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Full-Text Articles in Diseases

The Effects Of Cannabidiol On Aqueous Humor Outflow And Trabecular Meshwork Cell Signaling, Alyssa S. Aebersold, Zhao-Hui Song Sep 2022

The Effects Of Cannabidiol On Aqueous Humor Outflow And Trabecular Meshwork Cell Signaling, Alyssa S. Aebersold, Zhao-Hui Song

Faculty Scholarship

Intraocular pressure (IOP) is regulated primarily through aqueous humor production by ciliary body and drainage through uveoscleral and trabecular meshwork (TM) tissues. The goal of this study was to measure the effect of non-psychotropic cannabidiol (CBD) on aqueous humor outflow through TM and assess the effect of CBD on the TM cell signaling pathways that are important for regulating outflow. Perfused porcine eye anterior segment explants were used to investigate the effects of CBD on aqueous humor outflow. Cultured porcine TM cells were used to study the effects of CBD on TM cell contractility, myosin light chain (MLC) and myosin …


Spectroscopic Measurements Of Meibum Compositional, Structural, And Functional Relationships To Elucidate The Role Of Meibum In Dry Eye., Anthony Chigozie Ewurum May 2022

Spectroscopic Measurements Of Meibum Compositional, Structural, And Functional Relationships To Elucidate The Role Of Meibum In Dry Eye., Anthony Chigozie Ewurum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The major aim of my dissertation was to investigate the etiology of dry eye disease which affects about 7 million people in the United States, causing symptoms that can lead to visual disturbance. Correlation between dry eye and an abnormal lipid layer of the tear film has been found. Tear film lipids originate mostly from the meibomian glands. Cholesteryl ester (CE) and Wax ester (WE) lipids make up most of the human meibum lipidome and the CE/WE ratio has been shown to decrease in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction. Model studies using synthetic CE and WE, although providing some insight, …


Cannabinoids And Retinal Fibrotic Disorders., Lucy June Sloan May 2022

Cannabinoids And Retinal Fibrotic Disorders., Lucy June Sloan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retinal fibrosis is detrimental to vision. Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells contribute to several retinal fibrotic diseases. Upon exposure to TGF-β, a key fibrotic cytokine, RPE cells trans-differentiate to myofibroblasts marked by the integration of α-SMA fibers into F-actin stress fibers, which confer strong contractility. Myofibroblasts produce and contract the collagen-rich fibrotic scar and disrupt retinal architecture. In this study, we investigated the in vitro effects of the putative endocannabinoid compound N-oleoyl dopamine (OLDA) on TGF-β2 induced porcine RPE cell contraction and α-SMA expression. Using an in vitro collagen matrix contraction assay, we found that OLDA inhibited TGF-β2 induced contraction …


Role Of Meibum And Tear Phospholipids In The Evaporative Water Loss Associated With Dry Eye., Samiyyah M. Sledge Dec 2021

Role Of Meibum And Tear Phospholipids In The Evaporative Water Loss Associated With Dry Eye., Samiyyah M. Sledge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is generally believed that the tear film lipid surface film inhibits the rate of evaporation (Revap) of the underlying tear aqueous. It is also generally believed that changes in the composition of the tear film lipid layer is responsible for an increase in Revap in patients with dry eye. Both of these ideas have never been proven. The purpose of the current studies was to test these ideas. Revap was measured in vitro gravimetrically. Lipid spreading was measured using Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. The influence of the following surface films on the Revap of the sub phase of physiologically …


Modulation Of Inflammatory Pathway By Inflammatory Inhibitor Jsh-23 Mitigates Diabetic Retinopathy., Rubens Petit Homme Aug 2020

Modulation Of Inflammatory Pathway By Inflammatory Inhibitor Jsh-23 Mitigates Diabetic Retinopathy., Rubens Petit Homme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Its pathology is consisted of the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), particularly the inner blood-retinal barrier (iBRB). The exact mechanism that leads to the iBRB impairment and the development of DR has not been elucidated yet. However, chronic inflammation that is hallmark of the type I DM has recently become a key focus in DR study. Hyperglycemia causes dysregulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB); and its constant activation increases the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the …


Functional And Structural Impact Of The Loss Of The Leucine-Rich Repeat Protein Lrit1 In The Mouse Retina., Catherine Ann Cobb May 2018

Functional And Structural Impact Of The Loss Of The Leucine-Rich Repeat Protein Lrit1 In The Mouse Retina., Catherine Ann Cobb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mutations in genes encoding the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins nyctalopin and LRIT3 lead to complete congenital stationary night blindness because they are critical to depolarizing bipolar cell function in the retina. LRIT3 has two closely related family members, LRIT1 and LRIT2. In silico analyses of publicly available RNA-Seq data showed that Lrit1 was highly expressed in the retina. Here I describe the expression pattern and impact of loss of LRIT1 on retinal function. To enable these studies, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to create an Lrit1-/- mouse line. Retinal morphology and morphometry analyses showed no gross changes in retinal structure …