eprintid: 12815
rev_number: 18
userid: 1097
dir: disk0/00/01/28/15
datestamp: 2012-09-21 20:05:02
lastmod: 2017-09-21 05:15:04
status_changed: 2012-09-21 20:05:02
type: thesis_degree
metadata_visibility: show
contact_email: deshy88@yahoo.com
item_issues_count: 0
eprint_status: archive
creators_name: Deshmukh, Brandon
creators_email: bad34@pitt.edu
creators_id: BAD34
title: Fusion of Human Serum Albumin to Human Apolipoprotein E Peptide as a Novel Inhibitor of Hepatitis C Virus entry
ispublished: unpub
divisions: sch_gsph_infectiousdiseasesmicrobiology
full_text_status: public
keywords: hepatitis c, apolipoprotein E, peptide
abstract: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects an estimated 3% of the world’s population making it a major threat to human health.  Currently, the most common treatment for those infected with the virus includes a combination of pegylated interferon (IFN-α) with ribavirin.  This treatment is effective only 40-80% of the time and causes severe side effects leading to low patient compliance.  In 2011, two anti-HCV drugs, telaprevir and boceprevir, were put on the market.  Both of these drugs are viral protease inhibitors, and are expected to face drug resistance in the future due to the development of viral quasispecies.  Due to the uncertainty and problems the current HCV treatments face, there is an urgent need to develop more effective anti-HCV therapies.  The blocking of HCV entry into human hepatocytes has promise.  Our lab has already developed a novel anti-HCV peptide called human apolipoprotein E peptide (hEP) which was shown to potently block HCV entry into Huh7.5.1 cells at very low concentrations, as well as lower plasma cholesterol levels and suppress inflammation in mice.  At the same time, this peptide was non-toxic to cells.  The combination of potently blocking viral entry, as well as maintaining the integrity of the cells treated makes hEP a promising anti-HCV therapeutic.  In order to increase the stability of hEP, we believed that fusing it to human serum albumin would increase its pharmacokinetics, shelf life, as well as lower the necessary dosage needed to elicit anti-viral effects.  This rationale was based on the findings of another group which showed that the fusion of IFN-α to human serum albumin increased its half-life.  The methylotropic yeast strain X-33 Pichia pastoris was used to produce the hEP and human serum albumin recombinant fusion protein.  After successfully producing the recombinant proteins of interest, we saw viral inhibition among one of our hEP fusion proteins, demonstrating its efficacy and public health significance.
date: 2012-09-21
date_type: published
pages: 75
institution: University of Pittsburgh
refereed: TRUE
etdcommittee_type: committee_member
etdcommittee_type: committee_member
etdcommittee_type: thesis_advisor
etdcommittee_name: Evans, Jared
etdcommittee_name: Tarun, Salvador
etdcommittee_name: Wang, Tianyi
etdcommittee_email: evansj2@cvr.pitt.edu
etdcommittee_email: szt3@pitt.edu
etdcommittee_email: tywang@pitt.edu
etdcommittee_id: EVANSJ2
etdcommittee_id: SZT3
etdcommittee_id: TYWANG
etd_defense_date: 2012-06-12
etd_approval_date: 2012-09-21
etd_submission_date: 2012-07-10
etd_release_date: 2012-09-21
etd_access_restriction: 5_year
etd_patent_pending: FALSE
assigned_doi: doi:10.5195/pitt.etd.2012.12815
thesis_type: thesis
degree: MS
citation:   Deshmukh, Brandon  (2012) Fusion of Human Serum Albumin to Human Apolipoprotein E Peptide as a Novel Inhibitor of Hepatitis C Virus entry.  Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.    (Unpublished)  
document_url: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/12815/1/Brandon_Deshmukh_Thesis.pdf