Medical Cell Biology Commons^™

Bmp-2 Overexpression Augments Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Motility By Upregulating Myosin Va Via Erk Signaling, Ming Zhang, Min Yang, Liping Liu, Wayne Bond Lau, Hai Gao, Mankun Xin, Lixiao Su, Jian Wang, Shujuan Cheng, Qian Fan, Jinghua Liu

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Background. The disruption of physiologic vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration initiates atherosclerosis development. The biochemical mechanisms leading to dysfunctional VSMC motility remain unknown. Recently, cytokine BMP-2 has been implicated in various vascular physiologic and pathologic processes. However, whether BMP-2 has any effect upon VSMC motility, or by what manner, has never been investigated. Methods. VSMCs were adenovirally transfected to genetically overexpress BMP-2. VSMC motility was detected by modified Boyden chamber assay, confocal time-lapse video assay, and a colony wounding assay. Gene chip array and RT-PCR were employed to identify genes potentially regulated by BMP-2. Western blot and real-time PCR …

A Potential Mechanism For Extracellular Matrix Induction Of Breast Cancer Cell Normality, Robert D. Bruno, Gilbert H. Smith

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Extracellular matrix proteins from embryonic mesenchyme have a normalizing effect on cancer cells in vitro and slow tumor growth in vivo. This concept is suggestive of a new method for controlling the growth and spread of existing cancer cells in situ and indicates the possibility that extracellular proteins and/or embryonic mesenchymal fibroblasts may represent a fertile subject for study of new anti-cancer treatments.

Novel Therapeutic Strategies For Pancreatic Cancer, Bridget A. Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease that leaves patients with a very poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. Many of the treatment options available are the same that have been used for almost 2 decades. There is a dire need for both novel treatments for this disease as well as novel strategies of treatment. This body of work will introduce and provide evidence in support of a novel combination therapy for pancreatic cancer treatment, a novel strategy of modifying currently used chemotherapeutics for pancreatic cancer therapy, and a novel transgenic preclinical mouse model of pancreatic cancer. Sabutoclax, an antagonist of …

Mda-9/Syntenin: From Glioblastoma Pathogenesis To Targeted Therapy, Timothy P. Kegelman

Theses and Dissertations

The most common malignant glioma, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), remains an intractable tumor despite advances in therapy. Its proclivity to infiltrate surrounding brain tissue contributes greatly to its treatment failure and the grim prognosis of patients. Radiation is a staple in modern therapeutic regimens, though cells surviving radiation become more aggressive and invasive. Consequently, it is imperative to define further the cellular mechanisms that control GBM invasion and identify promising novel therapeutic targets. Melanoma differentiation associated gene-9 (MDA-9/Syntenin) is a highly conserved PDZ domain-containing scaffolding protein that promotes invasion and metastasis in human melanoma models. We show that MDA-9/Syntenin is robustly …

A Pil1–Sle1–Syj1–Tax4 Functional Pathway Links Eisosomes With Pi(4,5)P2 Regulation, Ruth Kabeche, Assen Roguev, Nevan J. Krogan, James B. Moseley

Dartmouth Scholarship

Stable compartments of the plasma membrane promote a wide range of cellular functions. In yeast cells, cytosolic structures called eisosomes generate prominent cortical invaginations of unknown function. Through a series of genetic screens in fission yeast, we found that the eisosome proteins Pil1 and Sle1 function with the synaptojanin-like lipid phosphatase Syj1 and its ligand Tax4. This genetic pathway connects eisosome function with the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] in cells. Defects in PI(4,5)P2 regulation led to eisosome defects, and we found that the core eisosome protein Pil1 can bind to and tubulate liposomes containing PI(4,5)P2. Mutations in components of …

Cxcr2 Expression In Tumor Cells Is A Poor Prognostic Factor And Promotes Invasion And Metastasis In Lung Adenocarcinoma, Erminia Massarelli

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

CXC chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) is a G-protein coupled receptor which mediates signaling by binding to CXC chemokines CXCL1-3 and 5-8. In non-small cell lung cancer CXCR2 has been studied mainly in stromal cells and is known to increase tumor inflammation and angiogenesis. However, there is controversial data in the literature about CXCR2 expression in tumor cells and its role in the tumor microenvironment. We hypothesized that tumoral expression of CXCR2 and its ligands promote tumor invasion and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer. The effect of CXCR2 expression on tumor cells was studied using stable knockdown clones derived from …

Nkg2d Ligands In Cancer, Neha Das Gupta

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

NK cell transplantation has been increasingly used to treat cancers that are resistant to chemotherapy. However, not all cancers are susceptible to NK cell killing. The prevalence and mechanisms of NK cell resistance have not been well elucidated. Because NKG2D is a major activating receptor on NK cells, we sought to test the hypothesis that NKG2D is the primary pathway in tumor cell recognition. Herein, we comprehensively assessed 20 cancer cell lines representing a broad array of cancer types. In line with our primary hypothesis, no cancer cell lines that expressed low levels of NKG2D ligands were susceptible to NK …

Adenylyl Cyclase 2 Selectively Regulates Il-6 Expression In Human Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells, Amy Sue Bogard

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Adenylyl cyclase (AC) catalyzes the formation of the ubiquitous second messenger cAMP. AC isoforms differ in their tissue distribution, cellular localization, regulation, and protein interactions, and most cells express multiple isoforms. We hypothesized that cAMP produced by different AC isoforms regulates unique cellular responses. Overexpression of individual isoforms had distinct effects on forskolin (Fsk)-induced expression of a number of known cAMP-responsive genes in human bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMC) and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293). Most notable, in BSMC overexpression and activation of AC2 enhanced interleukin 6 (IL-6) expression, but overexpression of AC3 or AC6 had no effect. IL-6 production …

Regulation Of Secretory Phospholipase A2 By Thyroid Hormone, Pragya Sharma

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Rationale: Low grade inflammation has been correlated with elevated risk of hepatic steatosis and atherosclerosis. Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2g2a) enhances the progression of several chronic inflammatory diseases including arthritis and atherosclerosis. The potential linkage of hypothyroidism with inflammation led us to examine the modulation of sPLA2 expression by thyroid hormone (T3) in liver.

Objective: Most of the studies of phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2g2a) have been conducted with macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells with regard to atherosclerosis. The liver is one of the major contributors to the total pool of extracellular PLA2g2a. The aim of the present …

Enhanced Pancreatic Beta-Cells Proliferation And Functionality, Hanan Abdulaziz Alismail

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biologically functional beta-cells proliferate at an extremely low rate with limited turnover capacity. This cellular property hinders cell-based therapy for clinical applications. Many attempts have been made to develop techniques that allow large quantities of production of clinically relevant islet β-cells in vitro. A line of studies demonstrates that functional beta-cells can proliferate under certain circumstances, providing hope for generating and expanding these cells in vitro and transplanting them into the recipient. In this study, we showed that a membrane substrate offers a better niche for beta cell proliferation and insulin secretion. Mouse beta cells were grown on a tissue …

The Cell And Molecular Biology Of Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Overview, Heather L. Montie, Thomas M. Durcan

PCOM Scholarly Works

There is no abstract for this article.

The Genome Of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils Maintains Normal Coding Sequences, Fengxia Xiao, Yeong C. Kim, Hongxiu Wen, Jiangtao Luo, Pei Xian Chen, Kenneth Cowan, San Ming Wang

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Genetic studies often use genomic DNA from whole blood cells, of which the majority are the polymorphonuclear myeloid cells. Those cells undergo dramatic change of nuclear morphology following cellular differentiation. It remains elusive if the nuclear morphological change accompanies sequence alternations from the intact genome. If such event exists, it will cause a serious problem in using such type of genomic DNA for genetic study as the sequences will not represent the intact genome in the host individuals. Using exome sequencing, we compared the coding regions between neutrophil, which is the major type of polymorphonuclear cells, and CD4+ T cell, …

Heterogeneity Of Functional Properties Of Clone 66 Murine Breast Cancer Cells Expressing Various Stem Cell Phenotypes, Partha Mukhopadhyay, Tracy Farrell, Gayatri Sharma, Timothy R. Mcguire, Barbara O'Kane, J. Graham Sharp

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

INTRODUCTION:

Breast cancer grows, metastasizes and relapses from rare, therapy resistant cells with a stem cell phenotype (cancer stem cells/CSCs). However, there is a lack of studies comparing the functions of CSCs isolated using different phenotypes in order to determine if CSCs are homogeneous or heterogeneous.

METHODS:

Cells with various stem cell phenotypes were isolated by sorting from Clone 66 murine breast cancer cells that grow orthotopically in immune intact syngeneic mice. These populations were compared by in vitro functional assays for proliferation, growth, sphere and colony formation; and in vivo limiting dilution analysis of tumorigenesis.

RESULTS:

The proportion of …

Nf1 Loss And Ras Hyperactivation In Oligodendrocytes Induce Nos-Driven Defects In Myelin And Vasculature, Debra A. Mayes, Tilat A. Rizvi, Haley E. Titus-Mitchell, Rachel Oberst, Georgianne M. Ciraolo, Charles V. Vorhees, Andrew P. Robinson, Stephen D. Miller, Jose A. Cancelas, Anat O. Stemmer-Rachamimov, Nancy Ratner

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and Costello syndrome Rasopathy have behavioral deficits. In NF1 patients, these may correlate with white matter enlargement and aberrant myelin. To model these features, we induced Nf1 loss or HRas hyperactivation in mouse oligodendrocytes. Enlarged brain white matter tracts correlated with myelin decompaction, downregulation of claudin-11, and mislocalization of connexin-32. Surprisingly, non-cell-autonomous defects in perivascular astrocytes and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) developed, implicating a soluble mediator. Nitric oxide (NO) can disrupt tight junctions and gap junctions, and NO and NO synthases (NOS1-NOS3) were upregulated in mutant white matter. Treating mice with the NOS inhibitor …

Macromolecular Complexes Of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Alter Fluid Transport In Inflammatory Bowel Disorders, Kavisha Arora

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Macromolecular complexes of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) comprise of network of proteins that can regulate cAMP-/cGMP-activated CFTR chloride channel function. We report the physical and functional coupling of CFTR with nitric oxide (NO) producing enzyme-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) at the apical plasma membrane in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The complex formation requires the scaffolding protein Na+ /H+ exchanger regulatory factor 2 (NHERF2). We demonstrate that iNOS is overexpressed at or near the apical plasma membrane of gut epithelial cells in IBD and, through the stimulation of the NO-cGMP pathway, generates compartmentalized cGMP underneath the plasma membrane. This …

Sparstolonin B Inhibits Pro-Angiogenic Functions And Blocks Cell Cycle Progression In Endothelial Cells, H. R. Bateman, Q. Liang, D. Fan, V. Rodriguez, Susan M. Lessner

Faculty Publications

Sparstolonin B (SsnB) is a novel bioactive compound isolated from Sparganium stoloniferum, an herb historically used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an anti-tumor agent. Angiogenesis, the process of new capillary formation from existing blood vessels, is dysregulated in many pathological disorders, including diabetic retinopathy, tumor growth, and atherosclerosis. In functional assays, SsnB inhibited endothelial cell tube formation (Matrigel method) and cell migration (Transwell method) in a dose-dependent manner. Microarray experiments with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) demonstrated differential expression of several hundred genes in response to SsnB exposure (916 and 356 …

Transcription Factor Binding Profiles Reveal Cyclic Expression Of Human Protein-Coding Genes And Non-Coding Rnas, Chao Cheng, Matthew Ung, Gavin D. Grant, Michael L. Whitfield

Dartmouth Scholarship

Cell cycle is a complex and highly supervised process that must proceed with regulatory precision to achieve successful cellular division. Despite the wide application, microarray time course experiments have several limitations in identifying cell cycle genes. We thus propose a computational model to predict human cell cycle genes based on transcription factor (TF) binding and regulatory motif information in their promoters. We utilize ENCODE ChIP-seq data and motif information as predictors to discriminate cell cycle against non-cell cycle genes. Our results show that both the trans- TF features and the cis- motif features are predictive of cell cycle genes, and …

The Protumorigenic Role Of Caspase-8 In Neuroblastoma, Devin Drew Twitchell

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Neuroblastoma (NB), the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, accounts for 15% of cancer-related deaths in pediatric patients. Caspase-8 (casp8), a proapoptotic protein, is silenced in approximately, 50-70% of neuroblastoma patient samples. Loss of casp8 has been suggested to increase NB metastasis and correlated, in some studies, with advanced-stage NB. Furthermore, decreased casp8 expression may facilitate neuroblastoma tumorigenesis by protecting cells from cell death mediated by either integrins or chemotherapeutics. Paradoxically, casp8 expression is maintained in 30-50% of NB patient samples giving rise to the possibility that casp8 may provide selective advantages for NB tumorigenesis. Caspase-8 is shown to …

A Preliminary Report Of Percutaneous Craniofacial Osteoplasty In A Rat Calvarium, William J. Parkes, Md, Jewel Greywoode, Md, Brian J. O'Hara, Md, Ryan N. Heffelfinger, Md, Howard Krein, Md, Phd

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Presentations and Grand Rounds

Objective: To evaluate the potential for injectable, permanent bone augmentation by assessing the biocompatibility and bioactivity of subperiosteal hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) deposition in a rat model.

Methods: Fourteen adult Sprague Dawley rats were injected in the parietal skull with hydroxylapatite (n=10) or a carrier gel control (n=4), using a subperiosteal injection technique on the right and a subcutaneous injection technique on the left. At 1, 3, and 6 months, 3 rats (1 negative control, 2 variables) were sacrificed. At 12 months, the remaining 5 rats were sacrificed. After each harvest, the calvaria were examined under both light and polarized microscopy.

Results: …

Micu1 Controls Both The Threshold And Cooperative Activation Of The Mitochondrial Ca(2+) Uniporter., György Csordás, Tünde Golenár, Erin L Seifert, Kimberli J Kamer, Yasemin Sancak, Fabiana Perocchi, Cynthia Moffat, David Weaver, Sergio De La Fuente Perez, Roman Bogorad, Victor Koteliansky, Jeffrey Adijanto, Vamsi K Mootha, György Hajnóczky

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake via the uniporter is central to cell metabolism, signaling, and survival. Recent studies identified MCU as the uniporter's likely pore and MICU1, an EF-hand protein, as its critical regulator. How this complex decodes dynamic cytoplasmic [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)]c) signals, to tune out small [Ca(2+)]c increases yet permit pulse transmission, remains unknown. We report that loss of MICU1 in mouse liver and cultured cells causes mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation during small [Ca(2+)]c elevations but an attenuated response to agonist-induced [Ca(2+)]c pulses. The latter reflects loss of positive cooperativity, likely via the EF-hands. MICU1 faces the intermembrane space and responds to …

Diabetes Mellitus And Hypercholesterolemia Are Risk Factors For Alzheimer’S Disease And Appear To Affect The Integrity Of The Blood Brain Barrier, Jacqueline Dash

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that the vascular risk factors common to diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia are also risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is currently unknown how these diseases are associated with AD, but they may cause a leak in the blood brain barrier (BBB), which is one of the hallmarks of AD. In this preliminary study, over 150 pig brain slides were tested for the expression levels of tight junction proteins occludin and claudin V in the BBB microvasculature. There were three groups of pig brains used in this study namely, control pigs, pigs with diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia …

Associations Between Alcohol Consumption And Fasting Blood Glucose In Young Adults, Julie Ann Lucca

Master's Theses

Current research shows moderate alcohol consumption is associated with decreased risk of diabetes and excessive consumption or binge drinking can cause insulin resistance and diabetes. In 2010, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United Statesand was responsible for significant health complications: blindness, kidney failure, and limb amputations, and is a large national economic burden. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) is a tool used to help diagnose diabetes. Abnormally high FBG, ≥100 mg/dl, is indicative of diabetes and pre-diabetes. Few studies have observed diabetic prevalence among young adults or college students. Studying young adults can help provide added …

Functional Study Of Hemogen Knockout Mouse Model, Peng Gao

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Mouse Hemogen (Hemgn) is regarded as a homologue of human Erythroid Differentiation Associated Gene (EDAG). EDAG overexpression has been postulated for association with some leukemia cases. Meanwhile, Hemgn has been found to contribute to Hoxb4 mediated hematopoietic stem cell expansion. Based on these postulations and evidences, a Hemgn knockout mouse model has been generated to study its function in normal and stress hematopoiesis. I confirmed the Hemgn expression in hematopoietic organs including bone marrow and spleen, as well as round spematids in testis. Hemgn is expressed in mouse hematopoietic stem cells and erythroid progenitor cells. Moreover, Hemgn was also found …

Delayed Thrombus Resolution And Fibroproliferative Vascular Wound Healing From Deficiency Of Type Iii Collagen: A Paradoxical Mechanism For Tissue Fragility, Amy J. Reid

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a heritable disease of connective tissue caused by mutations in COL3A1, conferring a tissue deficiency of type III collagen. Cutaneous wounds heal poorly in these patients, and they are susceptible to spontaneous and catastrophic rupture of expansible hollow organs like the gut, uterus, and medium-sized to large arteries, which leads to premature death. Although the predisposition for organ rupture is often attributed to inherent tissue fragility, investigation of arteries from a haploinsufficient Col3a1 mouse model (Col3a1^+/-) demonstrates that mutant arteries withstand even supraphysiologic pressures comparably to wild-type vessels. We hypothesize that injury …

The Pluripotency Proposition: A Biological And Ethical Case For The Utilization Of Hipscs In Place Of Hescs, Drew Dickson

Senior Honors Theses

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research has spurred ethical controversy ever since it became feasible in 1998. The reason for this is due to the fact that hESC research requires the destruction of a human embryo, thereby causing the cessation of life for that developing human. Despite this unavoidable consequence, many advocates of hESC research hold to the belief that the embryo is not actually a human person, and therefore deem the destruction of the embryo as justifiable. Many advocates of hESC research also have pointed to the unprecedented medical potential of hESCs to argue in favor of their case. …

Cellular Life Beyond An Individual’S Death, Emily Schmitt

CAHSS Intellectual Conversations

One of the most famous examples of cell lines surviving long after a person has died comes from a tumor found in the body of Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in 1950. The study of approximately 50 million tons of her cells, which would conservatively equal the amount of cells in one billion people, has resulted in nearly 11,000 patents, including the polio vaccine. These cells have become a focus of public attention since Rebecca Skloot’s 2010 book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This talk will discuss what happens to cells once they leave our bodies, …

Discovery Of Molecular Associations Among Aging, Stem Cells, And Cancer Based On Gene Expression Profiling., Xiaosheng Wang

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

The emergence of a huge volume of "omics" data enables a computational approach to the investigation of the biology of cancer. The cancer informatics approach is a useful supplement to the traditional experimental approach. I reviewed several reports that used a bioinformatics approach to analyze the associations among aging, stem cells, and cancer by microarray gene expression profiling. The high expression of aging- or human embryonic stem cell-related molecules in cancer suggests that certain important mechanisms are commonly underlying aging, stem cells, and cancer. These mechanisms are involved in cell cycle regulation, metabolic process, DNA damage response, apoptosis, p53 signaling …

Serotonergic Innervation And Serotonin Receptor Expression Of Npy-Producing Neurons In The Rat Lateral And Basolateral Amygdaloid Nuclei., M Bonn, A Schmitt, K-P Lesch, E J Van Bockstaele, E Asan

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Pharmacobehavioral studies in experimental animals, and imaging studies in humans, indicate that serotonergic transmission in the amygdala plays a key role in emotional processing, especially for anxiety-related stimuli. The lateral and basolateral amygdaloid nuclei receive a dense serotonergic innervation in all species studied to date. We investigated interrelations between serotonergic afferents and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-producing neurons, which are a subpopulation of inhibitory interneurons in the rat lateral and basolateral nuclei with particularly strong anxiolytic properties. Dual light microscopic immunolabeling showed numerous appositions of serotonergic afferents on NPY-immunoreactive somata. Using electron microscopy, direct membrane appositions and synaptic contacts between serotonin-containing axon …

Lps And Pan-Induced Podocyte Injury In An In Vitro Model Of Minimal Change Disease: Changes In Tlr Profile., Tarak Srivastava, Mukut Sharma, Kok-Hooi Yew, Ram Sharma, R Scott Duncan, Moin A. Saleem, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Alexander Kats, Patricia A. Cudmore, Uri S. Alon, Christopher J. Harrison

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Minimal change disease (MCD), the most common idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in children, is characterized by proteinuria and loss of glomerular visceral epithelial cell (podocyte) ultrastructure. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) are used to study podocyte injury in models of MCD in vivo and in vitro. We hypothesized that LPS and PAN influence components of the innate immune system in podocytes such as the Toll-Like Receptor (TLRs), TLR adapter molecules, and associated cytokines. Our results show that cultured human podocytes constitutively express TLRs 1-6 and TLR-10, but not TLRs 7-9. LPS (25 μg/ml) or PAN (60 μg/ml) caused comparable derangement …

Cytoplasmic Localization Of Alteration/Deficiency In Activation 3 (Ada3) Predicts Poor Clinical Outcome In Breast Cancer Patients., Sameer Mirza, Emad A. Rakha, Alaa Alshareeda, Shakur Mohibi, Xiangshan Zhao, Bryan J. Katafiasz, Jun Wang, Channabasavaiah B. Gurumurthy, Aditya Bele, Ian O. Ellis, Andrew R. Green, Hamid Band, Vimla Band

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Transcriptional activation by estrogen receptor (ER) is a key step to breast oncogenesis. Given previous findings that ADA3 is a critical component of HAT complexes that regulate ER function and evidence that overexpression of other ER coactivators such as SRC-3 is associated with clinical outcomes in breast cancer, the current study was designed to assess the potential significance of ADA3 expression/localization in human breast cancer patients. In this study, we analyzed ADA3 expression in breast cancer tissue specimens and assessed the correlation of ADA3 staining with cancer progression and patient outcome. Tissue microarrays prepared from large series of breast cancer …