Publications by authors named "Kristyn A Gonzales"
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on identifying predictive biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) by examining the gut microbiome and liver gene expression in mice with altered Pten genes.
- Findings reveal that changes in gut microbiome composition correlate with tumor presence, particularly in mice with multiple tumors, while specific gene expression changes in the liver are linked to tumor burden and inflammation.
- The research uncovers potential microbiome factors and gene expression patterns that drive liver cancer development, which could aid in creating new prevention strategies and risk assessment tools for HCC.
The gut microbiota drives progression to liver fibrosis, the main determinant of mortality in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). In this study, we aimed to identify bacterial species associated with protection against liver fibrosis in a high-risk population, and test their potential to protect against liver fibrosis . Based on stool shotgun metagenomic sequencing of 340 subjects from a population cohort disproportionally affected by MASH, we identified bacterial species from the and orders associated with reduced risk of liver fibrosis.
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- - The study focused on developing an mRNA vaccine for the Andes virus (ANDV) using two types of mRNA: regular uridine (U-mRNA) and N1-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ-mRNA).
- - Mice showed better immune responses with the m1Ψ-mRNA, but both mRNA types led to similar activation and effective antibody responses in subsequent tests with Syrian hamsters.
- - The results indicate that the U-mRNA construct produced higher glycoprotein-binding antibodies, yet both vaccines effectively protected rodents from a lethal ANDV challenge, showing the vaccine's potential despite subtle differences.
The worldwide incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to rise, in part due to poor diet, limited exercise, and alcohol abuse. Numerous studies have suggested that the loss or mutation of PTEN plays a critical role in HCC tumorigenesis through the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling axis. The homozygous knockout of PTEN in the livers of mice results in the accumulation of fat (steatosis), inflammation, fibrosis, and eventually progression to HCC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFα-Synuclein (α-Syn) accumulation is a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Duplications and triplications of , the gene coding for α-Syn, cause genetic forms of the disease, which suggests that increased α-Syn dosage can drive PD. To identify the proteins that regulate α-Syn, we previously performed a screen of potentially druggable genes that led to the identification of 60 modifiers.
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