Molecular, Genetic, and Biochemical Nutrition Commons^™

Brown And Beige Adipocytes: Effects Of Inflammation And Nutritional Intervention, Jiyoung Bae

Doctoral Dissertations

Recent findings of brown adipocytes and brown-like or beige adipocytes, capable of dissipating energy as heat, in adult humans have promised new hope for obesity treatment and prevention. Understanding of the regulation of brown and beige adipocytes will provide novel strategies to reach the goal. Pattern recognition receptors (PRR) are responsible for inflammation in adipose tissue, which leads to adipose dysfunction and obesity associated chronic diseases. It has been shown that PRR activation induces inflammation, leading to insulin resistance in white adipocytes and white adipose tissue (WAT). However, the roles of PRR activation in brown adipocytes and brown adipose tissue …

Improving Extraction Of Allergenic Soy Proteins From Soy Products, Amma Konadu Amponsah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With recent increase in the utilization of soy proteins, there are mounting concerns of the escalation of soy allergies. It is, therefore, important to improve current methods of allergen detection to ensure accurate labeling of foods, produce more reliable and representative results in studies to create hypoallergenic food and establish allergen thresholds. The conditions used to extract proteins from foods are important determinants for appropriate detection and interpretation of the allergenicity of food materials. The extraction of soy proteins for soy allergen detections is conventionally performed with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) buffer for an extraction period of at least 2 …

Molecular Mechanisms Linking Amino Acid (Leucine) Deprivation To Igfbp-1 Hyperphosphorylation In Fetal Growth Restriction, Niyati M. Malkani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this study, we explore the molecular mechanisms linking amino acid (leucine) deprivation to IGFBP-1 hyperphosphorylation in vitro. During pregnancy, a maladaptive fetal response to in utero amino acid deprivation leads to Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR). FGR infants display elevated phosphorylated IGFBP-1, which is associated with decreased IGF-I bioavailability. Leucine deprivation inhibits mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and stimulates the amino acid response (AAR). Using HepG2 cells, a model for fetal hepatocytes, we demonstrate that in leucine deprivation, the AAR modulates total and phosphorylated IGFBP-1 while mTOR mediates total IGFBP-1 secretion only. We also reveal that protein kinases …

Exploring Novel Environmental Link To Obesity: Role Of Parabens In Adipogenesis In Vitro And In Vivo, Pan Hu

Doctoral Dissertations

Parabens are a group of alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid that include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and benzylparaben. Paraben esters and their salts are widely used as preservatives in cosmetics, toiletries, food, and pharmaceuticals. Humans are exposed to parabens through the use of such products from dermal contact, ingestion, and inhalation. The extent of the exposure is reflected by the frequent detection of these compounds in urine samples in the general population. Moreover, parabens have been detected in human serum, milk, placental tissues and breast tumor tissues. Parabens have been shown to preserve estrogenic/antiandrogenic effects, and can activate peroxisome proliferator-activated …

Zhx2 Regulation Of Lipid Metabolism And The Balance Between Cardiovascular And Hepatic Health, Kate Townsend Creasy

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

The growing obesity epidemic in America carries with it numerous health risks, including diabetes, increased serum lipid levels, and excess fat accumulation in the liver. If these conditions persist or become exacerbated, they may lead to the development of cardiovascular disease, the current leading cause of death among Americans, or to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Better understanding of the genes involved in these diseases can lead to improved identification of at-risk individuals and treatment strategies.

Our lab previously identified zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2 (Zhx2) …

Novel Role Of Intestinal Lipid Transport In Food Allergy And Cholesterol Homeostasis, Jianing Li

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

The small intestine is the main organ for food digestion and nutrient absorption. It is constantly exposed to antigen and immunomodulatory agents from diet and commensal microbiota. Thus, the intestine is the largest compartment of the immune system in the body. Peanuts and many other allergen resources contain triglycerides, which may affect the antigen absorption through the intestine, but their effects on sensitization and anaphylaxis are unknown. We found that medium chain triglycerides (MCT) promoted antigen absorption into Peyer’s Patches, rather than into the blood directly. Both gavage and feeding of MCT plus peanut protein induced spontaneous allergic sensitization. MCT-sensitized …