Animal Experimentation and Research Commons^™

Antiplasmodial Activity Of Detarium Senegalense J.F.Gmel. (Fabaceae) Stembark Ethanol Extract, Cletus Anes Ukwubile, Hananiya Hamza Milagawanda

Journal of Bioresource Management

Malaria is a persistent public health impediment in sub-Saharan Africa, necessitating an incessant search for new, effective, and low-cost antimalarial agents from medicinal plants. This study was designed to evaluate the antiplasmodial efficacy of the ethanol crude extract of the stembark of Detarium senegalense. Standard methods were employed to identify the major secondary metabolites. In vivo antiplasmodial activity of the extract in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice was carried out as per the standard suppression test. The LD₅₀ was elicited in mice using a standard procedure. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of important bioactive components such as alkaloids, flavonoids, …

Comparative Potency Testing Of Diphtheria Toxoid In Guinea Pigs And Mice For In-House Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis And Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccines, Wanlop Leeden, Supanee Ummalukacholk, Orawin Mangkhaladul, Eakachai Prompetchara

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: Diphtheria remains endemic in parts of Thailand and continues to threaten unvaccinated populations. To strengthen vaccine self-sufficiency, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization has developed in-house diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (DTP) and diphtheria– tetanus (dT) vaccines. Potency testing of diphtheria toxoid is traditionally performed in guinea pigs; however, limitations in animal availability, cost, and logistics have prompted evaluation of alternative models.
Objectives: To compare diphtheria toxoid potency estimates of in-houseproduced DTP and dT vaccines using guinea pigs and mice, followed by a Vero cell-based toxin neutralization assay, and to assess the suitability of mice as an alternative model for potency testing.
Materials and Methods: …

Effect Of Partial Ablation Of Skeletal Dynamin Related Protein 1 On Mitochondrial Health, Inflammation, And Fibrosis In A Mouse Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Tessa L. Duzz

Graduate Masters Theses

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness, degeneration, fibrosis, and impaired muscle regeneration. Mitochondrial dysfunction is an early pathological feature of DMD and has been linked to excessive mitochondrial fission. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a central regulator of mitochondrial fission, a key process in regulating mitochondrial quality and function. Inhibition of Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission has shown promise as a potential therapeutic target for alleviating pathology and dysfunction in dystrophic muscle. The objective of this study was to determine whether partial skeletal muscle-specific ablation of Drp1 could improve muscle pathology and mitochondrial health in …

Fish Tissue Digestion And Microplastic Polymer Identification Protocol Using Open-Source Ftir Database, Shawn L. Kissinger, Vick-Ariel Privert, Jason Bystriansky, Kyle A. Grice

DePaul Discoveries

Microplastic (MP) contamination in aquatic ecosystems poses significant concerns for environmental and public health, as seafood represents a critical food source worldwide. Despite increasing evidence of MP presence in marine organisms, efficient and accessible detection methods remain essential for characterizing contamination patterns and informing regulatory frameworks. This study extracted MPs from brain, gill, intestine, liver, and muscle tissues of gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), two commercially important species from the Gulf of Cádiz, Spain, using a NaOH–HNO₃ chemical digestion protocol. Isolated particles were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, with …

Online Decoding Of Rat Self-Paced Locomotion Speed From Eeg Using Recurrent Neural Networks, Alejandro De Miguel, Nelson Totah, Uri Maoz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective. Accurate and reliable neural decoding of locomotion holds promise for advancing clinical applications such as rehabilitation and prosthetic control, as well as for understanding neural correlates of action. Recent studies have demonstrated successful decoding of locomotion kinematics across species in motorized treadmill settings. However, efforts to decode locomotion speed directly and continuously in more natural contexts—where pace is self-selected rather than externally imposed—are scarce, and those that exist generally achieve only modest accuracy and require intracranial implants. Here, we aim to decode self-paced locomotion speed non-invasively and continuously using cortex-wide electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from rats. Approach. We introduce an …

Differential Roles Of Moesin And Vasp In Β-Catenin-Associated Networks During Zebrafish Heart Regeneration, Allen Rutman

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

With cardiovascular disease remaining as the leading cause of mortality worldwide, it is largely due to the limited regenerative capacity of the human heart. However, zebrafish (Danio rerio) can fully regenerate cardiac tissue following injury, providing a valuable model for studying the mechanisms of heart repair. To investigate these mechanisms, we used proteomics methods in the past. Proximity labeling is a technique that identifies proteins based on their physical proximity to a protein of interest. It can be applied in organisms and in living cells (Roux et al., 2012; Cho et al., 2020). We used proximity labeling to characterize protein …

Lovastatin Potentiates The Function Of Α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, Dmytro Isaev, Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Murat Oz

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background/Objectives: Statins are currently one of the most commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs. In recent years, in addition to their well-known effects on the cardiovascular system, statins have been shown to exert beneficial effects in the progression of various neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: In this study, the effects of lovastatin on the function of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors expressed in rat hippocampus and Xenopus oocytes were investigated. Results: In whole-cell patch clamp studies in hippocampal neurons, 21-day chronic (20 mg/kg), but not acute (20 min), lovastatin treatment caused significant potentiation of choline (a selective agonist for α7 nACh receptors)-induced currents …

Increased Neural Activity In The Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis Of Uninfected Canaries After Observation Of Infected Conspecifics, Madeleine Chang, Sophia Santangelo, Devon Comito, Bennett Hardy, Patricia C. Lopes

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Recent evidence suggests that the immune system may be upregulated in anticipation of pathogen exposure, yet the neural mechanisms that respond to and signal impending infection risk remain poorly understood. We investigated neural responses to infection risk in uninfected hosts observing infected conspecifics, using the canary (Serinus canaria domestica)—Mycoplasma gallisepticum host–parasite system. We focused on five brain regions of interest, comprising three nodes of the social decision-making network—preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and hippocampus—a stress modulatory region (paraventricular nucleus) and a visual processing region (nucleus rotundus). After 1 h of observing infected canaries, …

Effects Of Normothermic Hepatic Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury On The Hepatic Disposition Of Arachidonic Acid And Its Cytochrome P450-Generated Metabolites In Rats, Vindhya Edpuganti, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

Cytochrome P450 (P450) metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) are potential therapeutic targets in ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, yet their disposition and actions in hepatic IR are unknown. Cellular AA and its P450 metabolites are primarily bound to lipid membranes, resulting in negligible free concentrations. This study investigates how hepatic IR injury impacts the disposition of free AA and its major P450 metabolites in rats.

Methods

Rats underwent 60 min of partial (70%) ischemia or sham surgery, followed by 5 min, 3 h, or 24 h of reperfusion. The effects of IR injury on free concentrations of AA and its major …

No Effect In Plasma Corticosterone Levels After Observation Of Diseased Conspecifics, B. M. Hardy, M. Chang, S. Mccallum, S. Santangelo, Patricia C. Lopes

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Organisms commonly respond to stressors in their environment by increasing the secretion of corticosterone (CORT). While increased CORT is acknowledged as a response to predation risk by organisms inhabiting a landscape of fear, new research raises the potential for changes in CORT as a response to the risk of infection by organisms in their environment. An increase in CORT of a healthy, uninfected individual in response to their perception of the risk of infection in their environment could change their susceptibility to infection, highlighting a significant role for CORT to alter host–pathogen dynamics. To investigate the effects of infection risk …

Mechanical Characterization And Modeling Of Rat Myocardia Under The Influence Of Epirubicin, Abdallah Mahmoud Alkhaiyat

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer remains a predominant health challenge that is responsible for a significant portion of global morbidity and mortality. Epirubicin (EPI), a chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drug, has shown remarkable efficacy in combating various malignancies. However, it is known to have undesirable side effects on the heart, collectively referred to as cardiotoxicity. This research investigates the adverse effects of chemotherapy on cardiac contractility through an in vitro examination of the mechanics of healthy and infarcted animal heart tissues. Electrically stimulated slices of rat ventricular tissue were tested using an isometric force measurement tissue bath. The tissue slices were subjected to uniaxial stretching, allowing …

Disrupted Circadian Rhythms Affect Hallmark Pathologies In Alzheimer’S Disease-Related Mouse Models, Valeria Buzinova

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease with two hallmark pathologies: extracellular amyloid-b (Ab) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Ab is proteolytically processed from amyloid precursor protein (APP) by b-secretase and g-secretase as a monomeric peptide prone to aggregation. Eventually, the aggregate-prone monomers will form dense plaques that are difficult to break down and remove. These plaques begin to deposit into the cortex decades prior to the formation of NFTs and the onset of cognitive decline. NFTs are comprised of hyper-phosphorylated tau. Tau is a protein that serves to promote and stabilize the formation of microtubules. The formation of …

Magnesium-Based Metal Matrix Nanocomposite Implants And Nanobubble-Based Delivery Systems: Integrated Strategies For Bone Loss Treatment With Cytocompatibility Evaluation, Lucas José Martinho Bizuti

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis intends to investigate the development of different multimodal therapeutic strategies for combating bone loss. Most specifically, this paper will emphasize the utilization of Magnesium-Based Metal Matrix Nanocomposite Implants (MMNC) and Nanobubble-Based Delivery Systems as options for future treatment focus. The effects of biodegradable magnesium implants were evaluated for cytotoxicity and cytocompatibility via Hematoxylin and Eosin, and Masson’s Trichrome staining, as well as radiological images. The Nanobubble-Based Delivery System is being developed and optimized as a delivery system to target osteoclast activity. This paper focused on optimizing experimental parameters, which include Rotational speeds for nanobubble stimulation under microgravity conditions …

Ornithine Metabolism In Retinal Pigment Epithelium And Retina And Implications In Gyrate Atrophy, Artjola Puja

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) is a mitochondrial enzyme that regulates ornithine metabolism by converting ornithine to pyrroline-5-carboxylate, a precursor for proline and glutamate synthesis. Deficiency of OAT causes systemic ornithine accumulation and leads to gyrate atrophy (GA) of the choroid and retina, a hereditary disorder characterized by progressive chorioretinal degeneration and irreversible vision loss. Chorioretinal atrophy typically starts at the mid-peripheral retina and progresses toward the macula. Although elevated ornithine is considered toxic to the eye, how ornithine is metabolized in ocular tissues and why OAT deficiency causes selective, region-specific vulnerability remain unclear. We combined ex vivo and in vivo stable …

Hepatocyte-Specific Lrp1 Silencing Exacerbates Brain Amyloidosis Without Compensatory Ldl Receptor Family Involvement, Brian Carson, Josephine Chu, Devaraj V. Chandrashekar, Jerome Garcia, Rachita K. Sumbria, Derick Han

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

LDL receptor related protein 1 (LRP1) is a major hepatic receptor involved in lipoprotein metabolism, protease degradation, transmembrane receptor modulation, and clearance of excess protein, such as Aβ. Decreased expression of LRP1 due to liver injury can impair receptor-mediated clearance, increasing Aβ availability in the periphery. We investigated the effects of hepato-specific silencing of LRP1 on Aβ deposition in the brain. Additionally, other LDL family members (LRP5, LRP6, and LDLR) that may participate in Aβ clearance were monitored in the liver to ensure non-compensatory effects of LRP1 silencing.

Method

4-month-old male double transgenic (APP/PS1) AD mice were injected with …

The Mitochondria Is The Source Of Hepatic Amyloid Precursor Protein And Peripheral Amyloid Beta: Implications Of Alcohol-Induced Liver Steatosis In Alzheimer's Disease, Josephine Chu, Ross A. Steinberg, Brian Carson, Devaraj Venkatapura Chandrashekar, Rachita K. Sumbria, Derick Han

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Alcohol-induced liver injury occurs in the pericentral region of the liver and can induce mitochondrial remodeling and exacerbate Alzheimer's Disease (AD) progression. Subpopulations of mitochondria: general mitochondria (GM), peridroplet mitochondria (PDM) and endoplasmic reticulum(ER)-bound mitochondria (ERM) maintain cellular homeostasis via energy synthesis, lipid homeostasis, and regulation of intracellular calcium. Hepatic amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a source of peripheral amyloid beta (aB) and affects AD pathology in the brain. Understanding the localization and expression of hepatic APP in mitochondrial subpopulations are critical to understanding aB metabolism and may play a role in identifying a potential mechanism for metabolic dysfunction. …

Two Major Ontario Hospital Labs Bought Research Dogs From U.S. Breeder With Troubled Pastdogs Bred For Scientific And Medical Testing Suffer Abuse As The Scientific Industry Increasingly Turns To Alternatives For Research., Allison Hunter, Mary Beech, Sami Marshak, Kate Morano

Capstones

The purpose-bred dog breeding industry for research is little known. Each year, thousands of dogs are bred for scientific and medical testing, supplied to research facilities by a handful of major commercial breeders. But gaps in enforcement and regulation have allowed abuses to persist, even as the industry increasingly turns to alternatives to animal testing. Animal rights advocates have been decrying the treatment of these dogs. A federal Inspector General report found lax oversight of the industry, raising further concerns about how dogs are treated. This story was reported in collaboration with the Investigative Journalism Bureau, based in Toronto, and …

The Timing Of Pubertal Onset Affects Adults Anxiety Behavior In A Sex-Specific Manner, Evan Raubenolt

Honors Projects

This study aims to look at the relationship between the timing of pubertal onset and its long-term effects on adult anxiety behavior in rats. Though the topic of pubertal onset has been frequently discussed in developmental research, its exact effects have been inconsistent. Human models have shown that early and late maturing males are associated with a notable increase in adult anxiety behavior, while in rat models, similar sex-specific effects regarding anxiety have been demonstrated, though those studies focus on a causal relationship between exposure to stress and age of pubertal onset. This study first aims to examine that relationship …

Longitudinal Pharmacokinetic And Safety Studies Of An Antibody-Erythropoietin Fusion Protein For Alzheimer's Disease, Rudy Chang, Devaraj Venkatapura Chandrashekar, G. Chuli Roules, Nataraj Jagadeesan, Emi Iwasaki, Adenike Oyegbesan, Hayk Davtyan, Rachita K. Sumbria

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Erythropoietin (EPO) shows promise for Alzheimer's disease (AD) but has poor brain penetration, necessitating high doses that cause hematopoietic side effects. To improve brain delivery, EPO was fused to a transferrin receptor monoclonal antibody (TfRMAb), and this study evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and efficacy of repeated TfRMAb-EPO dosing in mice to further its preclinical development. C57BL/6J male mice (10 weeks old, n = 4–5/dose) received subcutaneous (SQ) low (1 mg/kg), mid (3 and 6 mg/kg), or high (20 mg/kg) TfRMAb-EPO doses for 4 weeks. The 1 mg/kg dose showed no adverse effects and resulted in sustained brain and plasma …

Host-Intrinsic Factors Determine Anti-Tumor Efficacy Of Exercise In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Sumedha Pareek

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths with a low 5-year relative survival rate of approximately 13.3% for all stages combined. We have previously shown that exercise can improve quality of life and enhance functional capacity among patients with PDAC. Exercise induces a variety of changes in the tumor microenvironment with beneficial effects in several tumor types. However, our understanding of the clinical effects of exercise and the mechanisms that mediate anti-tumor effects are limited in pancreatic cancer.

In this project, using C57BL/6 mice from Taconic Biosciences (Tac) and Jackson Laboratories (Jax), we established a …

Improved Model For Neurodegeneration In C. Elegans, Jean-Pierre Arditi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

During Alzheimer's disease (AD), insoluble amyloid beta (AP) peptides accumulate to form extracellular aggregates (plaques). The direct cause of neuronal dysfunction observed in AD has been broadly investigated. The amyloid hypothesis states that AP plaques are neurotoxic, but recent studies support the AP oligomer hypothesis, which states that intracellular AP (iAP) is neurotoxic. To test this hypothesis, I used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to generate two transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) strains. I generated a strain (RSLl 11) using the rab-3 promoter to co-express GFP in neurons, which showed no gross behavioral changes but had a 50% reduced egglaying rate. RSLl …

Citronellol Reduces Sepsis-Induced Renal Inflammation Via Ap-1/Nf-Κb/Tnf-Α Pathway, Huda Rashid Atiyah, Sarmed H. Kathem, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Sepsis is characterized by the over-production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) is a well-accepted model for recreating sepsis-induced renal injury in mice. The current study investigates how citronellol, a naturally occurring substance with a variety of biological characteristics, can prevent acute kidney inflammation brought on by CLP. In the CLP mouse model, citronellol was administered orally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. Serum levels of creatinine and urea were used as markers of renal function, and the Murine Sepsis Score (MSS) was used to assess the severity of sepsis. According to our findings, CLP caused a …

Polyphenols For The Mitigation Of Vascular Calcification; In Vitro And In Vivo Studies, Abdullah Altuhami

All Theses

Globally, cardiovascular diseases, in most cases associated with calcification, are the main cause of death. However, currently, the only effective cure is to undergo surgery to augment or receive a healthy donor heart, which could be very difficult due to the long waiting list and the associated risks. The possibility of body rejection of the foreign organs is attributed to immunoreaction or the risk of infection, since the donor must be on immunosuppressant drugs that lower the body's immunity and facilitate the body's acceptance of the new organ as one of its own. Taking that into consideration, using tissue-engineered vascular …

Impact Of S-Phase Kinase Protien 2 Blockades On Hematopoetic Stem Cell Metabolism, Nicole Elmaraghy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) quiescence is vital for the success of bone marrow transplantation, as it preserves long term self- renewal and prevents premature exhaustion (Takubo et al., 2013; Wilson et al., 2008). However, bone marrow transplant (BMT) failure remains a clinical challenge, often due to lack of long-term engraftment and insufficient stress reliance. Both of these characteristics are tightly linked to disrupted stem cell quiescence and metabolic imbalance (Anso et al., 2017; Vannini et al., 2016). One key player is S-phase kinase protein (SKP2), an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets cell cycle inhibitors, like p27, for proteosome …

Microbial Metabolite Regulation Of Microglial Ahr Signaling In Alzheimer’S Disease, Ghalya E. Alrousan

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid-β plaque accumulation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline. Recent evidence suggests that systemic factors, particularly the gut microbiota and its metabolites, play a significant role in shaping brain immune responses, including microglial activation. However, the mechanisms linking gut dysbiosis to microglial dysfunction in AD are poorly understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-activated transcription factor responsive to tryptophan metabolites, has recently gained attention as a key regulator of neuroinflammation and microglial function. I hypothesize that the loss of beneficial microbial AHR ligands, specifically indole derivatives, during aging and AD …

Role And Electrophysiological Properties Of Sexually Dimorphic Oxytocin Receptor Expressing Neurons In The Anteroventral Periventricular Nucleus Of The Female Mice, Armita Abdollahi Govar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Oxytocin is a neurohypophyseal hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating mother-infant bonding and maternal behavior. Oxytocin modulates sex-specific parental behaviors by binding to the oxytocin receptor (OXTR)-expressing neurons in the brain. This study investigates the sexually dimorphic OXTR neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) to understand how oxytocin modulates behavior in females. Specifically, we explored the behavioral roles, neural projections, and intrinsic electrophysiological characteristics of these neurons in the female mice. Using immunohistochemistry revealed that the number of OXTR-expressing neurons was enhanced in postpartum females compared with virgin females, suggesting that these neurons are involved in female-specific …

Cilia In The Brain Display Region-Dependent Oscillations Of Length And Orientation, Roudabeh Vakil Monfared, Sherif Abdelkarim, Pieter Derdeyn, Kiki Chen, Hanting Wu, Kenneth Leong, Tiffany Chang, Justine Lee, Sara Versales, Surya M. Nauli, Kevin Beier, Pierre Baldi, Amal Alachkar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

In this study, we conducted high-throughput spatiotemporal analysis of primary cilia length and orientation across 22 mouse brain regions. We developed automated image analysis algorithms, which enabled us to examine over 10 million individual cilia, generating the largest spatiotemporal atlas of cilia. We found that cilia length and orientation display substantial variations across different brain regions and exhibit fluctuations over a 24-h period, with region-specific peaks during light-dark phases. Our analysis revealed unique orientation patterns of cilia, suggesting that cilia orientation within the brain is not random but follows specific patterns. Using BioCycle, we identified rhythmic fluctuations in cilia length …

The Role Of G6pd Variants And 3d Genomic Structure In The Development Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Christina M. Signoretti Ph.D.

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Pulmonary hypertension is an under-recognized global health epidemic which is estimated to affect 1% of the population. It is associated with sustained mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 20 mmHg, pulmonary artery remodeling, smooth muscle and endothelial cell proliferation and subsequent increased right ventricle hypertrophy due to increased afterload. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is one of the key enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway and has been previously linked to the development of pulmonary hypertension. G6PD deficiency is the most common human enzymopathy which affects approximately 400 million people worldwide and is a result of agricultural and epidemiological evolution in different …

Mechanisms Of Placental Impairment And The Upregulation Of Fetuin-B During Maternal Undernourishment, Mia Camilliere

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Proper nutrition is crucial during pregnancy to support fetal and placental development. Failure to meet these nutritional needs can result in adverse health outcomes for both mother and baby. Despite its high prevalence in underdeveloped countries, maternal undernourishment is a public health issue worldwide. There are several possible causes of maternal undernourishment, and these can occur alone or in combination, such as poor access to nutrition, hyperemesis gravidarum, and drug use. This condition can adversely affect placental development and function to the extent of placental insufficiency, perturbing the entire pregnancy. The placenta is responsible not only for hormonally and physically …

Sickle Cell Mice Exhibit Elevated Plasma Bilirubin And Altered Intracranial Cerebral Blood Velocities That Are Exacerbated By Hypoxia-Reoxygenation, Francisco J. Nunez, Ashraf M. Mohieldin, Amy Y. Pan, Sean P. Palecek, Rahima Zennadi, Ramani Ramchandran, Kevin R. Rarick, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder characterized by sickle red blood cells (RBCs). Sickle RBCs cause cerebral vasculopathies including vaso-occlusive events, leading to ischemia-reperfusion injury and hypoxic tissue environment. To date, the physiological blood flow velocities in cerebral vessels of preclinical SCD models has not been evaluated under hypoxic-reoxygenation. In our study, we used transcranial ultrasound techniques to measure abnormal blood flow velocities in the internal carotid (ICA) and middle cerebral arteries (MCA) of transgenic sickle cell mice (SS) challenged with hypoxia-reoxygenation. Our study showed that SS mice that underwent hypoxic stress exhibited lower relative mean velocities in …