Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine

Research Summary

Dr. Casola is a physician-scientist specialized in pediatric infectious diseases, with research expertise in the area of respiratory viral pathogens, lung inflammation, and cellular signaling. Her research is focused on the investigation of viral- and host-specific mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis of respiratory viral infections. Over the past several years, she has identified several inducible intracellular signaling pathways activated by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in airway epithelial cells with particular emphasis on the role of reactive oxygen species in RSV induced lung inflammation both in vitro and in vivo, using a mouse model of RSV infection. Recent investigations in her laboratory have uncovered a very important role of the endogenous gaseous mediator hydrogen sulfide in paramyxovirus replication and cellular signaling. Dr. Casola’s research efforts include investigating the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases caused by human metapneumovirus (hMPV), using molecular virology and animal model approaches, to investigate hMPV-induced lung disease and test novel antivirals and therapeutic agents.

Selected Publications

1. Hosakote, Y.M., Liu, T., Castro, S.M., Garofalo, R.P., & Casola, A. (2009).    Respiratory syncytial virus induces oxidative stress by modulating antioxidant enzymes. Am J Respir Cell Mol Bio, 41-348-57. PMCID: PMC2742754


2. Hosakote, Y.M., Jantzi, P., Esham, D., Kurosky, A., & Casola, A., & Garofalo, R.P. (2011). Viral-mediated inhibition of antioxidant enzymes contributes to the pathogenesis of severe RSV bronchiolitis. Am J Resp Critic Care Med,183:1550-60. PMCID:PMC3137144


3. Hosakote, Y.M., Komaravelli, N., Mautemps, N., Liu, T., Garofalo, R.P., & Casola, A. (2012). Antioxidant mimetics modulate oxidative stress and cellular signaling in airway epithelial cells infected with respiratory syncytial virus.  Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 303:L991-1000. PMCID:PMC3532525


4. Kolli D, Bao X, Liu T, Hong C, Garofalo R.P. & Casola, A. (2011). Human metapneumovirus glycoprotein G modulates Toll-like receptor-4 signaling in monocyte-derived dendritic cells. J Immunol, 2011;187:47-54. PMCID: PMC3119724


5. Kolli D Y, Garofalo RP and Casola A. (2012). Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection:  Mechanisms of Redox Control and Novel Therapeutic Opportunities.Comprehensive Invited Review (CIR) in Antioxidants & Redox Signaling,18:186-217.


6. Kolli D, Bao X and Casola A. (2012). Human metapneumovirus antagonisms of innate immune responses. Viruses, 4:3551-71.


7. Bao X, Kolli D, Liu T, Garofalo R.P and Casola A. (2013). Human Metapneumovirus Glycoprotein G Disrupts Mitochondrial Signaling in Airway Epithelial Cells. PLoS One, 8:e62568.


8. Velayutham TS, Kolli D, Ivancicuc T, Garofalo R.P. and Casola A. Critical role of TLR4 in human metapneumovirus mediated innate immune responses and disease pathogenesis. PLoS One 2013, (10):e78849.


9. Komaravelli N, Tian B, Ivanciuc T, Mautemps N, Brasier AR, Garofalo RP and Casola A. RSV infection downregulates antioxidant gene expression by inducing deacetylation and proteasomal degradation of Nrf2. Free Radic Biol Med. 2015;88:391-403.


10. Li H, Ma Y, Escaffre O, Ivanciuc T, Komaravelli N, Kelley JP, Coletta C, Szabo C, Rockx B, Garofalo RP, Casola A. Role of hydrogen sulfide in paramyxovirus infections. J Virol. 2015;89:5557-68.


11. Ivanciuc T, Sbrana E, Ansar M, Bazhanov N, Szabo C, Casola A and Garofalo RP Hydrogen Sulfide: An Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Endogenous Gasotransmitter in the Airways. Role in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2016;55:684-696.


12. Broad-Range Antiviral Activity of Hydrogen Sulfide against Highly Pathogenic RNA Viruses. Bazhanov N, Escaffre O, Freiberg AN, Garofalo RP and Casola A. Sci Rep. 2017;7:41029.