Biology subjects

Goodman, A. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Goodman, A. C..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Profiling serum oxylipin metabolites across melanoma subtypes and immunotherapy responders

ObjectivesThis study investigates the relationship between serum oxylipin profiles and response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in melanoma subtypes to identify potential metabolic biomarkers for treatment response. MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study, serum samples from 43 stage III and stage IV melanoma patients treated at the University of Colorado Hospital from 2010 to 2023 were analyzed via ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Melanoma patients were treated anti-PD-1 monotherapy or combination immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and response was assessed using RECIST 1.1 criteria. ResultsUsing mass spectroscopy, we determined global oxylipin metabolite profiles are largely uniform pre-and post-treatment across melanoma subtypes including cutaneous, acral, mucosal, and uveal melanoma. Across subtypes, 33 oxylipin metabolites were analyzed, with limited variation observed overall. Prostaglandin J2 was more abundant in rare melanoma subtypes including acral, mucosal, and uveal melanoma compared to cutaneous melanoma. ConclusionsDespite limited variation of serum oxylipin molecular species by subtype and response status, we observed significant differences in Prostaglandin J2 which could serve as a potential biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy response in melanoma. However, further investigation is warranted to explore the role of oxylipins in immune response modulation.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Functional composition of deep soil microbial communities changes with oak mortality

Tree mortality in oak savannas is increasing under climate change, but its impact on microbial communities and soil carbon below the top 20 centimeters is relatively unknown. Deep tree roots, their ectomycorrhizal fungi, and associated bacteria may have a particularly important effect on landscape carbon storage, as they mediate the transfer of recently fixed plant carbon into deep soil and subsoil layers. To investigate how tree mortality impacts microbes and soil carbon, we sampled under living and recently dead Quercus douglasii trees in a California oak savanna, gathering depth-resolved soil cores to 45 cm below the surface. We captured finely resolved biological detail on these soil samples, comparing living (RNA-based) to potential and historical (DNA-based) microbial communities and assessing microbial biomass with phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Tree mortality greatly reduced the abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi, particularly in subsoils. Fungal niches were more variable at depth under dead trees than under living ones, and RNA-based profiling captured substantially different communities than DNA, especially under living trees. However, tree mortality three years prior to our study did not impact the overall quantity of carbon stored in the soil. Tree mortality can have profound effects on the interactions between tree roots, mycorrhizal fungi, and soil bacteria, which may shift soil carbon dynamics over long time scales. Understanding the mechanisms of these interactions, and their time scales, will improve our ability to predict and manage soil carbon in savanna landscapes as drought and heat events kill more oaks in arid climates. HighlightsO_LIRibosomal RNA, from living cells, revealed different communities than from DNA. C_LIO_LIMicrobial functions changed more with depth and tree health than taxonomy. C_LIO_LIDifferences were most extreme below 20 cm depth. C_LIO_LIMicrobial population distributions changed under living and dead trees. C_LIO_LITotal microbial biomass and carbon were similar beneath living and dead trees. C_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Differential effects of ethanol on behavior and GABAA receptor subunit expression in zebrafish (Danio rerio) with alternative stress coping styles

Variation in stress responses between individuals is linked to factors ranging from stress coping styles to sensitivity of neurotransmitter systems. Many anxiolytic compounds (e.g. ethanol) can increase stressor engagement through modulation of neurotransmitter systems and are used to investigate stress response mechanisms. Here we assessed the role of the GABAA system on the variation of the behavioral stress response by comparing individuals differing in stress coping styles that were chronically treated with ethanol. Specifically, we investigated resulting changes in stress-related behavior and whole-brain GABAA receptor subunits (gabra1, gabra2, gabrd, & gabrg2) in response to a novelty stressor. There were significant main and interaction effects on two stress-related behaviors, where the ethanol-treated proactive individuals showed lower stress-related behaviors than their reactive counterparts. Proactive individuals showed significantly higher expression of gabra1, gabra2, and gabrg2 compared to reactive individuals and ethanol treatment resulted in upregulation of gabra1 and gabrg2 in both stress coping styles. These results show that differences in stress-related behaviors between stress coping styles may be facilitated in part by expression of select GABAA receptor subunits.

neuroscience↗