TBD

Opioids are effective analgesics for treating moderate to severe pain, however, their use must be weighed against their dangerous side effects. Investigations into opioid pharmacokinetics provide crucial information regarding both on- and off-target drug effects. Our recent work showed that morphine deposits and accumulates in the mouse retina at higher concentrations than in the brain upon chronic systemic exposure. We also found reduced retinal expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a major opioid extruder at the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Located in the frontline against the largest population of microbiota, the intestinal mucosa of mammals has evolved to become an effective immune system. γδ T cells, a unique T cell subpopulation, are rare in circulation blood and lymphoid tissues, but rich in the intestinal mucosa, particularly in the epithelium. Via rapid production of cytokines and growth factors, intestinal γδ T cells are key contributors to epithelial homeostasis and immune surveillance of infection.

Astroviruses cause a spectrum of diseases spanning asymptomatic infections to severe diarrhea, but little is understood about their pathogenesis. We previously determined that small intestinal goblet cells were the main cell type infected by murine astrovirus-1. Here, we focused on the host immune response to infection and inadvertently discovered a role for indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (Ido1), a host tryptophan catabolizing enzyme, in the cellular tropism of murine and human astroviruses.