https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/39 Principal Investigator- Dr. Rajni Rani Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:40:04 GMT 2026-04-27T15:40:04Z https://dspace.nii.res.in:443/retrieve/bb45b0dc-efdf-4000-ba0d-50cecbeb51a5/Dr. Rajni Rani.JPG https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/39 https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1631 Title: Whole-Exome Sequencing of Vitiligo Lesions Indicates Lower Burden of Somatic Variations: Implications in Risk for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers Authors: Gupta, I; Shankrit, S; Narta, K; Ghazi, M; Grover, R; Ritika, R; Kar, HK; Menon, SM; Gupta, A; Yenamandra, VK; Singh, A; Mukerji, M; Mukhopadhyay, A; Rani, R; Gokhale, RS; Dash, D; Natarajan, VT Abstract: Genetic depigmentary conditions such as albinism with complete loss of epidermal pigmentation pose a higher risk for cutaneous malignancies (Lekalakala et al., 2015; Kromberg et al., 1989). By analogy, clinical management for photoprotection of the acquired depigmented skin in vitiligo is of serious concern. It is believed that vitiligo would pose a similar, elevated risk. Systematic evaluation of a large cohort of subjects with vitiligo indicated a decreased risk for both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers (Hexsel et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2020; Paradisi et al., 2014; Rodrigues, 2017; Schallreuter et al., 2002; Teulings et al., 2013; Weng et al., 2021). Extrapolating from demographic studies, it is tempting to speculate that vitiligo could negatively influence either initiation or progression of cutaneous malignancies (Rodrigues, 2017). Given the autoimmune etiology that targets melanocyte destruction, protection against melanoma could be rationalized; however, similar protection from nonmelanoma skin cancer is perplexing. Therefore, these observations need to be substantiated with evidence at the tissue level. Recent advancements in genomics enable the mapping of the somatic variations that would act as a molecular correlate for cancer. In normal, seemingly healthy skin, deep sequencing of a selected panel of cancer-associated genes suggests a pervasive positive selection of somatic variations that provides valuable insights into the origin of somatic variations and map their progression to skin cancers Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1631 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1396 Title: Rv3881c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Elicits PolyFunctional CD8+ T cells in PPD Positive Healthy Volunteers and Affords Significant Protection in the Guinea Pig Model Authors: Rani, R Abstract: We show that Rv3881c, a secreted protein of M. tuberculosis (MTB), elicits T cell responses from healthy PPD-positive individuals and TB patients. Synthetic peptides spanning the complete length of Rv3881c induced secretion of significantly greater levels of TNF-α and IL-10 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of TB patients compared to latently infect healthy volunteers. Polychromatic flow cytometry detected poly-functional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secreting different combinations of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2 and MIP-1β in response to Rv3881c. Levels of CD4+ T cells secreting either IFN-γ or TNF-α were significantly higher in TB patients while levels of CD8+ T cells secreting both IFN-γ and IL-2 were significantly greater in healthy PPD-positive volunteers. Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1396 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1395 Title: Presence of Autoreactive, MHC Class I-Restricted, Calcium-Sensing Receptor (CaSR)-Specific CD8+ T Cells in Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism Authors: Rani, Rajni Abstract: Context: Major histocompatibility complex class I allele HLA-A*26:01 and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) supertype A01 (STA01) are increased in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (IH). However, cell-mediated autoimmune responses directed against the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) have not been demonstrated. Objective: To study CaSR-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of IH patients. Design: Twenty-four peptides of CaSR (RH1 to RH24) were evaluated for their ex vivo potential to stimulate PBMCs from IH patients and controls in interferon (IFN)-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays. Setting: Tertiary patient care center and National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India. Patients and other participants: Forty-five patients with IH attending the endocrine clinic of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and 22 healthy controls. Main outcome measures: Major histocompatibility complex class-I restricted, CaSR-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell responses evaluated by IFN-γ ELISPOT assay. Results: Of IH patients, 82.2% showed IFN-γ-secreting cells when stimulated ex-vivo with CaSR peptides. Peptides RH7, RH9, and RH16 elicited HLA supertype A01-restricted responses in IH. RH8, RH14, RH15, RH20, and RH21 peptides induced significantly higher responses in STA01+ IH patients compared with healthy controls irrespective of their supertype A01 status. Conclusions: Our ex vivo IFN-γ ELISPOT assays demonstrate the presence of CaSR-specific memory CD8+ T cells in the peripheral circulation of patients with IH, suggesting the role of cell-mediated autoimmune responses in the etiopathogenesis of IH. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1395 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1394 Title: The Secreted Protein Rv1860 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Stimulates Human Polyfunctional CD8+ T Cells Authors: Rani, Rajni Abstract: We previously reported that Rv1860 protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis stimulated CD4(+)and CD8(+)T cells secreting gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in healthy purified protein derivative (PPD)-positive individuals and protected guinea pigs immunized with a DNA vaccine and a recombinant poxvirus expressing Rv1860 from a challenge with virulent M. tuberculosis We now show Rv1860-specific polyfunctional T (PFT) cell responses in the blood of healthy latently M. tuberculosis-infected individuals dominated by CD8(+) T cells, using a panel of 32 overlapping peptides spanning the length of Rv1860. Multiple subsets of CD8(+) PFT cells were significantly more numerous in healthy latently infected volunteers (HV) than in tuberculosis (TB) patients (PAT). The responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from PAT to the peptides of Rv1860 were dominated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) secretions, the former coming predominantly from non-T cell sources. Notably, the pattern of the T cell response to Rv1860 was distinctly different from those of the widely studied M. tuberculosis antigens ESAT-6, CFP-10, Ag85A, and Ag85B, which elicited CD4(+) T cell-dominated responses as previously reported in other cohorts. We further identified a peptide spanning amino acids 21 to 39 of the Rv1860 protein with the potential to distinguish latent TB infection from disease due to its ability to stimulate differential cytokine signatures in HV and PAT. We suggest that a TB vaccine carrying these and other CD8(+) T-cell-stimulating antigens has the potential to prevent progression of latent M. tuberculosis infection to TB disease. Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://dspace.nii.res.in//https://dspace.nii.res.in/handle/123456789/1394 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z