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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

The Role Of Age Ligand And Rap1a In Myofibroblast Signaling Cascade In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-Induced Cardiomyopathic Conditions, Camilla Puglia May 2022

The Role Of Age Ligand And Rap1a In Myofibroblast Signaling Cascade In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-Induced Cardiomyopathic Conditions, Camilla Puglia

Honors Theses

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, taking more than 90,000 lives annually. Type 2 diabetes mellitus-induced cardiac fibrosis is a common condition seen in diabetic patients. The AGE/RAGE signaling cascade has been strongly associated with this supposed cardiac fibrosis along with hyperactive myofibroblasts which excessively remodel extracellular matrix tissue, leading to damaged and enlarged heart muscle tissue. In diabetic patients, Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) are produced in abundance and accumulate in the extracellular matrix of heart tissue. To investigate the role of of the AGE ligand on fibroblast behavior, increasing amounts of …


The Effect Of Age Concentration And Glucose Levels In Rage-Mediated Cardiac Fibroblast Migration In Type 2 Diabetes, Lorral Kanauss May 2022

The Effect Of Age Concentration And Glucose Levels In Rage-Mediated Cardiac Fibroblast Migration In Type 2 Diabetes, Lorral Kanauss

Honors Theses

Diabetes is one of the largest health concerns in the United States. Its continuous increase in prevalence has led to it being one of the largest healthcare costs and consistently listed as one of the leading causes of death. That being said, diabetes also increases the risk of other health conditions, one of which is cardiovascular disease. Left ventricle hypertrophy resulting in the stiffening of the left ventricle and diastolic dysfunction is one form of cardiovascular disease associated with diabetes. Thought to be impacted by decreased fibroblast migration in the extracellular matrix, the experiments performed in this study seek to …


Rap1a Activity Elevated The Impact Of Endogenous Ages In Diabetic Collagen To Stimulate Increased Myofibroblast Transition And Oxidative Stress, Stephanie D. Burr, Christopher C. Dorroh, James A. Stewart May 2022

Rap1a Activity Elevated The Impact Of Endogenous Ages In Diabetic Collagen To Stimulate Increased Myofibroblast Transition And Oxidative Stress, Stephanie D. Burr, Christopher C. Dorroh, James A. Stewart

Faculty and Student Publications

Diabetics have an increased risk for heart failure due to cardiac fibroblast functional changes occurring as a result of AGE/RAGE signaling. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) levels are higher in diabetics and stimulate elevated RAGE (receptor for AGE) signaling. AGE/RAGE signaling can alter the expression of proteins linked to extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and oxidative stressors. Our lab has identified a small GTPase, Rap1a, that may overlap the AGE/RAGE signaling pathway. We sought to determine the role Rap1a plays in mediating AGE/RAGE changes and to assess the impact of isolated collagen on further altering these changes. Primary cardiac fibroblasts from …