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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Liver X Receptor And Retinoid X Receptor In Cartilage Development And Homeostasis, Man-Ger Sun
Liver X Receptor And Retinoid X Receptor In Cartilage Development And Homeostasis, Man-Ger Sun
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a heterogeneous and multifactorial degenerative disease characterized by cartilage degradation in the joint. Available treatment options target symptoms but do not address the underlying issue of joint tissue degeneration. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms maintaining cartilage health is essential for developing novel therapeutic strategies. Previous studies have shown the nuclear receptor Liver X Receptor (LXR) to possess protective roles against cartilage breakdown in OA, however the underlying mechanisms behind this process remain unknown. Since LXR regulates transcription by forming obligate heterodimers with another nuclear receptor, the Retinoid X Receptor (RXR), I hypothesized that LXR and …
Pannexins 1 And 3 In Skeletal Health And Osteoarthritis, Paxton M. Moon
Pannexins 1 And 3 In Skeletal Health And Osteoarthritis, Paxton M. Moon
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that gradually robs affected individuals of their mobility and places a substantial burden on health care systems and economies. OA results from pathological changes in bone, cartilage, synovium and supporting structures which are all essential to joint function. Cartilage degeneration, a hallmarking feature of OA, is an irreversible and untreatable consequence of these changes. Though the mechanisms underlying the initiation of cartilage breakdown remain unclear, joint injury and aging are risk factors. Pannexins (PANXs), a novel family of channel forming glycoproteins, have been suggested as important mediators of early OA. Therefore, my thesis tested the …