Life Sciences Commons^™

Lipophilic Stinging Nettle Extracts Possess Potent Anti-Inflammatory Activity, Are Not Cytotoxic And May Be Superior To Traditional Tinctures For Treating Inflammatory Disorders., Tyler A. Johnson, Johann Sohn, Wayne D Inman, Leonard F Bjeldanes, Keith Rayburn

Tyler Johnson

Extracts of four plant portions (roots, stems, leaves and flowers) of Urtica dioica (the stinging nettle) were prepared using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) involving water, hexanes, methanol and dichloromethane. The extracts were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities in an NF-κB luciferase and MTT assay using macrophage immune (RAW264.7) cells. A standardized commercial ethanol extract of nettle leaves was also evaluated. The methanolic extract of the flowering portions displayed significant anti-inflammatory activity on par with a standard compound celastrol (1) but were moderately cytotoxic. Alternatively, the polar extracts (water, methanol, ethanol) of the roots, stems and leaves displayed moderate …

Multi-Tissue Transcriptomes Of Caecilian Amphibians Highlight Incomplete Knowledge Of Vertebrate Gene Families, María Torres-Sánchez, Christopher J. Creevey, Etienne Kornobis, David J. Gower, Mark Wilkinson, Diego San Mauro

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has become one of the most powerful tools to unravel the genomic basis of biological adaptation and diversity. Although challenging, RNA-seq is particularly promising for research on non-model, secretive species that cannot be observed in nature easily and therefore remain comparatively understudied. Among such animals, the caecilians (order Gymnophiona) likely constitute the least known group of vertebrates, despite being an old and remarkably distinct lineage of amphibians. Here, we characterize multi-tissue transcriptomes for five species of caecilians that represent a broad level of diversity across the order. We identified vertebrate homologous elements of caecilian functional genes of …

Sleeping Through Anything: The Effects Of Unpredictable Disruptions On Mouse Sleep, Healing, And Affect, Amy Robinson-Junker, Bruce O'Hara, Abigail Durkes, Brianna Gaskill

Biology Faculty Publications

Many aspects of the laboratory environment are not tailored to the needs of rodents, which may cause stress. Unpredictable stressors can cause ulcers, prolonged pituitary-adrenal activation, and anhedonia. Similarly, pain has been demonstrated to slow wound healing, and mice experiencing pain exhibit altered behavior. However it is unknown how husbandry, which occurs when the mice are inactive, and lack of analgesia, specifically in a punch biopsy procedure, effects animal physiology, behavior, and welfare, particularly as it relates to sleep fragmentation. We hypothesized that sleep fragmentation, induced by unpredictable husbandry and lack of pain management will slow wound healing. Two main …

Immunization Of Alpacas (Lama Pacos) With Protein Antigens And Production Of Antigen-Specific Single Domain Antibodies, K. Martin Chow, Sidney W. Whiteheart, Jeffrey R. Smiley, Savita Sharma, Kathy Boaz, Meggie J. Coleman, Alvina Maynard, Louis B. Hersh, Craig W. Vander Kooi

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

In this manuscript, a method for the immunization of alpaca and the use of molecular biology methods to produce antigen-specific single domain antibodies is described and demonstrated. Camelids, such as alpacas and llamas, have become a valuable resource for biomedical research since they produce a novel type of heavy chain-only antibody which can be used to produce single domain antibodies. Because the immune system is highly flexible, single domain antibodies can be made to many different protein antigens, and even different conformations of the antigen, with a very high degree of specificity. These features, among others, make single domain antibodies …

Antisense Oligonucleotides Targeting Angiotensinogen: Insights From Animal Studies, Chia-Hua Wu, Ya Wang, Murong Ma, Adam E. Mullick, Rosanne M. Crooke, Mark J. Graham, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Angiotensinogen (AGT) is the unique substrate of all angiotensin peptides. We review the recent preclinical research of AGT antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), a rapidly evolving therapeutic approach. The scope of the research findings not only opens doors for potentially new therapeutics of hypertension and many other diseases, but also provides insights into understanding critical physiological and pathophysiological roles mediated by AGT.

Disruption Of The Hippocampal And Hypothalamic Blood-Brain Barrier In A Diet-Induced Obese Model Of Type Ii Diabetes: Prevention And Treatment By The Mitochondrial Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor, Topiramate, Therese S. Salameh, William G. Mortell, Aric F. Logsdon, D. Allan Butterfield, William A. Banks

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Background: Type II diabetes is a vascular risk factor for cognitive impairment and increased risk of dementia. Disruption of the blood–retinal barrier (BRB) and blood–brain barrier (BBB) are hallmarks of subsequent retinal edema and central nervous system dysfunction. However, the mechanisms by which diet or metabolic syndrome induces dysfunction are not understood. A proposed mechanism is an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. Inhibition of mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase (mCA) decreases ROS and oxidative stress. In this study, topiramate, a mCA inhibitor, was examined for its ability to protect the BRB and BBB in diet-induced obese type II …

Star-Related Lipid Transfer Protein 10 (Stard10): A Novel Key Player In Alcohol-Induced Breast Cancer Progression, Andrea Floris, Jia Luo, Jacqueline A. Frank, Jennifer Zhou, Sandro Orrù, Michela Biancolella, Sabina Pucci, Augusto Orlandi, Paolo Campagna, Antonella Balzano, Komal Ramani, Maria Lauda Tomasi

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Ethanol abuse promotes breast cancer development, metastasis and recurrence stimulating mammary tumorigenesis by mechanisms that remain unclear. Normally, 35% of breast cancer is Erb-B2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 2 (ERBB2)-positive that predisposes to poor prognosis and relapse, while ethanol drinking leads to invasion of their ERBB2 positive cells triggering the phosphorylation status of mitogen-activated protein kinase. StAR-related lipid transfer protein 10 (STARD10) is a lipid transporter of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE); changes on membrane composition of PC and PE occur before the morphological tumorigenic events. Interestingly, STARD10 has been described to be highly expressed in 35–40% of ERBB2-positive breast …

Developmental Expression Of Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 And 4 In Rat Liver, Michael Ng, Justin Louie, Jieyun Cao, Melanie A. Felmlee

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

PURPOSE: Monocarboxylate transporters (MCT) are proton-coupled integral membrane proteins that control the influx and efflux of endogenous monocarboxylates such as lactate, acetate and pyruvate. They also transport and mediate the clearance of drugs such as valproate and gamma-hydroxybutyrate. CD147 functions as ancillary protein that chaperones MCT1 and MCT4 to the cell membrane. There is limited data on the maturation of MCT and CD147 expression in tissues related to drug distribution and clearance. The objective of the present study was to quantify hepatic MCT1, MCT4, and CD147 mRNA, whole cell and membrane protein expression from birth to sexual maturity.

METHODS: Liver …

Serological Proteomic Screening And Evaluation Of A Recombinant Egg Antigen For The Diagnosis Of Low-Intensity Schistosoma Mansoni Infections In Endemic Area In Brazil, Vanessa Silva-Moraes, Lisa Marie Shollenberger, William Castro-Borges, Ana Lucia Teles Rabello, Donald A. Harn, Lia Carolina Soares Medeiros, Wander De Jesus Jeremias, Liliane Maria Vidal Siqueira, Caroline Stephane Salviano Pereira, Maria Luysa Camargos Pedrosa, Nathalie Bonatti Franco Almeida, Aureo Almeida, Jose Roberto Lambertucci, Nidia Francisca De Figueiredo Carneiro, Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho, Refaella Fortini Queiroz Grenfell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Despite decades of use of control programs, schistosomiasis remains a global public health problem. To further reduce prevalence and intensity of infection, or to achieve the goal of elimination in low-endemic areas, there needs to be better diagnostic tools to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas in Brazil. The rationale for development of new diagnostic tools is that the current standard test Kato-Katz (KK) is not sensitive enough to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas. In order to develop new diagnostic tools, we employed a proteomics approach to identify biomarkers associated with schistosome-specific immune responses in hopes of developing …

Field Testing Integrated Interventions For Schistosomiasis Elimination In The People's Republic Of China: Outcomes Of A Multifactorial Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Gail M. Williams, Yue-Sheng Li, Darren J. Gray, Zheng-Yuan Zhao, Donald A. Harn, Lisa M. Shollenberger, Sheng-Ming Li, Xinglin Yu, Zeng Feng, Jia-Gang Guo, Jie Zhou, Yu-Lan Dong, Yuan Li, Biao Guo, Patrick Driguez, Marina Harvie, Hong You, Allen G. Ross, Donald P. Mcmanus

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite significant progress, China faces the challenge of re-emerging schistosomiasis transmission in currently controlled areas due, in part, to the presence of a range of animal reservoirs, notably water buffalo and cattle, which can harbor Schistosoma japonicum infections. Environmental, ecological and social-demographic changes in China, shown to affect the distribution of oncomelanid snails, can also impact future schistosomiasis transmission. In light of their importance in the S. japonicum, lifecycle, vaccination has been proposed as a means to reduce the excretion of egg from cattle and buffalo, thereby interrupting transmission from these reservoir hosts to snails. A DNA-based vaccine (SjCTPI) …

Diagnosis Of Schistosoma Mansoni Infections: What Are The Choices In Brazilian Low-Endemic Areas?, Vanessa Silva-Moraes, Lisa M. Shollenberger, Liliane Maria Vidal Siqueira, William Castro-Borges, Donald A. Harn, Rafaella Fortini Queiroz E. Grenfell, Ana Lucia Teles Rabello, Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The population of Brazil is currently characterised by many individuals harbouring low-intensity Schistosoma mansoni infections. The Kato-Katz technique is the diagnostic method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess these infections, but this method is not sensitive enough in the context of low egg excretion. In this regard, potential alternatives are being employed to overcome the limits of the Kato-Katz technique. In the present review, we evaluated the performance of parasitological and immunological approaches adopted in Brazilian areas. Currently, the diagnostic choices involve a combination of strategies, including the utilisation of antibody methods to screen individuals and then …