Dengue is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease in humans, with more than 50 million cases of dengue virus (DENV) infection each year. Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) are characterized by increased vascular permeability and plasma leakage. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. Mounting evidence also supports the involvement of miRNAs in endothelial cell function.
miRNAs modulate the activation of monocytes/macrophages and vascular endothelial cells during DENV infection, and differential miRNA expression induced by DENV is associated with specific immunopathogenetic processes in DHF/DSS.
Hongwei Li, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology
College of Natural Sciences
Email: hli@hawaii.edu
Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Medicine
Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC
Email: garci001@mc.duke.edu
To characterize DENV-host interactions at the molecular level by performing functional analysis of miRNAs in DENV-infected cells.
Functional analysis of miRNAs in DENV-infected human monocytes/macrophages.
Functional analysis of miRNAs in DENV-infected human vascular endothelial cells.