Pharmacology Commons^™

Plastic Pollution, Fall/Winter 2019, Issue 39.2

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.

Plastic Pollution, Fall/Winter 2019, Issue 39

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.

Astragaloside Iii Enhances Anti-Tumor Response Of Nk Cells By Elevating Nkg2d And Ifn-Γ, Xingmeng Chen, Xi Chen, Junxiao Gao, Han Yang, Yue Duan, Benjamin Feng, Xin He, Xiaoqun Gong, Hanjie Wang, Xiaoli Wu, Jin Chang

Peer Reviewed Articles

Natural killer (NK) cells play an irreplaceable role in the development of colon cancer, in which antitumor function of NK cells was impaired. Astragaloside III is a natural compound from Astragalus that has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects in various systems. However, few studies have evaluated the antitumor effects of Astragaloside III through stimulating systemic immunity and regulating NK cells. In this study, flow cytometry, immunohistochemical analysis, and immunofunctional assays were performed to elucidate the functions of Astragaloside III in restoring antitumor function of NK cells. We demonstrated that Astragaloside III significantly elevated the expression of natural killer group …

Dual Inhibition Of The Pi3k/Akt And Mek5/Erk5 Pathways For The Treatment Of Breast Cancer, Thomas Douglas Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease state with several challenging frontiers. In particular, aberrations in the Phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) and Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways have been linked to increased breast cancer proliferation and survival. It has been proposed that these survival characteristics are enhanced through compensatory signaling and crosstalk mechanisms. New evidence suggests that MEK5/ERK5, a member of the MAPK family, is a crucial component in the proliferation and survival of several aggressive cancers. We hypothesize that inhibiting both PI3K/Akt and MEK5/ERK5 pathways will decrease cell viability while maintaining limited collateral toxicity. In this study, we examined the effects …

The Role Of Secretory Phospholipase A2 Group Iia In Obesity And Metabolism, Michael S. Kuefner

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2G2A) is a member of a family of secretory phospholipases previously implicated in inflammation, atherogenesis, and antibacterial actions. These enzymes hydrolyze glycerophospholipids at the sn-2 position releasing lysophospholipids and fatty acids. Though studies have shown PLA2G2A is pro-inflammatory and promotes atherosclerosis, no research has analyzed the role of this enzyme in obesity and metabolism. Studies in the past 5-10 years utilizing various knock- out or over-expression mouse models have analyzed the role of different secretory phospholipase A2s (sPLA2) in metabolic diseases. From these studies, it is known that at least seven of the 11 sPLA2 …

Investigation Of Riluzole’S Synaptic Protection Mechanism Through Hsf1-Bdnf Axis, Yi Zhang

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The FDA-approved amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug Riluzole has great potential in treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD) based on promising animal data as well as its known action on modulating synaptic transmission. However, its detailed mechanism of action is not fully understood. Here, we proposed work aiming to address this aspect via focus- ing on the Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1)-dependent mechanisms. We found that Riluzole could increase HSF1 and BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) expression both at transcriptional and translational levels. CA1 (Cornu Ammonia, the first region in the hip- pocampal circuit), is its main target. We also demonstrated a protective …

The Wet Bridge Transfer System: An Novel In Vitro Tool For Assessing Exogenous Surfactant As A Pulmonary Drug Delivery Vehicle, Brandon J. Baer

Western Research Forum

Background:

Due to its complex branching structure, direct drug delivery to the remote areas of the lung is a major challenge. Consequently, most therapies, such as those treating pulmonary infection and inflammation, must utilize large systemic dosing, with the potential for adverse side effects. A novel alternative strategy is to use exogenous surfactant, a material capable of distributing throughout the lung, as a pulmonary drug delivery vehicle.

Objective:

Utilize an in vitro transferring system to assess exogenous surfactant (BLES) as a pulmonary delivery vehicle for different therapeutics.

Methods:

An in vitro technique was developed to simultaneously study surfactant delivery and …

Developmental Expression Of The Cytosolic Sulfotransferases In Human Liver., Sarah Dubaisi, Joseph A. Caruso, R Gaedigk, Carrie A. Vyhlidal, Philip C. Smith, Ronald N. Hines, Thomas A. Kocarek, Melissa Runge-Morris

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The liver is the predominant organ of metabolism for many endogenous and foreign chemicals. Cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) catalyze the sulfonation of drugs and other xenobiotics, as well as hormones, neurotransmitters, and sterols, with consequences that include enhanced drug elimination, hormone inactivation, and procarcinogen bioactivation. SULTs are classified into six gene families, but only SULT1 and SULT2 enzymes are expressed in human liver. We characterized the developmental expression patterns of SULT1 and SULT2 mRNAs and proteins in human liver samples using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), RNA sequencing, and targeted quantitative proteomics. Using a set of prenatal, infant, and …

Reversal Of P-Glycoprotein And Breast Cancer Resistance Protein Mediated Multidrug Resistance In Vitro Using In Silico Identified Novel Compounds, Amila Nanayakkara

Biological Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major cause of chemotherapy failure. Overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) are two well-studied drug transporters which are associated with MDR. These two transporters also act as a major functional unit of the blood brain barrier to protect the brain from xenobiotics and toxins. Lack of clinically approved P-gp and BCRP inhibitors renders chemotherapy treatments of many MDR cancers ineffective and obstructs drug uptake into the brain.

Using computational methods, we have identified new compounds that inhibit P-gp (Brewer et al., Mol. Pharmacol. 2014). Several of …

Reversal Of P-Glycoprotein And Breast Cancer Resistance Protein Mediated Multidrug Resistance In Vitro Using In Silico Identified Novel Compounds, Amila Nanayakkara

Biological Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major cause of chemotherapy failure. Overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) are two well-studied drug transporters which are associated with MDR. These two transporters also act as a major functional unit of the blood brain barrier to protect the brain from xenobiotics and toxins. Lack of clinically approved P-gp and BCRP inhibitors renders chemotherapy treatments of many MDR cancers ineffective and obstructs drug uptake into the brain.

Using computational methods, we have identified new compounds that inhibit P-gp (Brewer et al., Mol. Pharmacol. 2014). Several of …

Novel Antiviral Effect Of A Small Molecule Onc201 And Its Potential Application In Hiv-1 Eradication, Runze Zhao

Theses & Dissertations

Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART), eradication of HIV-1 from brain reservoirs remains elusive. HIV-1 brain reservoirs include perivascular macrophages that are behind the blood-brain barrier and difficult to access by ART. Macrophages express transcription factor FOXO3a and the TNF superfamily cytokine TRAIL, which are known to target HIV-1-infected macrophages for viral suppression. ONC201 is a novel and potent FOXO3a activator capable of inducing TRAIL. It can cross the blood-brain barrier, and has shown an antitumor effect in clinical trials. We hypothesized that activation of FOXO3a/TRAIL by ONC201 will reduce the size of HIV-1 brain reservoirs. Using primary human …

Synthesis And Characterization Of A Long-Acting Emtricitabine Prodrug Nanoformulation, Ibrahim M. Ibrahim

Theses & Dissertations

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy led to a paradigm shift in the management of HIV/AIDS changing a disease considered “a death sentence” to “a manageable chronic disease”. Nevertheless, challenges exist for successful treatment of HIV, including patient adherence to the complex daily regimens and the inability of current formulations to target viral sanctuaries. Introduction of nanoformulated antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a promising alternative to tackle these challenges. Our laboratory has been focusing on developing long-acting (LA) nanoformulated antiretrovirals and has succeeded in developing LA integrase inhibitors. However, challenges for this approach extend to a range of short-acting hydrophilic …

Development Of A Long-Acting Nanoformulation Of Dolutegravir For Prevention And Treatment Of Hiv-1 Infection, Brady Sillman

Theses & Dissertations

Dolutegravir (DTG) is a potent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase strand-transfer inhibitor (INSTI) with a high barrier to viral drug resistance. However, opportunities to improve its profile abound. These include extending the drug’s apparent half-life, increasing penetrance to “putative” viral reservoirs, and reducing inherent toxicities. These highlight, in part, the need for long-acting, slow effective release antiretroviral therapy (LASER ART) delivery schemes. A long-acting (LA) DTG was made by synthesizing a hydrophobic and lipophilic prodrug encased with poloxamer (P407) surfactant. This modified DTG (MDTG) reduced systemic metabolism and polarity, increased lipophilicity and membrane permeability, improved encapsulation, and formed …

Development Of Bar-Peptide Nanoparticles And Electrospun Fibers For The Prevention And Treatment Of Oral Biofilms., Mohamed Yehia Mahmoud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Periodontal diseases are globally prevalent inflammatory disorders that affect ~47% of U.S adults. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) has been identified as a “keystone” pathogen that disrupts host-microbe homeostasis and contributes to the initiation and progression of periodontitis. Pg associates with oral streptococci in supragingival plaque and this interaction represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Previously our group developed a peptide (designated BAR), that potently inhibits Pg/Streptococcus gordonii (Sg) adherence in vitro and Pg virulence in a murine model of periodontitis. While efficacious, BAR (SspB Adherence Region) provided transient inhibition and required higher concentrations of BAR to disrupt established …

Development Of A Lectin-Fc Fusion Protein With Antiviral And Anti-Cancer Activity., Matthew William Dent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes the development of a novel lectin-Fc fusion protein and its antiviral and anti-cancer activity. The molecule, Avaren-Fc (AvFc), is a fusion of a variant of the actinomycete lectin actinohivin (Avaren) and the Fc region of human IgG1, and is selective for the terminal α1,2-mannose residues found at the ends of high-mannose-type glycans that can be found on the surface of certain heavily glycosylated viruses and cancer cells. Here, AvFc was found to be able to neutralize simian immunodeficiency virus as well as Hepatitis C virus with nanomolar IC₅₀ values. Furthermore, AvFc recognizes a number of cell …

Paraoxonase 2 Is Critical For Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Proliferation., Aaron Whitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) comprises 85% of lung cancer diagnoses and is plagued by drug resistance. Thus, elucidating the underlying mechanisms of NSCLC is paramount to expand future treatment options. Paraoxonase 2 (PON2), an intracellular enzyme with arylesterase and lactonase functions, has well-established anti-atherosclerotic activity. Recent studies show PON2 is overexpressed in a variety of tumors and confers drug resistance, although these interactions have not been thoroughly examined in NSCLC. Thus, we sought to investigate the role of PON2 in cellular proliferation using PON2-knockout mice, primary mouse cells, and NSCLC cell lines. Using these approaches, we demonstrate that PON2 …

Multimodality Somatostatin Analog For Fluorescence-Guided Surgery In Cancer, Servando Hernandez Vargas

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cancer surgery remains the primary curative treatment for most solid cancers and has major therapeutic implications for patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Anatomical and functional imaging technologies are widely used during the pre- and postoperative stages, but intraoperative disease recognition relies on direct visual inspection and the hands of surgeons. The limited number of clinical tools for real-time intraoperative visual feedback restricts the ability to remove the complete cancer source and is partially responsible for the high rate of disease recurrence in patients. Intraoperative imaging with fluorescent contrast agents has the potential to improve the ability of surgeons to detect …

Pbrm1 Regulates Stress Response In Epithelial Cells, Elizabeth G. Porter, Alisha Dhiman, Basudev Chowdhury, Benjamin C. Carter, Hang Lin, Jane C. Stewart, Majid Kazemian, Michael K. Wendt, Emily C. Dykhuizen

Department of Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Polybromo1 (PBRM1) is a chromatin remodeler subunit highly mutated in cancer, particularly clear cell renal carcinoma. PBRM1 is a member of the SWI/SNF subcomplex, PBAF (PBRM1-Brg1/Brm-associated factors), and is characterized by six tandem bromodomains. Here we establish a role for PBRM1 in epithelial cell maintenance through the expression of genes involved in cell adhesion, metabolism, stress response, and apoptosis. In support of a general role for PBRM1 in stress response and apoptosis, we observe that loss of PBRM1 results in an increase in reactive oxygen species generation and a decrease in cellular viability under stress conditions. We find that loss …

Effects Of Chronic Ethanol Exposure On Stress Coping Style And Genetic States Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Alexander Goodman

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Neurotransmitter systems are important in regulating the stress response. If a behavioral response is disproportional to a stressor it is characterized as anxiety-like behavior. Many anxiolytic compounds, such as ethanol, increase stressor engagement, but how these compounds interact with an organism on a neurogenetic level is less understood. In this study, I assessed the impact of chronic ethanol treatment on behavior and gene expression of GABA_Areceptors subunits on two strains of zebrafish. Each strain was selectively bred to display the proactive or reactive stress coping style where proactive individuals will actively engage a stressor more than reactive individuals. …

A Critical Evaluation Of Trpa1-Mediated Locomotor Behavior In Zebrafish As A Screening Tool For Novel Anti-Nociceptive Drug Discovery, Meejung Ko, Logan C. Ganzen, Emre Coskun, Arbaaz Mukadam, Yuk Fai Leung, Richard Van Rijn

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Current medications inadequately treat the symptoms of chronic pain experienced by over 50 million people in the United States, and may come with substantial adverse effects signifying the need to find novel treatments. One novel therapeutic target is the Transient Receptor Potential A1 channel (TRPA1), an ion channel that mediates nociception through calcium influx of sensory neurons. Drug discovery still relies heavily on animal models, including zebrafish, a species in which TRPA1 activation produces hyperlocomotion. Here, we investigated if this hyperlocomotion follows zebrafish TRPA1 pharmacology and evaluated the strengths and limitations of using TRPA1-mediated hyperlocomotion as potential preclinical screening tool …

Residual Next-Day Effects Of Alprazolam On Psychomotor Performance And Simulated Driving In Healthy Normal Volunteers, Marion A. Coe

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

The prevalence of drugged driving has increased in the United States, and some prescription medications (e.g., zolpidem) cause impairment after the predicted duration of therapeutic action has elapsed. The aim of this study is to determine if bedtime administration of alprazolam similarly impacts driving performance the following day.

Volunteers were 14 healthy adults (6 males) who completed a double-blind, double-dummy within-subjects design study examining the effects of alprazolam (0.5, 1, & 2mg), zolpidem (10mg), and placebo administered at bedtime on driving performance the following day. The positive control condition was alprazolam (1mg) administered on the test morning. Driving simulator measures, …

Characterization Of Cytosolic Sulfotransferase Expression And Regulation In Human Liver And Intestine, Sarah Talal Dubaisi

Wayne State University Dissertations

SULTs are conjugation enzymes that can modify the activity of a myriad of foreign and endogenous molecules. SULT expression was detected in various human tissues, including liver, small intestine, and colon. There are 13 human SULT genes that are classified into 4 families, SULT1, SULT2, SULT4, and SULT6. In humans, SULT1 and SULT2 families include 11 genes that are further divided into 6 subfamilies. In addition to their role in xenobiotic detoxification and regulation of physiological processes, SULT enzymes were implicated in the bioactivation of procarcinogens. Previous studies detected the expression of most SULT1 and SULT2 enzymes during early development, …

The Role Of The Cell-Surface Protease Tmprss13 In Colorectal Cancer, Fausto Alexander Varela

Wayne State University Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and deadly cancers in both men and women in the United States. Extracellular proteolysis is often dysregulated in cancer including (CRC), resulting in degradation of extracellular matrix, as well as cleavage, processing, or shedding of cell adhesion molecules, growth factors, and cytokines. Several members of the type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP) family have been shown to play critical roles in cancer progression; however, many family members have not yet been characterized in malignancy. We identified TMPRSS13 transcript to be upregulated in CRC compared to normal colon. This increase was confirmed …

Proposed Biomedical Applications Of Zirconium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks As Drug Delivery Systems, Ariel Margaret Perry-Mills

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of highly crystalline nanoporous materials that self-assemble from inorganic metal oxide clusters and multitopic organic linkers. MOFs can be altered in terms of the types of metals and structures of organic linkers used, allowing for a high degree of customization and manipulation of the synergistic chemical or physical properties that arise from the precise coordination of their molecular components, including exceptionally large surface area and pore size. Zirconium-based MOFs, called UiOs in honor of their conception at the University of Oslo, also show remarkable chemical stability in both acidic and basic environments, making them …

A Mechanistic Study Of The Teratogenic Potential Of 4-O-Methylhonokiol (Mh) On Japanese Medaka (Oryzias Latipes), Santu Kumar Singha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An additional goal of this project was to characterize the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to unravel the adverse potential of MH on the cardiovascular system (CVS). Our study suggested that MH-mediated cardiovascular injury may be caused due to upregulation of some major components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway through expression of excessive pro-inflammatory mediators. Moreover MH decreased expression of ErbB3 and NRG-2 suggesting impaired cardiac structure. MH exposure caused a slow heartbeat blood occlusion absence of blood circulation decreased hatching efficiency and increased mortality in medaka embryos in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. MH might cause blood vessel occlusion by increasing the …

Safety Assessment And Chemical Fingerprint Analysis Of Medicinal Plants Commonly Consumed As Herbal Teas; Rooibos (Aspalathus Linearis) And Moringa (Moringa Oleifera), Omer I. Fantoukh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first chapter discusses the significance of natural products, safety challenges, and quality issues concisely. Specifically, the impact of herb-drug interaction on consumers and the quest for chemical markers for chemical fingerprinting development are provided. Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) is a popular South African herbal tea enjoyed worldwide. Limited reports indicate the potential of rooibos tea to alter the activity of CYP450 isozymes. In chapter two, the phytochemical investigation of A. linearis resulted in the isolation and characterization of 14 phenolic compounds. Safety assessment of the phytochemicals through interaction with CYP, PXR, and P gp was conducted. The …

Continuous Production Of Raloxifene Hydrochloride Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Using Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology, Derick Muhindo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to utilize a continuous process for the production of Raloxifene Hydrochloride (RX-HCl) loaded NLC formulations for extended drug release using hot-melt extrusion technology coupled with probe sonication, and also to evaluate the in vitro characteristics of the prepared NLCs by particle size, PDI, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, drug loading, and in vitro drug release profile. Preparation of the NLCs using HME technology involved two main steps, first formation of a pre-emulsion after extrusion and then size reduction of the pre-emulsion using probe sonication to obtain the NLCs. Process parameters for the extrusion process like …

Developing Zebrafish As An In Vivo Model To Screen Compounds For Anti-Cancer Activity In Human Breast Cancer, Trisha Dhawan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast Cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer; 1:8 women are at risk of developing BC in her lifetime. Cancer metastasis causes the majority of deaths in BC patients. Moreover, side effects of traditional chemotherapeutic drugs (TCD) impair the quality of life of these patients. Discovery and development of safe and effective new therapies is imperative for the treatment of BC and targeting metastasis. The goal herein is to further expand the applicability of in vivo xenotransplantation of human BC cells in transgenic zebrafish to screen potential chemotherapeutics for toxicity and efficacy. For xenotransplantation, MCF-7, BT-474, and MDA-MB-231 BC …

Elucidation Of The Molecular Mechanisms Of Electrically-Induced Cardioprotection, Anne Elizabeth Roessler

Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is a major event in cardiovascular disease characterized by reduced blood flow to the heart. The ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury associated with an MI results in a region of dead tissue in the heart called an infarct, the size of which influences patient prognosis. In the 1980s, it was discovered that short, non-lethal episodes of I/R, termed ischemic preconditioning (IPC), can protect the heart against a subsequent MI. Ischemic preconditioning demonstrated the phenomenon of endogenous cardioprotection. Cardioprotection has great potential …

Pharmacokinetic Study Of Novel Anthraquinone Analogues, Yuhan Guo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Small molecules functioning as negative regulators of MDM2 have been considered as promising anti-cancer agents. A series of novel anthraquinone (AQ) analogues upregulate p53, a well-known tumor suppressor, by inactivating its antagonist protein MDM2. The novel AQ compounds synthesized through the modifications on the rhein scaffold were reported to have successfully arrested tumor growth. To have a better understanding of their underlying metabolism in vivo, pharmacokinetic (PK) studies were performed for the AQ compounds. A selective, accurate and reproducible assay methodology for PK study was set up for each AQ compound. The stabilities of AQ compounds were then evaluated …