plasticity makes macrophages the target cells in obesity-associated inflammatory diseases. Thus, nutritional components that polarize macrophages toward antiinflammatory phenotype can partially reverse inflammatory diseases like insulin resistance. In the present study, macrophage-polarizing and insulin-sensitizing properties of fish oil (FO) were evaluated in obese insulin-resistant c57bl/6 mice fed high-fat diet (HFD-IR) after oral supplementation with FO (4, 8 or 16mg/kg body weight) and compared to lean and HFD-IR mice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The altered expression of SHP-1 (SH2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase) as a consequence of promoter hypermethylation or mutations has evidently been linked to cancer development. The notion of being a cancer drug target is conceivable as SHP-1 negatively regulates cell cycle and inflammatory pathways which are an inevitable part of oncogenic transformation. In the present review, we try to critically analyze the role of SHP-1 in cancer progression via regulating the above mentioned pathways with the major emphasis on cell cycle components and JAK/STAT pathway, commencing with the SHP-1 biology in immune cell signaling.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Calcined Serpentine (CS) is used in various formulations of alternative systems of medicine as a tonic to vital organs and as an anti-inflammatory agent. The process of calcination or incineration is believed to render non-toxic, gently absorbable, adaptable and digestible properties to the mineral compounds. The present study characterized CS and also evaluated its immunostimulatory potential.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: In the present review, we try to critically evaluate the two faces of the macrophages and their roles in relation to gene alteration in some inflammatory conditions. The pros- and cons of each type of macrophage in immunologic outcomes are discussed.

Introduction: If ‘‘Diversity is the rule of nature’’, macrophages have proven to be its obedient followers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The present study evaluated mineral compound, pearl in ashed form [PAF], for its potential as oral immunomodulator. ICP-MS, atomic absorption spectroscopy, CHNS analysis and XRD analysis were used for characterization of PAF. Surface antigen markers (TLR-2/4 and CD-80/86) were studied by flow cytometry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF