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Full-Text Articles in Diseases

Wnt/Β-Catenin Mediated Cancer Stem Cell Activation In Hepatocellular Carcinoma., Harshulkumar M. Pandit Aug 2018

Wnt/Β-Catenin Mediated Cancer Stem Cell Activation In Hepatocellular Carcinoma., Harshulkumar M. Pandit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers, with variable presentation, high chemotherapy resistance and early tumor recurrence. In this dissertation, we have systematically enriched, identified and characterized HCC cancer stem cells (CSCs) from 3 different HCC cell lines (Hepa1-6, HepG2, and Hep3B) using in vitro serum-free culture method. Enriched spheroids acquired CSC properties, primarily self-renewal capability, spheroid formation ability, and drug resistance. Heterogeneous CSCs enriched from Hepa1-6 cells demonstrated higher tumor initiation and proliferation capability in vivo, compared to control HCC cells in orthotopic immunocompetent mouse model. EpCAM+ CSCs were significantly enriched within heterogeneous Hepa1-6 CSC spheroids. Consequently, …


A Novel Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 Variant Reverses Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Type 2 Diabetes., Qian Lin Aug 2018

A Novel Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 Variant Reverses Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Type 2 Diabetes., Qian Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disorder and is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Our recently engineered FGF1 partial agonist, carrying triple mutations (FGF1HBS) exhibits greatly reduced proliferative potential, while preserving the full metabolic activity of wild-type FGF1. This study tests the preventive and therapeutic effects of FGF1HBS on NAFLD in db/db T2D and explores potential mechanisms. The results showed that administration of FGF1HBS to 2-month-old db/db mice for 2 months constantly lowered blood glucose levels, improved insulin sensitivity, and lowered liver weight, lipid deposition, and …


Bayesian Analytical Approaches For Metabolomics : A Novel Method For Molecular Structure-Informed Metabolite Interaction Modeling, A Novel Diagnostic Model For Differentiating Myocardial Infarction Type, And Approaches For Compound Identification Given Mass Spectrometry Data., Patrick J. Trainor Aug 2018

Bayesian Analytical Approaches For Metabolomics : A Novel Method For Molecular Structure-Informed Metabolite Interaction Modeling, A Novel Diagnostic Model For Differentiating Myocardial Infarction Type, And Approaches For Compound Identification Given Mass Spectrometry Data., Patrick J. Trainor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metabolomics, the study of small molecules in biological systems, has enjoyed great success in enabling researchers to examine disease-associated metabolic dysregulation and has been utilized for the discovery biomarkers of disease and phenotypic states. In spite of recent technological advances in the analytical platforms utilized in metabolomics and the proliferation of tools for the analysis of metabolomics data, significant challenges in metabolomics data analyses remain. In this dissertation, we present three of these challenges and Bayesian methodological solutions for each. In the first part we develop a new methodology to serve a basis for making higher order inferences in metabolomics, …


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 …


The Effects Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Exposure On Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease : Role Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor., Hongxue Shi May 2018

The Effects Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Exposure On Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease : Role Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor., Hongxue Shi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are detectable in serum of 100% of adults in US, and has been associated with fatty liver disease in epidemiological studies. PCBs are classified as either dioxin-like (DL) or non-dioxin-like (NDL) PCB based on their ability to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). We used exposures that reflect human bioaccumulation patterns, which resembles Aroclor 1260 with a low level of the DL-PCB, PCB 126. Our aim was to determine if this exposure will activate the human and mouse AhR and examine if receptor activation influences these steatotic responses due to PCB exposures. DL-PCBs exposure-induced AhR activation in …


Nutritional Virulence Of Legionella Pneumophila., Ashley M. Best May 2018

Nutritional Virulence Of Legionella Pneumophila., Ashley M. Best

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legionella pneumophila is an environment organism that parasitizes a wide range of protozoa. Growth within the environmental host primes L. pneumophila for infection of human alveolar macrophages when contaminated aerosols are inhaled. Intracellular replication within either host requires the establishment a replicative niche, known as the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). Biogenesis of the LCV depends on the type IVb translocation system, the Dot/Icm, to translocation >320 effectors into the host cytosol. Effectors are responsible for preventing lysosome fusion to the LCV, recruitment of ER-derived vesicles to the LCV, and modulation of a plethora of host processes to promote the intracellular …