Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Shear Stress Induced Mtor Signaling In Cultured A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cell Line, Sriram Prasad Mupparaju

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Vascular intervention procedures such as balloon angioplasty and stent implantation lead to denudation of endothelium exposing the underlying smooth muscle layer to effects of blood shear stress. The effect of shear stress on smooth muscle cell signaling has not been studied in depth. In this study, we examined time dependent changes in activation of Akt, mTOR and p70S6k related signaling in response to orbital shear stress on cultured A7r5 cells. A7r5 cells cultured to subconfluence on 150mm culture dishes were subjected to orbital shear of 9.8dynes/cm 2 for zero, 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1h, 4h and 24h. The …

Physical Characteristics Of An Individual: The Identification Of Biomarkers For Biological Age Determination, Michelle Alvarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is now a matter of routine for the forensic scientist to obtain the genetic profile of an individual from DNA recovered from a biological stain deposited at a crime scene. Potential contributors of the stain must either be known to investigators (i.e. a developed suspect) or the questioned profile must be searched against a database of DNA profiles such as those maintained in the CODIS National DNA database. However, in those instances where there is no developed suspect and no match is obtained after interrogation of appropriate DNA databases, the DNA profile per se presently provides no meaningful information …

Retrocyclin Rc-101 Overcomes Cationic Mutations On The Heptad Repeat 2 Of Hiv-1 Gp41, Christopher Fuhrman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retrocyclin RC-101, a θ-defensin with lectin-like properties, potently inhibits infection by many HIV-1 subtypes by binding to the heptad repeat (HR)-2 region of gp41 and preventing six-helix bundle formation. In the present study, we used in silico computational exploration to identify residues of HR2 that interacted with RC-101 and then analyzed the HIV-1 Sequence Database at LANL for residue variations in the HR1 and HR2 segments that could plausibly impart in vivo resistance. Docking RC-101 to gp41 peptides in silico confirmed its strong preference for HR2 over HR1, and implicated residues crucial for its ability to bind HR2. We mutagenized …

Differential Engagement Of Tim-1 During Activation Can Positively Or Negatively Costimulate T Cell Expansion And Effector Function, Vijay K. Kuchroo, Sheng Xiao, Nader Najafian, Jay Reddy, Monica Albin, Chen Zhu, Eric Jensen, Jaimie Imitola, Thomas Korn, Ana C. Anderson, Zheng Zhang, Cristina Gutierrez, Thomas Moll, Raymond A. Sobel, Dale T. Umetsu, Hideo Yagita, Hisaya Akiba, Terry Strom, Mohamed H. Sayegh, Rosemarie H. Dekruyff, Samia J. Khoury

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

It has been suggested that T cell immunoglobulin mucin (Tim)-1 expressed on T cells serves to positively costimulate T cell responses. However, crosslinking of Tim-1 by its ligand Tim-4 resulted in either activation or inhibition of T cell responses, thus raising the issue of whether Tim-1 can have a dual function as a costimulator. To resolve this issue, we tested a series of monoclonal antibodies specifi c for Tim-1 and identifi ed two antibodies that showed opposite functional effects. One anti–Tim-1 antibody increased the frequency of antigen-specifi c T cells, the production of the proinfl ammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-17, …

Dna Multiplex Hybridization On Microarrays And Thermodynamic Stability In Solution: A Direct Comparison, Daniel J. Fish, M. Todd Horne, Greg P. Brewood, Jim P. Goodarzi, Saba Alemayehu, Ashwini Bhandiwad, Robert P. Searles, Albert S. Benight

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hybridization intensities of 30 distinct short duplex DNAs measured on spotted microarrays, were directly compared with thermodynamic stabilities measured in solution. DNA sequences were designed to promote formation of perfect match, or hybrid duplexes containing tandem mismatches. Thermodynamic parameters DeltaH degrees , DeltaS degrees and DeltaG degrees of melting transitions in solution were evaluated directly using differential scanning calorimetry. Quantitative comparison with results from 63 multiplex microarray hybridization experiments provided a linear relationship for perfect match and most mismatch duplexes. Examination of outliers suggests that both duplex length and relative position of tandem mismatches could be important factors contributing to …

A Proteome-Wide Protein Interaction Map For Campylobacter Jejuni, Jodi R. Parrish, Jingkai Yu, Guozhen Liu, Julie A. Hines, Jason E. Chan, Bernie A. Mangiola, Huamei Zhang, Svetlana Pacifico, Farshad Fotouhi, Victor J. Dirita, Trey Ideker, Phillip Andrews, Russell L. Finley Jr

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Data from large-scale protein interaction screens for humans and model eukaryotes have been invaluable for developing systems-level models of biological processes. Despite this value, only a limited amount of interaction data is available for prokaryotes. Here we report the systematic identification of protein interactions for the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni, a food-borne pathogen and a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide.

Results

Using high-throughput yeast two-hybrid screens we detected and reproduced 11,687 interactions. The resulting interaction map includes 80% of the predicted C. jejuni NCTC11168 proteins and places a large number of poorly characterized proteins into networks that provide initial …

Functional Association Between Three Archaeal Aminoacyl-Trna Synthetases, Mette Praetorius-Ibba, Corinne D. Hausmann, Molly Paras, Theresa E. Rogers, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are responsible for attaching amino acids to their cognate tRNAs during protein synthesis. In eukaryotes aaRSs are commonly found in multi-enzyme complexes, although the role of these complexes is still not completely clear. Associations between aaRSs have also been reported in archaea, including a complex between prolyl-(ProRS) and leucyl-tRNA synthetases (LeuRS) in Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus that enhances tRNA^Pro aminoacylation. Yeast two-hybrid screens suggested that lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) also associates with LeuRS in M. thermautotrophicus. Co-purification experiments confirmed that LeuRS, LysRS, and ProRS associate in cell-free extracts. LeuRS bound LysRS and ProRS with a comparable K_{D …}

Sub-Typing Of Prrsv Isolates By Means Of Measurement Of Cross-Neutralization Reactions, Fernando A. Osorio

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The degree of similitude or closeness between two different isolates or strains of PRRSV is very important for deciding which strains should be used for immunization, by either vaccinating with commercial vaccines or attempting to stabilize a herd with planned wt PRRSV infection. As previously known for certain important viral diseases, such as in Foot and Mouth Disease, the reciprocal (cross-) neutralization titers between two strains may be of utmost importance to establish the degree of similarity or difference between these. There is currently a void of methods that would allow distinguishing or grouping strains of PRRSV in a manner …

Characterization Of Host Cell Death Induced By Chlamydia Trachomatis, Songmin Ying, Silke F. Fischer, Matthew A. Pettengill, Debye Conte, Stefan A. Paschen, David M. Ojcius, Georg Hacker

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Chlamydia are obligate intracellular bacteria that modulate apoptosis of the host cell. Strikingly, chlamydial infection has been reported both to inhibit and to induce apoptosis. Although the ability to inhibit apoptosis has been corroborated by the identification of cellular targets, confirmation of cell death induction has been complicated by a mixture of apoptotic features and atypical cell death during infection, as well as by differences in the experimental techniques used to measure cell death. Here we use a panel of well-established approaches in the study of apoptosis to define the form of cell death induced by Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Infected …

The Role Of Mapks In B Cell Receptor-Induced Down-Regulation Of Egr-1 In Immature B Lymphoma Cells, Jiyuan Ke, Murali Gururajan, Anupam Kumar, Alan Simmons, Lilia Turcios, Ralph Lakshman Chelvarajan, David M. Cohen, David L. Wiest, John G. Monroe, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Cross-linking of the B cell receptor (BCR) on the immature B lymphoma cell line BKS-2 induces growth inhibition and apoptosis accompanied by rapid down-regulation of the immediate-early gene egr-1. In these lymphoma cells, egr-1 is expressed constitutively and has a prosurvival role, as Egr-1-specific antisense oligonucleotides or expression of a dominant-negative inhibitor of Egr-1 also prevented the growth of BKS-2 cells. Moreover, enhancement of Egr-1 protein with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or an egr-1 expression vector rescued BKS-2 cells from BCR signal-induced growth inhibition. Nuclear run-on and mRNA stability assays indicated that BCR-derived signals act at the transcriptional level to …

Single Molecule Detection Systems And Methods, John G. K. Williams, Gregory R. Bashford

Biomedical Imaging and Biosignal Analysis Laboratory

A micofluidic system is provided that includes a substrate, a first microchannel disposed in the substrate for providing a reactant to a reaction zone, a second microchannel disposed in the substrate, the third microchannel providing fluid communication between the first and second microchannels. The system also typically includes first and second electrodes, positioned at opposite ends of the second microchannel, for providing an electric field within the second microchannel. In operation, when the reactant is in the reaction zone, a reaction product is produced having a net electric charge different from the electric of the reactant.

Polymorphism Of Hla-Dr And Hla-Dq In Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients And Clinical Response To Methotrexate--A Hospital-Based Study, Azra Arif I Ali, Tariq Moatter, Jawed Altaf Baig, Ahmed Iqbal, Azmat Hussain, Mohammad Perwaiz Iqbal

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To investigate the frequency and distribution of DRB1 and DQB1 alleles in Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and analyze the relationship between clinical response to methotrexate (MTX) and the HLA-DR and HLA-DQ genotypes in these patients.
Methods: In this case-control study, the HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 polymorphism in 91 RA patients and 91 healthy controls was done using polymerase chain reaction and sequence specific primers.
Results: There was no statistical difference in frequencies of HLA-DRB1*03, DRB1*04, DRB1*07, DRB1*10, DRB1*11, DRB1*12, DRB1*13, DRB1*14, DRB1*15 and DRB1*16 genotypes between patients and controls. However, DRB1*01 was found to be significantly more common (p=0.015) …

The Effects Of Ultrashort Pulsed Electric Fields On The Fluorescent Molecule Bodipy Fl C5 Ceramide, Rachael Sara Shevin

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields are able to manipulate internal cell organelles by taking advantage of the small but finite time required for charge to establish across a capacitive barrier. Pulsed electric fields also affect macromolecular structures such as enzymes and proteins. Application of a single nanosecond pulsed electric field decreases the fluorescence of a commercially available biological dye Bodipy FL C₅ Ceramide, used to observe the Golgi apparatus of living cells. The effect is seen when the fluorophore is exposed to an electric field both in vitro and when incorporated into the Golgi of a living Jurkat cell. Observation …

Immunogenicity Of Terephthalate, A Constituent Of Synthetic Polymers, And Its Modulation By Adjuvants, Youssef Aachoui

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: In this study we have focused on the potential immunotoxicity resulting from exposure to phthalate compounds which are widely present as basic constituents of many synthetic polymers.

Accumulation Of Phycotoxins In The Mussel Mytilus Galloprovincialis From The Central Adriatic Sea, Maja Pavela-Vrančić, Ivana Ujević, Živana Ninčević Gladan, Ambrose Furey

Physical Sciences Publications

Surveys of DSP (Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning) toxin profiles in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis from coastal waters of the central Adriatic Sea, over the years 1995 to 2001, demonstrate that incidents of shellfish toxicity in this area are dominated by the occurrence of okadaic acid (OA) and a PTX derivative, 7-epi-pectenotoxin-2-seco acid (7-epi-PTX-2SA). Toxin composition and the relative ratio of toxic components in shellfish is in correlation with the occurrence of DSP producing organisms from the Dinophysis species along with Prorocentrum micans and Lingulodinium polyedrum. The occurrence of D. sacculus shortly before the appearance of OA in shellfish implicates its possible …

Visualization Of Intracellular Transport Of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Nucleocapsids In Living Cells, Subash C. Das, Debasis Nayak, You Zhou, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The phosphoprotein (P) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a subunit of the viral RNA polymerase. In previous studies, we demonstrated that insertion of 19 amino acids in the hinge region of the protein had no significant effect on P protein function. In the present study, we inserted full-length enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) in frame into the hinge region of P and show that the fusion protein (PeGFP) is functional in viral genome transcription and replication, albeit with reduced activity. A recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus encoding PeGFP in place of the P protein (VSV-PeGFP), which possessed reduced growth kinetics …

Desulfovibrio Desulfuricans G20 Tetraheme Cytochrome Structure At 1.5 A˚ And Cytochrome Interaction With Metal Complexes, Mrunalini Pattarkine, J J. Tanner, C A. Bottoms, Y H. Lee, Judy D. Wall

Faculty Works

The structure of the type I tetraheme cytochrome c3 from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20 was determined to 1.5 A˚ by X-ray crystallography. In addition to the oxidized form, the structure of the molybdate-bound form of the protein was determined from oxidized crystals soaked in sodium molybdate. Only small structural shifts were obtained with metal binding, consistent with the remarkable structural stability of this protein. In vitro experiments with pure cytochrome showed that molybdate could oxidize the reduced cytochrome, although not as rapidly as U(VI) present as uranyl acetate. Alterations in the overall conformation and thermostability of the metal-oxidized protein were investigated …

Recruitment Of Bad By The Chlamydia Trachomatis Vacuole Correlates With Host-Cell Survival, Philippe Verbeke, Lynn Welter-Stahl, S. Ying, J. Hansen, Georg Hacker, Toni Darville, David M. Ojcius

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Chlamydiae replicate intracellularly in a vacuole called an inclusion. Chlamydial-infected host cells are protected from mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis, partly due to degradation of BH3-only proteins. The host-cell adapter protein 14-3-3β can interact with host-cell apoptotic signaling pathways in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. In Chlamydia trachomatis-infected cells, 14-3-3β co-localizes to the inclusion via direct interaction with a C. trachomatis-encoded inclusion membrane protein. We therefore explored the possibility that the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) pathway may contribute to resistance of infected cells to apoptosis. We found that inhibition of PI3K renders C. trachomatis-infected cells sensitive to staurosporine-induced apoptosis, which is accompanied by mitochondrial cytochrome c …

In Vitro Expression And Purification Of Class I Mhc Molecules, Loi Cheng

Honors Scholar Theses

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a gene family responsible for many critical functions of the immune system in most vertebrates. The MHC consists of three classes differentiated by their structure and function, and MHC class I encodes antigen binding proteins as well as chaperone and accessory proteins such as tapasin. The purpose of this project is to reconstitute several human MHC class I molecules in their peptide-filled and peptide-deficient forms, and to purify these proteins for biochemical study. The expressed proteins include wild type and mutant variants of the fusion protein human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*0801-fos, and human beta-2-microglobulin (β2m). …

Activation In Neural Networks Controlling Ingestive Behaviors: What Does It Mean, And How Do We Map And Measure It?, Alan Watts, Arshad Khan, Graciela Sanchez-Watts, Dawna Salter, Christina Neuner

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Activation In Neural Networks Controlling Ingestive Behaviors: What Does It Mean, And How Do We Map And Measure It?, Watts, Arshad Khan, Graciela Sanchez-Watts, Dawna Salter, Christina Neuner

Departmental Papers (Biology)

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Toxicity Following Electrically Mediated Interleukin-12 Gene Delivery In A B16 Mouse Melanoma Model, Loree Heller, Kathleen Merkler, Jeffrey Westover, Yolmari Cruz, Domenico Coppola, Kaaron Benson, Adil Daud, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

PURPOSE: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has potential as an immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer but is unfortunately associated with toxicity. Delivery of a plasmid encoding IL-12 with electroporation induces an antitumor effect in the B16 mouse melanoma model without serious side effects. To translate this observation to the clinic, an evaluation of toxicity was done in the mouse model.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Weight change, tumor response, blood chemistry and hematology values, and serum IL-12 levels were evaluated. Multiple tissues were analyzed histopathologically.

RESULTS: A pronounced reduction in tumor volume, including a large percentage of complete regressions, was observed after electrically mediated …

Isolation Of A Ubiquitous Obligate Thermoacidophilic Archaeon From Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents, Anna-Louise Reysenbach, Yitai Liu, Amy B. Banta, Terry J. Beveridge, Julie D. Kirshtein, Stefan Schouten, Margaret K. Tivey, Karen L. Von Damm, Mary A. Voytek

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are important in global biogeochemical cycles, providing biological oases at the sea floor that are supported by the thermal and chemical flux from the Earth's interior. As hot, acidic and reduced hydrothermal fluids mix with cold, alkaline and oxygenated sea water, minerals precipitate to form porous sulphide–sulphate deposits. These structures provide microhabitats for a diversity of prokaryotes that exploit the geochemical and physical gradients in this dynamic ecosystem. It has been proposed that fluid pH in the actively venting sulphide structures is generally low (pH < 4.5), yet no extreme thermoacidophile has been isolated from vent deposits. Culture-independent surveys based on ribosomal RNA genes from deep-sea hydrothermal deposits have identified a widespread euryarchaeotal lineage, DHVE2 (deep-sea hydrothermal vent euryarchaeotic 2) Despite the ubiquity and apparent deep-sea endemism of DHVE2, cultivation of this group has been unsuccessful and thus its metabolism remains a mystery. Here we report the isolation and cultivation of a member of the DHVE2 group, which is an obligate thermoacidophilic sulphur- or iron-reducing heterotroph capable of growing from pH 3.3 to 5.8 and between 55 and 75 °C. In addition, we demonstrate that this isolate constitutes up to 15% of the archaeal population, providing evidence that thermoacidophiles may be key players in the sulphur and iron cycling at deep-sea vents.

The Study Of Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression, Function, And Regulation In The Renal Vasculature During Postnatal Renal Development, Brian Blake Ratliff

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The newborn kidney is vulnerable to vasomotor acute renal failure (ARF) from adverse perinatal events or complications of prematurity. Nitric oxide (NO) vasodilation is vitally protective in this type of ARF, but its relationship with other vasoactive factors, such as angiotensin II (AII) has not been examined. In the immature kidney, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms, specifically eNOS and nNOS, are developmentally regulated, but their specific role and regulation are unknown.

The enhanced vasodilatory role of NO in the immature kidney was hypothesized to be attributed to regulatory, expressional, and functional differences in eNOS and nNOS isoforms from the adult. …

Aspartyl-Trna Synthetase Is The Target Of Peptidenucleotide Antibiotic Microcin C, Anastasia Metlitskaya, Teymur Kazakov, Aigar Kommer, Olga Pavlova, Mette Praetorius-Ibba, Michael Ibba, Igor Krasheninnkov, Vyacheslav Kolb, Inessa Khmel, Konstantin Severinov

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Microcin C is a ribosome-synthesized heptapeptide that contains a modified adenosine monophosphate covalently attached to the C-terminal aspartate. Microcin C is a potent inhibitor of bacterial cell growth. Based on the in vivo kinetics of inhibition of macromolecular synthesis, Microcin C targets translation, through a mechanism that remained undefined. Here, we show that Microcin C is a subject of specific degradation inside the sensitive cell. The product of degradation, a modified aspartyl-adenylate containing an N-acylphosphoramidate linkage, strongly inhibits translation by blocking the function of aspartyl-tRNA synthetase.

Transcriptome Signature Of Virulent And Attenuated Pseudorabies Virus-Infected Rodent Brain, Christina Paulus, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard, Lynn W. Enquist

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mammalian alphaherpesviruses normally establish latent infections in ganglia of the peripheral nervous system in their natural hosts. Occasionally, however, these viruses spread to the central nervous system (CNS), where they cause damaging, often fatal, infections. Attenuated alphaherpesvirus derivatives have been used extensively as neuronal circuit tracers in a variety of animal models. Their circuit-specific spread provides a unique paradigm to study the local and global CNS response to infection. Thus, we systematically analyzed the host gene expression profile after acute pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection of the CNS using Affymetrix GeneChip technology. Rats were injected intraocularly with one of three selected …

C To U Editing Stimulates A To I Editing In The Anticodon Loop Of A Cytoplasmic Threonyl Trna In Trypanosoma Brucei, Mary Anne T. Rubio, Frank L. Ragone, Kirk W. Gaston, Michael Ibba, Juan D. Alfonzo

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Editing of tRNAs is widespread in nature and either changes the decoding properties or restores the folding of a tRNA. Unlike the phylogenetically disperse adenosine (A) to inosine (I) editing, cytosine (C) to uridine (U) editing has only been previously described in organellar tRNAs. We have shown that cytoplasmic tRNA^Thr(AGU) undergoes two distinct editing events in the anticodon loop: C to U and A to I. In vivo, every inosine-containing tRNA^Thr is also C to U edited at position 32. In vitro, C to U editing stimulates conversion of A to I at the wobble base. Although …

Linking Ligand-Induced Alterations In Androgen Receptor Structure To Differential Gene Expression: A First Step In The Rational Design Of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, Dmitri Kazmin, Tatiana Prytkova, C. Edgar Cook, Russell Wolfinger, Tzu-Ming Chu, David Beratan, J. D. Norris, Ching-Yi Chang, Donald P. Mcdonnell

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

We have previously identified a family of novel androgen receptor (AR) ligands that, upon binding, enable AR to adopt structures distinct from that observed in the presence of canonical agonists. In this report, we describe the use of these compounds to establish a relationship between AR structure and biological activity with a view to defining a rational approach with which to identify useful selective AR modulators. To this end, we used combinatorial peptide phage display coupled with molecular dynamic structure analysis to identify the surfaces on AR that are exposed specifically in the presence of selected AR ligands. Subsequently, we …

Heparin Modulates The 99-Loop Of Factor Ixa: Effects On Reactivity With Isolated Kunitz-Type Inhibitor Domains, Pierre F. Neuenschwander, Stephen R. Williamson, Armen Nalian, Kimberly J. Baker-Deadmond

Faculty Publications

Reactivity of factor IXa with basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor is enhanced by low molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin). Previous studies by us have suggested that this effect involves allosteric modulation of factor IXa. We examined the reactivity of factor IXa with several isolated Kunitz-type inhibitor domains: basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, the Kunitz inhibitor domain of protease Nexin-2, and the first two inhibitor domains of tissue factor pathway inhibitor. We find that enhancement of factor IXa reactivity by enoxaparin is greatest for basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (>10-fold), followed by the second tissue factor pathway inhibitor domain (1.7-fold) and the Kunitz inhibitor …

Critical Evaluation Of The Claims Made By Pharmaceutical Companies In Drug Promotional Material In Pakistan, Dileep Kumar Rohra, Anwarul Hassan Gilani, Ismail Kamal Memon, Ghazala Perven, Muhammad Talha Khan, Hina Zafar, Rakesh Kumar

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background: In Pakistan, there is no mechanism to monitor the drug promotional campaign by pharmaceutical industry despite the fact that there is enough evidence that irrational pharmacotherapy is increasingly encountered even in the developed countries due to unethical practices of pharmaceutical promotion. Objectives. To audit the drug promotional claims made by the pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan.
Methods: Drug promotional pamphlets and brochures containing claims for the drugs, which were circulated by the pharmaceuticalrepresentatives were collected from 122 general practitioners (GPs) from Karachi and Larkana cities of the Sindh Province. The claims were critically analyzed and audited with the help of …