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Theses and Dissertations

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Articles 481 - 510 of 662

Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology

The Heat Capacity And Thermodynamic Properties Of The Iron Oxides And Their Relation To The Mineral Core Of The Iron Storage Protein Ferritin, Claine Lindsey Morton Snow Feb 2010

The Heat Capacity And Thermodynamic Properties Of The Iron Oxides And Their Relation To The Mineral Core Of The Iron Storage Protein Ferritin, Claine Lindsey Morton Snow

Theses and Dissertations

The iron oxides are a group of materials with geological, biological, and technological importance. A thermodynamic understanding of these materials is important because it provides information about their relative stabilities, chemical reactivity, and transformations. This study provides the heat capacity of a nanocrystalline magnetite (Fe3O4) sample, bulk hematite (α-Fe2O3), nanocrystalline hematite, akaganéite (β-FeOOH), and lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) at temperatures as low as 0.5 K. These measurements were fit to theoretical functions at temperatures lower than 15 K, and the respective thermophysical properties of these materials are discussed. Also the molar entropies of bulk hematite and hydrous nanocrystalline hematite as well as …

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Biochemical Characterization Of Suppressor Of Ikk-Ε And Nak-Associated Protein 1, Jonathan Forbes Jan 2010

Biochemical Characterization Of Suppressor Of Ikk-Ε And Nak-Associated Protein 1, Jonathan Forbes

Theses and Dissertations

Innate immunity provides the first line of defense against invading pathogen by recognizing and mounting a response to the pathogenic challenge. Among the cellular mechanisms of the innate immune response, Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) recognizes viral dsRNA and signals subsequent production of type-I interferon. The TLR3:interferon signaling cascades contains a kinase complex composed of two kinases and a scaffold protein, NAK-associated protein 1 (NAP1). The role of NAP1 in modulating kinase activation or regulation is unknown. A key inhibitory protein identified in the TLR3:interferon pathway, silencer of inhibitor of κBα kinase ε (SIKE), blocks the activity of this kinase complex …

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Ipla2Β, Alternative Splicing And Apoptosis Of Pancreatic Islets, Bhargavi Emani Jan 2010

Ipla2Β, Alternative Splicing And Apoptosis Of Pancreatic Islets, Bhargavi Emani

Theses and Dissertations

Ceramides are bioactive lipids that can promote splicing of apoptosis-related genes, including caspase 9 and BCL-x. A recent study demonstrated that expression of neutral sphingomyelinase (NSMase), an enzyme that hydrolyzes sphingomyelins to generate ceramide, is regulated by Group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β)-dependent mechanism during β-cell apoptosis. This prompted us to hypothesize that iPLA2 is upstream of ceramide generation in the process regulating splicing of apoptotic genes. To test this, Jurkat T cells were treated with the selective inhibitor of iPLA2β, bromoenol lactone (BEL), RNA was isolated and converted to cDNA, and caspase 9 and BCL-x mRNA viii species were amplified …

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Influence Of Retinal States On The Development And Maintenance Of Retinofugal Projections, Duncan Morhardt Jan 2010

Influence Of Retinal States On The Development And Maintenance Of Retinofugal Projections, Duncan Morhardt

Theses and Dissertations

Vision provides a critical interface with the physical world. This work examines visual development and vision loss in mice to glean the influence of the retinal state on visual connections. I first assessed the impact of retinal activity on the eye-specific segregation of retinal afferents in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of young Gβ5 -/- mice. Gβ5 is the fifth member of the β subfamily of heterotrimeric G proteins. Gβ5 binds and stabilizes the R7 family of regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS), which accelerate Gi/o GTP hydrolysis. Gβ5 -/- mice, which lack R7RGS activity, have malformed synapses in the outer …

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Cell-Cell Junction Signaling Regulating Dna Double-Strand Break Repair In Breast Cells, Sinduja Ethiraj Jan 2010

Cell-Cell Junction Signaling Regulating Dna Double-Strand Break Repair In Breast Cells, Sinduja Ethiraj

Theses and Dissertations

Genomic instability and acquisition of invasiveness through the basement membrane extracellular matrix (ECM) are two major processes for epithelial cell malignancy in breast cancer. DNA double-strand break repair (DSBR) is one of the processes that get misregulated during breast cancer progression. In addition, radiation induced breaks such as those induced during radiation therapy to treat breast cancer patients are repaired by DSBR, rendering this pathway relevant for therapy as well. DSBR can occur either by homologous recombination (HR) or non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). HR is accepted as the more error-free pathway. HR is regulated by the cell cycle status such that …

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Studies On Inositol Polyphosphates And Their Role In Programmed Cell Death, Rakhee Agarwal Dec 2009

Studies On Inositol Polyphosphates And Their Role In Programmed Cell Death, Rakhee Agarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The agents that induce apoptosis in cancerous cells are considered as potential candidates for cancer therapy. Inositol polyphosphates, the naturally occurring compounds, regulate diverse cellular processes including induction of apoptosis in certain cancerous cells and hence can be considered as potential anticancer agents. The aim of this research dissertation was to establish firmly the role of inositol polyphosphates in induction of apoptosis by examining their mechanism of action. The overall hypothesis was that alterations in intracellular levels of inositol polyphosphates would bring about apoptotic changes. The hypothesis was tested by changing endogenous inositol polyphosphates by way of chemical treatments known …

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Progress Toward The Total Synthesis Of Lyconadin A, Yu Zhang Dec 2009

Progress Toward The Total Synthesis Of Lyconadin A, Yu Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Lyconadin A is a pentacyclic Lycopodium alkaloid isolated from the club moss Lycopodium complanatum with antitumor properties. We have developed a novel 7-exo/6-exo acyl radical cascade cyclization as a method of making the bicyclo[5.4.0]undecane ring system of lyconadin A. The model products are trans-fused ring systems, while a cis-fused ring system is needed in lyconadin A. We have discovered a method to convert the trans-fused model cascade cyclization product into the desired cis isomer. Based on Donohoe's pyridone synthesis, we developed a method for the construction of 5-alkyl and 3,5-dialkyl-6-carbomethoxy-2-pyridones, the former of which …

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Synthesis And Evaluation Of N6,5'-Bis-Ureido-5'-Amino-5'-Deoxyadenosine Derivatives: Novel Nucleosides With Antiproliferative And Protein Kinase Binding Activities, Marcelio Oliveira Nov 2009

Synthesis And Evaluation Of N6,5'-Bis-Ureido-5'-Amino-5'-Deoxyadenosine Derivatives: Novel Nucleosides With Antiproliferative And Protein Kinase Binding Activities, Marcelio Oliveira

Theses and Dissertations

A new series of N6,5'-bis-ureido-5'-amino-5'-deoxyadenosine derivatives was prepared and evaluated for anticancer activities using the NCI 60 panel of human cancers. Certain of the derivatives showed promising activities (low micromolar GI50's) against several of the representative cancers. These included cell lines from the following general cell types in the NCI 60: Leukemia, Breast, Central Nervous System, Non-Small Cell Lung, Ovarian, Prostate, Renal, and Colon cancers. Select compounds were also screened for their affinities for protein kinases. The synthesis of the compounds was straightforward and involved N6 acylation with arylisocyanates, preceded by activation and nucleophilic substitution of the 5'-position to give …

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Pore Size Characterization Of Monolithic Capillary Columns Using Capillary Flow Porometry, Yan Fang Sep 2009

Pore Size Characterization Of Monolithic Capillary Columns Using Capillary Flow Porometry, Yan Fang

Theses and Dissertations

A simple capillary flow porometer (CFP) was assembled for pore structure characterization of monolithic capillary liquid chromatography columns based on ASTM standard F316-86. Determination of differential pressures and flow rates through dry and wet samples provided the necessary information to determine the through-pore throat diameter, bubble point pore diameter, mean flow pore diameter, and pore distribution. Unlike measurements in bulk using traditional techniques to provide indirect information about the pore properties of monolithic columns, monoliths can be characterized in their original chromatographic forms with this system. The performance of the new CFP was first evaluated by characterizing the pore size …

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The Regulation Of Alternative Splicing By Oncogenic Signaling Pathways., Jacqueline Shultz Sep 2009

The Regulation Of Alternative Splicing By Oncogenic Signaling Pathways., Jacqueline Shultz

Theses and Dissertations

In the presented study, we demonstrate that the alternative splicing of caspase 9 was dysregulated in a large percentage of NSCLC tumors and cell lines. These findings led to the hypothesis that survival pathways activated by oncogenic mutation regulated this mechanism. Indeed, the oncogenic PI3-Kinase/Akt pathway was demonstrated to regulate the alternative splicing of caspase 9. Further mechanistic studies demonstrate that multiple Akt isoforms can regulate the alternative splicing of caspase 9 in NSCLC. Akt was additionally shown to mediate the exclusion of the exon 3,4,5,6 cassette of caspase 9 via the phospho-state of the RNA trans-factor, SRp30a. Mutagenesis studies …

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Gas Phase Chiral Recognition, Characterization Of Porous Polymer Monolith Nanospray Ionization, And The Negative Mode Crafti Method Using Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry, Nannan Fang Sep 2009

Gas Phase Chiral Recognition, Characterization Of Porous Polymer Monolith Nanospray Ionization, And The Negative Mode Crafti Method Using Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry, Nannan Fang

Theses and Dissertations

Our group has been studying chiral recognition in gas phase using mass spectrometry for more than 10 years. We are interested in gas phase studies of fundamental interactions because the gas phase avoids complications and masking effects that may arise upon solvation. Therefore, the results of gas phase experiments can be directly compared with those of high-level computational studies. In chapter 2, I studied the roles of hydrogen bonding and pi stacking in gas phase chiral recognition between aromatic crown molecules and aromatic amines. High affinity between host and guest doesn't necessarily result in better recognition. If the affinity is …

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Total Synthesis Of (-)-Acutumine, Fang Li Aug 2009

Total Synthesis Of (-)-Acutumine, Fang Li

Theses and Dissertations

Acutumine is a tetracyclic alkaloid isolated from the Asian vine Menispermum dauricum with selective T-cell cytotoxicity and antiamnestic properties. We have developed a total synthetic route to this congested alkaloid, during which we also found a novel, stereoselective radical-crossover reaction that combines an intramolecular radical conjugate addition with a subsequent enolate hydroxylation. Key features of this synthesis also include a reagent-controlled diastereoselective ketone allylation, an anionic oxy-Cope rearrangement to form a congested quaternary sterocenter, a pyridine-mediated selective ozonolysis, and a Lewis acid promoted Michael-type cyclization.

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Development Of Biocompatible Polymer Monoliths For The Analysis Of Proteins And Peptides, Yun Li Aug 2009

Development Of Biocompatible Polymer Monoliths For The Analysis Of Proteins And Peptides, Yun Li

Theses and Dissertations

Biocompatibility is an important issue for the development of chromatographic stationary phases for the analysis of biomolecules (including proteins and peptides). A biocompatible stationary phase material is a material that resists nonspecific adsorption of biomolecules and does not interact with them in a way that would alter or destroy their structures or biochemical functions. The monolithic column format is a good alternative to typical spherical particle packed columns for capillary liquid chromatography of biomacromolecules. Several novel anion-exchange polymer monoliths for the analysis of proteins were synthesized for improved biocompatibility. Two novel polymeric monoliths were prepared in a single step by …

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Real-Time Virus Analysis Via Image Charge Detection Surface Induced Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Seth T. Call Aug 2009

Real-Time Virus Analysis Via Image Charge Detection Surface Induced Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Seth T. Call

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports on the development of a novel mass spectrometer combining image charge detection with surface induced dissociation for real-time analysis of intact viruses. Protonated viruses produced using electrospray are accelerated and subsequently impact on a solid surface. Capsid peptides released during the impact are analyzed using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Image charge detection is used to measure the mass and charge states of structurally intact, electrosprayed viruses prior to impact. Since virus capsids are composed of loosely-bound proteins, collision of viruses with surfaces at moderate impact energies could release intact proteins. The masses and numbers of different protein types …

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Design And Characterization Of A Human Exposure Chamber And Inversion Episodes In Salt Lake City, Utah In January/February Of 2009, Roman Yuri Kuprov Aug 2009

Design And Characterization Of A Human Exposure Chamber And Inversion Episodes In Salt Lake City, Utah In January/February Of 2009, Roman Yuri Kuprov

Theses and Dissertations

Research on health effects of particulate matter (PM) has been a very active area in the last two decades. One plausible mechanism by which exposure to PM affects human health includes modification of autonomic endothelium function. Decreased endothelium activity causes heightened risks of cardiovascular disease. A human exposure chamber designed to conduct experiments to quantify diminished function of endothelium from short term exposure to PM is described. The chamber consists of two stages for containment and pre-treatment of PM and exposure of human subjects. Concentrations of CO, CO2, NO, NO2, O3, and PM2.5, are monitored and controlled in the exposure …

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Lysophosphatidic Acid Is A Mediator Of Interleukin-6 Production In Ovarian Cancer Cells, David Dang Jul 2009

Lysophosphatidic Acid Is A Mediator Of Interleukin-6 Production In Ovarian Cancer Cells, David Dang

Theses and Dissertations

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a naturally occurring bioactive lysophospholipid that mediates a broad range of cellular processes such as cell proliferation, survival, migration and invasion. LPA also plays a potential role in human oncogenesis as suggested by elevated expression of its receptors and its producing enzymes in malignant tissues. In the current study, we demonstrated that LPA is a potent mediator of interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in ovarian cancer. IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine which is thought to be an important mediator of ovarian cancer development and progression. Here, we demonstrated that IL-6 levels are indeed increased in the plasma of …

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A Top-Down Proteomic Approach For The Discovery Of Novel Serum Biomarkers Of Pregnancy-Related Disease, Karen Merrell Jul 2009

A Top-Down Proteomic Approach For The Discovery Of Novel Serum Biomarkers Of Pregnancy-Related Disease, Karen Merrell

Theses and Dissertations

The serum fraction of blood is an ideal material in which to search for novel biomarkers for disease. It is easily obtained through relatively non-invasive means, routinely collected, and a rich treasure-trove of information about the health of an individual. Cells react to signal molecules, take up nutrients, and release waste products, fragments that are the result of proteolysis, and other molecules out into the bloodstream. If these components are unique to the cells in question, that part of the complex mixture that is the blood stream can potentially characterize the health of the tissue or organ those cells are …

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The Regulation Of Platelet Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase By Oxidized Phospholipids, Rachael Griffiths Jul 2009

The Regulation Of Platelet Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase By Oxidized Phospholipids, Rachael Griffiths

Theses and Dissertations

Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAFAH) is elevated in atherosclerosis and may play a role in pathogenesis of this disease. Molecular mechanisms regulating the expression of this lipoprotein-associated PLA2 are indistinct. Mildy oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and monocytes (the primary source of PAFAH) are co-localized in early atheromas. Monocytes are activated by oxidized phospholipids (oxPL) in the oxLDL particle. We hypothesized that oxPL-activated monocytes are the source of increased levels of PAFAH in atherosclerosis. We found that PAFAH expression is significantly induced by OxPAPC and in particular long-chain fractions of oxPAPC in monocytes and cytokine-differentiated DC, but not cytokine-differentiated MO. Furthermore, …

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Analysis Of Secreted Phosphoprotein-24 And Its Effects During Osteoblast Differentiation In A Mesenchymal Stem Cell Model, Vasquez Jochen Granja Jul 2009

Analysis Of Secreted Phosphoprotein-24 And Its Effects During Osteoblast Differentiation In A Mesenchymal Stem Cell Model, Vasquez Jochen Granja

Theses and Dissertations

Musculoskeletal diseases, in particular osteoporosis, are increasingly becoming more prevalent in the U.S. due to the ageing population (Figure1). It is estimated that one-sixth of 300 million people in U.S. suffer from bone disorders or loss. About 10 million of those people above age 50 suffer from osteoporosis. Patients that suffer from osteoporosis have high morbidity and mortality rates. For instance, patients have decreased bone mineral density (BMD), a measurement of bone density that reflects the strength of bone as represented by calcium content. A decrease in BMD typically leads to an increased risk of bone fractures. In particular, hip …

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Synergistic Growth Inhibition And Enhancement Of Cell Death By Combination Of Melanoma Differentiation Associated Gene-7 (Mda-7/Il-24) And Cisplatin In Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines, Renyan Liu Jul 2009

Synergistic Growth Inhibition And Enhancement Of Cell Death By Combination Of Melanoma Differentiation Associated Gene-7 (Mda-7/Il-24) And Cisplatin In Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines, Renyan Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy among women. The current first-line treatments for ovarian cancer are cisplatin, carboplatin and paclitaxel. However, resistance to these platinum-based drugs occurs in the large majority of initially responsive tumors, resulting in fully chemoresistant, fatal disease. Therefore, the resistance to cisplatin therapy has been a critical hurdle in the management of recurrent ovarian cancer. The mechanisms responsible for cisplatin resistance are not completely understood. In the search for new therapies to overcome/bypass cisplatin resistance, melanoma differentiation gene-7 (MDA-7) IL-24, which is a new cytokine, has anti-cancer efficacy by suppressing cell growth and inducing …

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Intracellular Targets Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate, Graham Michael Strub Jul 2009

Intracellular Targets Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate, Graham Michael Strub

Theses and Dissertations

The bioactive lipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has emerged as a key regulator of a variety of important physiological functions, including cell growth, cell survival, cell motility, angiogenesis, lymphocyte trafficking, and mast cell function. S1P is formed by two different sphingosine kinases (SphKs) and binds to a family of 5 differentially expressed G-protein coupled receptors (S1PRs). The majority of research to date has focused on the activation of these receptors, but there is compelling evidence to suggest that S1P exerts intracellular functions independent of S1PRs. However no bona fide intracellular targets of S1P have been identified. In my dissertation, I have …

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Ion Transport Behaviors Upstream And Downstream From The Sampling Cone Of An Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, Haibin Ma Jul 2009

Ion Transport Behaviors Upstream And Downstream From The Sampling Cone Of An Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, Haibin Ma

Theses and Dissertations

Inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is the technique of choice worldwide for trace elemental determinations because of its excellent ionization ability, low detection limits and fast analysis speeds. However, the ICP-MS still suffers from some disadvantages, such as spectral overlap and severe matrix effects. Matrix effects or interferences, partly arise from changes in the analyte transmission through the interfacial region between the ICP and mass spectrometer with changes in sample matrix. Better understanding of the transmission behaviors of analyte through the sampling and skimmer cones will provide the insights needed to alleviate matrix interferences and to improve the …

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Relaxation Of Vibrationally Excited Trifluorobenzene And Tetrafluorobenzene By Collisions With Carbon Dioxide, Alan M. Johnson Jul 2009

Relaxation Of Vibrationally Excited Trifluorobenzene And Tetrafluorobenzene By Collisions With Carbon Dioxide, Alan M. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

An investigation into the relaxation of highly vibrationally excited trifluorobenzene and tetrafluorobenzene following collisions with carbon dioxide was performed using diode laser transient absorption spectroscopy. A 248 nm excimer laser prepared the vibrationally hot (E'~41,000 cm-1) fluorobenzene molecules. Large amounts of translational and rotational energy are transferred through collisions between the hot donor molecule and CO2. Rate constants and collisional probabilities were calculated by probing the high J states (J=58~80) of CO2 in the vibrational ground state, 0000, with measurements taken 1 µsec, ¼ the mean gas collision time, following each excimer laser pulse. The energy transfer probability distribution function, …

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Sphingosine Kinase 1 Inhibitor, A Novel Inducer Of Autophagy, Daniel Meza Jul 2009

Sphingosine Kinase 1 Inhibitor, A Novel Inducer Of Autophagy, Daniel Meza

Theses and Dissertations

Autophagy is the process of “cell self-eating” which has been implicated both in cell survival and cell death. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) regulates the intracellular balance between ceramide and sphingosine, bioactive lipids associated with cell death, and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), whose actions are associated with survival and proliferation. Previous studies have implicated upregulation of SphK1 in the induction of autophagy. In this study, SK1-I, a SphK1 specific competitive inhibitor, induced autophagy in a concentration and time dependent manner in HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cells. This autophagic response was observed to be more intense in wild type p53 expressing HCT116 cells than in …

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The Role Of Smpb In The Early Stages Of Trans-Translation, Deanna June Cazier Jul 2009

The Role Of Smpb In The Early Stages Of Trans-Translation, Deanna June Cazier

Theses and Dissertations

Ribosomes stall on defective messenger RNA transcripts in eubacteria. Without a mechanism to release stalled ribosomes, these cells would die. Transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) and small protein B (SmpB) reactivate stalled ribosomes in a process known as trans-translation. Together, tmRNA and SmpB mimic alanyl-tRNA, entering the A site of stalled ribosomes and accepting transfer of the stalled polypeptide. A portion of tmRNA is then positioned as a template for the ribosome to resume translating. The tmRNA open reading frame encodes a proteolysis tag to mark the aberrant polypeptide for degradation and a stop codon to release the ribosome. How are tmRNA …

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Novel Cinchona Alkoloid Derived Ammonium Salts As Phase-Transfer Catalysts For The Asymmetric Synthesis Of Beta-Hydroxy Alpha-Amino Acids Via Aldol Reactions And Total Synthesis Of Celogentin C., Bing Ma Jun 2009

Novel Cinchona Alkoloid Derived Ammonium Salts As Phase-Transfer Catalysts For The Asymmetric Synthesis Of Beta-Hydroxy Alpha-Amino Acids Via Aldol Reactions And Total Synthesis Of Celogentin C., Bing Ma

Theses and Dissertations

Project I. Cinchona alkaloid-derived quaternary ammonium salts have been successfully used as phase-transfer catalysts, particularly in asymmetric alkylations. Our group applied this type of catalyst in the synthesis of β-hydroxy α-amino acids via aldol reactions and discovered that the Park-Jew catalyst afforded good yields and good enantiomeric excess of the syn diasteromers, but negligible diastereoselectivity. This project was therefore focused on the synthesis of novel cinchonidine-derived catalysts with the Park-Jew catalyst as the lead structure. The C3 position of cinchonidine nucleus was modified to achieve dimers and catalysts possessing electron-deficient alkyne and alkene moieties. Synthesized catalysts were tested in the …

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Production Of Recombinant Injectosome And Outer Membrane Proteins From Yersinia Pestis Kim5, Jeremiah N. Betz Jun 2009

Production Of Recombinant Injectosome And Outer Membrane Proteins From Yersinia Pestis Kim5, Jeremiah N. Betz

Theses and Dissertations

Molecular biology techniques and low cost reagents have lowered the barriers to entry for development of biological arsenals by non-state and state groups. Additionally, genetic engineering of epitope targets from such pathogens as Y. pestis would annul current detection methods and therapeutic treatments. Vaccines often have short shelf lives and are of minimal utility if not used prior to exposure to BW agents. Camelidae, including camels and llamas produce unique antibodies termed Nanobodies® (Nbs) or antigen specific fragments (VHH) which are much smaller than traditional antibodies (15 vs. ~150 kDal) yet seem to attach with the same …

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Expression Of Chemokines And Vegfs In Hnscc, Crystal Cunningham May 2009

Expression Of Chemokines And Vegfs In Hnscc, Crystal Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide. The 5-year survival rate when the cancer remains as a primary tumor is 81% but when it metastasizes to distant sites, defined as a metastatic cancer, it decreases dramatically to 26%. Approaches to prevent these cancers from undergoing these metastatic changes can greatly improve the survival and outcome of these cancer victims. This current study is examining the expression profiles of chemokines and VEGFs in HNSCC. By investigation the underlying pathways involved in the expressions of chemokines and VEGFS we hope to sort out the transcriptional …

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Genetic Analysis Of Ribosome Stalling And Rescue, Douglas Ray Tanner May 2009

Genetic Analysis Of Ribosome Stalling And Rescue, Douglas Ray Tanner

Theses and Dissertations

In eubacteria, ribosome stalling on broken messenger RNA transcripts can lead to cell death. The trans-translation quality control mechanism rescues many of these stalled ribosomes. In this process, tmRNA enters stalled ribosomes by mimicking a transfer RNA, accepting the stalled nascent peptide. The ribosome then releases the broken mRNA and resumes translation on a coding region within tmRNA itself. Translation of tmRNA marks the nascent peptide for destruction by the addition of a short proteolysis tag and the ribosome is released at a stop codon within the tmRNA open reading frame. An intriguing aspect of trans-translation is that …

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Synthesis And Evaluation Of Stimulatory Properties Of Glycolipids For Natural Killer T Cells, Xiangtian Long May 2009

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Stimulatory Properties Of Glycolipids For Natural Killer T Cells, Xiangtian Long

Theses and Dissertations

Natural killer T cells (NKT cells) are a subset of T cells. They regulate a wide range of diseases including infection, tumor growth, and autoimmune diseases, through recognizing glycolipid antigens in the context of CD1d. An understanding of the scope of glycolipid antigens would facilitate use of this cell type in controlling immune responses. Till today, a lysosomal glycolipid, isoglobotrihexosylceramide (iGb3), is the only natural glycolipid that has been found to be recognized by both human and mouse NKT cells. To elucidate the molecular basis of this specific recognition, iGb3 variants were designed and prepared: i) replacement of the C26 …

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