Medical Cell Biology Commons^™

The Role Of Perlecan And Endorepellin In The Control Of Tumor Angiogenesis And Endothelial Cell Autophagy., Stephen Douglass, Atul Goyal, Renato V. Iozzo

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

During tumor growth and angiogenesis there is a dynamic remodeling of tissue architecture often accompanied by the release of extracellular matrix constituents full of biological activity. One of the key constituents of the tumor microenvironment is the large heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan. This proteoglycan, strategically located at cell surfaces and within basement membranes, is a well-defined pro-angiogenic molecule when intact. However, when partially processed by proteases released during cancer remodeling and invasion, the C-terminal fragment of perlecan, known as endorepellin, has opposite effects than its parent molecule. Endorepellin is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis by exerting a dual receptor antagonism …

Discovering Distinct Functional Modules Of Specific Cancer Types Using Protein-Protein Interaction Networks., Ru Shen, Xiaosheng Wang, Chittibabu Guda

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Background. The molecular profiles exhibited in different cancer types are very different; hence, discovering distinct functional modules associated with specific cancer types is very important to understand the distinct functions associated with them. Protein-protein interaction networks carry vital information about molecular interactions in cellular systems, and identification of functional modules (subgraphs) in these networks is one of the most important applications of biological network analysis. Results. In this study, we developed a new graph theory based method to identify distinct functional modules from nine different cancer protein-protein interaction networks. The method is composed of three major steps: (i) extracting modules …

The Role Of Glutaminase 1 In Hiv-1 Associated Neurocognitive Disorders And In Brain Development, Yi Wang

Theses & Dissertations

Glutaminase is the enzyme that converts glutamine into glutamate, which serves as a key excitatory neurotransmitter and one of the energy providers for cellular metabolism. Glutamate is essential for proper brain functioning but at excess levels, it is neurotoxic and has a key role in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, including HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). However, the detailed mechanism of glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity remains unclear. In part I, we identified the regulation of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) in the central nervous system (CNS) of HAND animal models including HIV-Tat transgenic (Tg) mouse and HIVE-SCID mouse, since GLS1 is the dominant …

Disseminated Histiocytoses Biomarkers Beyond Brafv600e: Frequent Expression Of Pd-L1., Nurija Bilalovic, Juan P. Palazzo, Ryan P Bender, Jeffrey Swensen, Sherri Z Millis, Semir Vranic, Daniel Von Hoff, Robert J Arceci, Zoran Gatalica

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

The histiocytoses are rare tumors characterized by the primary accumulation and tissue infiltration of histiocytes and dendritic cells. Identification of the activating BRAFV600E mutation in Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) cases provided the basis for the treatment with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors, but additional treatment options are needed. Twenty-four cases of neoplastic histiocytic diseases [11 extrapulmonary LCH, 4 ECD, 4 extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), 3 follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS), 1 histiocytic sarcoma (HS) and 1 blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN)] were analyzed using immunohistochemical and mutational analysis in search of biomarkers for targeted therapy. BRAF …

Crispr/Cas9-Based Generation Of Knockdown Mice By Intronic Insertion Of Artificial Microrna Using Longer Single-Stranded Dna., Hiromi Miura, Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy, Takehito Sato, Masahiro Sato, Masato Ohtsuka

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Knockdown mouse models, where gene dosages can be modulated, provide valuable insights into gene function. Typically, such models are generated by embryonic stem (ES) cell-based targeted insertion, or pronuclear injection, of the knockdown expression cassette. However, these methods are associated with laborious and time-consuming steps, such as the generation of large constructs with elements needed for expression of a functional RNAi-cassette, ES-cell handling, or screening for mice with the desired knockdown effect. Here, we demonstrate that reliable knockdown models can be generated by targeted insertion of artificial microRNA (amiRNA) sequences into a specific locus in the genome [such as intronic …

Methylation Of Egfr By Arginine Methyltransferase Prmt1 Enhances Egfr Signaling And Cetuximab Resistance, Hsin-Wei Liao

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Protein modifications of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) intracellular domain are well known regulators of EGFR functions whereas those of its extracellular domain remain relatively unexplored. Here, we report that methylation at R198 and R200 of EGFR extracellular domain by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) upregulates its binding to EGF and subsequent receptor dimerization and signaling activation. Methylation-defective EGFR mutant reduced tumor growth in mouse orthotopic xenograft model. Importantly, increased EGFR methylation sustains its signaling activation and cell proliferation in the presence of therapeutic EGFR monoclonal antibody, cetuximab. EGFR methylation level also correlates with higher recurrence rate after cetuximab treatment …

Plastin 3 Expression Does Not Modify Spinal Muscular Atrophy Severity In The ∆7 Sma Mouse, Vicki L. Mcgovern, Aurelie Massoni-Laporte, Xueyong Wang, Thanh T. Le, Hao T. Le, Mark M. Rich, Arthur H. M. Burghes

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Spinal muscular atrophy is caused by loss of the SMN1 gene and retention of SMN2. TheSMN2 copy number inversely correlates with phenotypic severity and is a modifier of disease outcome. The SMN2 gene essentially differs from SMN1 by a single nucleotide in exon 7 that modulates the incorporation of exon 7 into the final SMN transcript. The majority of the SMN2transcripts lack exon 7 and this leads to a SMN protein that does not effectively oligomerize and is rapidly degraded. However theSMN2 gene does produce some full-length SMN and theSMN2 copy number along with how …

Numerical Simulation Of Terahertz Wave Interaction With Breast Cancer Tumor Tissue Sections, Abayomi Omotola Omolewu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents numerical simulation of terahertz (THz) wave interaction with breast cancer tumor tissue sections. The obtained results are expressed in THz images of heterogeneous material that mimics the excised breast cancer tissue sections. The finite-element software package ANSYS High Frequency Structural Simulator (HFSS) was used in this work. HFSS is a full wave frequency domain three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic simulation package. In this work, four breast cancer tissue models based on pathology images were simulated and images of the models were obtained at 1 THz. An incident Gaussian beam was raster scanned over tissue model configurations and the reflected …

Cationic Cell-Penetrating Peptides Are Potent Furin Inhibitors, Bruno Ramos-Molina, Adam N. Lick, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Donghoon Oh, Rakesh Tiwari, Naglaa Salem El-Sayed, Keykavous Parang, Iris Lindberg

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Cationic cell-penetrating peptides have been widely used to enhance the intracellular delivery of various types of cargoes, such as drugs and proteins. These reagents are chemically similar to the multi-basic peptides that are known to be potent proprotein convertase inhibitors. Here, we report that both HIV-1 TAT47-57 peptide and the Chariot reagent are micromolar inhibitors of furin activity in vitro. In agreement, HIV-1 TAT47-57 reduced HT1080 cell migration, thought to be mediated by proprotein convertases, by 25%. In addition, cyclic polyarginine peptides containing hydrophobic moieties which have been previously used as transfection reagents also exhibited potent furin inhibition in vitro …

Gonad: Genome-Editing Via Oviductal Nucleic Acids Delivery System: A Novel Microinjection Independent Genome Engineering Method In Mice., Gou Takahashi, Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy, Kenta Wada, Hiromi Miura, Masahiro Sato, Masato Ohtsuka

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Microinjection is considered the gold standard technique for delivery of nucleic acids (NAs; transgenes or genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 systems) into embryos, for creating genetically modified organisms. It requires sophisticated equipment as well as well-trained and highly skilled personnel to perform the micro-injection technique. Here, we describe a novel and simple microinjection-independent technique, called Genome-editing via Oviductal Nucleic Acids Delivery (GONAD). Using GONAD, we show that NAs (e.g., eGFP mRNA or Cas9 mRNA/sgRNAs) can be effectively delivered to pre-implantation embryos within the intact mouse oviduct by a simple electroporation method, and result in the desired genetic modification in …

Strategic Distribution Of The Mitochondrial Ca2+ Uniporter In Cardiac Mitochondria, Sergio De La Fuente, Caitlin Vail, Elorm J. Agra, Kira Holmstrom, Junhui Sun, Jyotsna Mishra, Toren Finkel, Elizabeth Murphy, Shey-Shing Sheu, György Csordás

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Background:

1) Control of the mitochondrial ATP production by SR-derived Ca²⁺ signals includes local, nanodomain Ca²⁺ transfer from ryanodine receptors (RyR2) to the mitochondrial matrix (excitation-bioenergetics coupling).

2) Ca²⁺ crosses the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) via the mtCU, a low-affinity Ca²⁺-activated Ca²⁺ channel complex.

3) The surface area of cardiac IMM is extensively enhanced by cristae folding; however, mitoplast patch clamp studies showed mtCU current density the lowest amongst a range of tissues (Fieni 2012. Nat Commun).

Low Level Lead Exposure Impairs Attentional Set Shifting Task Performance Depending Upon Sex And Developmental Periods Of Exposure, L.S. Neuwirth, D.W. Anderson, J. S. Schneider

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Introduction

Exposure to low levels of lead (Pb) impairs a variety of cognitive processes. Although children exposed to Pb developmentally present with a variety of cognitive impairments that include deficits in learning, memory, language, and executive functioning, experimental work on Pb toxicity in rats has focused mostly on learning and memory deficits and less on executive functions. However, detrimental effects on executive functioning could lead to or even underlie a variety of other cognitive problems attributed to Pb exposure. In this study, we examined the ability of Long Evans rats (control and Pb-exposed: 150ppm Pb-acetate in food given perinatally (gestation …

Structural And Functional Interactions Between Bro1 Domain Of Human Alix Protein And Nucleocapsid Packaging Rna Complex From Hiv, Scott Gross

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

A virus is only as powerful as its ability to spread. Enveloped retroviruses, namely HIV-1, use exocytosis pathways that normal host cells use to release particles from the plasma membrane. The main pathways of interest in this study are the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) and adjacent ALIX pathways. The ESCRT pathway is especially important for degradation of receptor/cargo complexes that form Multi-Vesicular Bodies (MVBs). Currently, there is no known therapy that targets this endosomal pathway, which would prevent the spread of the virus to other cells. The virus has adapted to jump from pathway to pathway when …

Multilevel Deregulation Of Survival Mechanisms In Npm-Alk+ T-Cell Lymphoma, Deeksha Vishwamitra

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a single chain transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that belongs to the insulin receptor superfamily. Other members of this superfamily include the insulin receptor (IR), type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR), and the leukocyte tyrosine kinase. The common structural finding among these tyrosine kinases is the YXXXYY motif present within their respective tyrosine kinase domains. Binding of its ligands causes ALK receptor homodimerization and protein kinase activation. ALK has been previously shown to play a significant role during early developmental stages. In human embryos, the expression of ALK is mainly seen in …

Structural-Based Investigation Of Fak And P130cas In Focal Adhesion, Chi Zhang

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Cell migration is an integrated multistep process accompanying us throughout life, from birth to death. It contributes to a variety of biological activities and has been implicated in many pathological conditions, including cancer, primary immunodeficiency diseases, vascular diseases, and mental retardation. Cell migration has been considered to be a three-step cyclic process including polarization, protrusion and retraction. The initiation and extension of the protrusion is driven by actin polymerization, and is stabilized by attaching to the extracellular matrix (ECM) or adjacent cells. The cell-ECM attachment sites are named focal adhesions (FAs), which are dynamic, large protein complexes containing more than …

Compensatory Fetal Membrane Mechanisms Between Biglycan And Decorin In Inflammation., Luciana Batalha De Miranda De Araujo, Casie E Horgan, Abraham Aron, Renato V. Iozzo, Beatrice E Lechner

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes (PPROM) is associated with infection, and is one of the most common causes of preterm birth. Abnormal expression of biglycan and decorin, two extracellular matrix proteoglycans, leads to preterm birth and aberrant fetal membrane morphology and signaling in the mouse. In humans and mice, decorin dysregulation is associated with inflammation in PPROM. We therefore investigated the link between biglycan and decorin and inflammation in fetal membranes using mouse models of intraperitoneal Escherichia coli injections superimposed on genetic biglycan and decorin deficiencies. We assessed outcomes in vivo as well as in vitro using quantitative PCR, …

One-Step Generation Of Multiple Transgenic Mouse Lines Using An Improved Pronuclear Injection-Based Targeted Transgenesis (I-Pitt)., Masato Ohtsuka, Hiromi Miura, Keiji Mochida, Michiko Hirose, Ayumi Hasegawa, Atsuo Ogura, Ryuta Mizutani, Minoru Kimura, Ayako Isotani, Masahito Ikawa, Masahiro Sato, Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

BACKGROUND: The pronuclear injection (PI) is the simplest and widely used method to generate transgenic (Tg) mice. Unfortunately, PI-based Tg mice show uncertain transgene expression due to random transgene insertion in the genome, usually with multiple copies. Thus, typically at least three or more Tg lines are produced by injecting over 200 zygotes and the best line/s among them are selected through laborious screening steps. Recently, we developed technologies using Cre-loxP system that allow targeted insertion of single-copy transgene into a predetermined locus through PI. We termed the method as PI-based Targeted Transgenesis (PITT). A similar method using PhiC31-attP/B system …

Lipid And Protein Co-Regulation Of Pi3k Effectors Akt And Itk In Lymphocytes, Xinxin Wang, Leonard B. Hills, Yina H. Huang

Dartmouth Scholarship

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase, PI3K) pathway transduces signals critical for lymphocyte function. PI3K generates the phospholipid PIP3 at the plasma membrane to recruit proteins that contain pleckstrin homology (PH) domains - a conserved domain found in hundreds of mammalian proteins. PH domain-PIP3 interactions allow for rapid signal propagation and confer a spatial component to these signals. The kinases Akt and Itk are key PI3K effectors that bind PIP3 via their PH domains and mediate vital processes - such as survival, activation, and differentiation - in lymphocytes. Here, we review the roles and regulation of PI3K signaling in lymphocytes with …

Insertion Of Sequences At The Original Provirus Integration Site Of Mouse Rosa26 Locus Using The Crispr/Cas9 System., Rolen M. Quadros, Donald W. Harms, Masato Ohtsuka, Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Targeted transgenic mouse models, where an exogenous gene is inserted into a specified genomic locus to achieve its stable and reliable expression, have been widely used in biomedical research. However, the available methodologies for targeted insertion of sequences require many laborious steps that involve the use of embryonic stem (ES) cells. We recently developed Pronuclear Injection-based Targeted Transgenesis (PITT), a method that uses a recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) to enable insertion of sequences at a predetermined genomic locus, such as ROSA26. The PITT technique uses fertilized eggs (instead of ES cells) collected from 'seed mice' that contain the RMCE landing …

Generation Of A Retinoblastoma (Rb)1-Inducible Dominant-Negative (Dn) Mouse Model., Shikha Tarang, Songila M.S.R Doi, Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy, Donald W. Harms, Rolen M. Quadros, Sonia M. Rocha-Sanchez

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Retinoblastoma 1 (Rb1) is an essential gene regulating cellular proliferation, differentiation, and homeostasis. To exert these functions, Rb1 is recruited and physically interacts with a growing variety of signaling pathways. While Rb1 does not appear to be ubiquitously expressed, its expression has been confirmed in a variety of hematopoietic and neuronal-derived cells, including the inner ear hair cells (HCs). Studies in transgenic mice demonstrate that complete germline or conditional Rb1 deletion leads to abnormal cell proliferation, followed by massive apoptosis; making it difficult to fully address Rb1's biochemical activities. To overcome these limitations, we developed a tetracycline-inducible TetO-CB-myc6-Rb1 (CBRb) mouse …

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) Uptake By The Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 2 Regulates Cardiac Rhythmicity., Hirohito Shimizu, Johann Schredelseker, Jie Huang, Kui Lu, Shamim Naghdi, Fei Lu, Sarah Franklin, Hannah Dg Fiji, Kevin Wang, Huanqi Zhu, Cheng Tian, Billy Lin, Haruko Nakano, Amy Ehrlich, Junichi Nakai, Adam Z Stieg, James K Gimzewski, Atsushi Nakano, Joshua I. Goldhaber, Thomas M. Vondriska, György Hajnóczky, Ohyun Kwon, Jau-Nian Chen

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Tightly regulated Ca(2+) homeostasis is a prerequisite for proper cardiac function. To dissect the regulatory network of cardiac Ca(2+) handling, we performed a chemical suppressor screen on zebrafish tremblor embryos, which suffer from Ca(2+) extrusion defects. Efsevin was identified based on its potent activity to restore coordinated contractions in tremblor. We show that efsevin binds to VDAC2, potentiates mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and accelerates the transfer of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores into mitochondria. In cardiomyocytes, efsevin restricts the temporal and spatial boundaries of Ca(2+) sparks and thereby inhibits Ca(2+) overload-induced erratic Ca(2+) waves and irregular contractions. We further show that overexpression …

In Vivo Cigarette Smoke Exposure Decreases Ccl20, Slpi, And Bd-1 Secretion By Human Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells, James Jukosky, Benoit J. Gosselin, Leah Foley, Tenzin Dechen, Steven Fiering, Mardi A. Crane-Godreau

Dartmouth Scholarship

Smokers and individuals exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke have a higher risk of developing chronic sinus and bronchial infections. This suggests that cigarette smoke (CS) has adverse effects on immune defenses against pathogens. Epithelial cells are important in airway innate immunity and are the first line of defense against infection. Airway epithelial cells not only form a physical barrier but also respond to the presence of microbes by secreting antimicrobials, cytokines, and chemokines. These molecules can lyse infectious microorganisms and/or provide signals critical to the initiation of adaptive immune responses. We examined the effects of CS on antimicrobial secretions of …

The Cell's Antenna And Bending With The Flow, Surya M. Nauli, Kimberly F. Atkinson, Sarmed H. Kathem

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is the most common life-threatening genetic disease worldwide – affecting about 12.5 million people. Patients with the condition have multiple fluid-filled cysts in their kidneys that lead to a massive enlargement of the organ and gradual worsening of its function, as well as complete failure in many cases. The lack of available treatment means patients may eventually require regular dialysis or a kidney transplant.

The Predictive Value Of The Proliferation Marker Ki-67 In Patients With Fulminant Hepatic Failure, Ashesh P. Shah, Md, Upasana Joneja, Md, David Walls, Md, John Farber, Md

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Resident's Posters

INTRODUCTION

In the United States, acute liver failure (ALF) affects an estimated 2,000 people per year and accounts for 6% of all liver transplants. Without transplantation, however, less than 50% of patients survive with medical management alone. Early identification of patients with survivable AFL is important to guiding their management and early referral to transplantation.

Studies have shown that the current prognostic scoring systems used for FHF, including the King’s College Criteria (KCC) and the Model for End- Stage Liver Disease (MELD), have poor sensitivity and negative predictive value for predicting outcome, highlighting a need for more accurate predictive models. …

Investigation Of Ultrasound Targeted Microbubbles As A Therapeutic Gene Delivery System For Prostate Cancer, Rounak Paramjeet Nande

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A major challenge for effective gene therapy is systemic delivery of viruses carrying therapeutic genes into affected tissue. The immunogenic nature of human adenoviruses (Ads) limits their use for intratumoral (IT) injection in gene therapy. Ads transfection is further hampered by the fluctuating presence of Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor (CAR) and integrins on the cells’ surface. To circumvent these limitations we developed a novel approach wherein Ads are encapsulated inside the shell of lyophilized, lipid-encapsulated, perfluorocarbon microbubbles (MBs)/ultrasound (US) contrast agents, which act as delivery vehicles for a sitespecific gene transfer system.

We performed infection studies with Ad.GFP (Green Fluorescent …

Stromal Monocarboxylate Transporter Mct4 Is A Poor Prognostic Factor In Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Mehri Mollaee, Md, P. Cotzia, Patrick Tassone, Md, Adam J. Luginbuhl, Md, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Md, Tingting Zhan, Joseph M. Curry, Md, Madalina Tuluc, Md

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Resident's Posters

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) is the main exporter of lactate out of cells. It is also a critical component in the glycolytic metabolism of cancer cells. In this study, stromal MCT4 in oral SCC was correlated with risk of recurrence (ROR), extent of primary tumor (pT) and nodal metastasis (pN), perineural invasion (PNI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), HPV status, extracapsular extension (ECE) and positive margin.

Methods:

Clinical data were collected for 86 consecutive patients with oral HNSCC. Tissue microarrays (TMA) were constructed from paraffin blocks of resection specimens and stained for MCT4. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was assessed and quantified …

Workflow Modifications And Addition Of Maldi-Tof Technology Significantly Improved Turn-Around-Time To Identification Of Common Urine Pathogens, Dimath Alyemni, Md, Christine M. Lam, Amity L. Roberts, Phd, D(Abmm)

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Resident's Posters

Background:

In order to improve the identification of common aerobic urine cultures as well as antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) setup at an Academic Medical Center, work-flow modifications and MALDI-TOF technology were incorporated. Previously, the majority of species identification was achieved with conventional identification/antimicrobial susceptibility combo panels. All urine cultures, regardless of laboratory receipt time, were previously read once per day on 1st shift.

Methods:

The initial workflow modification involved addition of a 2nd shift urine culture reading. Urine specimens received from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM were read on 1st shift, while urine specimens received from 4:00 PM to 8:00 …

Is Myeloproliferative Neoplasm With Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis A Distinct Clinical Entity?, Upasana Joneja, Md, Jerald Z. Gong, Md, Guldeep Uppal, Md

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Resident's Posters

Clinical History:

A 29 year-old previously healthy female presented with sub-acute symptoms of weight loss, right upper quadrant pain and nausea.

CBC results: WBC-11.7, Hb- 12.5, Platelet- 286, MCV- 90, MCV- 26.8, RDW- 18%.

Imaging: Ultrasound and MRI of the abdomen were suggestive of Budd-Chiari syndrome that was supported by a liver biopsy showing features of hepatic outflow obstruction(Figure 1). There was no clinical or radiological evidence of splenomegaly. The hypercoagulable work-up was negative. An underlying Myeloproliferative Neoplasm (MPN) was suspected.

Validation Of Simple Sequence Length Polymorphism Regions Of Commonly Used Mouse Strains For Marker Assisted Speed Congenics Screening., Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy, Poonam S. Joshi, Scott G. Kurz, Masato Ohtsuka, Rolen M. Quadros, Donald W. Harms, K.C. Kent Lloyd

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Marker assisted speed congenics technique is commonly used to facilitate backcrossing of mouse strains in nearly half the time it normally takes otherwise. Traditionally, the technique is performed by analyzing PCR amplified regions of simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP) markers between the recipient and donor strains: offspring with the highest number of markers showing the recipient genome across all chromosomes is chosen for the next generation. Although there are well-defined panels of SSLP makers established between certain pairs of mice strains, they are incomplete for most strains. The availability of well-established marker sets for speed congenic screens would enable the …

Assessment Of Artificial Mirna Architectures For Higher Knockdown Efficiencies Without The Undesired Effects In Mice., Hiromi Miura, Hidetoshi Inoko, Masafumi Tanaka, Hirofumi Nakaoka, Minoru Kimura, Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy, Masahiro Sato, Masato Ohtsuka

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

RNAi-based strategies have been used for hypomorphic analyses. However, there are technical challenges to achieve robust, reproducible knockdown effect. Here we examined the artificial microRNA (amiRNA) architectures that could provide higher knockdown efficiencies. Using transient and stable transfection assays in cells, we found that simple amiRNA-expression cassettes, that did not contain a marker gene (-MG), displayed higher amiRNA expression and more efficient knockdown than those that contained a marker gene (+MG). Further, we tested this phenomenon in vivo, by analyzing amiRNA-expressing mice that were produced by the pronuclear injection-based targeted transgenesis (PITT) method. While we observed significant silencing of the …