Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Exercise In Polychlorinated Biphenyl Induced Cardiovascular Disease, Margaret O'Bryan Murphy

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Western societies. Endothelial dysfunction is one of the initiating steps in the development of atherosclerosis. While there is a strong correlation with a person’s genetics, lifestyle factors including smoking, physical activity, and diet can significantly increase a person’s susceptibility to the development of atherosclerosis. In addition to these lifestyle factors, there is a strong body of evidence linking exposure to environmental pollutants including persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls to increased cardiovascular disease and mortality. It has been well-established that exercise protects against cardiovascular disease, but whether exercise can modulate …

The Role Of Angiotensinogen In Atherosclerosis And Obesity, Congqing Wu

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Angiotensinogen is the only known precursor in the renin-angiotensin system, a hormonal system best known as an essential regulator of blood pressure and fluid homeostasis. Angiotensinogen is sequentially cleaved by renin and angiotensin- converting enzyme to generate angiotensin II. As the major effector peptide, angiotensin II mainly function through angiotensin type 1 receptor.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and more recently renin inhibitors are widely known as the 3 classic renin-angiotensin system inhibitory drugs against hypertension and atherosclerosis. Here, we developed an array of regents to explore the effects of angiotensinogen inhibition. First, we demonstrated that genetic deficiency of …

The Role Of Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I-Regulated Inducible Glucocorticoids In Sepsis, Junting Ai

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Sepsis claims over 215,000 lives in the US annually. Inducible glucocorticoids (iGC) is produced during sepsis. However, the precise effects of iGC in sepsis remain unclear due to a lack of appropriate animal models. Glucocorticoid (GC) insufficiency is associated with a marked increase in mortality and occurs in 60% of severe septic patients. Yet the conclusion of GC therapy on septic patients is still controversial.

Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in the adrenal mediates the selective uptake of cholesteryl ester from lipoproteins for GC synthesis. SR-BI-/- mice completely lack iGC during sepsis and are highly susceptible to septic …