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Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons

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

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

2015

Articles 1 - 11 of 11

Full-Text Articles in Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health

Differential Effects Of The Ahr On Immunoglobulin Gene Expression In Human B Cells, Naga Lakshmi Kaulini Burra Jan 2015

Differential Effects Of The Ahr On Immunoglobulin Gene Expression In Human B Cells, Naga Lakshmi Kaulini Burra

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2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent and persistent environmental toxin known to inhibit immunoglobulin (Ig) gene expression in various animal models. TCDD is thought to modulate gene expression through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and thereby a subsequent alteration in gene expression. The AhR is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. The mouse 3'Ig heavy chain regulatory region (3'IghRR) is a sensitive transcriptional target of TCDD that may mediate, in an AhR-dependent manner, the inhibitory effect of TCDD on Ig expression. Human B cells could also be a sensitive target of TCDD. The current study focuses on determining the …


The Role Of Nkcc2a On The Nervous System Activity, Kavya Annu Jan 2015

The Role Of Nkcc2a On The Nervous System Activity, Kavya Annu

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The NKCC2A is a splice variant of the Na+K+2Cl- co-transporter 2 (Slc12a1), which is abundantly expressed in macula densa and in the apical membrane of the tubular cells in the kidney. Most of our knowledge regarding NKCC2 function is limited to the kidney, the organ where NKCC2 is abundantly expressed. However, recent studies have demonstrated that NKCC2 is also expressed in extra-renal tissues. This study was designed to determine if NKCC2A, a splice variant of NKCC2 has an impact on behavior and nervous system activity of mice. To these ends, we used mice (wild type, WT), lacking a single or …


Developing Proteomic And Cytokine Biomarkers For Vulvodynia, Ashvin Iyer Jan 2015

Developing Proteomic And Cytokine Biomarkers For Vulvodynia, Ashvin Iyer

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Vulvodynia is a chronic, heterogeneous, and multifactorial disease. This condition may affect up to 18 percent of the female population including Caucasians, African Americans, Africans and Hispanics particularly those sexually active at child bearing age. The etiology of this condition is complex and multifactorial and it is frequently accompanied by physical disabilities, psychological distress and sexual dysfunction. Clinically, vulvodynia can be generalized or localized and pain can be provoked or unprovoked. Patients may also describe vulvar paresthesias or dysesthesias that may last hours. The International Society for the Study of Vulvar Disease (ISSVD) recognizes vulvar pain related to a specific …


Role Of Angiotensin Ii Type 1a Receptors On Renal And Urinary Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) And Neprilysin (Nep) In The Two-Kidney One-Clip (2k1c) Model Of Renovascular Hypertension, Laale F. Alawi Jan 2015

Role Of Angiotensin Ii Type 1a Receptors On Renal And Urinary Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) And Neprilysin (Nep) In The Two-Kidney One-Clip (2k1c) Model Of Renovascular Hypertension, Laale F. Alawi

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Activation of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) and increased formation of angiotensin (Ang) II contribute to the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Ang II, the major biologically active peptide of RAS, acts mainly as a vasoconstrictor through binding to the Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R), which leads to increased blood pressure, fluid retention, and aldosterone secretion. The actions of Ang II are antagonized by its conversion to the vasodilator Ang (1-7), partly generated by the action of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and/or neprilysin (NEP). The metalloprotease ADAM17 has a crucial role in the shedding of renal ACE2 …


Na+/K+ Pump And Cl--Coupled Na+ And K+ Co-Transporters In Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts Lacking The Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Tsc1 And Tsc2 Genes., Jasser Ali S. Alzhrani Jan 2015

Na+/K+ Pump And Cl--Coupled Na+ And K+ Co-Transporters In Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts Lacking The Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Tsc1 And Tsc2 Genes., Jasser Ali S. Alzhrani

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The tuberous sclerosis complex 1 and 2 (TSC1 and TSC2) genes and their products hamartin and tuberin, respectively, are involved in several regulatory cellular mechanisms, including the mTOR pathway that is important for proliferation, cell migration, and protein synthesis. In addition, it has been suggested that this pathway plays a role in regulating Na+-K+-2Cl- and K+-Cl- cotransporters (NKCC and KCC, respectively) [41, 42, 43]. Therefore, the TSC1 and TSC2 genes are expected to play a significant role in regulating cell volume, and K+ and Cl- homeostasis. This study tests the hypothesis that the TSC1 and TSC2 genes, which control cell …


Expression Of Aquaporins In Mouse Choroid Plexus And Ependymal Cells, Pankaj Patyal Jan 2015

Expression Of Aquaporins In Mouse Choroid Plexus And Ependymal Cells, Pankaj Patyal

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The choroid plexuses (CPs) are highly vascularized epithelial structures lying in the brain ventricles, forming the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier. CPs are composed of a monolayer of cuboidal epithelial cells, derived from ependymal cells (EPCs), joined by tight junctions, and surrounding a core of fenestrated capillaries. Choroid plexus epithelial cells (CPECs) secrete most of the CSF through poorly understood mechanisms that involve aquaporins (AQPs) and various solute transport proteins like the Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter 1 (NKCC1). It is thought that the concerted action of these membrane proteins directs the transepithelial movement of solutes and water across CPECs. Net water movement across …


Effect Of Progesterone, Terbutaline And Leptin On The Function Of Alveolar Type Ii Cells, Shamili Sammohi Jan 2015

Effect Of Progesterone, Terbutaline And Leptin On The Function Of Alveolar Type Ii Cells, Shamili Sammohi

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The "surfactant" produced by type II pneumonocytes is deficient in term and preterm infants born and diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone or betamethasone are clinically used as the primary line of treatment to stimulate the production of surfactant. The steroidal hormone, progesterone appears to play a role in the fetal lung development and also appears to increase the expression of inflammatory markers in both term and preterm infants. However, the impact of progesterone on surfactant production remains unknown. Like progesterone, the tocolytic drug terbutaline has also been implicated in phosphatidylcholine production in the pneumonocytes of …


Identification And Quantification Of The Collagen Type I, Iii And V In Rabbit Patellar Tendons, Mahesh Chandra Kodali Jan 2015

Identification And Quantification Of The Collagen Type I, Iii And V In Rabbit Patellar Tendons, Mahesh Chandra Kodali

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Tendon injuries pose a great clinical challenge to orthopedic surgeons. Over 200,000 patients undergo tendon repair every year in the United States alone. The role of progression of a tendon injury is multifactorial as a lot of factors come into play during and after the injury at various phases of healing process. There is a still a vast requirement for thorough elucidation and understanding of the pathophysiology and the factors involved in the progression of tendon injury. Although the degenerative role of several MMPs and ADAMTs have been reported, yet there is very less information on the actual role and …


Endothelial Cell Derived Mvs And Exosomes: Release And Functional Study, Langni Liu Jan 2015

Endothelial Cell Derived Mvs And Exosomes: Release And Functional Study, Langni Liu

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Extracellular vesicles are membrane derived vesicles exists in all organs. The two major functioning extracellular vesicles are exosomes (EXMs) and microvesicles (MVs). EXMs released from cell membranes via exocytosis with size between 30-150 nm in diameter and MVs directly budded from plasma membrane and size between 100-1000 nm. Ceramide is one of the most important factor in lipid mechanism for EXM release and also associated with MV release. Ceramide generated from breakdown of sphingomyelin by neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase). In this study, we used an nSMase inhibitor (GW4869) and an analogue of ceramide (C6-ceramide) to modulate the release of MVs and …


Behavior Of Gold Nanoparticles In Physiological Environment And The Role Of Agglomeration And Fractal Dimension, Rose Cooper Jan 2015

Behavior Of Gold Nanoparticles In Physiological Environment And The Role Of Agglomeration And Fractal Dimension, Rose Cooper

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The Present study was designed to examine the role of agglomeration, density and the resulting fractal dimension of nanomaterials in cell culture media. Studies were completed on the kinetics and the process of agglomeration, as well as how to calculate fractal dimensions. The correlation of such complex agglomeration patterns of nanomaterials in culture media, their translocation into cells, and toxic effects were observed. Our results showed that smaller primary particles agglomerated at an accelerated rate when compared to the larger primary particles. They also demonstrated increased cellular uptake, but exhibited lower fractal dimensions. The larger primary particle agglomerates displayed obvious …


Interaction Between Na/ K-Atpase And Bcl-2 Proteins Bclxl And Bak, Tariq M. Alqahtani Jan 2015

Interaction Between Na/ K-Atpase And Bcl-2 Proteins Bclxl And Bak, Tariq M. Alqahtani

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In silico analysis predicts interaction between the Na/ K-ATPase (NKA) and Bcl-2 protein canonical motifs BH3 and BH1. Such interaction is consistent with NKA inhibition by the benzo-phenanthridine alkaloid chelerythrine (CHE), a BH3 mimetic, in human lens epithelial cells (HLEC). This report establishes proof of concept: co-immuno-precipitation and immuno-colocalization showed unequivocal and direct interaction between NKA and Bcl-2 proteins. Particularly, NKA-antibodies co-immunoprecipitated BclXl and BAK in three different epithelial cell lines, HLECs and A549 lung cancer cells, whereas anti-Bcl-2 antibodies failed to pull down NKA. The molecular mass of the BAK proteins pulled down by antibodies against NKA and BclXl …