Digital Commons Network^™

Angiogenesis And Myogenesis In A Chronic Ischemic Heart., Esha Ibrahim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Miniswine underwent procedures to evaluate treating chronic ischemia with the implantation of autologous satellite cells and laser transmyocardial revascularization (TMR). The objective was to combine two therapies to restore cardiac function. This experiment involved three surgical procedures: (1) placing a constrictor on the coronary artery; (2) producing channels and implanting cells; (3) obtaining samples. The swine were divided into groups: Group 1, Ischemia; Group 2, Ischemia + Laser TMR; Group 3, Ischemia + Laser TMR+ Cells; Group 4, Ischemia + Cells. Sonomicrometry and Millar pressure transducers were used to determine contractility, left ventricular pressure, and pressure-volume loops. There were no …

C-Jun N-Terminal Kinase (Jnk) Is Required For Survival And Proliferation Of B-Lymphoma Cells, Murali Gururajan, Roger Chui, Anbu K. Karuppannan, Jiyuan Ke, C. Darrell Jennings, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Several primary murine and human B lymphomas and cell lines were found to constitutively express high levels of the activated form of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. Proliferation of murine B lymphomas CH31, CH12.Lx, BKS-2, and WEHI-231 and the human B lymphomas BJAB, RAMOS, RAJI, OCI-Ly7, and OCI-Ly10 was strongly inhibited by SP600125, an anthrapyrazolone inhibitor of JNK, in a dose-dependent manner. The lymphoma cells underwent apoptosis and arrested at the G2/M phase of cell cycle. Furthermore, JNK-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited the growth of both murine and human B lymphomas. …

Tcpf Is A Soluble Colonization Factor And Protective Antigen Secreted By El Tor And Classical O1 And O139 Vibrio Cholerae Serogroups, Thomas J. Kirn, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

Vibrio cholerae causes diarrhea by colonizing the human small bowel and intoxicating epithelial cells. Colonization is a required step in pathogenesis, and strains defective for colonization are significantly attenuated. The best-characterized V. cholerae colonization factor is the toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). It has been demonstrated that TCP is required for V. cholerae colonization in both humans and mice. TCP enhances bacterial interactions that allow microcolony formation and thereby promotes survival in the intestine. We have recently discovered that the TCP biogenesis apparatus also serves as a secretion system, mediating the terminal step in the extracellular secretion pathway of TcpF. TcpF was …

Heparin Stimulates Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Niles P. Donegan, Martha L. Graber, Sarah E. Buckingham, Michael Zegans, Ambrose Cheung, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Heparin, known for its anticoagulant activity, is commonly used in catheter locks. Staphylococcus aureus, a versatile human and animal pathogen, is commonly associated with catheter-related bloodstream infections and has evolved a number of mechanisms through which it adheres to biotic and abiotic surfaces. We demonstrate that heparin increased biofilm formation by several S. aureus strains. Surface coverage and the kinetics of biofilm formation were stimulated, but primary attachment to the surface was not affected. Heparin increased S. aureus cell-cell interactions in a protein synthesis-dependent manner. The addition of heparin rescued biofilm formation of hla, ica, and sarA …

Sara Positively Controls Bap-Dependent Biofilm Formation In Staphylococcus Aureus, María P. Trotonda, Adhar C. Manna, Ambrose L. Cheung, Iñigo Lasa, José R. Penadés

Dartmouth Scholarship

The biofilm-associated protein Bap is a staphylococcal surface protein involved in biofilm formation. We investigated the influence of the global regulatory locus sarA on bap expression and Bap-dependent biofilm formation in three unrelated Staphylococcus aureus strains. The results showed that Bap-dependent biofilm formation was diminished in the sarA mutants by an agr-independent mechanism. Complementation studies using a sarA clone confirmed that the defect in biofilm formation was due to the sarA mutation. As expected, the diminished capacity to form biofilms in the sarA mutants correlated with the decreased presence of Bap in the bacterial surface. Using transcriptional fusion and …

A Role For Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (Erk1/2) Activation And Non-Selective Pore Formation In P2x7 Receptor-Mediated Thymocyte Death, Rodolphe Auger, Iris Motta, Karim Benihoud, David M. Ojcius, Jean M. Kanellopoulos

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Extracellular ATP (ATPe) binds to P2X7 receptors (P2X7R) expressed on the surface of cells of hematopoietic lineage, including murine thymocytes. Activation of P2X7R by ATPe results in the opening of cation-specific channels, and prolonged ATPe exposure leads to the formation of non-selective pores enabling transmembrane passage of solutes up to 900 Da. In the presence of ATPe, P2X7R-mediated thymocyte death is due primarily to necrosis/lysis and not apoptosis, as measured by the release of lactate dehydrogenase indicative of a loss of plasma membrane integrity. The present study is focused on the identification of P2X7R signaling mediators in ATP-induced thymocyte necrosis/lysis. …

A Critical Role For The Programmed Death Ligand 1 In Fetomaternal Tolerance, Indira Guleria, Arezou Khosroshahi, Mohammed Javeed Ansari, Antje Habicht, Miyuki Azuma, Hideo Yagita, Randolph J. Noelle

Dartmouth Scholarship

Fetal survival during gestation implies that tolerance mechanisms suppress the maternal immune response to paternally inherited alloantigens. Here we show that the inhibitory T cell costimulatory molecule, programmed death ligand 1 (PDL1), has an important role in conferring fetomaternal tolerance in an allogeneic pregnancy model. Blockade of PDL1 signaling during murine pregnancy resulted in increased rejection rates of allogeneic concepti but not syngeneic concepti. Fetal rejection was T cell

Effects Of Estradiol On Lipopolysaccharide And Pam3cys Stimulation Of Ccl20/Macrophage Inflammatory Protein 3 Alpha And Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Production By Uterine Epithelial Cells In Culture, Mardi A. Crane-Godreau, Charles R. Wira

Dartmouth Scholarship

We have previously demonstrated that rat uterine epithelial cells (UEC) produce CCL20/macrophage inflammatory protein 3 alpha (MIP3alpha) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in response to live and heat-killed Escherichia coli and to the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Pam3Cys. To determine whether estradiol (E2) modulates PAMP-induced CCL20/MIP3alpha and TNF-alpha secretion, primary cultures of rat UEC were incubated with E2 for 24 h and then treated with LPS or Pam3Cys or not treated for an additional 12 h. E2 inhibited the constitutive secretion of TNF-alpha and CCL20/MIP3alpha into culture media. Interestingly, E2 pretreatment enhanced CCL20/MIP3alpha secretion due to …

Dynamic Matrix Composition In Engineered Cartilage With Stochastic Supplementation Of Growth Factors, Asit K. Saha, J. (Jagannath) Mazumdar, Sean S. Kohles

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dynamic extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis is explored in a hypothesized engineered cartilage construct. Growth (α) and decay (β) rate parameters are developed from a previous engineered cartilage model. The presented mathematical model was constructed from the parameterized experimental data using a deterministic and stochastic examination of ECM synthesis based on a negative feedback control mechanism. A growth factor supplementation is incorporated in a probabilistic mathematical approach. The growth factor component modified an initial deterministic model through a Gaussian white noise fluctuation. As the primary constituents of ECM, the mathematical tool is intended to characterize the probable steady state distribution of …

Stim1, An Essential And Conserved Component Of Store-Operated Ca2+ Channel Function, Jack Roos, Paul J. Digregorio, Andriy V. Yeromin, Kari Ohlsen, Maria I. Lioudyno, Shenyuan L. Zhang, Olga Safrina, J. Ashot Kozak, Steven L. Wagner, Michael D. Cahalan, Gönül Veliçelebi, Kenneth A. Stauderman

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Store-operated Ca²⁺ (SOC) channels regulate many cellular processes, but the underlying molecular components are not well defined. Using an RNA interference (RNAi)-based screen to identify genes that alter thapsigargin (TG)-dependent Ca²⁺ entry, we discovered a required and conserved role of Stim in SOC influx. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Stim in Drosophila S2 cells significantly reduced TG-dependent Ca²⁺ entry. Patch-clamp recording revealed nearly complete suppression of the Drosophila Ca²⁺ release-activated Ca²⁺(CRAC) current that has biophysical characteristics similar to CRAC current in human T cells. Similarly, knockdown of the human homologue STIM1 significantly reduced CRAC channel activity …

Evaluation Of Glucocorticoid Sensitivity In 697 Pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells After Overexpression Or Silencing Of Map Kinase Phosphotase-1, Marc T. Abrams, Noreen Robertson, Gerald Litwack, Eric Wickstrom

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of reducing MAP kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) levels on cell death induced by glucocorticoid (GC) or hydroxyurea (HU) treatment in the human pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line 697.

METHODS: Stable MKP-1 overexpressing transformants of the 697 pre-B ALL cell line were created and tested for sensitivity to the GC triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and HU, and compared to a control 697 cell line containing normal MKP-1 expression levels. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were designed to inhibit MKP-1 expression and evaluated for their effect on GC-mediated cell death.

RESULTS: MKP-1 overexpression caused a phenotype of partial resistance …

Sara Is An Essential Positive Regulator Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis Biofilm Development, Maria A. Tormo, Miguel Marti, Jaione Valle, Adhar C. Manna

Dartmouth Scholarship

Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation is associated with the production of the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA)--poly-N-acetylglucosamine polysaccharide (PNAG) by the products of the icaADBC operon. Recent evidence indicates that SarA, a central regulatory element that controls the production of Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors, is essential for the synthesis of PIA/PNAG and the ensuing biofilm development in this species. Based on the presence of a sarA homolog, we hypothesized that SarA could also be involved in the regulation of the biofilm formation process in S. epidermidis. To investigate this, we constructed nonpolar sarA deletions in two genetically unrelated S. epidermidis clinical strains, …

Identification Of A Tcpc-Tcpq Outer Membrane Complex Involved In The Biogenesis Of The Toxin-Coregulated Pilus Of Vibrio Cholerae, Niranjan Bose, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

The toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) of Vibrio cholerae and the soluble TcpF protein that is secreted via the TCP biogenesis apparatus are essential for intestinal colonization. The TCP biogenesis apparatus is composed of at least nine proteins but is largely uncharacterized. TcpC is an outer membrane lipoprotein required for TCP biogenesis that is a member of the secretin protein superfamily. In the present study, analysis of TcpC in a series of strains deficient in each of the TCP biogenesis proteins revealed that TcpC was absent specifically in a tcpQ mutant. TcpQ is a predicted periplasmic protein required for TCP biogenesis. Fractionation …

An Analysis Of Biometric Technology As An Enabler To Information Assurance, Darren A. Deschaine

Theses and Dissertations

The use of and dependence on, Information technology (IT) has grown tremendously in the last two decades. Still, some believe the United States is only in the infancy of this growth. This explosive growth has opened the door to capabilities that were only dreamed of in the past. As easy as it is to see how advantageous this technology is, it also is clear that with its advantages come distinct responsibilities and new problems that must be addressed. For instance, the minute one begins using information processing systems, the world of information assurance (IA) becomes far more complex. As a …

Defective B Cell Responses In The Absence Of Sh2d1a, Massimo Morra, Robert A. Barrington, Ana C. Abadia-Molina, Susumo Okamoto, Aimee Julien, Charles A. Gullo Phd, Anuj Kalsy, Matthew J. Edwards, Gang Chen, Rosanne Spolski, Warren J. Leonard, Brigitte T. Huber, Persephone Borrow, Christine A. Biron A. Biron, Abhay R. Satoskar, Michael C. Carroll, Cox Terhorst

Biochemistry and Microbiology

More than half of patients with X-linked lympho-proliferative disease, which is caused by a defect in the intracellular adapter protein SH2D1A, suffer from an extreme susceptibility to Epstein-Barr virus. One-third of these patients, however, develop dysgammaglobulenemia without an episode of severe mononucleosis. Here we show that in SH2D1A-/- mice, both primary and secondary responses of all Ig subclasses are severely impaired in response to specific antigens. Because germinal centers were absent in SH2D1A-/- mice upon primary immunization, and because SH2D1A was detectable in wt germinal center B cells, we examined whether SH2D1A-/- B cell functions were impaired. Using the adoptive …

A Three-Component Regulatory System Regulates Biofilm Maturation And Type Iii Secretion In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Sherry L. Kuchma, John P. Connolly, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Biofilms are structured communities found associated with a wide range of surfaces. Here we report the identification of a three-component regulatory system required for biofilm maturation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14. A transposon mutation that altered biofilm formation in a 96-well dish assay originally defined this locus, which is comprised of genes for a putative sensor histidine kinase and two response regulators and has been designated sadARS. Nonpolar mutations in any of the sadARS genes result in biofilms with an altered mature structure but do not confer defects in growth or early biofilm formation, swimming, or twitching motility. After …

Effects Of Aging On Pressure-Induced Mapk Activation In The Rat Aorta, Kevin M. Rice

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

With age, the cardiovascular system experiences substantial alterations in cellular morphology and function. The factors regulating these changes are unknown; however, the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways have emerged as critical components for mediating numerous cellular responses including control of cell growth, differentiation and adaptation. Here we compare the expression, basal activation and the ability of increased pressure to activate the MAPK pathways in adult (6 month old), aged (30 month old) and very aged (36 month old) Fischer 344 x Brown Norway F1 Hybrid rats. Histochemical analysis demonstrated an age-related increase in tunica media thickness of approximately 11% …

Setting Fires To Stem Cell Research, Roxanne Greitz Miller

Education Faculty Articles and Research

The goal of this lesson is to present the basic scientific knowledge about stem cells, the promise of stem cell research to medicine, and the ethical considerations and arguments involved. One of the challenges of discussing stem cell research is that the field is constantly evolving and the most current information changes almost daily. Few science texts contain stem cell information, and those that do are generally written at a reading level above that of a typical middle grade student. In the lesson, students are introduced to the FIRES strategy and given an opportunity to evaluate stem cell information from …

Gene Expression Profiling Revealed Novel Mechanism Of Action Of Taxotere And Furtulon In Prostate Cancer Cells, Yiwei Li, Maha Hussain, Sarah H. Sarkar, James Eliason, Ran Li, Fazlul H. Sarkar

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Both Taxotere and Capecitabine have shown anti-cancer activity against various cancers including prostate cancer. In combination, Taxotere plus Capecitabine has demonstrated higher anti-cancer activity in advanced breast cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms of action of Taxotere and Capecitabine have not been fully elucidated in prostate cancer.

Methods

The total RNA from PC3 and LNCaP prostate cells untreated and treated with 2 nM Taxotere, 110 μM Furtulon (active metabolite of Capecitabine), or 1 nM Taxotere plus 50 μM Furtulon for 6, 36, and 72 hours, was subjected to Affymetrix Human Genome U133A Array analysis. Real-time PCR and Western Blot …

Patients' Knowledge Of The Intravenous Contrast Materials And Their Risks: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Ayli̇n Yücel, Bumi̇n Deği̇rmenci̇, Murat Acar, Hülya Elli̇dokuz, Ramazan Albayrak, Alpay Haktanir

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge about the intravenous contrast materials (IVCMs) and their risks in patients in an Anatolian city. The study included 156 outpatients who applied for radiographic studies requiring the use of IVCMs. The data were obtained by face-to-face interviews before the radiographic examination. The questionnaire was designed specifically for this study and the respondent was given a total score of 100 points for all correct answers. Patients' information about the IVCMs, their risks, and their role in the diagnosis of some diseases were investigated with this survey. ANOVA, t-test and …

Influence Of Dental Alloys And An All-Ceramic Material On Cell Viability And Interleukin-1beta Release In A Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Model, Jüli̇de Özen, Ali̇ Uğur Ural, Mehmet Dalkiz, Bedri̇ Beydemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of various types of dental casting alloys and ceramic upon cell viability and the synthesis of IL-1beta (\beta) in a three-dimensional cell culture system consisting of human gingival fibroblast, and to determine their effect in gingival inflammation. Au-Pt-In alloy (Pontostar), Ni-Cr-Mo alloy (Remanium-CS), a titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), copper (Cu), and an all ceramic (In-Ceram) were used as test materials. The materials were exposed to a three dimensional cell culture in order to determine their effect on cell viability and IL-1 (\beta) secretion level. Cell viability was measured by MTT test …

Mycobacterium Chelonae Keratitis Following Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (Lasik) Specifically Identified By Inno-Lipa Method, İsmai̇l Ceyhan, Gülnur Tarhan, Sali̇h Cesur, Feyzullah Gümüşlü

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

EYHAN^1, Gülnur TARHAN^1, Salih CESUR^1, Feyzullah GÜMÜŞLÜ^2 ^1Refik Saydam Hygiene Center,Tuberculosis Reference and Research laboratory, Ankara - Turkey ^2Refik Saydam Hygiene Center, Ankara - Turkey

A New Diagnostic System In Cancer Research: Bioluminescent Imaging (Bli), Z. Günnur Di̇kmen, Ginelle Gellert, Paki̇ze Doğan, Ralph Mason, Peter Antich, Edmond Richer, Woodring E. Wright, Jerry W. Shay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Bioluminescent imaging (BLI) is particularly well suited for imaging small animals, and it can be readily used by scientists who are already routinely using the luciferase gene as a reporter in cell-based assays. This strategy relies on ATP and an O_2 dependent photochemical reaction between luciferin and luciferase, resulting in the release of photons from only live cells. In BLI, the intensity of the light detected by the device is proportional to the intensity of light emitted and the relationship is quantitative. This study was performed to determine the sensitivity of BLI for the imaging of lung metastasis and breast …

The Pericentrion: Identification, Characterization, And Function Of A Novel Cpkc-Dependent Compartment, Kevin P. Becker

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Members of the protein kinase C (PKC) superfamily transduce a myriad of transmembrane signals initiated by the formation of sn-l ,2-diacylglycerol (DAG). As the primary physiological agonist for C] domain containing PKC isoenzymes, DAG functions to regulate the spatial and temporal parameters of PKC activity. It is now recognized that cellular DAG levels can vary from minutes to hours and even days. These observations have suggested a division of PKC functions that correlate to the duration of the cellular DAG signal. In their classical role, cPKCs respond acutely to the short-lived (1-2 min) DAG generated at the plasma membrane by …

The Use Of Time-Resolved Fluorescence Imaging In The Study Of Protein Kinase C Localisation In Cells., Christopher D Stubbs, Stanley W Botchway, Simon J Slater, Anthony W Parker

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Two-photon-excitation fluorescence lifetime imaging (2P-FLIM) was used to investigate the association of protein kinase C alpha (PKCalpha) with caveolin in CHO cells. PKCalpha is found widely in the cytoplasm and nucleus in most cells. Upon activation, as a result of increased intracellular Ca2+ and production of DAG, through G-protein coupled-phospholipase C signalling, PKC translocates to a variety of regions in the cell where it phosphorylates and interacts with many signalling pathways. Due to its wide distribution, discerning a particular interaction from others within the cell is extremely difficult. RESULTS: Fluorescence energy transfer (FRET), between GFP-PKCalpha and DsRed-caveolin, was used …

Replication And Encapsidation Of Papillomaviruses In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Peter C. Angeletti

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Improvements in methodologies to recapitulate and study particular biological functions of the

papillomavirus life cycle have led to great advances in our knowledge of these viruses. Described in

this chapter are techniques that allow low-copy and high-copy replication of full-length human

papillomavirus (HPV) genomes, as well as assembly of virus-like particles, in Saccharomyces

cerevisiae (yeast). This system has several distinct advantages that make it an attractive complement

to the well-established raft-culturing system. First, yeast are inexpensive, rapid, and simple to culture

in the lab. Second, they provide an ever-widening array of genetic tools to analyze HPV functions

—most recently notable, …

Periplasm Organization In Treponema Denticola As Studied By Cryo-Electron Tomography, Jacques Izard, C.-E. Hsieh, C. A. Mannella, Ronald J. Limberger, M. Marko

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

As a spirochete, the genus Treponema is one of the few major bacterial groups whose natural phylogenic relationships are evident at the level of gross phenotypic characteristics such as their morphology. Treponema spp. are highly invasive due to their unique motility in dense media, and their ability to penetrate cell layers. This feature is associated with the helical cell body and the presence of flagellar filaments in the periplasm. Treponema denticola is an oral pathogen involved in endodontic infections and periodontal diseases. The presence and quantity of T. denticola in the subgingival biofilm is correlated with the severity of periodontal …

Faculty Publications 2004, Lsu Health Sciences Center New Orleans

Historical Faculty Publications

This Faculty bibliography contains 1027 publications.

Ccl20/Macrophage Inflammatory Protein 3Α And Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Production By Primary Uterine Epithelial Cells In Response To Treatment With Lipopolysaccharide Or Pam3cys, M. A. Crane-Godreau, C. R. Wira

Dartmouth Scholarship

Having previously shown that CCL20/macrophage inflammatory protein 3 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) are released by polarized primary rat uterine epithelial cells (UEC) in response to Escherichia coli but not to Lactobacillus rhamnosus , we sought to determine if epithelial cells are responsive to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP), including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), and Pam 3 Cys, a bacterial lipoprotein analog. Epithelial cells were grown to confluence on Nunc cell culture inserts prior to apical treatment with PAMPs. In response to LPS, LTA, and Pam 3 Cys (EMC Microcollection GmbH, Tu ̈- bingen, Germany), CCL20 levels increased (4- …

Mechanism Of Cancer Selective Apoptosis By Par-4, Sushma Gurumurthy

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Despite distinct dissimilarities, diverse cancers express several common pro-tumorigenic traits. We present here evidence that the pro-apoptotic protein Par-4 utilizes one such common tumorigenic trait to become selectively activated and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Elevated PKA activity noted in cancer cells activated the apoptotic function of ectopic Par-4 or its SAC domain, which induces apoptosis selectively in cancer cells and not in normal or immortalized cells. PKA preferentially phosphorylated Par-4 at the T155 residue within the SAC domain in cancer cells. Moreover, pharmacological-, peptide- or siRNA-mediated inhibition of PKA activity in cancer cells resulted in abrogation of both T155 …