Elucidation of the cellular genes, pathways, and biochemical mechanisms involved in HIV stimulation by aqueous tobacco smoke extract.
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Travis R. Russell (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Ethan Taylor
Abstract: HIV infection, and tobacco smoking, two areas of major health concern which continue to grow worldwide, both of which have detrimental health effects on the population. The point of intersection where these two health concerns cross is the focus of this study. Here, a possible link between HIV infectivity levels and tobacco smoking at the point of cellular gene expression differences seen in the presence of tobacco smoke is described. This research presents evidence of increased HIV infectivity in the presence of tobacco smoke. qRT-PCR analysis is used to confirm micro array gene expression results. Twelve genes were identified to be overexpressed or under-expressed as a result of exposure to tobacco smoke extract (TSE). The expression of those twelve genes was then knocked down individually using siRNA technology in T-cells. HIV infectivity levels were then measured using a novel luciferase assay system in those cell lines which were under expressing the gene of interest. Dual gene knockdown cell lines were also used in the study. The results show that in the eight genes whose expression is up regulated as a result of TSE (which could be increasing HIV infectivity), upon the knockdown in expression of those genes, six of the eight show a significant decrease in HIV infectivity in T-cells. In the four genes whose expression is down regulated as a result of TSE (which could be increasing HIV infectivity), after the knockdown in expression of those genes, three of the four show a significant increase in HIV infectivity in T-cells. Together, these results shed light on the specific genes whose expression is altered due to TSE and how these gene regulation changes may affect HIV viral infectivity levels.
Elucidation of the cellular genes, pathways, and biochemical mechanisms involved in HIV stimulation by aqueous tobacco smoke extract.
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Created on 5/1/2014
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2014
- Keywords
- HIV, Tobacco smoking, Genes
- Subjects
- Smoking $x Health aspects
- HIV (Viruses) $x Genetic aspects