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The Impact Of Eggs On Inflammatory And Immune Profiles In Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Pcos), Clara Martin

Honors Scholar Theses

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder affecting approximately 5-15% of women of reproductive age. Characterized by symptoms such as hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and insulin resistance, PCOS is also linked with significant health complications including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies highlight the critical role of immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation in exacerbating PCOS pathology, suggesting that managing these immune responses could alleviate the broader health impacts of the disorder.

Nutritional interventions, particularly those targeting immune and inflammatory pathways, have emerged as promising strategies for managing PCOS. Among various dietary components, the intake of …

Utility Of Novel Genomic Technologies For Biomarker Identification In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Christina Yacoub

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether differences in protein expression exist between patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), both Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and healthy controls (HC). A total of fourteen colonic biopsies (n=14, 8-IBD, 4-IBS, 2-HC) underwent nucleus counts using the nCounter software of the Nanostring GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (NanoString Technologies, Inc., Seattle, Washington, USA). Three regions of interest were stained according to tryptase, crypt, and connective tissue, and visualization markers were attached to fluoresce thirty inflammatory and oncological proteins of interest. After nucleus counts for proteins of …

Role Of Extracellular Vesicles On Immune Regulation In An Animal Model Of Multiple Sclerosis, Cory Willis

Doctoral Dissertations

Extracellular vesicles play important and crucial roles in orchestrating and modulating cellular responses under both normal and diseased conditions. In my thesis work, I studied extracellular vesicle release from astrocytes during CNS inflammation. Moreover, I studied how extracellular vesicles can modulate and drive the immune response during active CNS disease. Extracellular vesicles encompass a heterogeneous group of cell-derived vesicles that have been found to be important in initiating and directing pathological responses.

In my thesis work, I focused on the characterization and quantification of extracellular vesicles from astrocytes under normal and inflammatory conditions. As described in chapter three of my …

The Interplay Between Pain/Stress, Inflammation And Microbiota In Human Health, Wanli Xu

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted

Dietary Sphingomyelin For The Prevention Of Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction In Mice, Gregory Harrison Norris

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted

The Effects Of Poor Maternal Nutrition On Offspring Growth And Maternal And Offspring Inflammatory Status During Gestation, Amanda Jones

Doctoral Dissertations

Breeding and management of pregnant females are essential components of livestock production. Improper gestational management creates maternal stressors which negatively affect prenatal and postnatal offspring development. We hypothesized that 1) using transabdominal ultrasound, pregnancy diagnosis would be accurate during early gestation in ewes and measure fetal growth patterns during mid-gestation, and 2) inflammation may be a mechanism contributing to suboptimal offspring performance when maternal nutrition is poor during gestation. To investigate, 99 ewes were scanned three times per wk between d26 and d40 of gestation. The sensitivity and specificity of pregnancy diagnoses were >90% from d33 onward, coinciding with visualization …

Effects Of A Standardized, Freeze-Dried Grape Powder In Adults With Metabolic Syndrome, Quinn Duclos

Master's Theses

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been correlated to lower disease risk. This is thought to be due to bioactive components such as: vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and polyphenols. Grapes are a food source of many bioactive components, including polyphenols. The effects standardized, freeze-dried, grape powder (GRAPE) were examined in adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Twenty men and women (aged 30-70 y) were instructed to consume 60 g/day of GRAPE (equivalent to 2.5 cups fresh grapes daily) or nutritionally-matched placebo powder in a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover intervention study for 13 weeks. This included 2-week run-in, 4-week intervention (GRAPE …

The Effects Of Moringa Leaves On Hepatic Lipid Accumulation And Inflammation In A Guinea Pig Model Of Hepatic Steatosis, Manal Almatrafi

Doctoral Dissertations

Moringa leaves (ML), have been recognized for their protective effects against chronic disease. To evaluate the protective effects of ML on hepatic steatosis and systemic inflammation, we used the guinea pig model. Male Hartley guinea pigs were assigned (n=8/group) to consume either a control diet (0 g Moringa), Low Moringa (LM) (10 %) or High Moringa (HM) (15%) diets, which were supplemented with 0.25% dietary cholesterol to induce hepatic steatosis. After 6 weeks, blood, liver, and adipose tissue were collected for determination of plasma lipids and lipoproteins, tissue cholesterol concentrations, inflammatory cytokines and expression of genes regulating hepatic cholesterol and …

The Role Of Sr-B1 In Lipid Metabolism And Inflammation In 3t3-L1 Adipocytes, Christina Jiang

University Scholar Projects

Obesity is associated with a number of complications that may increase the risk for chronic disease, including inflammation and dysfunctional high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. Scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SR-B1) is an HDL receptor found in the cell plasma membrane involved in cholesterol exchange and the initiation of intracellular signaling cascades. During the process of adipocyte (fat cell) formation (adipogenesis), there is a delicate balance of transcriptional programs that affect cholesterol transport and facilitate lipid accumulation. Mice fed a high fat diet have increased SR-B1 mRNA expression in adipose tissue depots. Furthermore, SR-B1 mRNA expression was significantly increased in …

Phosphodiesterase-8 (Pde8) And The Pde8a-Raf-1 Kinase Signaling Complex Regulate Cd4+ T Cell Motility And Autoimmune Inflammation In Vivo, Chaitali Purushottam Basole

Doctoral Dissertations

The levels of cAMP are regulated by phosphodiesterases (PDE), which are targets for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. The overarching goal of this study was to harness recent successful developments in PDE research for the treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and ultimately human autoimmune diseases. We report here that PDE8A exerts its control of T cell function through the Raf-1 kinase signaling pathway. The highly PDE8-selective enzymatic inhibitor PF-04957325 significantly suppresses rolling and adhesion of in vivo MOG_35-55 activated inflammatory CD4⁺ T effector (Teff) cells while interacting with inflamed brain endothelial cells under shear flow conditions. Recently, …

Ischemic Stroke Induces Gut Permeability And Enhances Bacterial Translocation Leading To Sepsis In Aged Mice, Venugopal Reddy Venna, Joshua Crapser, Rodney Ritzel, Rajkumar Verma, Fudong Liu, Anjali Chauhan, Edward Koellhoffer, Austin Ricker, Kendra Maas, Joerg Graf, Louise D. Mccullough

UCHC Articles - Research

Aging is an important risk factor for post-stroke infection, which accounts for a large proportion of stroke-associated mortality. Despite this, studies evaluating post-stroke infection rates in aged animal models are limited. In addition, few studies have assessed gut microbes as a potential source of infection following stroke. Therefore we investigated the effects of age and the role of bacterial translocation from the gut in post-stroke infection in young (8-12 weeks) and aged (18-20 months) C57Bl/6 male mice following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) or sham surgery. Gut permeability was examined and peripheral organs were assessed for the presence of …

The Effect Of Sleep Quality And High Intensity Physical Activity On Inflammation And Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors In College Students, Catherine Abraham

Honors Scholar Theses

Background: Inflammation is the common denominator in chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and depression. While adequate physical activity and optimal sleep quality may help maintain normal inflammation levels, evidence is somewhat conflicting. Aim: This cross-sectional observational study aimed to assess how sleep quality and high intensity physical activity associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers in a sample of young adults (n=106, ages 18-25 years). Methods: Laboratory-based assessments included lifestyle behaviors (sleep quality, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; self-reported frequency/intensity of physical activity; Healthy Behavior Index derived from reported preference for diet and physical activity), CVD risk …

Sex Differences And The Role Of Il-10 In Ischemic Stroke Recovery., Sarah E. Conway, Meaghan Roy O’Reilly, Brett Friedler, Ilene Staff, Gilbert Fortunato, Louise D. Mccullough

UCHC Articles - Research

Females experience poorer recovery after ischemic stroke compared to males, even after controlling for age and stroke severity. IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine produced by T regulatory cells and Th2 CD4⁺ helper T cells. In ischemic stroke, an excessive IL-10 response contributes to post-stroke immunosuppression, which worsens outcomes. However, it is unknown if sex differences exist in IL-10 levels after ischemic stroke. In this study, we found that higher levels of IL-10 were associated with poor acute and long-term outcomes after ischemic stroke in female patients but not in males. After controlling for confounders, IL-10 was not an independent …

Alternate Formulations For Optimization Of Plga Microsphere-Comprised Glucose Biosensor Coating Against Foreign Body Inflammation., Klair Lubonja

Honors Scholar Theses

In this study, dexamethasone loaded PLGA microsphere/PVA hydrogel composites were explored as an outer drug-eluting coating for implantable biosensors to provide defense against acute inflammation of the foreign body response. The microspheres, with a dexamethasone release target period of approximately two weeks, were manufactured under various conditions: different co-solvents and homogenization speeds. Particle size measurement, scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were performed for all the microsphere formulations prepared. The addition of acetone as a co-solvent for dexamethasone, at normal homogenization speeds, shows promise for the improvement of drug loading and the attainment of superior release profiles. PLGA microsphere/PVA …

Investigating The Bioactive Constituents Of The Edible Blue-Green Alga Spirulina Platensis, Georgette Appiah-Pippim

Honors Scholar Theses

More people die annually from cardiovascular disease than from any other cause. Two risk factors for cardiovascular disease are hyperlipidemia and inflammation. Current drugs that are prescribed to regulate lipid levels often have adverse effects such as liver dysfunction. Blue-green algae (BGA), also known as cyanobacteria, have been consumed for years for their health benefits because they are believed to increase energy and prevent disease. One genus of edible blue-green algae is Spirulina plantesis (SP, Spirulina). Various studies have shown that Spirulina may have anti-cancer and anti-inflammation and anti-bacterial properties. In a previous study, Spirulina platensis lowered triglyceride and cholesterol …

The Effect Of Polyphenol-Rich Black Currant Extract On Lipogenic And Inflammatory Gene Expression In Diet Induced Obesity Mice, Ellen Harness

Honors Scholar Theses

Hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia frequently occur in obese population. As chronic, low-grade inflammation is closely associated with obesity, we investigated if polyphenol-rich blackcurrant extract (BCE) can prevent inflammation and diet-induced metabolic disturbances in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were given a modified AIN-93M control diet containing high fat/high cholesterol (16% fat, 0.25% cholesterol by weight) or the same diet supplemented with 0.1% BCE (wt/wt) for 12 weeks. No significant differences in total body weight or liver weight occurred between the two groups. BCE-fed mice had fewer crown-like structures (CLS) with concomitant decreases in mRNA abundance of F4/80, CD68, and inhibitor of nuclear …

Role Of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum And Host Airway Epithelial Cell Interaction In Inflammation, Sanjukta Majumder

Doctoral Dissertations

Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in chickens is associated with severe inflammation of the trachea, air sacs and lungs. M. gallisepticum cytadheres to the tracheal epithelium and mediates infiltration of macrophages, heterophils and lymphocytes to the tracheal submucosa but the molecular mechanisms underpinning the severe inflammatory response is not well understood. This research focuses on identifying how M. galisepticum and chicken tracheal epithelial cell (TEC) interaction might contribute to this response. The first study identified that M. gallisepticum lipid associated membrane proteins (LAMP) from both virulent and non-virulent strains were able to up-regulate several inflammatory genes from tracheal epithelial cells both in …

Dietary Modulation Of The Dynamics Between Leukocyte Inflammation, Cholesterol Flux, And Hdl Function In Metabolic Syndrome, Catherine Andersen

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted

Phenotypic Characterization Of Peripheral Osteoclast Precursors Their Lineage Relation To Macrophages And Dendritic Cells And Their Population Dynamics Influenced By Parathyroid Hormone And Inflammatory Signals., Christian E. Jacome-Galarza

Doctoral Dissertations

Osteoclasts are unique multinuclear cells that are highly specialized for resorbing bone tissue and therefore play crucial roles in bone remodeling. The identification of bona fide populations of osteoclast precursors (OCPs) is crucial to understand their biology in homeostatic and pathological conditions. We identified a bone marrow precursor with high osteoclastogenic activity (Jacquin et al., 2006) and extended these findings to test their clonogenic potential and bone resorptive capacity at the single cell level. We also identified the phenotype of peripheral blood and spleen OCPs. In chapter III, we showed that bone marrow and peripheral OCPs gave rise to macrophages …

The Effects Of Phytosterols On Lipoprotein Particle Size, Laura J. Kunces

Master's Theses

Phytosterols (PS) have become a recent popular medication alternative for treatment of hypercholesterolemia and have proven effective. Whether PS decrease risk of cardiovascular disease through other mechanisms, such as lipoprotein particle size and inflammatory markers, remains unclear. PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of two forms of PS in milk on lipoprotein particle size, inflammatory markers and fat-soluble vitamins. METHODS: Twenty subjects (13 males, 7 females; age; 55±6.1 years, height; 169±10 cm, weight; 77.9±16.9 kg, BMI; 27.3) consumed 16oz of cow’s milk daily for 12 weeks. The three sequential four-week phases consisted of 2% …

Pharmacological And Therapeutic Effects Of A3 Adenosine Receptor (A3ar) Agonists, Bruce T. Liang

UCHC Articles - Research

The G_i-coupled A₃ adenosine receptor (A₃AR) mediates anti-inflammatory, anticancer and anti-ischemic protective effects. The receptor is overexpressed in inflammatory and cancer cells, while low expression is found in normal cells, rendering the A₃AR as a potential therapeutic target. Highly selective A₃AR agonists have been synthesized and molecular recognition in the binding site has been characterized. The present review summarizes preclinical and clinical human studies demonstrating that A₃AR agonists induce specific anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects via a molecular mechanism that entails modulation of the Wnt and the NF-κB signal transduction …

Effects Of Chronic And Acute Oestrogen Replacement Therapy In Aged Animals After Experimental Stroke, Louise D. Mccullough, Fudong Liu, S. E. Benashski, M. Siegel

UCHC Articles - Research

The effect of oestrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on stroke incidence and severity has been extensively debated. Clinical trials of ERT have demonstrated an increased risk of stroke in treated women, although the study participants were well past menopause when therapy was initiated. It has been suggested that detrimental effects of ERT may be unmasked after prolonged periods of hypoestrogenicity. To date, very few studies have examined the effect of ERT in aged animals, although the timing of replacement may be critical to the neuroprotective effects of ERT. We hypothesised that chronic ERT initiated in late middle age would decrease infarct …

Short-Term And Long-Term Effects Of Orthopedic Biodegradable Implants, Ami R. Amini, James S. Wallace, Syam P. Nukavarapu

Articles - Patient Care

Presently, orthopedic and oral/maxillofacial implants represent a combined $2.8 billion market, a figure expected to experience significant and continued growth. Although traditional permanent implants have been proved clinically efficacious, they are also associated with several drawbacks, including secondary revision and removal surgeries. Non-permanent, biodegradable implants offer a promising alternative for patients, as they provide temporary support and degrade at a rate matching tissue formation, and thus, eliminate the need for secondary surgeries. These implants have been in clinical use for nearly 25 years, competing directly with, or maybe even exceeding, the performance of permanent implants. The initial implantation of biodegradable …

Polymorphisms In The Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Gene And Bone Loss In Postmenopausal Women, George A. Kuchel, Anne M. Kenny

UCHC Articles - Research

Osteoporosis is a severe condition in postmenopausal women and a common cause of fracture. Osteoporosis is a complex disease with a strong genetic impact, but susceptibility is determined by many genes with modest effects and environmental factors. Only a handful of genes consistently associated with osteoporosis have been identified so far. Inflammation affects bone metabolism by interfering with the interplay between bone resorption and formation, and many inflammatory mediators are involved in natural bone remodeling. The cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has been shown to affect bone density in rodents, and polymorphisms in the human MIF promoter are associated …

Chemotactic Factor Inactivator In Normal Human Serum., J L Berenberg, P A Ward

SoM Articles

Normal human serum contains an inactivator of chemotactic factors for neutrophilic leukocytes. The chemotactic factor inactivator (CF-I) remains soluble when serum is fractionated with ammonium sulfate (at 45% saturation), directly and irreversibly inactivates chemotactic factors, and it has a broad spectrum of activity as indicated by its inactivation of the chemotactic fragments of human C3 and C5 (third and fifth components of complement), C5̅6̅7̅, and the bacterial chemotactic factor derived from Escherichia coli. CF-I appears as a biphasic activity according to preparative techniques of sucrose density ultracentrifugation, electrophoresis, and gel filtration. Studies on the interaction of CF-I with the radiotagged …