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Investigation Of The Role For Methyl-Cpg Binding Protein 2 Variant Mbd2_V2 In Cancer Stem Cells And Obesity-Associated Cancers, Emily A. Teslow

Wayne State University Dissertations

Obesity is a risk factor for both TNBC and PCa, and pro-inflammatory features associated with obesity, including upregulated production of ROS, promote CSCs. Previously published work from the Bollig-Fischer laboratory established that TNBC CSCs could be inhibited by neutralizing ROS in culture with H2O2 targeted antioxidants. In this report, antioxidant treatment resulted in the downregulation of mRNA splicing variant MBD2_v2. MBD2_v2 was highly expressed in CSCs versus bulk TNBC cells and supported self-renewal in vitro. As obesity is coupled with increased ROS, we hypothesized that obesity could drive CSCs via MBD2_v2 expression. The work presented in this thesis addressed this …

Fatty Acid Fate In Determining Oxidation And Inflammation In Adipose Tissue, Emilio Patrick Mottillo

Wayne State University Dissertations

Adipose tissue (AT) is a critical regulator of energy balance through its ability to store or oxidize free fatty acids (FFAs). White adipose tissue (WAT) functions as an anabolic organ to sequester and release FAs, in contrast brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a catabolic organ that oxidizes FAs. However, a comprehensive understanding of the role that FFAs play in the function of WAT and BAT is needed. Here we demonstrate that intracellular FAs enhance the expression of inflammatory cytokines by β3-AR activation in adipocytes, in which the expression of PAI-1 is partly mediated by the de novo synthesis of ceramides/sphingolipids. …

Linking Environmental Toxicant Exposure To Diabetes Susceptibility, Jannifer Beth Tyrrell

Wayne State University Dissertations

An important and unresolved question in the environmental health field is whether exposure to common environmental toxicants, such as dioxin and heavy metals like Pb, increase the risk of developing diabetes, especially in combination with other common metabolic stressors such as obesity.

Previous studies suggested that dioxin exposure increased peripheral insulin resistance but did not appear to cause fasting hyperglycemia or elevated hepatic glucose output. In concordance with those findings we observed that dioxin treatment caused a strong suppression of the expression of the key hepatic gluconeogenic genes PEPCK and G6Pase. However, this suppression was not solely mediated by the …

The Effect Of Maternal Beliefs And Behavior On The Body Weight Status Of Preschool-Aged Children, Nicole Lynn Boucher

Wayne State University Dissertations

Early onset pediatric obesity has become a major health concern in the United States. Pediatric obesity can lead to childhood hypertension, type II diabetes, and orthopedic problems. Currently, in the United States one in seven low-income preschools are overweight or obese. One of the key contributing factors to early onset childhood obesity is how children are socialized to the eating and mealtime environment. Maternal feeding styles play an integral role in how children are socialized to the eating and mealtime environment.

The purpose of the this study was to determine the extent to which maternal beliefs and behavior regarding the …

The Effects Of Racially-Motivated Emotional Arousal On The Eating Behaviors Of African American Women, Lenwood W. Hayman

Wayne State University Dissertations

Disparities between African Americans and Caucasians remain vast across a wide variety of health indicators. Chronic stress has been identified as a risk factor for a variety of chronic illnesses and poor health outcomes. One type of chronic stress that has been linked to health disparities is the stress associated with experiences of racial discrimination. The stress African Americans encounter as a result of their racist experiences contributes to a chronic elevation of their physiological stress response. In addition to stress, a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and diabetes is obesity, which has been established as a major …

Physical Activity Levels In Obese And Non-Obese Women And Their Relationship With Body Mass Index, Perceived Self-Efficacy, Perceived Benefits And Barriers Of Exercise, And Commitment To A Plan Of Action, Rose Lange

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to examine relationships among selected variables and concepts within the Health Promotion Model (perceived benefits, perceived barriers to exercise, self-efficacy, commitment to plan of action) in non-obese and obese women with a focus on the behavioral outcome of physical activity (leisure & lifestyle). A group of 137 women, aged 18-50 participated in this study. BMI was found to be positively correlated to an individual's perceived barriers to action. Findings did not support the hypothesis that as BMI increases perceived benefits, self-efficacy, commitment to a plan of action and physical activity levels would …