Kristina Aenlle, Ph.D.
Associate Director, E.M. Papper Laboratory of Clinical Immunology
Assistant Professor, K. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Kristina Aenlle diverse research background has taken her from the brain to the stem cell niche of the bone, always with the focus of the endocrine system signaling and aging. Her research goal is to improve and promote healthy aging by understanding the molecular changes that are occurring during aging. Alongside Drs. Klimas and Fltecher, she examines the molecular mechanism of HPA/HPG axis disruption in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and Gulf War illness (GWI).
Dr. Aenlle's training in endocrinology, neuroscience, aging, and biochemistry provides a strong backbone upon which she can explore the molecular and endocrine disruptions underlying ME/CFS and GWI. Her expertise contributes to the growing field of these complex, neuroinflammatory illnesses, while focusing on aging. Dr. Aenlle's long term goal is to develop a safe and efficient treatment to reboot the HPA/HPG axis and provide support during the aging process in ME/CFS and GWI.
- A Randomized, Double-blind Placebo-controlled Phase III Trial of Coenzyme Q10 in Gulf War Illness The objectives of the proposed study are to determine the efficacy and safety of ubiquinol in men and women suffering from Gulf War Illness. This study will also offer a platform for the much needed analysis of outcome variables in a well characterized longitudinal cohort; both biomarkers and clinical measures will be analyzed for their utility in future studies.
- Measurement of Biomarkers in Samples Collected in a Coenzyme Q10 Treatment Trial in Gulf War Illness and Control Subjects The primary objective is of DoD Gulf War Illness Clinical Partnership Award is to determine the efficacy of CoQ10 in GWI related symptom control.
- Immune/Inflammatory Priming in Exacerbating Responses to GWVI Stressors: Implications for GWVI Treatments The collaborative MERIT proposal hypothesizes that hyperinflammatory profiles in Gulf War Veterans could be due to exposures to chemical and/or environmental stressor and multiple vaccinations experienced by Veterans during the Gulf War, which sensitizes the affected veterans to the development of Gulf War Veterans Illness. The present project is designed in both rodent models and veterans’ cohort to test the hypothesis that chemical stressors, like insecticides and nerve gas antidotes routinely used during deployment, may induce gastrointestinal dysbiosis (gut microbiome changes) and metabolomic alterations via modulations of the gut inflammasome. These microbiome changes may lead to disruptions in barrier functions thus allowing continuous penetration of endotoxin/inflammatory mediators into the brain. These events may ultimately induce a sustained hyperinflammatory state while inflammasome blockers/probiotics may attenuate the above responses by blocking dysbiosis.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
2021
- Boston biorepository, recruitment and integrative network (BBRAIN): A resource for the Gulf War Illness scientific community Keating D, Zundel CG, Abreu M, Krengel M, Aenlle K, Nichols MD, Toomey R, Chao LL, Golier J, Abdullah L, Quinn E, Heeren T, Groh JR, Koo BB, Killiany R, Loggia ML, Younger J, Baraniuk J, Janulewicz P, Ajama J, Quay M, Baas PW, Qiang L, Conboy L, Kokkotou E, O'Callaghan JP, Steele L, Klimas N, Sullivan K. Life Sci. 2021 Nov 1;284:119903. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119903. PMID: 34453948.
- Brain-Immune Interactions as the Basis of Gulf War Illness: Clinical Assessment and Deployment Profile of 1990-1991 Gulf War Veterans in the Gulf War Illness Consortium (GWIC) Multisite Case-Control Study Steele L, Klimas N, Krengel M, Quinn E, Toomey R, Little D, Abreu M, Aenlle K, Killiany R, Koo BB, Janulewicz P, Heeren T, Clark AN, Ajama J, Cirillo J, Buentello G, Lerma V, Coller JK, Sullivan K. Brain Sci. 2021 Aug 26;11(9):1132. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11091132. PMID: 34573153; PMCID: PMC8467437.
- Sex-specific plasma lipid profiles of ME/CFS patients and their association with pain, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms Nkiliza A, Parks M, Cseresznye A, Oberlin S, Evans JE, Darcey T, Aenlle K, Niedospial D, Mullan M, Crawford F, Klimas N, Abdullah L. J Transl Med. 2021 Aug 28;19(1):370. doi: 10.1186/s12967-021-03035-6. PMID: 34454515; PMCID: PMC8401202.
- Modeling Neuroimmune Interactions in Human Subjects and Animal Models to Predict Subtype-Specific Multidrug Treatments for Gulf War Illness Carrera Arias FJ, Aenlle K, Abreu M, Holschbach MA, Michalovicz LT, Kelly KA, Klimas N, O'Callaghan JP, Craddock TJA. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Aug 9;22(16):8546. doi: 10.3390/ijms22168546. PMID: 34445252; PMCID: PMC8395153.
- A common language for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research studies: GWI common data elements Cohen DE, Sullivan KA, McNeil RB, Klimas NG; Gulf War Illness Common Data Elements Working Group; Symptoms Assessment Working Group, McNeil R, Ashford W, Bested A, Bunker J, Cheema A, Cohen D, Cook D, Cournoyer J, Craddock T, Golier J, Hardie A, Helmer D, Lindheimer JB, Lloyd PJ, Kerr K, Krengel M, Nadkarni S, Nugent S, Paris B, Reinhard M, Rumm P, Schneiderman A, Sims KJ, Steele L, Turner M; Systems Assessment Working Group, Sullivan K, Abdullah L, Abreu M, Abu-Donia M, Aenlle K, Arocho J, Balbin E, Baraniuk J, Block K, Block M, DeBeer B, Engdahl B, Filipov N, Fletcher MA, Kalasinsky V, Kokkotou E, Lidie K, Little D, Loging W, Morris M, Nathanson L, Nichols MD, Pasinetti G, Shungu D, Waziry P, VanLeeuwen J, Younger J; GWI CDE Administrative Team, Klimas N. Life Sci. 2021 Aug 2:119818. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119818. PMID: 34352259.
- Gulf War Illness Clinical Trials and Interventions Consortium (GWICTIC): A collaborative research infrastructure for intervention and implementation Cheema AK, McNeil RB, Craddock T, Broderick G, Abreu MM, Aenlle K, Helmer DA, Ashford JW, Sullivan K, Bested A, Cohen DE, Shungu D, Chandler H, Fletcher MA, Krengel M, Klimas N. Life Sci. 2021 Aug 1;278:119636. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119636. Epub 2021 May 17. PMID: 34015289.
2020
- Alterations in high-order diffusion imaging in veterans with Gulf War Illness is associated with chemical weapons exposure and mild traumatic brain injury Cheng CH, Koo BB, Calderazzo S, Quinn E, Aenlle K, Steele L, Klimas N, Krengel M, Janulewicz P, Toomey R, Michalovicz LT, Kelly KA, Heeren T, Little D, O'Callaghan JP, Sullivan K. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Oct;89:281-290. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.006. Epub 2020 Jul 31. PMID: 32745586; PMCID: PMC7755296.
2019
- Treatment Avenues in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Split-gender Pharmacogenomic Study of Gene-expression Modules Jeffrey MG, Nathanson L, Aenlle K, Barnes ZM, Baig M, Broderick G, Klimas NG, Fletcher MA, Craddock TJA. Clin Ther. 2019 May;41(5):815-835.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2019.01.011. Epub 2019 Mar 6. PMID: 30851951.
2016
- Hepatocyte growth factor and alternative splice variants - expression, regulation and implications in osteogenesis and bone health and repair Frisch RN, Curtis KM, Aenlle KK, Howard GA. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2016 Sep;20(9):1087-98. doi: 10.1517/14728222.2016.1162293. Epub 2016 Mar 21. PMID: 26941128; PMCID: PMC5031543.
2015
- TAp63γ and ΔNp63β Promote Osteoblastic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Regulation by Vitamin D3 Metabolites Curtis KM, Aenlle KK, Frisch RN, Howard GA. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 7;10(4):e0123642. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123642. eCollection 2015.
2014
- 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 Promotes the Osteoblastic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Curtis KM, Aenlle KK, Roos BA, Howard GA. Mol Endocrinol. 2014 May;28(5):644-58. doi: 10.1210/me.2013-1241. Epub 2014 Mar 5.
- Hepatocyte Growth Factor and p38 Promote Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Aenlle KK, Curtis KM, Roos BA, Howard GA. Mol Endocrinol. 2014 May;28(5):722-30. doi: 10.1210/me.2013-1286. Epub 2014 Mar 27.
2013
- Role of Estrogen Receptor α and β in Preserving Hippocampal Function during Aging Han X, Aenlle KK, Bean LA, Rani A, Semple-Rowland SL, Kumar A, Foster TC. J Neurosci. 2013 Feb 6;33(6):2671-83. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4937-12.2013.
2012
- Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D Together Stimulate Human Bone Marrow-derived Stem Cells Toward the Osteogenic Phenotype by HGF-induced up-regulation of VDR Chen K, Aenlle KK, Curtis KM, Roos BA, Howard GA. Bone. 2012 Jul;51(1):69-77. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2012.04.002. Epub 2012 Apr 12.
2010
- Aging Alters the Expression of Genes for Neuroprotection and Synaptic Function Following Acute Estradiol Treatment Aenlle KK, Foster TC. Hippocampus. 2010 Sep;20(9):1047-60. doi: 10.1002/hipo.20703.
2007
- Estrogen Effects on Cognition and Hippocampal Transcription in Middle-aged Mice Aenlle KK, Kumar A, Cui L, Jackson TC, Foster TC.Neurobiol Aging. 2009 Jun;30(6):932-45. Epub 2007 Oct 24.
2001
- Anatomy and Three-dimensional Reconstructions of the Brain of a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from Magnetic Resonance Images Marino L, Sudheimer KD, Murphy TL, Davis KK, Pabst DA, McLellan WA, Rilling JK, Johnson JI. Anat Rec. 2001 Dec 1;264(4):397-414.