Profile
Currently, we are focusing on improving the prophylactic efficacy of BCG vaccine, and formulating novel adjunct therapies against tuberculosis. We have generated an immunogenic complex against M.tb (PTL: Peptide-TLR-Liposome). We show that intranasal delivery of this complex significantly enhanced the vaccine efficacy of BCG (JCI Insight-2021; Front Immunol-2022). This molecule (PTLs) has been patented. We further show how host Sirtuin 2 inhibits the generation of M.tb-specific stem cell memory T cells by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling and glycolysis (eLife-2020, FEBS J-2022; iScience-2023; Front Immunol-2024) projecting SIRT2 inhibitors as immunoprophylactic against TB. Further, we investigated the anti-tuberculosis potential of various immunomodulatory compounds (Bergenine and 6-Gingerol) against tuberculosis (JBC-2019; International Immunopharmacology-2020). Further, we show how NOTCH signaling can strengthen the long-lasting immunity during tuberculosis (PLoS Pathogens-2023). We also revealed how Withaferrin A, an active constituent of Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) enriches the long-term M.tb-specific central memory responses and prevents tuberculosis recurrence (Microbiology Spectrum-2023).
Current Focus Areas
Formulations of various immunotherapeutic and immunoprophylactic strategies to combat tuberculosis
Selected Publications
Bhaskar A, Pahuja I, Negi K, Verma A, Ghoshal A, Mathew B, Tripathi G, Maras JS, Chaturvedi S, Dwivedi VP. (2023). SIRT2 inhibition by AGK2 enhances mycobacteria-specific stem cell memory responses by modulating beta-catenin and glycolysis. iScience . 2023 Apr 10;26(5):106644.
Kumari A, Pahuja I, Negi K, Ghoshal A, Mukopadhyay S, Agarwal M, Mathew B, Maras JS, Chaturvedi S, Bhaskar A, Dwivedi VP. (2023). Withaferin A Protects against Primary and Recurrent Tuberculosis by Modulating Mycobacterium-Specific Host Immune Responses. Microbiology Spectrum . 2023 Mar 14;11(2):e0058323.
Pahuja I, Negi K, Kumari A, Agarwal M, Mukhopadhyay S, Mathew B, Chaturvedi S, Maras JS, Bhaskar A, Dwivedi VP. (2023). Berberine governs NOTCH3/AKT signaling to enrich lung-resident memory T cells during tuberculosis. PLoS Pathogens . 2023 Mar 7;19(3):e1011165.
Kumar S, Bhaskar A, Patnaik G, Sharma C, Singh DK, Kaushik SR, Chaturvedi S, Das G, Dwivedi VP. (2021). Intranasal immunization with peptide-based immunogenic complex enhances BCG vaccine efficacy in a murine model of tuberculosis. JCI Insight. 2021 Feb 22;6(4):e145228.
Kumar S, Sharma C, Kaushik SR, Kulshreshtha A, Chaturvedi S, Nanda RK, Bhaskar A, Chattopadhyay D, Das G, Dwivedi VP. (2019). The phytochemical bergenin as an adjunct immunotherapy for tuberculosis in mice. J Biol Chem . 2019 May 24;294(21):8555-8563.