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Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

University of Mississippi

2016

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering

An Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Sigma-1 And Sigma-2 Receptors And The Endocannabinoid System, Jenn Miller Jan 2016

An Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Sigma-1 And Sigma-2 Receptors And The Endocannabinoid System, Jenn Miller

Honors Theses

Within the past two decades, sigma receptors have become a popular area for research. Although much has been learned about their structure, subtypes, and functions; there is still much to be learned. Consisting of two receptor subtypes (sigma-1 and sigma-2), it has been discovered that sigma receptor ligands potentiate the analgesic effects of both opiates and cannabinoids, though the exact mechanism and sigma subtype on which this occurs is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine if potentiation of opiates and cannabinoids occurs through sigma-1 or sigma-2 receptor signaling. Tetrad assays were performed for: 1. Morphine, an …


Biological Activity Of Garcinia Kola On Hepatitis C, Madeline Dwyer Jan 2016

Biological Activity Of Garcinia Kola On Hepatitis C, Madeline Dwyer

Honors Theses

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). According to the World Health Organization, hepatitis C infections affect between 130-150 million people worldwide. It is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, and approximately 500,000 people die from hepatitis C infections or related complications each year. Although new treatments are 90% effective at curing chronic hepatitis C infections, they cost tens of thousands of dollars. Available treatments are incredibly cost prohibitive, especially considering that the regions most affected by hepatitis C are Africa and central and eastern Asia (Hepatitis C). This creates a …


Exploration Of Compound Viability As An Organ-Selective Anti-Metastatic Therapeutic Treatment For Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Ashley E. Noblin Jan 2016

Exploration Of Compound Viability As An Organ-Selective Anti-Metastatic Therapeutic Treatment For Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Ashley E. Noblin

Honors Theses

Phenformin and metformin are compounds that are currently used to treat Type II Diabetes and have been shown to suppress breast cancer metastasis. These compounds were tested, after extensive research and screening of current approved oncology drugs, in various experiments with the cell lines MDA-MB-231, LM, and BoM, with MDA-MB-231 being the parental cell line, LM being the lung metastatic line, and BoM being the bone metastatic line. The cells were treated with compound addition at various concentrations and subject to a two-day concentration response viability study in order to determine any inhibitory effects, followed by a five-day assay in …


Design And Synthesis Of Dual Opioids/Npff Ligands As Novel Analgesics With Reduced Tolerance Potential, John N. Yi Jan 2016

Design And Synthesis Of Dual Opioids/Npff Ligands As Novel Analgesics With Reduced Tolerance Potential, John N. Yi

Honors Theses

Opioid use has become prevalent in today's culture. As a treatment for acute and chronic pain, opioids permeate in the public sphere as a seemingly easy solution. However, problems that come from the increased use of opiates, especially in the last fifteen years, have shown detrimental effects in society. Not only are all opioid-based analgesics considered addictive, but the nature of such painkillers also enables a phenomenon known as tolerance, where the body adapts to the use of exogenous opioids. This creates a situation where a more potent dose of painkiller is required for the same analgesic effect. The focus …


G-Quadruplex Mediated Splicing Of P53 Mrna, Melissa Holy Jan 2016

G-Quadruplex Mediated Splicing Of P53 Mrna, Melissa Holy

Honors Theses

The protein p53 is a master regulator of the cell cycle and its mutation/inactivation is associated with over 50% of cancer cases. Mutations in p53 are associated with worse survival rates, resistance to therapies, and other risk factors in breast cancer specifically. p53 is encoded by the TP53 gene and is expressed as several transcripts. In the G-rich portion of intron 3, secondary DNA structures known as G-quadruplexes are able to form. The stabilization of these G-quadruplexes leads to correct splicing of intron 2, thus making a functional p53 protein. A known quadruplex-stabilizing compound (TMPyP4) was tested to determine its …


The Effects Of Genistein, Thymoquinone, Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate,5-Fluorouracil, And Low Level Laser Therapy On Fadu Hypopharyngeal And Laryngeal Carcinoma Cells, Osasu Adah Jan 2016

The Effects Of Genistein, Thymoquinone, Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate,5-Fluorouracil, And Low Level Laser Therapy On Fadu Hypopharyngeal And Laryngeal Carcinoma Cells, Osasu Adah

Honors Theses

Laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma are two types of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. The location of the tumor makes it hard to detect without complex tests. Overall, these types of cancer are not common, and there are no simple screening tests for such cancers. Due to this issue, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma are usually diagnosed when signs and symptoms occur, such as sore throat, trouble swallowing, and constant coughing. With the use of FaDu, a head and neck cancer cell line of the hypopharyngeal origin, experimentation can be performed in order to initiate possible treatments. The standard treatments for …