Santhi Gorantla, PhD

SanthiGorantla

Research Interests
Representative Publications
Biographical Information
Visit Dr. Gorantla's laboratory

SANTHI GORANTLA
Assistant Professor

Durham Research Center, Room 8020
985880 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5880

Phone: 402-559-8754
E-mail: sgorantla@unmc.edu

Keywords: Mouse models for HIV, humanized mouse, HIV vaccine, HIV pathogenesis

Research Interests
Our laboratory has been involved in developing small animal models (rodent) for HIV research. The specificity of HIV-1 for human cells precludes virus infection in most mammalian species and limits the utility of small animal models for the studies of disease pathogenesis, therapy and vaccine development. To this end, a humanized mouse with long-term reconstitution of human functional lymphoid tissues was recently achieved by transplanting human hematopoietic stem cells into immunodeficient mice.

My research interests are to utilize the humanized mouse model to study:

  1. HIV vaccine strategies to induce protective immune responses and
  2. Immune-based therapeutics to enhance HIV immune responses

Critical evaluation of these various therapeutic approaches for the prevention of HIV infection is essential. The humanized mouse model offers a unique environment to test these approaches and provide a proof-of concept for human use. 

top of page

Representative Publications
  1. Gong N, Liu J, Reynolds AD, Gorantla S, Mosley RL, Gendelman HE. Brain ingress of regulatory T cells in a murine model of HIV-1 encephalitis. J Neuroimmunol. 2010 Sep 14.
  2. Gorantla S, Makarov E, Roy D, Finke-Dwyer J, Murrin LC, Gendelman HE, Poluektova L. Immunoregulation of a CB2 receptor agonist in a murine model of NeuroAIDS. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2010 Sep;5(3):456-68
  3. Gorantla S, Makarov E, Finke-Dwyer J, Gebhart CL, Domm W, Dewhurst S, Gendelman HE, Poluektova LY. CD8+ cell depletion accelerates HIV-1 immunopathology in humanized mice. J Immunol.2010 Jun 15;184(12):7082-91
  4. Eggert D, Dash PK, Gorantla S, Dou H, Schifitto G, Maggirwar SB, Dewhurst S, Poluektova L, Gelbard HA, Gendelman HE. Neuroprotective activities of CEP-1347 in models of neuroAIDS. J Immunol. 2010 Jan 15;184(2):746-56
  5. Eggert, D., Dash, P.K., Serradji, N., Dong, C., Clayette, P., Heyamans, F., Dou, H., Gorantla, S., Gelbard, H., Poluektova, L., Gendelman, H.E. Development of a platelet –activating factor antagonist for HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders. J. Neuroimmunology, 2009 18;213(1-2):47-59
  6. Haorah J, Ramirez SH, Floreani N, Gorantla S, Morsey B, Persidsky Y. Mechanism of alcohol-induced oxidative stress and neuronal injury. Free Radic Biol Med. 2008 Dec 1;45(11):1542-50
  7. Gorantla, S., Liu, J., Wang, T., Holguin, A., Sneller, H., Dou, H., Kipnis, J., Poluektova, L., Gendelman, H.E. Modulation of innate immunity by copolymer-1 leads to neuroprotection in murine HIV-1 encephalitis. Glia. 2008 Jan 15;56(2):223-32
  8. Gorantla, S., Liu, J., Sneller, H., Dou, H., Ikezu, T., Holguin, A., Poluektova, L., Gendelman, H.E. Copolymer -1 immunization modulates glial function and protects neurons in a murine model of HIV-1 encephalitis. J. Immunology. 2007 Oct; 179(7):4345-56
  9. Gorantla, S., Sneller, H., Walters, L., Sharp, G., Pirruccello, S.J., West, J., Wood, C., Dewhurst, S., Gendelman, H.E., Poluektova, L. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 pathobiology studied in humanized BALB/c-Rag2-/-yc-/-mice. J. Virology. 2007 Mar;81(6):2700-12

top of page

Dr. Gorantla's Biographical Information
Visit Dr. Gorantla's laboratory