👤 Madhusmita Rout

Genetic mechanisms that predispose people to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain poorly understood, partly because of a lack of sufficient data on non-European ethnic groups. Extending these evaluations to diverse cohorts is essential for gaining insights into the molecular pathways involved in disease development among human populations. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the genetic connection between the human lipidome and cardiometabolic disorders. We conducted a metabolite genome-wide association study (mGWAS) in a Punjabi population from India, along with multi-layer replication studies using the UK Biobank and other independent European and non-European cohorts. We performed mGWAS using 516 lipid metabolites in 3,000 Punjabi Sikh individuals, and validation was performed in 1.13M Europeans and 15K individuals from Asian Indian ancestry using independent cohorts of the UK Biobank, GeneRISK, DIAMANT, PROMIS, and other studies. We identified 609 SNP-metabolite associations representing 236 SNP-metabolite pairs that attained genome-wide significance (p Show less

Despite effective viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV (PLWH) experience persistent inflammation, immune dysfunction, and premature onset of cardiovascular and aging-related comorbidities. The mechanisms driving this transition from acute immune activation to chronic inflammatory remodeling under viral suppression remain incompletely understood. Here, we leveraged a nonhuman primate model to characterize the longitudinal transcriptomic changes across key stages of SIV infection and ART. To define the underlying mechanisms, we performed longitudinal transcriptomic profiling in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a cohort of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques spanning four key stages: pre-infection, acute infection, short-term ART, and long-term ART. Bulk RNA sequencing revealed dynamic immune remodeling across infection and treatment. Acute SIV infection induced robust antiviral and inflammatory programs, with upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), IL-27, JAK/STAT, and NF-κB signaling, coupled with suppression of T- and B-cell activation pathways. Short-term ART effectively reversed these transcriptional perturbations, restoring adaptive immune gene expression and reducing innate antiviral responses to near-baseline levels. In contrast, chronic SIV infection on long-term ART maintained viral suppression but was characterized by reactivation of innate immune pathways, including TLR2/TLR4/MYD88, NF-κB, and inflammasome (NLRP3/NLRP12, caspase-1) signaling, along with sustained macrophage activation, platelet/coagulation signaling, and senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Protein analyses confirmed persistent CASPASE-1 and NF-κB activation in spleen tissue. Pathologic evaluation of a carotid artery from an SIV-infected, long-term ART-treated macaque revealed macrophage-rich plaques with p21⁺ senescent cells with intraluminal thrombus formation, recapitulating key features of HIV-associated atherogenesis. While ART normalizes acute infection-induced immune dysregulation, chronic SIV infection sustains a chronic, macrophage- and TLR-driven inflammatory state linked to vascular injury and aging process regardless of long-term suppression of viremia. Targeting inflammasome, NF-κB, and senescence pathways may mitigate non-AIDS comorbidities in PLWH. Show less

Despite effective viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV (PLWH) experience persistent inflammation, immune dysfunction, and premature onset of cardiovascular and aging-related comorbidities. To define the underlying mechanisms, we performed longitudinal transcriptomic profiling in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a cohort of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques spanning four key stages: pre-infection, acute infection, short-term ART, and long-term ART. Bulk RNA sequencing revealed dynamic immune remodeling across infection and treatment. Acute SIV infection induced robust antiviral and inflammatory programs, with upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), IL-27, JAK/STAT, and NF-κB signaling, coupled with suppression of T- and B-cell activation pathways. Short-term ART effectively reversed these transcriptional perturbations, restoring adaptive immune gene expression and reducing innate antiviral responses to near-baseline levels. In contrast, chronic SIV infection on long-term ART maintained viral suppression but was characterized by reactivation of innate immune pathways, including TLR2/TLR4/MYD88, NF-κB, and inflammasome (NLRP3/or NLRP12, caspase-1) signaling, along with sustained macrophage activation, platelet/coagulation signaling, and senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Protein analyses confirmed persistent CASPASE-1 and NF-κB activation in spleen tissue. Pathologic evaluation of a carotid artery from an SIV-infected, long-term ART-treated macaque revealed macrophage-rich plaques with p21 Show less

Hypertriglyceridemia is as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Apolipoprotein C-III (ApoC-III) is known to regulate triglyceride (TG) metabolism. However, the causal association between ApoC-III and CVD development is unclear. The objectives were to examine the impact of ApoC-III concentration on TG and lipoproteins and investigate the role of known rare loss-of-function Plasma ApoC-III levels were measured in a multiethnic sample of 518 individuals comprising 271 Asian Indians (Sikhs), 87 Caucasians, 80 African Americans, and 80 Hispanics. ApoC-III levels showed a robust association with TG in Asian Indians (r = 0.5, p = 1.1 × 10 These results highlight the challenges of generalizing antisense ApoC-III inhibition for treating atherosclerotic disease in dyslipidemia that may benefit only specific sub-populations. The observed ethnic differences in ApoC-III concentrations and CAD risk factors, emphasize in-depth genetic and metabolomics evaluations on diverse ancestries. Show less

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor accounting for more than 54 % of all gliomas. Despite aggressive treatments, median survival remains less than 1 year. This might be due to the unavailability of effective molecular diagnostic markers and targeted therapy. Thus, it is essential to discover molecular mechanisms underlying disease by identifying dysregulated pathways involved in tumorigenesis. Notch signaling is one such pathway which plays an important role in determining cell fates. Since it is found to play a critical role in many cancers, we investigated the role of Notch genes in glioblastoma with an aim to identify biomarkers that can improve diagnosis. Using real-time PCR, we assessed the expression of Notch genes including receptors (Notch1, Notch2, Notch3, and Notch4), ligands (JAG1, JAG2, and DLL3), downstream targets (HES1 and HEY2), regulator Deltex1 (DTX1), inhibitor NUMB along with transcriptional co-activator MAML1, and a component of gamma-secretase complex APH1A in 15 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) patient samples. Relative quantification was done by the 2(-ΔΔCt) method; the data are presented as fold change in gene expression normalized to an internal control gene and relative to the calibrator. The data revealed aberrant expression of Notch genes in glioblastoma compared to normal brain. More than 85 % of samples showed high Notch1 (P = 0.0397) gene expression and low HES1 (P = 0.011) and DTX1 (P = 0.0001) gene expression. Our results clearly show aberrant expression of Notch genes in glioblastoma which can be used as putative biomarkers together with histopathological observation to improve diagnosis, therapeutic strategies, and patient prognosis. Show less