Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Therapeutic Potential Of Snake Venom: Toxin Distribution And Opportunities In Deep Learning For Novel Drug Discovery, Anas Bedraoui, Montamas Suntravat, Salim El Mejjad, Salwa Enezari, Naoual Oukkache, Elda E. Sanchez, Jacob Galan, Rachid El Fatimy, Tariq Daouda

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Snake venom is a rich source of bioactive molecules that hold great promise for therapeutic applications. These molecules can be broadly classified into enzymes and non-enzymes, each showcasing unique medicinal properties. Noteworthy compounds such as Bradykinin Potentiating Peptides (BPP) and Three-Finger Toxins (3FTx) are showing therapeutic potential in areas like cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and pain-relief. Meanwhile, components like snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMP), L-amino acid oxidases (LAAO), and Phospholipase A2s (PLA2) are paving new ways in oncology treatments. The full medicinal scope of these toxins is still emerging. In this review, we discuss drugs derived from snake venoms that address …

Keeping 21st Century Paleontology Grounded: Quantitative Genetic Analyses And Ancestral State Reconstruction Re-Emphasize The Essentiality Of Fossils, Tesla A. Monson, Marianne F. Brasil, Michael Mahaney, Christopher A. Schmitt, Catherine E. Taylor, Leslea J. Hlusko

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Advances in genetics and developmental biology are revealing the relationship between genotype and dental phenotype (G:P), providing new approaches for how paleontologists assess dental variation in the fossil record. Our aim was to understand how the method of trait definition influences the ability to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history in the Cercopithecidae, the Linnaean Family of monkeys currently living in Africa and Asia. We compared the two-dimensional assessment of molar size (calculated as the mesiodistal length of the crown multiplied by the buccolingual breadth) to a trait that reflects developmental influences on molar development (the inhibitory cascade, IC) and …

Transcriptomic Profiling Of Fibropapillomatosis In Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From South Texas, Nicholas B. Blackburn, Ana C. Leandro, Nina Nahvi, Mariana A. Devlin, Marcelo Leandro, Ignacio Martinez Escobedo, Juan M. Peralta, Jeff George, Thomas W. Demaar, John Blangero, Megan Keniry, Joanne E. Curran

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor promoting disease that is one of several threats globally to endangered sea turtle populations. The prevalence of FP is highest in green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations, and historically has shown considerable temporal growth. FP tumors can significantly affect the ability of turtles to forage for food and avoid predation and can grow to debilitating sizes. In the current study, based in South Texas, we have applied transcriptome sequencing to FP tumors and healthy control tissue to study the gene expression profiles of FP. By identifying differentially expressed turtle genes in …

Molecular Characterization Of A Marine Turtle Tumor Epizootic, Profiling External, Internal And Postsurgical Regrowth Tumors, Kelsey Yetsko, Jessica A. Farrell, Nicholas B. Blackburn, Liam Whitmore, Maximilian R. Stammnitz, Jenny Whilde, Catherine B. Eastman, Devon Rollinson Ramia, Ana C. Leandro

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Sea turtle populations are under threat from an epizootic tumor disease (animal epidemic) known as fibropapillomatosis. Fibropapillomatosis continues to spread geographically, with prevalence of the disease also growing at many longer-affected sites globally. However, we do not yet understand the precise environmental, mutational and viral events driving fibropapillomatosis tumor formation and progression.

Here we perform transcriptomic and immunohistochemical profiling of five fibropapillomatosis tumor types: external new, established and postsurgical regrowth tumors, and internal lung and kidney tumors. We reveal that internal tumors are molecularly distinct from the more common external tumors. However, they have a small number of conserved potentially …

Relief And Recovery Activities Conducted By The Better Research, Better Life Foundation (Brblf) In Collaboration With The Caribbean Primate Research Center (Cprc), John L. Vandeberg, B. Predovich, M. I. Rodriguez, C. A. Sariol, M. Khan

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

BRBLF, a 501(c)(3) non‐profit organization, is dedicated to the advancement of global preclinical research while focusing on the responsible use of nonhuman primates. Its goal is to optimize the contribution of nonhuman primates to biomedical and behavioral research by fostering innovative collaborations, education, training, and outreach. Immediately after Hurricane Maria, BRBLF and CPRC leadership initiated an emergency plan and began to develop and implement disaster relief and research continuity solutions for Cayo Santiago and the Sabana Seca Field Station. The initial action was to provide satellite phones, which enabled CPRC staff to re‐establish stable communication with the mainland and to …

Rapid Identification Of Phospholipase A2 Transcripts From Snake Venoms, Ying Jia, Pablo Olvera, Frida Rangel, Bianca Mendez, Samir Reddy

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) is a major component in snake venoms and it is found in many different isoforms. To identify transcripts encoding different PLA₂ isoforms, we developed a simple, rapid procedure. Total RNA was extracted from the venoms of three cottonmouth snakes and two diamondback rattlesnakes, and further reverse-transcribed into complementary DNA (cDNA). Using one pair of cottonmouth PLA₂-specific primers and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) technique, we identified 27 unique full-length PLA₂ transcripts, including nine sequences identical to the previously documented ones in the database and one novel GIII-like PLA_{2 …}

Correlation Of Amyloid Beta And Spatial Learning And Memory Deficits On A Thy1-App Mouse Model For Alzheimer's Disease, Amber Lynn Betz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The McGill-Thy1 APP mouse is a triple transgenic model of Alzheimer disease, which has the mutant amyloid precursor protein to synergistically over-produce amyloid beta plaques. These mice exhibit visuo-spatial learning impairment at 3 months of age and memory impairment at 10-13 months of age in the Morris water maze. To extend these findings mice at 3, 5, and 7 months of age were tested on the Barnes maze. Non-Transgenic and Transgenic mice showed improvement during acquisition. However, 3 month and 5 month McGill Thy1- APP mice showed impaired acquisition learning while 7 month showed a learning and memory deficit compared …

Variation In Parenting Style In A Captive Group Of Western Lowlands Gorillas, Ana E. Fernandez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Parenting styles were examined in a group of western lowland gorillas to determine the relationship between parenting style and multiple births with a single individual. Another interest in this study was on varying ways that motherhood can be approached, with partial attention to the relationship between parenting style and social rank. Observational data was collected by means of focal animal sampling and used to analyze contact behaviors in mother-infant relationship. Results indicated that parenting style stayed consistent within the same mother, but different between mothers.