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Articles 1 - 30 of 1936
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Functional Analysis Of Mandibular Movements In Three Different Groups Including Patients With Total Joint Replacements, Previous Orthognathic Surgery, And A Control Group, Adriana Morales Buendia
Functional Analysis Of Mandibular Movements In Three Different Groups Including Patients With Total Joint Replacements, Previous Orthognathic Surgery, And A Control Group, Adriana Morales Buendia
All ETDs from UAB
Purpose: To Assess mandibular movements, including mouth opening, lateral excursion, and protrusion among patients with total joint replacements and orthognathic surgery compared to healthy control participants with no known TMJ disorders. Methods: Fifty-two subjects from 18 to 66 years of age were included in this cross-sectional study, distributed in three groups: patients with total joint replacement (n = 16), patients who underwent orthognathic surgery (n=17), and healthy control subjects (n = 19) to quantitatively determine whether there is statistically significant difference among the groups regarding opening, lateral excursion, and protrusion movements. The non-invasive system SiCAT JMT+ device was used to …
Challenges And Opportunities In Glioblastoma And Immunovirotherapy With Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, Dagoberto Estevez-Ordonez
Challenges And Opportunities In Glioblastoma And Immunovirotherapy With Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, Dagoberto Estevez-Ordonez
All ETDs from UAB
This dissertation covers data from published and pre-published studies exploring challenges and opportunities in the treatment of malignant glioma with emphasis in glioblastoma and oncolytic immunovirotherapy with an oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) designed to induce expression of IL-12, M002 (murine IL-12) and M032 (human IL-12).It starts with the report of a study that uncovered important racial and socioeconomic disparities experienced by patients with glioblastoma treated in Alabama. Notable results also include the unexpected finding of increased survival in African American patients with glioblastoma even after controlling for factors associated with survival and socioeconomic disparities. The implications of …
Effect Of Different Supporting Die Materials And Crown Thicknesses On The Fracture Load Of Monolithic 3y-Tzp Zirconia And Lithium Disilicate Crowns, Akram Mohamed Mohamed Gad Sayed Ahmed
Effect Of Different Supporting Die Materials And Crown Thicknesses On The Fracture Load Of Monolithic 3y-Tzp Zirconia And Lithium Disilicate Crowns, Akram Mohamed Mohamed Gad Sayed Ahmed
All ETDs from UAB
Background: Conventionally, the strength of dental materials used for fixed restorations is measured using specimens of simplified geometry (i.e bars or discs). There is value in measuring the strength of these materials in their anatomic geometry (i.e crowns) under clinically relevant loading conditions. One advantage of performing the so-called crown fracture test is that the material may benefit from its ability to be strengthened by its bond to a tooth-mimicking die. When performing a crown fracture test, the ideal die material is natural tooth structure. However, the variability in natural tooth anatomy and microstructure makes the use of a standardized, …
Navigating Missed Visits In Hiv Primary Care: Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Missed Visits, Jiaying Hao
Navigating Missed Visits In Hiv Primary Care: Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Missed Visits, Jiaying Hao
All ETDs from UAB
The HIV care continuum is a public health model that outlines the steps or stages people with HIV go through from diagnosis to achieving and maintaining viral suppression. Retention in care, a key component of the HIV care continuum, is critical in achieving good health outcomes for people with HIV (PWH) and preventing HIV transmission. Consistent HIV care is essential for the health of PWH as a part of retention in care. De-spite no standard measure for retention in care to PWH, the missed (no-show) vis-its/appointments is one of the most commonly used methods for evaluating retention in HIV care. …
Cis-Regulatory Elements: Relevance For Alzheimer's Disease, Brianne Brazell Rogers
Cis-Regulatory Elements: Relevance For Alzheimer's Disease, Brianne Brazell Rogers
All ETDs from UAB
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, currently affecting more than six million Americans with limited treatment options. Identifying genetics contributors to neurodegenerative diseases has contributed critical insights into potential disease mechanisms. The majority of disease-associated genetic variants are located in non-coding regions, likely in regulatory elements, and affect the expression of target genes whose function contributes to neurodegeneration. Here, I performed a case-control study utilizing nuclei from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex postmortem tissue to correlate chromatin accessibility with gene expression and nominate 40,831 AD-specific candidate cis-regulatory elements. Additionally, work in this dissertation nominates ZEB1 and MAFB as candidate …
Unintended Pregnancy, Postpartum Contraception, And Healthcare Utilization Among Young Married Women Affected By Hiv In Kenya, Liza M. Kimbo
Unintended Pregnancy, Postpartum Contraception, And Healthcare Utilization Among Young Married Women Affected By Hiv In Kenya, Liza M. Kimbo
All ETDs from UAB
Women with an unintended pregnancy are at risk of a repeat unintended pregnancy. Although use of postpartum contraception is an effective way to prevent repeat unintended pregnancies, the majority of unintended pregnancies globally occur in women who are not using contraception. Unintended pregnancies can have negative health and social consequences for both women and their children. This study aimed to better understand the use of postpartum contraceptives and healthcare services by married women with unintended versus intended pregnancy in south-western Kenya, with a special focus on young women. The study followed an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. In the first …
Time-Restricted Feeding Attenuates Obesity-Induced Muscle Dysfunction Through Energy Metabolism And Microbiota Modulation, Chris Livelo
Time-Restricted Feeding Attenuates Obesity-Induced Muscle Dysfunction Through Energy Metabolism And Microbiota Modulation, Chris Livelo
All ETDs from UAB
Obesity is a global epidemic that affects countless numbers of people caused by genetic and environmental factors including circadian disruption, which poses significant health risks to skeletal muscle physiology and other tissues. While a feeding fasting intervention known as time-restricted feeding (TRF) has been shown to mitigate obesity-related muscle dysfunction, the underlying mechanisms remain a subject of investigation. In this study, we delve into potential mechanisms underlying TRF's protective effects on muscle physiology in the context of diet- and genetic-induced obesity using Drosophila models. Our findings reveal that TRF triggers the upregulation of key genes involved in glycine production (Sardh …
Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White
Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White
All ETDs from UAB
We reported that Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2β (iPLA2) contributes to type 1 diabetes (T1D) development; however, the impact of lipid signaling from T-cells is unknown. To address this, we first administered splenocytes from NOD, NOD.iPLA2+/- (NOD.HET), or NOD.iPLA2-/- (NOD.KO) mice to 4-week-old NOD.scid recipients. As expected, T1D onset was rapid in NOD cell recipients and 100% by 12 weeks. However, onset was delayed by 1-3 weeks in NOD.HET or NOD.KO cell recipients and only 60% became diabetic, suggesting a role for T-cell iPLA2. Next, to establish importance of iPLA2 in CD4 or CD8 cells, purified cells were administered to NOD.scid mice. …
Factors Impacting Serious Illness Care In Alabama: An Assessment Of The Current State Of Hospital Palliative Care, Amy M. Beasley
Factors Impacting Serious Illness Care In Alabama: An Assessment Of The Current State Of Hospital Palliative Care, Amy M. Beasley
All ETDs from UAB
BACKGROUND: Palliative care (PC) use has been shown to offer many benefits to patients and families. Hospital PC has expanded in the United States, though growth has been limited within hospital types and geographic locations. According to the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC), Alabama was rated a “D,” indicating that significant improvements in PC are needed. The purpose of this study was to develop a thorough description of access to palliative care in Alabama hospitals. METHODS: A mixed methods multiple case study was employed with quantitative data embedded into a qualitative case study approach. Four hospitals were selected based …
An Examination Of The Relationship Between Mobile Apps And Healthcare Outcomes: A Patient Engagement And Patient Satisfaction Perspective, Khaled Hamad Alkhalifa
An Examination Of The Relationship Between Mobile Apps And Healthcare Outcomes: A Patient Engagement And Patient Satisfaction Perspective, Khaled Hamad Alkhalifa
All ETDs from UAB
Background: Mobile apps are rapidly becoming an essential tool for hospitals to be competitive in a rapidly evolving healthcare market driven by patient expectations. The effectiveness of mobile apps is not fully understood, and more research needs to be done to evaluate their impact on patient satisfaction. More specifically, the role of patient engagement in this relationship needs to be investigated, given the rapid improvement in health behavior-changing mobile apps.Objective: This study aimed to examine (1) whether hospitals providing mobile apps are associated with higher patient satisfaction and patient engagement scores, (2) whether mobile app usability impacts this relationship, and …
Dact1, The “Super-Crosslinker”: Regulation Of Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling During Vertebrate Convergent Extension By Modulating Dishevelled Oligomerization, Allyson Angermeier
Dact1, The “Super-Crosslinker”: Regulation Of Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling During Vertebrate Convergent Extension By Modulating Dishevelled Oligomerization, Allyson Angermeier
All ETDs from UAB
A broad spectrum of human birth defects arise from the disruption of morphogenesis, the critical process through which tissues and organs acquire their proper shape. Convergent extension (CE) is a universal morphogenetic engine that promotes polarized extension of diverse tissues and organs by regulating directional cell behavior, such as oriented cell intercalation. In vertebrates, CE is regulated by non-canonical Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) pathway, an ancient signaling pathway that was originally discovered to coordinate the cellular polarity in the plane of the epithelium. Non-canonical Wnt/PCP signaling shares the Frizzled (Fz) receptor and cytoplasmic signal transducer Dishevelled (Dvl) with the canonical …
Regulatory Elements Of Polyphosphate Biosynthesis, Marvin Qortez Bowlin
Regulatory Elements Of Polyphosphate Biosynthesis, Marvin Qortez Bowlin
All ETDs from UAB
Polyphosphate (polyP) is an ancient, conserved, inorganic biomolecule. Biological systems have adapted many functions for this high-energy molecule, ranging from immune regulation in mammals to gene regulation in prokaryotes. Of particular interest is its use in bacterial stress responses. Bacteria use polyP to resist hazardous environmental elements like toxic molecules or nutrient starvation. In many bacterial species, polyP is synthesized by polyphosphate kinases (PPKs). PPK – discovered in Escherica coli (E. coli) – hydrolyzes adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP) to synthesize polyP. Species that use PPK develop multiple pathogenic defects when PPK activity is impaired, including, among others, antibiotic susceptibility. There is no …
Antimicrobial Resistance In Type Ii Diabetic Patients In Southeastern U.S., Onyebuchi Angela Elegede
Antimicrobial Resistance In Type Ii Diabetic Patients In Southeastern U.S., Onyebuchi Angela Elegede
All ETDs from UAB
Background: In the Southern and Appalachian regions of the United States, antibiotic prescription rates surpass the national average, coinciding with a higher prevalence of Type II diabetes (DM2). Although international research has previously described the correlation between DM2 and increased risk of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections, comprehensive studies on this relationship are lacking in the U.S. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between AMR infections and DM2 and examine the association in two DM2 positive racial groups. This study also examined the differences in the prevalence of clindamycin resistance of methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus …
The Impact Of Diabetes On At-Fault Motor Vehicle Collisions In Older Adults: Visual Function, Medication, And Crash Characteristics, Thomas A. Swain
The Impact Of Diabetes On At-Fault Motor Vehicle Collisions In Older Adults: Visual Function, Medication, And Crash Characteristics, Thomas A. Swain
All ETDs from UAB
Older drivers represent one of the fastest growing age groups of drivers in the United States. Crash risk among older adults, who have the highest prevalence of vision impairment, has been shown to be related to worse visual function. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic health condition affecting more than 23.1 million Americans, and one in three have pre-diabetes. Persons with diabetes are at increased risk of conditions which cause vision loss. Research indicates those with diabetes have higher rates of MVCs. Despite the increased MVC risk among each of these groups, work has yet to evaluate if diabetes modifies the …
Parenting Through A Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Covid-19’S Impact On Stress, Coping, Resiliency, And Mental Health Among University Student-Parents, Jordin Ann Lane
All ETDs from UAB
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of university students and continues to have a profound impact to this day. The transition from in-person traditional courses to online courses and campus closures, coupled with feelings of isolation, fear of contracting COVID-19, and uncertainty of the future has further intensified the mental health of college students. The effects of federal and state regulations, such as stay-at-home orders, influenced the mental health and general well-being of many Americans, specifically those who take on a dual role as a student and a parent. Unfortunately, literature pertaining to the effects …
Interactions Between Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And The Oral Commensal Streptococcus Salivarius, Sara Noelle Stoner
Interactions Between Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And The Oral Commensal Streptococcus Salivarius, Sara Noelle Stoner
All ETDs from UAB
The cystic fibrosis airway is a polymicrobial environment often dominated by opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of lung function decline and mortality in persons with CF. Commensal streptococcal colonization has been associated with stable CF lung function in multiple studies. However, few studies have examined interactions between P. aeruginosa and commensals as well as their impact on P. aeruginosa airway infections. In the first half of this work, we studied interactions between P. aeruginosa and the oral commensal Streptococcus salivarius within a biofilm setting. We found that S. salivarius biofilm formation is promoted by the non-mucoid …
The Costly Performance Of Strength: An Exploration Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Black Women In The Deep South, Amber N. Martin
The Costly Performance Of Strength: An Exploration Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Black Women In The Deep South, Amber N. Martin
All ETDs from UAB
Introduction: Strength is indoctrinated into the cultural tapestry of Black women, dating back to slavery, and passed down through intergenerational socialization. The incessant need for Black women to be strong diminishes their psychological health leading to poorer quality of life. Further, historical injustices and unethical practices in mental healthcare continue to perpetuate the need for Black women to perform in strength. The performance of strength is one explanation for the grave mental health disparities among Black women offering an opportunity to better understand their mental health needs. This project aims to center Black women within the cultural contextualization of the …
Investigating The Effects Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition And Combined Treatment With Evofosfamide On The Tumor Microenvironment Through Hypoxia Imaging, Kaytlyn Carter Mcneal
Investigating The Effects Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition And Combined Treatment With Evofosfamide On The Tumor Microenvironment Through Hypoxia Imaging, Kaytlyn Carter Mcneal
All ETDs from UAB
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent and deadly cancer worldwide. While immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibition, shows promise in various cancers, its efficacy in CRC and other tumor types is limited. Hypoxia, characterized by inadequate tissue oxygenation, critically drives cancer progression, promoting tumor growth, metastasis, chemotherapy resistance, and poor prognosis. Evofosfamide, a hypoxia-activating prodrug, is being evaluated in clinical trials for combined use with checkpoint blockade as a potential therapeutic strategy. This study investigates the impact of hypoxia on immune checkpoint inhibition, evofosfamide, and combination therapy, while utilizing non-invasive molecular imaging to develop analytical methods for quantifying and characterizing tumor …
Organizational Climate And Its Association With Eth Perceived Permanence Of An Evidence-Based Decision-Aid For Patients With Lupus, Aizhan Karabukayeva
Organizational Climate And Its Association With Eth Perceived Permanence Of An Evidence-Based Decision-Aid For Patients With Lupus, Aizhan Karabukayeva
All ETDs from UAB
It is increasingly evident that seemingly good ideas do not always result in changes in practice, and it is challenging to sustain evidence-based innovations, even if they are backed by substantial research. Long-term use of innovations seems more likely where favorable contextual conditions are in place, yet relatively little empirical research has taken up the question of how evidence-based practices are sustained and become established in day-to-day practice. This question of sustainability is crucial if the gains in patient care that derive from organizational innovations are to be maintained. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationship between …
Modular Regulation And Function Of The Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein 1 (Ptbp1), Christine Carico
Modular Regulation And Function Of The Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein 1 (Ptbp1), Christine Carico
All ETDs from UAB
RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are critical regulators of gene expression as they are responsible for the chaperoning and processing of every nascent RNA transcript. Many studies have investigated mechanisms of specificity of RBP function and have identified factors such as cell-specific expression of RBPs and differential preferences for RNA secondary structure. However, RBPs are often multi-domain proteins that contain repeats of various RNA binding domains (e.g., RNA recognition motif) and little work in the genomic era of transcriptomic interrogation has been done to define the contribution of individual domains to the overall protein function. Polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) …
Role Of Dpy30 In The Epigenetic Regulation Of Odontoblast Differentiation In Vitro, Namrate Landge Rana
Role Of Dpy30 In The Epigenetic Regulation Of Odontoblast Differentiation In Vitro, Namrate Landge Rana
All ETDs from UAB
Purpose: Dentin is produced from odontoblasts, derived from human Dental Pulp Cells (hDPCs), which are essential for dentin formation, remodeling, and mineral hemostasis. Epigenetic mechanisms are believed to be involved in odontoblast differentiation and function, and H3K4 methylation is associated with gene activation which is fundamental to histone-based epigenetics. The SET1/MLL complexes are mammals' major histone H3K4 methylation enzymes. DPY30 is a core subunit of SET1/MII complexes, mammalian's major histone H3K4 methyltransferases. It plays an important role in regulating fundamental processes including the determination of cell lineage, growth, and differentiation. Thus, histone-based epigenetic mechanisms are involved in odontoblast differentiation and …
Maternal, Infant, And Early Childhood Home Visiting And School Readiness In Alabama, Heather H. Johnson
Maternal, Infant, And Early Childhood Home Visiting And School Readiness In Alabama, Heather H. Johnson
All ETDs from UAB
This study examined the relationship between home visiting and school readiness in Alabama. Topics included a scoping review of the home visiting literature, statistical analyses of Alabama’s Teaching Strategies GOLD® (GOLD) data to determine if there were differences in performance among children who received home visiting compared to those who did not, and the development of a Key Driver Diagram (KDD) to inform improvement in home visiting practices that support school readiness. The scoping review of the literature indicated an absence of consistent definitions and measurement of the concept of school readiness. Through thematic analysis of the articles, contextual factors …
Differential Recruitment Of Bone Marrow-Derived Cells Into The Injured Retina, Bright Asare-Bediako
Differential Recruitment Of Bone Marrow-Derived Cells Into The Injured Retina, Bright Asare-Bediako
All ETDs from UAB
The hematopoietic system, which resides in the bone marrow in adults, maintains the constant turnover of blood cells in the circulatory system and supplies inflammatory/vascular reparative cells to the retina. Chronic metabolic diseases disrupt hematopoietic homeostasis, suppressing the generation of bone marrow-derived reparative cells in favor of pro-inflammatory cells. While much research has been done on development and disease-associated changes in hematopoiesis in the long bones and how mobilization to the retina is affected, the calvarium's hematopoiesis is underexplored. This dissertation investigated hematopoiesis in postnatal development and in disease, comparing calvarium hematopoiesis to that of long bones. The findings showed …
Nasal Septum Deviation In Patients With Or Without Impacted Canines, Naurine Shah
Nasal Septum Deviation In Patients With Or Without Impacted Canines, Naurine Shah
All ETDs from UAB
There has been a recent rise in interest for studying the relationship between orthodontic treatment and the airway. Most studies have focused on measuring the oropharyngeal airway and how it is affected by growth with or without orthodontic treatment. The Nasal Septum, a midline structure is an integral part of the anatomy of the nasopharynx. Nasal Septum Deviations (NSD) can be caused by mechanical injuries, nasal polyps, neoplasia, infections, genetic influences as well as congenital malformations. The proximity of the septum can be correlated to changes in the housing of dentition in the naso maxillary complex. Objective: We aim to …
The Genetic Epidemiology Of Complex Lung Diseases, Ava Claire Wilson
The Genetic Epidemiology Of Complex Lung Diseases, Ava Claire Wilson
All ETDs from UAB
This research utilizes precision medicine techniques to advance our understanding of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) with the overall goal of improving the etiology of and identifying molecular targets and pathways in COPD and IPF to help improve patient outcomes. We aimed to 1) identify novel drug targets and uncover potential mechanisms by which pirfenidone and nintedanib attenuate fibrosis by performing an integrative ‘omics analysis of transcriptomics and proteomic responses to TGFb1-stimulated lung fibroblasts; 2) define a skeletal muscle fiber shift phenotype in both males and females with COPD and begin to disentangle underlying mechanisms …
The Effects Of Cannabidiol On Brain Temperature In Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy, Ayushe A. Sharma
The Effects Of Cannabidiol On Brain Temperature In Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy, Ayushe A. Sharma
All ETDs from UAB
Epilepsy affects over 70 million people worldwide with a global incidence of 2.4 million new cases per year. In many of these patients, neuroinflammation (NI) is a key pathological contributor to focal seizure generation and maintenance. Sustained NI degrades the blood–brain barrier, leads to neuronal death, and ultimately decreases seizure threshold. Finding ways to image and treat NI is especially important for the >30% of patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE) who cannot achieve seizure freedom with standard antiseizure medications. Cannabidiol (CBD) effectively reduces seizure frequency and severity in many TRE patients, although its antiepileptic effects remain poorly understood. Atypically high …
Application Of Machine Learning And Network Approaches To Prioritize Safe And Efficacious Drug Repurposing Candidates, Jennifer L. Fisher
Application Of Machine Learning And Network Approaches To Prioritize Safe And Efficacious Drug Repurposing Candidates, Jennifer L. Fisher
All ETDs from UAB
Only ten percent of drugs in clinical trials are ultimately approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With many diseases and disorders needing therapeutic options, computational drug repurposing methodologies are great alternatives to some drug discovery methods due to quicker FDA approval and lower cost. We sought to gain insights to improve the identification of drug repurposing candidates that will be safe and effective to increase the success of computational drug repurposing approaches. In regards to identifying safe drug candidates, pharmacovigilance studies of adverse event case reports identified that women are more likely to experience an adverse event, and …
Comparing Volumetric Wear Of Lithium Disilicate Against Different Ceramics And Enamel Antagonist An In-Vitro Study, Krisha Shah
Comparing Volumetric Wear Of Lithium Disilicate Against Different Ceramics And Enamel Antagonist An In-Vitro Study, Krisha Shah
All ETDs from UAB
Background: In patients with restored dentitions, it is possible for crowns on opposing teeth to gradually wear each other through chewing and bruxism. Therefore, the wear of restorative materials used for dental crowns is an important mechanical property for their long-term clinical success. Lithium disilicate is a widely used dental ceramic due to its strength, machinability, and translucency. Due to the rising use of ceramic restorations, a comparison of the wear resistance of lithium disilicate against different ceramic crown materials is useful for the clinician when selecting a crown material to oppose an existing lithium disilicate crown. Objective: To compare …
The Molecular And Structural Basis Of B Cell Epitope Targeting In Transplant Rejection, John T. Killian Jr
The Molecular And Structural Basis Of B Cell Epitope Targeting In Transplant Rejection, John T. Killian Jr
All ETDs from UAB
HLA-reactive antibodies (HLA-Abs) to mismatched polymorphic HLA molecules are one of the major barriers to successful organ transplantation. However, key knowledge gaps remain surrounding the immunology of the anti-HLA B cell response in transplant rejection. This lack of understanding regarding the phenotype and specificity of the anti- HLA B cell response means that the field cannot develop optimal therapies to treat B-cell mediated donor-specific responses and that it lacks the tools to optimally match donors and recipients to prevent rejection events. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to explore the clinical factors associated with the formation of donor-specific antibodies and the molecular …
Sialylation Of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor By The Sialyltransferase St6gal1 Modulates Receptor Activity And Downstream Signaling, Katherine Ankenbauer
Sialylation Of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor By The Sialyltransferase St6gal1 Modulates Receptor Activity And Downstream Signaling, Katherine Ankenbauer
All ETDs from UAB
During the process of malignant transformation, cells have striking changes in their cell surface glycosylation. One of these changes is an enrichment for α2,6 sialic acid which is added by the sialyltransferase, ST6GAL1. ST6GAL1 is upregulated in numerous malignancies and acts by adding an α2,6 sialic acid onto receptors bound for the plasma membrane. This sialic acid, in turn, modulates the activity of the receptor by regulating conformation, clustering, and cell surface retention. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on how ST6GAL1-mediated sialylation of a specific cell surface receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), regulates many of its properties. …