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Falkard, Brie

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Falkard

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Brie

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Falkard, Brie
Author's Publications: search.filters.isAuthorOfPublication.4a445a2f-7524-4229-87a7-ab46b21379e8

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    Plasma Leptin Levels in Children Hospitalized with Cholera in Bangladesh
    (The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2015) Falkard, Brie; Uddin, Taher; Arifur Rahman, M.; Franke, Molly; Aktar, Amena; Uddin, Muhammad Ikhtear; Bhuiyan, Taufiqur Rahman; Leung, Daniel T.; Charles, Richelle; Larocque, Regina; Harris, Jason; Calderwood, Stephen; Qadri, Firdausi; Ryan, Edward
    Vibrio cholerae, the cause of cholera, induces both innate and adaptive immune responses in infected humans. Leptin is a hormone that plays a role in both metabolism and mediating immune responses. We characterized leptin levels in 11 children with cholera in Bangladesh, assessing leptin levels on days 2, 7, 30, and 180 following cholera. We found that patients at the acute stage of cholera had significantly lower plasma leptin levels than matched controls, and compared with levels in late convalescence. We then assessed immune responses to V. cholerae antigens in 74 children with cholera, correlating these responses to plasma leptin levels on day 2 of illness. In multivariate analysis, we found an association between day 2 leptin levels and development of later anti-cholera toxin B subunit (CtxB) responses. This finding appeared to be limited to children with better nutritional status. Interestingly, we found no association between leptin levels and antibody responses to V. cholerae lipopolysaccharide, a T cell–independent antigen. Our results suggest that leptin levels may be associated with cholera, including the development of immune responses to T cell–dependent antigens.
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    Antibody Secreting Cell Responses following Vaccination with Bivalent Oral Cholera Vaccine among Haitian Adults
    (Public Library of Science, 2016) Matias, Wilfredo; Falkard, Brie; Charles, Richelle; Mayo-Smith, Leslie M.; Teng, Jessica E.; Xu, Peng; Kováč, Pavol; Ryan, Edward; Qadri, Firdausi; Franke, Molly; Ivers, Louise C.; Harris, Jason
    Background: The bivalent whole-cell (BivWC) oral cholera vaccine (Shanchol) is effective in preventing cholera. However, evaluations of immune responses following vaccination with BivWC have been limited. To determine whether BivWC induces significant mucosal immune responses, we measured V. cholerae O1 antigen-specific antibody secreting cell (ASC) responses following vaccination. Methodology/Principal Findings We enrolled 24 Haitian adults in this study, and administered doses of oral BivWC vaccine 14 days apart (day 0 and day 14). We drew blood at baseline, and 7 days following each vaccine dose (day 7 and 21). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated, and ASCs were enumerated using an ELISPOT assay. Significant increases in Ogawa (6.9 cells per million PBMCs) and Inaba (9.5 cells per million PBMCs) OSP-specific IgA ASCs were detected 7 days following the first dose (P < 0.001), but not the second dose. The magnitude of V. cholerae-specific ASC responses did not appear to be associated with recent exposure to cholera. ASC responses measured against the whole lipolysaccharide (LPS) antigen and the OSP moiety of LPS were equivalent, suggesting that all or nearly all of the LPS response targets the OSP moiety. Conclusions/Significance: Immunization with the BivWC oral cholera vaccine induced ASC responses among a cohort of healthy adults in Haiti after a single dose. The second dose of vaccine resulted in minimal ASC responses over baseline, suggesting that the current dosing schedule may not be optimal for boosting mucosal immune responses to V. cholerae antigens for adults in a cholera-endemic area.