scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Author

Pranav Prasoon

Bio: Pranav Prasoon is an academic researcher from University of Pittsburgh. The author has contributed to research in topics: Allodynia & Nociception. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 38 publications receiving 201 citations. Previous affiliations of Pranav Prasoon include All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Papers
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Investigators provided robust evidence that SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific virulence factors may have an impact on viral infectivity and transmissibility and disease severity as well as the development of immunity against the infection, including response to the vaccines.
Abstract: The paucity of knowledge about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific virulence factors has greatly hampered the therapeutic management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Recently, a cluster of studies appeared, which presented empirical evidence for SARS-CoV-2-specific virulence factors that can explain key elements of COVID-19 pathology. These studies unravel multiple structural and nonstructural specifics of SARS-CoV-2, such as a unique FURIN cleavage site, papain-like protease (SCoV2-PLpro), ORF3b and nonstructural proteins, and dynamic conformational changes in the structure of spike protein during host cell fusion, which give it an edge in infectivity and virulence over previous coronaviruses causing pandemics. Investigators provided robust evidence that SARS-CoV-2-specific virulence factors may have an impact on viral infectivity and transmissibility and disease severity as well as the development of immunity against the infection, including response to the vaccines. In this article, we are presenting a summarized account of the newly reported studies.

52 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review article has discussed the possible routes of SARS‐CoV‐2 brain entry based on the emerging evidence for this virus, and that available for other betacoronaviruses in literature.
Abstract: Manifestation of neurological symptoms in certain patients of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has warranted for their virus-induced etiogenesis. SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, belongs to the genus of betacoronaviruses which also includes SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV; causative agents for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012, respectively. Studies demonstrating the neural invasion of SARS-CoV-2 in vivo are still scarce, although such characteristics of certain other betacoronaviruses are well demonstrated in the literature. Based on the recent evidence for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry receptors in specific components of the human nervous and vascular tissue, a neural (olfactory and/or vagal), and a hematogenous-crossing the blood-brain barrier, routes have been proposed. The neurological symptoms in COVID-19 may also arise as a consequence of the "cytokine storm" (characteristically present in severe disease) induced neuroinflammation, or co-morbidities. There is also a possibility that, there may be multiple routes of SARS-CoV-2 entry into the brain, or multiple mechanisms can be involved in the pathogenesis of the neurological symptoms. In this review article, we have discussed the possible routes of SARS-CoV-2 brain entry based on the emerging evidence for this virus, and that available for other betacoronaviruses in literature.

41 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Conclusive remarks of the article make a strong case for plausible role of NGFs in comprehensive regulation of the neurocognitive functions and pathogenesis of related disorders and advocate that future research should be directed to explore use of N GF-based mechanisms in the prevention of implicated diseases as well as to target these molecules pharmacologically.
Abstract: Nerve growth factors (NGFs), especially the prototype NGF and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), have a diverse array of functions in the central nervous system through their peculiar set of receptors and intricate signaling. They are implicated not only in the development of the nervous system but also in regulation of neurocognitive functions like learning, memory, synaptic transmission, and plasticity. Evidence even suggests their role in continued neurogenesis and experience-dependent neural network remodeling in adult brain. They have also been associated extensively with brain disorders characterized by neurocognitive dysfunction. In the present article, we aimed to make an exhaustive review of literature to get a comprehensive view on the role of NGFs in neurocognitive functions in health and disease. Starting with historical perspective, distribution in adult brain, implied molecular mechanisms, and developmental basis, this article further provides a detailed account of NGFs' role in specified neurocognitive functions. Furthermore, it discusses plausible NGF-based homeostatic and adaptation mechanisms operating in the pathogenesis of neurocognitive disorders and has presents a survey of such disorders. Finally, it elaborates on current evidence and future possibilities in therapeutic applications of NGFs with an emphasis on recent research updates in drug delivery mechanisms. Conclusive remarks of the article make a strong case for plausible role of NGFs in comprehensive regulation of the neurocognitive functions and pathogenesis of related disorders and advocate that future research should be directed to explore use of NGF-based mechanisms in the prevention of implicated diseases as well as to target these molecules pharmacologically.

27 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of the progress made since the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic can be found in this article, where the authors narrate the progress in the human body, including virus-host interactions, pulmonary and other systemic manifestations, immunological dysregulations, complications, host-specific vulnerability, and long-term health consequences in the survivors.
Abstract: More than one and a half years have elapsed since the commencement of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the world is struggling to contain it. Being caused by a previously unknown virus, in the initial period, there had been an extreme paucity of knowledge about the disease mechanisms, which hampered preventive and therapeutic measures against COVID-19. In an endeavor to understand the pathogenic mechanisms, extensive experimental studies have been conducted across the globe involving cell culture-based experiments, human tissue organoids, and animal models, targeted to various aspects of the disease, viz., viral properties, tissue tropism and organ-specific pathogenesis, involvement of physiological systems, and the human immune response against the infection. The vastly accumulated scientific knowledge on all aspects of COVID-19 has currently changed the scenario from great despair to hope. Even though spectacular progress has been made in all of these aspects, multiple knowledge gaps are remaining that need to be addressed in future studies. Moreover, multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants have emerged across the globe since the onset of the first COVID-19 wave, with seemingly greater transmissibility/virulence and immune escape capabilities than the wild-type strain. In this review, we narrate the progress made since the commencement of the pandemic regarding the knowledge on COVID-19 mechanisms in the human body, including virus-host interactions, pulmonary and other systemic manifestations, immunological dysregulations, complications, host-specific vulnerability, and long-term health consequences in the survivors. Additionally, we provide a brief review of the current evidence explaining molecular mechanisms imparting greater transmissibility and virulence and immune escape capabilities to the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

25 citations


Cited by
More filters
DOI
01 Jan 2020

1,967 citations

Book Chapter
01 Jan 2006
TL;DR: The Wall and Melzack's Textbook of Pain is revised under new editorial leadership, and with a host of new, multidisciplinary international contributors.
Abstract: WALL AND MELZACK'S TEXTBOOK OF PAIN, revised under new editorial leadership, and with a host of new, multidisciplinary international contributors ...

527 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Understanding basic mechanisms of postoperative pain to identify effective treatment strategies may improve patients' outcome after surgery and point towards useful elements of multimodal analgesia able to reduce opioid consumption, improve pain management, and enhance recovery.

219 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a mouse model of cytomegalovirus infection to show that, like T cells, NK cells bearing the virus-specific Ly49H receptor proliferate 100fold in the spleen and 1,000-fold in liver after infection.
Abstract: In an adaptive immune response, naive T cells proliferate during infection and generate long-lived memory cells that undergo secondary expansion after a repeat encounter with the same pathogen. Although natural killer (NK) cells have traditionally been classified as cells of the innate immune system, they share many similarities with cytotoxic T lymphocytes. We use a mouse model of cytomegalovirus infection to show that, like T cells, NK cells bearing the virus-specific Ly49H receptor proliferate 100-fold in the spleen and 1,000-fold in the liver after infection. After a contraction phase, Ly49H-positive NK cells reside in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs for several months. These self-renewing 'memory' NK cells rapidly degranulate and produce cytokines on reactivation. Adoptive transfer of these NK cells into naive animals followed by viral challenge results in a robust secondary expansion and protective immunity. These findings reveal properties of NK cells that were previously attributed only to cells of the adaptive immune system.

194 citations