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Articles 1 - 30 of 96
Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology
Methodology To Investigate Protein-Protein Interactions Of Jun During Neuronal Differentiation Of Pc12 Cells, Heather L. Leskinen
Methodology To Investigate Protein-Protein Interactions Of Jun During Neuronal Differentiation Of Pc12 Cells, Heather L. Leskinen
Theses and Dissertations
In humans and other mammals, injury to the central nervous system (CNS) can cause a permanent loss of neuronal function, leading to cognitive defects, limb paralysis, and other neurological disabilities. In contrast, studies have shown that some non-mammalian vertebrates like zebrafish, have the remarkable ability to functionally regenerate axons after CNS injury by reactivating and sustaining the expression of regeneration-associated genes (RAGs). Some RAGs encode transcriptional regulators that dimerize to control downstream gene expression necessary for functional axonal recovery. Our lab has previously identified Jun as an important transcriptional regulator of regeneration after optic nerve injury in zebrafish. After axon …
Utilizing Crispr Cas9 To Visualize Dopamine Receptors In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Lauren Michelle Velasquez
Utilizing Crispr Cas9 To Visualize Dopamine Receptors In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Lauren Michelle Velasquez
Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations
Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter with imperative implications in many functions including movement, reward, and cognition. Studying the pathways of dopaminergic neurons at multiple levels allows us to understand the ways in which these systems can go wrong. We study dopamine in a model system such as the worm Caenorhabditis elegans because of its relatively simple and well-characterized nervous system. DA is involved in regulating chemosensory behaviors in worms. The purpose of this research project is to definitively answer the following question: Are the dopamine receptors DOP-1 and DOP-4 expressed in chemosensory neurons? Previous reporter assays show that neither of …
Role Of Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroinflammation In Rodent Locus Coeruleus Physiology And Anxiety-Like Behaviors, Arthur Anthony Alfonso Reyes
Role Of Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroinflammation In Rodent Locus Coeruleus Physiology And Anxiety-Like Behaviors, Arthur Anthony Alfonso Reyes
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations
The locus coeruleus (LC), the primary site of brain norepinephrine (NE), is a key anatomical brain region implicated in the stress response. Stress is a neuroendocrine physiologic response to a stressor that promotes organism survival through adaptive change and restoration of homeostasis. The central stress response, which drives behavioral and physiological change, is primarily mediated by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. While advantageous in the short term, chronic stress exposure can lead to HPA axis and LC dysregulation, which are thought to contribute to the etiology of anxiety disorders. Previous studies demonstrate the effects of acute stress in increasing LC …
The Protective Effects Of Anthocyanins On Neurons, Abigail Lynn
The Protective Effects Of Anthocyanins On Neurons, Abigail Lynn
Pence-Boyce STEM Student Scholarship
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are debilitating neurodegenerative diseases that are largely thought to be exacerbated, and perhaps even caused, by oxidative stress in and around neurons. At the same time, there has been increased research in the field of nutrition and how the foods we eat impact our short- and long-term health. These combined interests have resulted in fascinating studies that have found certain foods, namely plants, can have a variety of medicinal benefits.....The purpose of this study is to determine if plant extracts that have high levels of certain phytonutrients can increase the activity of cellular enzymes that reduce oxidative …
All The Rage: Assessing The Age/Rage Signaling Pathway’S Effects On Healthspan And The Physiological Processes Of Aging, Brandon Ashmore
All The Rage: Assessing The Age/Rage Signaling Pathway’S Effects On Healthspan And The Physiological Processes Of Aging, Brandon Ashmore
Honors Theses
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are protein, lipid, or nucleotide molecules that have been combined with sugars through nonenzymatic, irreversible glycation and oxidation reactions. Their accumulation in the body has been associated with the natural aging process and a wide range of pathologies, including chronic inflammation, sustained oxidative stress, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Their interaction with the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been linked to several proinflammatory signaling pathways associated with neurotoxicity and vascular lesions. While some research has been done on the possible health benefits of RAGE inhibition to extend lifespan, our study hopes …
Probing Amyloid-Beta Protein Structure And Dynamics With A Selective Antibody, Shikha Grover
Probing Amyloid-Beta Protein Structure And Dynamics With A Selective Antibody, Shikha Grover
Dissertations
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. The AD brain is characterized by significant neuronal loss and accumulation of insoluble fibrillar amyloid-β protein (Aβ) plaques and tau protein neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. However, over the last decade, many studies have shown that the neurodegenerative effect of Aβ may in fact be caused by various soluble oligomeric forms as opposed to the insoluble fibrils. Furthermore, the data suggest that a pre-fibrillar aggregated form, termed protofibrils, mediates direct neurotoxicity, and triggers a robust neuroinflammatory response.
Antibodies targeting the various conformation of Aβ are important therapeutic agents to prevent the progression …
Metoprolol Disrupts Sterol Biosynthesis Through Inhibition Of 7-Dehydrocholesterol Reductase (Dhcr7), Luke B. Allen
Metoprolol Disrupts Sterol Biosynthesis Through Inhibition Of 7-Dehydrocholesterol Reductase (Dhcr7), Luke B. Allen
Theses & Dissertations
Cholesterol is essential for life. It is particularly important in the brain as it relies on de novo synthesis of cholesterol following the formation of the blood brain barrier (BBB). As such, disrupting sterol biosynthesis during neurodevelopment can have devastating outcomes. The most common post-lanosterol sterol biosynthesis disorder, Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome, arises from a faulty DHCR7 enzyme. DHCR7 has also been shown to be inhibited by several psychotropic medications. Here we assess six beta-blockers and their effects on sterol biosynthesis in vitro. Two beta-blockers, metoprolol and nebivolol strongly inhibit DHCR7 in four separate in vitro models of both mouse and …
Chemosensory Receptors In Berghia Stephanieae: Bioinformatics And Localization, Kelsi L. Watkins
Chemosensory Receptors In Berghia Stephanieae: Bioinformatics And Localization, Kelsi L. Watkins
Masters Theses
Chemosensation is achieved through the binding of chemical signals to chemoreceptor proteins embedded in the membranes of sensory neurons. The molecular identity of these receptors, as well as the downstream processing of chemosensory signals, has been well studied in arthropods and vertebrates. However, very little is known about molluscan chemosensation. The identity of chemoreceptor proteins in the nudibranch mollusc Berghia stephanieae are unknown. Data from other protostome and molluscan studies suggest Berghia may use ionotropic receptors for some forms of chemoreception. This study used a bioinformatics approach to identify potential chemosensory ionotropic receptors in the transcriptome of Berghia. A …
Innate Immunity In The Pathobiology And Treatment Of Infectious And Neurodegenerative Diseases, Mai Mostafa
Innate Immunity In The Pathobiology And Treatment Of Infectious And Neurodegenerative Diseases, Mai Mostafa
Theses & Dissertations
Mononuclear phagocytes (MPs; monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells) are the governors of innate immunity which is the body’s first line of defense against microbial pathogens. They act beneficial or detrimental. They are crucial for an effective non-specific immune response to invading pathogens by engulfing, destroying, then eliciting an adaptive specific immune response. Given their pivotal functions in the host immune defense, studying MP immune responses in disease is paramount important for understanding disease pathobiology and uncovering therapeutic strategies.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the driver of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) amongst …
Vitamin D And Its In Vitro Therapeutic Action Mediated Through Vdr Rather Than Pdia3, Jaeden Pyburn
Vitamin D And Its In Vitro Therapeutic Action Mediated Through Vdr Rather Than Pdia3, Jaeden Pyburn
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Brain calcification is a common occurrence in the aging process, with >20% of individuals over the age of 65 showing hardened plaques in the basal ganglia. Loss of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in transgenic mice leads to formation of calcified plaques in the basal ganglia and thalamus within the mice. Vitamin D signals through two known vitamin D responsive proteins, protein disulfide isomerase A3 (PDIA3) and VDR. In vitro, vitamin D has been demonstrated to suppress calcification in osteoblast-like cells. Here, we aim to elucidate which of either PDIA3 or VDR transduce vitamin D mediated suppression of calcification in …
Illuminating Transfer Rna Variants As Genetic Modifiers In Models Of Human Disease, Jeremy T. Lant
Illuminating Transfer Rna Variants As Genetic Modifiers In Models Of Human Disease, Jeremy T. Lant
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) physically link the genetic code to an amino acid sequence, by recruiting amino acids to three-nucleotide codons in messenger RNAs. To ensure that the genetic code is translated as intended, tRNAs must be accurately aminoacylated and faithfully recognize codons in the ribosome during protein synthesis. Given the critical function of tRNAs, it has often been assumed that mutations in human tRNA genes would be either lethal to cells or not significantly impair tRNA function. My goal was to rigorously test this assumption in mammalian cell models, prompted by the recent discovery of unprecedented variation in human tRNA …
The Pathophysiological Mechanisms Of Alzheimer's Disease; Investigating Therapeutic Interventions For Disease Onset, Alexandra A. Sandberg
The Pathophysiological Mechanisms Of Alzheimer's Disease; Investigating Therapeutic Interventions For Disease Onset, Alexandra A. Sandberg
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Alzheimer’s Disease is a multifarious disease that progressively affects more people as both the proportion of older adults in the population and life expectancy increase in both the United States and worldwide. This devastating disease is a result of rampant neuronal loss in the memory centers of the brain that robs the independence of those who are diagnosed and places a heavy burden on those who care for them. Traditionally speaking, research has focused on the hallmark pathology of amyloid plaques, targeting them to try and prevent disease onset. However, countless failures in clinical trials aimed at this said pathology …
An Investigation Into The Mechanism Of Proteasome Dysfunction In Neurodegenerative Disease And The Biological Impact Of Proteasome Hyperactivation In C. Elegans, Raymond T. Anderson
An Investigation Into The Mechanism Of Proteasome Dysfunction In Neurodegenerative Disease And The Biological Impact Of Proteasome Hyperactivation In C. Elegans, Raymond T. Anderson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Aging is an inevitable process that occurs as humans grow older. It is characterized by the chronological accumulation of cellular damage over time leading to functional decline as an organism grows older. Several processes are thought to contribute to the aging phenomenon, but one of the most prolific of these is the disruption of protein homeostasis (proteostasis). The collapse of proteostasis can lead to accelerated aging and the development of age-related diseases including devastating neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) like Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. Virtually all NDs are characterized by the buildup of proteins in and around neurons resulting in neuronal death …
Exploring The Roles Of Stress, Codon Usage, And Rna Modifications In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, Afrooz Golestanian
Exploring The Roles Of Stress, Codon Usage, And Rna Modifications In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, Afrooz Golestanian
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Myotonic dystrophy (DM), the most common form of muscular dystrophy, is a neuromuscular disease caused by microsatellite repeat expansions. It can represent a multi-systemic autosomal dominant disease with DM1 and DM2 subtypes. A cytosine-thymine-guanine (CTG) triplet repeat in the 3’ untranslated region (3’UTR) of myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene causes DM1 disease, which leads to the production of a longer, abnormal and toxic mRNA. The toxic DMPK mRNA sequester the splicing proteins such as Muscle blind-like (MBNL) and rbFOX which leads to gene expression alteration. Repeat associated non-AUG (RAN) translation also occurs in DM1. Mitochondrial dysregulation has also been …
Probing The Role Of Astrocytes In The Pathology Of Fragile X Syndrome With Human Stem Cells, Baiyan Ren
Probing The Role Of Astrocytes In The Pathology Of Fragile X Syndrome With Human Stem Cells, Baiyan Ren
Theses & Dissertations
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder related to intellectual disability and the most common monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder. FXS is mainly caused by an expansion of CGG repeats in the 5’-untranslated region of fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene, leading to the loss of expression of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Loss of FMRP in astrocytes has been found to contribute to structural and functional synaptic deficits in the Fmr1-KO mouse model. The contribution of human astrocytes, however, to the …
Granulins In Norm And Neurodegenerative Pathologies, Anukool Bhopatkar
Granulins In Norm And Neurodegenerative Pathologies, Anukool Bhopatkar
Dissertations
Granulins (GRNs) are small, cysteine-rich modules produced from the proteolytic cleavage of the precursor protein called progranulin (PGRN). GRNs are present in the form of seven tandem repeats within the precursor and are known to be produced in the extracellular and in lysosomal environments. In physiology, PGRN and GRNs plays pleiotropic roles such as neuronal growth and differentiation, immunomodulation, wound healing. Recent studies have implicated pathological role for PGRN in Alzheimer disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) but specific mechanism(s) remains unclear. However, potential interactions between GRNs and Ab42 and TDP-43 seem like a plausible underlying mechanism. Studies presented here …
Deciphering The Role Of Hsp110 Chaperones In Diseases Of Protein Misfolding, Unekwu M. Yakubu
Deciphering The Role Of Hsp110 Chaperones In Diseases Of Protein Misfolding, Unekwu M. Yakubu
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Molecular chaperones maintain protein homeostasis (proteostasis) by ensuring the proper folding of polypeptides. Loss of proteostasis has been linked to the onset of numerous neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease. Hsp110 is a member of the Hsp70 class of molecular chaperones and acts as a nucleotide exchange factor (NEF) for Hsp70, the preeminent Hsp70-family protein folding chaperone. Hsp110 promotes rapid cycling of ADP for ATP, allowing Hsp70 to properly fold nascent or unfolded polypeptides in iterative cycles. In addition to its NEF activity, Hsp110 possesses an Hsp70-like substrate binding domain (SBD) whose biological roles are undefined. Previous work …
Mechanisms For Extracellular Matrix-Dependent Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction, Brian Adam Hoettels
Mechanisms For Extracellular Matrix-Dependent Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction, Brian Adam Hoettels
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Dysfunction of the blood vessels that form the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is observed across various neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). As barrier loss culminates in neuronal dysfunction and degeneration, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying BBB dysfunction is needed.
Tight junctions are multiprotein complexes maintained by the endothelial cells lining the inner blood vessel wall to seal the intercellular space, and their disruption impairs BBB function. In my first chapter, I focus on how tight junctions are altered in CNS inflammatory demyelinating diseases (CNS-IDDs) like MS as BBB dysfunction is one of the earliest known stages in …
Neuronal Migration In Developmental Hyperserotonmia: Assessment Of Vesicular Glutamate In The Raphe Nuclei, Trey M. Shupp
Neuronal Migration In Developmental Hyperserotonmia: Assessment Of Vesicular Glutamate In The Raphe Nuclei, Trey M. Shupp
MSU Graduate Theses
The neurotransmitter serotonin is involved in the early development of the central nervous system and the organization of neurons throughout the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. It is proposed that serotonin indirectly interacts with cells in the marginal zone of the cerebral cortex known as Cajal-Retizus (CR) cells. These cells secrete the extracellular matrix protein reelin, which is known for its role in neuronal organization and migration during early neural development. It has been observed that low levels of serotonin are associated with similarly low levels of reelin during development and have been reported to result in disorganization of neurons in …
The Role Of Enampt-Mediated Systemic Nad+ Biosynthesis In Aging And Lifespan, Mitsukuni Yoshida
The Role Of Enampt-Mediated Systemic Nad+ Biosynthesis In Aging And Lifespan, Mitsukuni Yoshida
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Aging is a systemic decline in tissue functions that occurs during the course of our life leading to the development of age-associated health deteriorations and ultimately to the expiration of life. Over the past few decades, population aging has become increasingly evident in many parts of the world, leading to increased prevalence of age-related disabilities and diseases. Because age is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases, extensive research effort has been spent to identify common age-associated molecular changes contributing to the pathogenesis and progression of these health issues. One such molecule identified to play a central role in …
Mitochondrial Distribution Of Glycine Receptors In Motor Neuron Cell Lines, Katsiaryna Milashevich
Mitochondrial Distribution Of Glycine Receptors In Motor Neuron Cell Lines, Katsiaryna Milashevich
Student Theses and Dissertations
Although non-essential, glycine plays an important role in major metabolic reactions and is most known for its anti-inflammatory effects. An accumulation of contemporary research has shown that glycine is able to stabilize membrane potential using glycine receptors at the cellular level and to protect mitochondrial function directly, whether it is from inflammation, heavy metal poisoning, or ischemia-induced neuroinflammation. In this research, the existence of a hypothetical mitochondrial glycine receptor is examined. Immunofluorescence imaging was used to examine the presence of the glycine receptor subunits alpha 1 and alpha 2 in both non- differentiated and differentiated neuroblastoma cell lines. The preliminary …
Long-Term Impacts Of Acute Stressor Exposure On Locus Coeruleus Function And Anxiety-Like Behavior In Rats, Olga Borodovitsyna
Long-Term Impacts Of Acute Stressor Exposure On Locus Coeruleus Function And Anxiety-Like Behavior In Rats, Olga Borodovitsyna
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations
Stress is a physiological state characterized by behavioral arousal that occurs during exposure to harmful or threatening stimuli, and usually facilitates an adaptive behavioral response. The persistence of stress sometimes causes it to become maladaptive, potentially contributing to disease development, including physiological complications with altered neuroendocrine signaling and impaired function of organ systems, and psychological conditions including depression and anxiety. Anxiety disorders in particular are associated with a history of stress and are the most common class of mental disorders, with a lifetime prevalence of 33.7% in the general population. The locus coeruleus (LC) is a major node in the …
The Receptor Basis Of Serotonergic Modulation In An Olfactory Network, Tyler Ryan Sizemore
The Receptor Basis Of Serotonergic Modulation In An Olfactory Network, Tyler Ryan Sizemore
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Neuromodulation is a nearly ubiquitous process that endows the nervous system with the capacity to alter neural function at every level (synaptic, circuit, network, etc.) without necessarily adding new neurons. Through the actions of neuromodulators, the existing neural circuitry can be adaptively tuned to achieve flexible network output and similarly dynamic behavioral output. However, despite their near ubiquity in all sensory modalities, the mechanisms underlying neuromodulation of sensory processing remain poorly understood. In this dissertation, I address three main questions regarding the mechanisms of one modulator (serotonin) within one sensory modality (olfaction). I begin by establishing a "functional atlas" of …
Calcium Dyshomeostasis In Neurodegeneration, Nicholas Emanuel Karagas
Calcium Dyshomeostasis In Neurodegeneration, Nicholas Emanuel Karagas
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Neurodegenerative diseases, despite constituting a major and growing cause of mortality globally, have few effective treatments. In order to develop novel therapeutics to combat neurodegeneration, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases is needed. Neurons rely on Ca2+ to mediate many of their unique functions, and aberrant Ca2+ signaling has been broadly implicated in neurodegeneration. The goal of this dissertation is to delineate specific examples of Ca2+ dyshomeostasis that I have uncovered in Drosophila models of neurodegeneration.
I first define the role a neurodegeneration-associated mutation plays in perturbing presynaptic [Ca2+], which is …
Dnajc7, A Molecular Chaperone Protein That Modulates Protein Misfolding In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als), Meaghan Kathleen Stoltz
Dnajc7, A Molecular Chaperone Protein That Modulates Protein Misfolding In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als), Meaghan Kathleen Stoltz
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with protein misfolding and dysregulated cellular protein quality control mechanisms. Molecular chaperones, and heat shock proteins (Hsp), are key players in maintaining cellular protein quality control. DNAJC7 is an understudied cytosolic Hsp40 that works together with Hsp70 and Hsp90 to regulate proper protein folding or degradation. Of note, mutations in the gene encoding DNAJC7 were discovered to cause familial ALS. We asked whether ALS-associated mutations in DNAJC7 compromise its function as a chaperone, which may cause the toxic accumulation of misfolded proteins. This study attempts to uncover the functions of DNAJC7 …
The Role Of The Leucine-Rich (Leur) Domain Of Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor (Rgnef) In The Regulation Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als) Associated Protein Tar Dna-Binding Protein Of 43 Kda (Tdp-43), Hind Amzil
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
The presence of neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCIs) composed of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and neurofilaments is considered to be ALS’s neuropathological hallmark. RGNEF has been previously shown to interact with TDP-43 and to have a regulatory effect on the expression levels of NEFL mRNA and NFL protein in vitro. Here, I examined the mechanism of the RGNEF N-terminus, leucine-rich domain (LeuR) domain’s interaction with TDP-43. I observed that the minimal domain required is 110 amino acids (LeuR110), that the Ankyrin domain adjacent to LeuR110 does not participate, and that LeuR110 forms of a high molecular weight complex with TDP-43 in …
The Role Of The Circadian Clock Protein Rev-Erba In Neuroinflammation & Synaptic Health, Percy Griffin
The Role Of The Circadian Clock Protein Rev-Erba In Neuroinflammation & Synaptic Health, Percy Griffin
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Circadian rhythms are cycles of physiological activity that are conserved across all of life’s taxa – ranging from cyanobacteria to humans - due to their importance. They are conserved to allow organisms to maximize their capacity to obtain resources in their environment. In mammals, light and dark input into the retina is the strongest synchronizer of circadian rhythms. On the molecular level, this tightly regulated transcriptional-translational feedback loop is orchestrated by proteins with cyclical expression. The loss of these proteins has functional consequences on human health and diseases.
Recently, associations have been made between circadian proteins and a host of …
Delineating The Role Of Mir-124 For The Activation Of Neuronal Program, Ya-Lin Lu
Delineating The Role Of Mir-124 For The Activation Of Neuronal Program, Ya-Lin Lu
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The ectopic expression of two brain-enriched microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-9/9* and miR-124 (miR-9/9*-124), can robustly and efficiently reprogram human skin fibroblasts into neurons. The miRNAs act as repressors of non-neuronal genes in fibroblasts for the induction of the neuronal program. This process is analogous to neurogenesis in vivo when the expression of miR-9/9* and miR-124 represses anti-neurogenic genes such as REST or NRSF (neuron-restrictive silencer factor/repressor element-1 silencing transcription factor). Although we have some mechanistic insights into how miR-9/9*-124 drives fate conversion by acting as negative regulators of gene expression, little remained understood of the role of miRNAs as positive regulators …
Differential Expression Of Rna In The Rat Peripheral Nervous System Following Nerve Injury And Treatment With Pain-Relieving Celecoxib-Loaded Nanomedicine, Andrea Stevens
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The neuroinflammatory response to peripheral nerve injury is associated with chronic pain and significant changes in the expression profiles of RNAs in neurons, glia and infiltrating immune cells: a neuro-immune triad. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the rat sciatic nerve provides an opportunity to mimic neuropathic injury and quantitatively assess behavior and differential gene expression in individual animals. Macrophages that phagocytose intravenously injected nanoemulsion carrying the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, NSAID, Celecoxib, naturally accumulate at the site of injury resulting in relief of CCI behavioral hyper-sensitivity. It is not known beyond the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity and the reduction in prostaglandin …
Effect Of S100b Deletion On Membrane Properties And Localization Of Ncald And Hpca, Natasha Hesketh
Effect Of S100b Deletion On Membrane Properties And Localization Of Ncald And Hpca, Natasha Hesketh
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations
Calcium signaling is particularly important for neuronal function. Neurons utilize a wide range of calcium-binding proteins. Dysregulation of such proteins is linked to neurodegeneration. Neurocalcin delta (NCALD), hippocalcin (HPCA), and S100B are calcium sensors that are expressed in the hippocampus, a brain region essential to memory and severely damaged in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Despite the potential importance of these proteins, we do not fully understand the physiological significance of their relationship. Because NCALD and HPCA are known to interact with S100B, we hypothesized that the loss of S100B affects NCALD and HPCA localization, and therefore electrical properties, of hippocampal neurons. …