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Articles 961 - 990 of 1927

Full-Text Articles in Medical Cell Biology

Attenuation Of Interferon Responses In The Obese Host And Ramifications For Influenza Virus Evolution, Rebekah Reed Honce Nov 2020

Attenuation Of Interferon Responses In The Obese Host And Ramifications For Influenza Virus Evolution, Rebekah Reed Honce

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The most insidious pandemic of modern life does not arise from an infectious agent but rather from malnutrition. With its global incidence tripling over the past three decades, obesity is a major public health concern. Obesity’s rising prevalence has also illuminated its impact on communicable diseases. Following the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus pandemic, obesity was identified as a risk factor for increased disease severity and mortality in infected individuals. Obesity causes a chronic state of meta-inflammation with systemic implications for immunity, including delayed antiviral responses to influenza virus infection, poor recovery, and impaired immunological memory. However, the majority of …


Genetic Variation And Sex Mediate Differential Responses To ∆-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Among Inbred Mice, Cory Parks Nov 2020

Genetic Variation And Sex Mediate Differential Responses To ∆-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Among Inbred Mice, Cory Parks

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The plant Cannabis sativa has been used by people for both recreational and medicinal use for thousands of years, but scientific investigation of the plant and its components didn’t begin until the early nineteen hundreds when Cannabis components known as phytocannabinoids were characterized and later isolated. In the 1970’s, ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was isolated and recognized as the major constituent responsible for the psychoactive and intoxicating effects associated with consumption of cannabis. This opened the door for intensive research in the field that lead to the discovery of the endogenous cannabinoid system and its associated receptors, effectors of signaling, and biosynthetic …


Constitutive Genetic Deletion Of Hcn1 Increases Alcohol Preference During Adolescence, Michael C. Salling, Neil L. Harrison Oct 2020

Constitutive Genetic Deletion Of Hcn1 Increases Alcohol Preference During Adolescence, Michael C. Salling, Neil L. Harrison

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (HCN), which underlies the hyperpolarization-activated cation current (Ih), has diverse roles in regulating neuronal excitability across cell types and brain regions. Recently, HCN channels have been implicated in preclinical models of substance abuse including alcohol. In the prefrontal cortex of rodents, HCN expression and Ih magnitude are developmentally regulated during adolescence and may be vulnerable to alcohol’s effects. In mice, binge alcohol consumption during the adolescent period results in a sustained reduction in Ih that coincides with increased alcohol consumption in adulthood, yet the direct role HCN channels have on alcohol consumption are unknown. Here, …


Computational Modeling Analysis Of Generation Of Reactive Oxygen Species By Mitochondrial Assembled And Disintegrated Complex Ii., Nikolay I. Markevich, Lubov N. Markevich, Jan B. Hoek Oct 2020

Computational Modeling Analysis Of Generation Of Reactive Oxygen Species By Mitochondrial Assembled And Disintegrated Complex Ii., Nikolay I. Markevich, Lubov N. Markevich, Jan B. Hoek

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) function as critical mediators in a broad range of cellular signaling processes. The mitochondrial electron transport chain is one of the major contributors to ROS formation in most cells. Increasing evidence indicates that the respiratory Complex II (CII) can be the predominant ROS generator under certain conditions. A computational, mechanistic model of electron transfer and ROS formation in CII was developed in the present study to facilitate quantitative analysis of mitochondrial ROS production. The model was calibrated by fitting the computer simulated results to experimental data obtained on submitochondrial particles (SMP) prepared from bovine and rat …


Steered Molecular Dynamic Simulations Reveal Marfan Syndrome Mutations Disrupt Fibrillin-1 Cbegf Domain Mechanosensitive Balcium Binding, Stephen J. Haller, Adrian E. Roitberg, Andrew T. Dudley Oct 2020

Steered Molecular Dynamic Simulations Reveal Marfan Syndrome Mutations Disrupt Fibrillin-1 Cbegf Domain Mechanosensitive Balcium Binding, Stephen J. Haller, Adrian E. Roitberg, Andrew T. Dudley

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a highly variable genetic connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the calcium binding extracellular matrix glycoprotein fibrillin-1. Patients with the most severe form of MFS (neonatal MFS; nMFS) tend to have mutations that cluster in an internal region of fibrillin-1 called the neonatal region. This region is predominantly composed of eight calcium-binding epidermal growth factor-like (cbEGF) domains, each of which binds one calcium ion and is stabilized by three highly conserved disulfide bonds. Crucially, calcium plays a fundamental role in stabilizing cbEGF domains. Perturbed calcium binding caused by cbEGF domain mutations is thus thought to …


Exosomes Secreted Under Hypoxia Enhance Stemness In Ewing's Sarcoma Through Mir-210 Delivery, Matthew J. Kling, Nagendra K. Chaturvedi, Varun Kesherwani, Don W. Coulter, Timothy R. Mcguire, J. Graham Sharp, Shantaram S. Joshi Oct 2020

Exosomes Secreted Under Hypoxia Enhance Stemness In Ewing's Sarcoma Through Mir-210 Delivery, Matthew J. Kling, Nagendra K. Chaturvedi, Varun Kesherwani, Don W. Coulter, Timothy R. Mcguire, J. Graham Sharp, Shantaram S. Joshi

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

Intercellular communication between tumor cells within the hypoxic microenvironment promote aggressiveness and poor patient prognoses for reasons that remain unclear. Here we show that hypoxic Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) cells release exosomes that promote sphere formation, a stem-like phenotype, in EWS cells by enhancing survival. Analysis of the hypoxic exosomal miRNA cargo identified a HIF-1α regulated miRNA, miR-210, as a potential mediator of sphere formation in cells exposed to hypoxic exosomes. Knockdown of HIF-1α in hypoxic EWS cells led to decreased exosomal miR-210 levels and reduced the capacity of hypoxic exosomes to form spheres. Inhibition of miR-210 in hypoxic spheres attenuated …


Characterization Of Genome-Wide Binding Of Nuclear-Factor I-X In Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells, Megan J. Walker Oct 2020

Characterization Of Genome-Wide Binding Of Nuclear-Factor I-X In Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells, Megan J. Walker

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

We report that ectopic expression of Nfix in primary mouse HSPC extended their ex vivo culture from 20 to 40 days. HSPC overexpressing Nfix displayed hypersensitivity to supportive cytokines and reduced apoptosis when subjected to cytokine deprivation compared to controls. Ectopic Nfix resulted in elevated levels of c-Mpl transcripts and cell surface protein on primary murine HSPC as well as increased phosphorylation of STAT5, which is known to be activated down-stream of c-MPL signaling. Blocking c-MPL signaling by removal of its ligand, thrombopoietin (TPO), or addition of a c-MPL neutralizing antibody negated the anti-apoptotic effect of Nfix overexpression on cultured …


Mir-30a Targets Gene Networks That Promote Browning Of Human And Mouse Adipocytes, Pradip K Saha, Mark P Hamilton, Kimal Rajapakshe, Vasanta Putluri, Jessica B Felix, Peter Masschelin, Aaron R Cox, Mandeep Bajaj, Nagireddy Putluri, Cristian Coarfa, Sean M Hartig Oct 2020

Mir-30a Targets Gene Networks That Promote Browning Of Human And Mouse Adipocytes, Pradip K Saha, Mark P Hamilton, Kimal Rajapakshe, Vasanta Putluri, Jessica B Felix, Peter Masschelin, Aaron R Cox, Mandeep Bajaj, Nagireddy Putluri, Cristian Coarfa, Sean M Hartig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

MicroRNA-30a (miR-30a) impacts adipocyte function, and its expression in white adipose tissue (WAT) correlates with insulin sensitivity in obesity. Bioinformatic analysis demonstrates that miR-30a expression contributes to 2% of all miRNA expression in human tissues. However, molecular mechanisms of miR-30a function in fat cells remain unclear. Here, we expanded our understanding of how miR-30a expression contributes to antidiabetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonist activity and metabolic functions in adipocytes. We found that WAT isolated from diabetic patients shows reduced miR-30a levels and diminished expression of the canonical PPARγ target genes ADIPOQ and FABP4 relative to lean counterparts. In human adipocytes, …


Cryo‑Electron Microscopy Structure Of The 70s Ribosome From Enterococcus Faecalis, Eileen L. Murphy, Kavindra V. Singh, Bryant Avila, Torsten Kleffmann, Steven T. Gregory, Barbara E. Murray, Kurt L. Krause, Reza Khayat, Gerwald Jogl Oct 2020

Cryo‑Electron Microscopy Structure Of The 70s Ribosome From Enterococcus Faecalis, Eileen L. Murphy, Kavindra V. Singh, Bryant Avila, Torsten Kleffmann, Steven T. Gregory, Barbara E. Murray, Kurt L. Krause, Reza Khayat, Gerwald Jogl

Publications and Research

Enterococcus faecalis is a gram-positive organism responsible for serious infections in humans, but as with many bacterial pathogens, resistance has rendered a number of commonly used antibiotics ineffective. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of the E. faecalis 70S ribosome to a global resolution of 2.8 Å. Structural differences are clustered in peripheral and solvent exposed regions when compared with Escherichia coli, whereas functional centres, including antibiotic binding sites, are similar to other bacterial ribosomes. Comparison of intersubunit conformations among five classes obtained after three-dimensional classification identifies several rotated states. Large ribosomal subunit protein bL31, which forms intersubunit bridges to …


On The Expanding Roles Of Trna Fragments In Modulating Cell Behavior, Rogan Magee, Isidore Rigoutsos Sep 2020

On The Expanding Roles Of Trna Fragments In Modulating Cell Behavior, Rogan Magee, Isidore Rigoutsos

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

The fragments that derive from transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are an emerging category of regulatory RNAs. Known as tRFs, these fragments were reported for the first time only a decade ago, making them a relatively recent addition to the ever-expanding pantheon of non-coding RNAs. tRFs are short, 16-35 nucleotides (nts) in length, and produced through cleavage of mature and precursor tRNAs at various positions. Both cleavage positions and relative tRF abundance depend strongly on context, including the tissue type, tissue state, and disease, as well as the sex, population of origin, and race/ethnicity of an individual. These dependencies increase the urgency …


Effects Of Neuronic Shutter Observed In The Eeg Alpha Rhythm, Kevin E. Alexander, Justin R. Estepp, Sherif M. Elbasiouny Sep 2020

Effects Of Neuronic Shutter Observed In The Eeg Alpha Rhythm, Kevin E. Alexander, Justin R. Estepp, Sherif M. Elbasiouny

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Physiology Faculty Publications

The posterior alpha (α) rhythm, seen in human electroencephalogram (EEG), is posited to originate from cycling inhibitory/excitatory states of visual relay cells in the thalamus. These cycling states are thought to lead to oscillating visual sensitivity levels termed the “neuronic shutter effect.” If true, perceptual performance should be predictable by observed α phase (of cycling inhibitory/excitatory states) relative to the timeline of afferentiation onto the visual cortex. Here, we tested this hypothesis by presenting contrast changes at near perceptual threshold intensity through closed eyelids to 20 participants (balanced for gender) during times of spontaneous α oscillations. To more accurately and …


The Membrane-Associated Form Of Cyclin D1 Enhances Cellular Invasion, Ke Chen, Xuanmao Jiao, Anthony Ashton, Agnese Di Rocco, Timothy G Pestell, Yunguang Sun, Jun Zhao, Mathew C Casimiro, Zhiping Li, Michael P Lisanti, Peter Mccue, Duanwen Shen, Samuel Achilefu, Hallgeir Rui, Richard G Pestell Sep 2020

The Membrane-Associated Form Of Cyclin D1 Enhances Cellular Invasion, Ke Chen, Xuanmao Jiao, Anthony Ashton, Agnese Di Rocco, Timothy G Pestell, Yunguang Sun, Jun Zhao, Mathew C Casimiro, Zhiping Li, Michael P Lisanti, Peter Mccue, Duanwen Shen, Samuel Achilefu, Hallgeir Rui, Richard G Pestell

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

The essential G1-cyclin, CCND1, is a collaborative nuclear oncogene that is frequently overexpressed in cancer. D-type cyclins bind and activate CDK4 and CDK6 thereby contributing to G1-S cell-cycle progression. In addition to the nucleus, herein cyclin D1 was also located in the cytoplasmic membrane. In contrast with the nuclear-localized form of cyclin D1 (cyclin D1NL), the cytoplasmic membrane-localized form of cyclin D1 (cyclin D1MEM) induced transwell migration and the velocity of cellular migration. The cyclin D1MEM was sufficient to induce G1-S cell-cycle progression, cellular proliferation, and colony formation. The cyclin D1MEM was sufficient to induce phosphorylation of the serine threonine …


Educational Case: A Case Of Transfusion-Transmitted Babesiosis: Diagnostic Perspectives Across The Clinical Laboratory., Kaitlyn Dykes, Alexis R. Peedin Sep 2020

Educational Case: A Case Of Transfusion-Transmitted Babesiosis: Diagnostic Perspectives Across The Clinical Laboratory., Kaitlyn Dykes, Alexis R. Peedin

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

The following fictional case is intended as a learning tool within the Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME), a set of national standards for teaching pathology. These are divided into three basic competencies: Disease Mechanisms and Processes, Organ System Pathology, and Diagnostic Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology.


Endogenous Cyclin D1 Promotes The Rate Of Onset And Magnitude Of Mitogenic Signaling Via Akt1 Ser473 Phosphorylation., Ke Chen, Xuanmao Jiao, Agnese Di Rocco, Duanwen Shen, Shaohua Xu, Adam Ertel, Zuoren Yu, Gabriele Di Sante, Min Wang, Zhiping Li, Timothy G Pestell, Mathew C Casimiro, Emmanuel Skordalakes, Samuel Achilefu, Richard G Pestell Sep 2020

Endogenous Cyclin D1 Promotes The Rate Of Onset And Magnitude Of Mitogenic Signaling Via Akt1 Ser473 Phosphorylation., Ke Chen, Xuanmao Jiao, Agnese Di Rocco, Duanwen Shen, Shaohua Xu, Adam Ertel, Zuoren Yu, Gabriele Di Sante, Min Wang, Zhiping Li, Timothy G Pestell, Mathew C Casimiro, Emmanuel Skordalakes, Samuel Achilefu, Richard G Pestell

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Cyclin D1 encodes the regulatory subunit of a holoenzyme that phosphorylates RB and functions as a collaborative nuclear oncogene. The serine threonine kinase Akt plays a pivotal role in the control of cellular metabolism, survival, and mitogenic signaling. Herein, Akt1-mediated phosphorylation of downstream substrates in the mammary gland is reduced by cyclin D1 genetic deletion and is induced by mammary-gland-targeted cyclin D1 overexpression. Cyclin D1 is associated with Akt1 and augments the rate of onset and maximal cellular Akt1 activity induced by mitogens. Cyclin D1 is identified in a cytoplasmic-membrane-associated pool, and cytoplasmic-membrane-localized cyclin D1-but not nuclear-localized cyclin D1-recapitulates Akt1 …


Structural Insights Of Transcriptionally Active, Full-Length Androgen Receptor Coactivator Complexes, Xinzhe Yu, Ping Yi, Ross A Hamilton, Hong Shen, Muyuan Chen, Charles E Foulds, Michael A Mancini, Steven J Ludtke, Zhao Wang, Bert W O'Malley Sep 2020

Structural Insights Of Transcriptionally Active, Full-Length Androgen Receptor Coactivator Complexes, Xinzhe Yu, Ping Yi, Ross A Hamilton, Hong Shen, Muyuan Chen, Charles E Foulds, Michael A Mancini, Steven J Ludtke, Zhao Wang, Bert W O'Malley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Steroid receptors activate gene transcription by recruiting coactivators to initiate transcription of their target genes. For most nuclear receptors, the ligand-dependent activation function domain-2 (AF-2) is a primary contributor to the nuclear receptor (NR) transcriptional activity. In contrast to other steroid receptors, such as ERα, the activation function of androgen receptor (AR) is largely dependent on its ligand-independent AF-1 located in its N-terminal domain (NTD). It remains unclear why AR utilizes a different AF domain from other receptors despite that NRs share similar domain organizations. Here, we present cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of DNA-bound full-length AR and its complex structure …


The Characterization Of Hematopoiesis In Murine Fetal Bone Marrow, Trent Daniel Hall Sep 2020

The Characterization Of Hematopoiesis In Murine Fetal Bone Marrow, Trent Daniel Hall

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and their downstream progenitors are a heterogeneous population of cells that are indispensable for lifelong hematopoiesis and are often utilized in the clinic for the treatment of hematologic maladies via hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Over several decades, it has been discovered that HSCs arise in the dorsal aorta of the developing embryo, migrate to the fetal liver (FL), and undergo a large expansion before reaching their final resting place in the bone marrow (BM). Many resources have been invested in understanding the roles of the different niches HSCs encounter along their journey. A greater understanding …


Conditional Loss Of Engrailed 1/2 In Rhombic Lip-Derived Neurons Increases Intrinsic Rhythmicity And Decreases Overall Variability Of Eupneic Respiration, Angela P. Taylor Sep 2020

Conditional Loss Of Engrailed 1/2 In Rhombic Lip-Derived Neurons Increases Intrinsic Rhythmicity And Decreases Overall Variability Of Eupneic Respiration, Angela P. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Evidence for a cerebellar role during cardiopulmonary challenges has long been established, but investigation into cerebellar involvement in eupneic breathing has been inconclusive. Given the view of the cerebellum (CRB) as a temporally coordinating structure, any investigation into the CRB during respiration must evaluate rhythm and variability of the respiratory sequence. In this study, we chose an elegant model of cerebellar neuropathology, Atoh1-En1/2 CKO, where mutant animals have conditional loss of the developmental patterning gene Engrailed 1/2 in rhombic lip-lineage neurons and exhibit a proportional scaling-down of neuron number in hypoplastic lobules of the CRB. We utilized whole-body unrestrained plethysmography …


Pharmacogenomics Cascade Testing (Phact): A Novel Approach For Preemptive Pharmacogenomics Testing To Optimize Medication Therapy, Don Roosan, Angela Hwang, Moom Roosan Aug 2020

Pharmacogenomics Cascade Testing (Phact): A Novel Approach For Preemptive Pharmacogenomics Testing To Optimize Medication Therapy, Don Roosan, Angela Hwang, Moom Roosan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The implementation of pharmacogenomics (PGx) has come a long way since the dawn of utilizing pharmacogenomic data in clinical patient care. However, the potential benefits of sharing PGx results have yet to be explored. In this paper, we explore the willingness of patients to share PGx results, as well as the inclusion of family medication history in identifying potential family members for pharmacogenomics cascade testing (PhaCT). The genetic similarities in families allow for identifying potential gene variants prior to official preemptive testing. Once a candidate patient is determined, PhaCT can be initiated. PhaCT recognizes that further cascade testing throughout a …


Cyclic Peptide-Gadolinium Nanoparticles For Enhanced Intracellular Delivery, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Shang Eun Park, Shirin Rad, Luiza Baloyan, Dindyal Mandal, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Ryley Hall, Sandeep Lohan, Khalid Zoghebi, Keykavous Parang, Rakesh Tiwari Aug 2020

Cyclic Peptide-Gadolinium Nanoparticles For Enhanced Intracellular Delivery, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Shang Eun Park, Shirin Rad, Luiza Baloyan, Dindyal Mandal, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Ryley Hall, Sandeep Lohan, Khalid Zoghebi, Keykavous Parang, Rakesh Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A cyclic peptide containing one cysteine and five alternating tryptophan and arginine amino acids [(WR)5C] was synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase methodology. The ability of the synthesized cyclic peptide to produce gadolinium nanoparticles through an in situ one-pot mixing of an aqueous solution of GdCl3 with [(WR)5C] peptide solution was evaluated. Transmission electron microscopy showed the formed peptide-Gd nanoparticles in star-shape morphology with a size of ~250 nm. Flow cytometry investigation showed that the cellular uptake of a cell-impermeable fluorescence-labeled phosphopeptide (F′-GpYEEI, where F′ = fluorescein) was approximately six times higher in the presence of [(WR) …


Phosphorylation Of Cyclophilin D At Serine 191 Regulates Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore Opening And Cell Death After Ischemia-Reperfusion, Stephen Hurst, Fabrice Gonnot, Maya Dia, Claire Crola Da Silva, Ludovic Gomez, Shey-Shing Sheu Aug 2020

Phosphorylation Of Cyclophilin D At Serine 191 Regulates Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore Opening And Cell Death After Ischemia-Reperfusion, Stephen Hurst, Fabrice Gonnot, Maya Dia, Claire Crola Da Silva, Ludovic Gomez, Shey-Shing Sheu

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, including ischemia/reperfusion injury. Although the pore structure is still unresolved, the mechanism through which cyclophilin D (CypD) regulates mPTP opening is the subject of intensive studies. While post-translational modifications of CypD have been shown to modulate pore opening, specific phosphorylation sites of CypD have not yet been identified. We hypothesized here that phosphorylation of CypD on a serine residue controls mPTP opening and subsequent cell death at reperfusion. We combined in silico analysis with in vitro and genetic manipulations to determine potential CypD phosphorylation …


Targeting Pd-L1 In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Car T Cells, Ming Liu, Xu Wang, Wei Li, Xinfang Yu, Pedro Flores-Villanueva, Zijun Y Xu-Monette, Ling Li, Mingzhi Zhang, Ken H Young, Xiaodong Ma, Yong Li Aug 2020

Targeting Pd-L1 In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Car T Cells, Ming Liu, Xu Wang, Wei Li, Xinfang Yu, Pedro Flores-Villanueva, Zijun Y Xu-Monette, Ling Li, Mingzhi Zhang, Ken H Young, Xiaodong Ma, Yong Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Antibodies against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) have dramatically changed the landscape of therapies for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC); however, the majority of patients do not respond to these agents. In addition, hyperprogressive disease (HPD) develops in a larger portion of NSCLC patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors than in patients treated with standard chemotherapy. The use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has been successful to treat blood cancers but not for solid tumors like NSCLC. In this work, we constructed CAR T cells that target PD-L1 and evaluated their efficacy in NSCLC …


Effect Of S100b Deletion On Membrane Properties And Localization Of Ncald And Hpca, Natasha Hesketh Aug 2020

Effect Of S100b Deletion On Membrane Properties And Localization Of Ncald And Hpca, Natasha Hesketh

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Calcium signaling is particularly important for neuronal function. Neurons utilize a wide range of calcium-binding proteins. Dysregulation of such proteins is linked to neurodegeneration. Neurocalcin delta (NCALD), hippocalcin (HPCA), and S100B are calcium sensors that are expressed in the hippocampus, a brain region essential to memory and severely damaged in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Despite the potential importance of these proteins, we do not fully understand the physiological significance of their relationship. Because NCALD and HPCA are known to interact with S100B, we hypothesized that the loss of S100B affects NCALD and HPCA localization, and therefore electrical properties, of hippocampal neurons. …


Stem Crisis Teaching: Curriculum Design With E-Learning Tools, Sonya E. Van Nuland, Elissa Hall, Natalie R. Langley Jul 2020

Stem Crisis Teaching: Curriculum Design With E-Learning Tools, Sonya E. Van Nuland, Elissa Hall, Natalie R. Langley

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social distancing protocols have accelerated the shift to online teaching across the globe. In Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs this means a shift from face-to-face laboratory instruction to self-directed learning with e-learning tools. Unfortunately, selecting and integrating an e-learning tool into a curriculum can be daunting. This article highlights key questions and practical suggestions instructors should consider in choosing the most effective option for their course and learners.


Thrombospondin-1 Plays An Essential Role In Yes-Associated Protein Nuclear Translocation During The Early Phase Of Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection In Heart Endothelial Cells, Ashutosh Arun, Kayla J. Rayford, Ayorinde Cooley, Girish Rachakonda, Fernando Villalta, Siddharth Pratap, Maria F. Lima, Nader Sheibani, Pius N. Nde Jul 2020

Thrombospondin-1 Plays An Essential Role In Yes-Associated Protein Nuclear Translocation During The Early Phase Of Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection In Heart Endothelial Cells, Ashutosh Arun, Kayla J. Rayford, Ayorinde Cooley, Girish Rachakonda, Fernando Villalta, Siddharth Pratap, Maria F. Lima, Nader Sheibani, Pius N. Nde

Publications and Research

The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease. This neglected tropical disease causes severe morbidity and mortality in endemic regions. About 30% of T. cruzi infected individuals will present with cardiac complications. Invasive trypomastigotes released from infected cells can be carried in the vascular endothelial system to infect neighboring and distant cells. During the process of cellular infection, the parasite induces host cells, to increase the levels of host thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), to facilitate the process of infection. TSP-1 plays important roles in the functioning of vascular cells, including vascular endothelial cells with important implications in cardiovascular …


Comparative Molecular Transporter Properties Of Cyclic Peptides Containing Tryptophan And Arginine Residues Formed Through Disulfide Cyclization, Eman H. M. Mohammed, Dindyal Mandal, Saghar Mozaffari, Magdy Abdel-Hamied Zahran, Amany Mostafa Osman, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Keykavous Parang Jun 2020

Comparative Molecular Transporter Properties Of Cyclic Peptides Containing Tryptophan And Arginine Residues Formed Through Disulfide Cyclization, Eman H. M. Mohammed, Dindyal Mandal, Saghar Mozaffari, Magdy Abdel-Hamied Zahran, Amany Mostafa Osman, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

We have previously reported cyclic cell-penetrating peptides [WR]5 and [WR]4 as molecular transporters. To optimize further the utility of our developed peptides for targeted therapy in cancer cells using the redox condition, we designed a new generation of peptides and evaluated their cytotoxicity as well as uptake behavior against different cancer cell lines. Thus, cyclic [C(WR)xC] and linear counterparts (C(WR)xC), where x = 4–5, were synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase peptide synthesis, purified, and characterized. The compounds did not show any significant cytotoxicity (at 25 µM) against ovarian (SK-OV-3), leukemia (CCRF-CEM), gastric adenocarcinoma (CRL-1739), breast …


The Anti-Proliferative Effects Of Methotrexate And Novel Ucp1162 On Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Lines, Jacqueline Klepinger, Charles Giardina, Didem Ozcan May 2020

The Anti-Proliferative Effects Of Methotrexate And Novel Ucp1162 On Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Lines, Jacqueline Klepinger, Charles Giardina, Didem Ozcan

Honors Scholar Theses

Cancer cells proliferate at rapid rates due to the aberrant activity of proteins involved in regulating the cell cycle. This characteristic allows mutated cancer cells to spread and metastasize, causing lesions to form throughout the body. Two treatment conditions, one classical antifolate methotrexate (MTX) and non-classical, novel antifolate UCP1162, were tested on a panel of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines to determine if UCP1162 has higher anti-proliferative activity. High dose MTX is used as a first line chemotherapy in common childhood malignancies such as acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). Methotrexate is excluded from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatments based on …


Diurnal Patterns Of Gene Expression In The Dorsal Vagal Complex And The Central Nucleus Of The Amygdala - Non-Rhythm-Generating Brain Regions, Mary M Staehle, Sean O'Sullivan, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, Kate F Kernan, Gregory E Gonye, Babatunde A Ogunnaike, James S. Schwaber May 2020

Diurnal Patterns Of Gene Expression In The Dorsal Vagal Complex And The Central Nucleus Of The Amygdala - Non-Rhythm-Generating Brain Regions, Mary M Staehle, Sean O'Sullivan, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, Kate F Kernan, Gregory E Gonye, Babatunde A Ogunnaike, James S. Schwaber

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Genes that establish the circadian clock have differential expression with respect to solar time in central and peripheral tissues. Here, we find circadian-time-induced differential expression in a large number of genes not associated with circadian rhythms in two brain regions lacking overt circadian function: the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). These regions primarily engage in autonomic, homeostatic, and emotional regulation. However, we find striking diurnal shifts in gene expression in these regions of male Sprague Dawley rats with no obvious patterns that could be attributed to function or region. These findings have implications …


Identifying Determinants Of Target Specificity In Two Related Bacterial Peptide Toxins, Andrew D. Holmes May 2020

Identifying Determinants Of Target Specificity In Two Related Bacterial Peptide Toxins, Andrew D. Holmes

Honors Thesis

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems were originally identified as two-component systems ensuring the stable inheritance of plasmids in bacterial populations. Recently, they have been identified on bacterial chromosomes where their functions remain mostly undefined. The par locus of E. faecalis plasmid pAD1 (parpAD1) was the first TA system defined in a Gram-positive bacterium and a homolog encoded on the E. faecalis chromosome (parEF0409) was later described. Related loci numbering in the hundreds have been identified throughout Gram-positive bacteria based on homology to the toxin of the system, Fst, and similarities in genetic organization and regulation. Despite …


Molecular Mechanisms Of Manganese Porphyrin Compounds In The Prevention Of Radiation-Induced Fibrosis, Shashank Shrishrimal May 2020

Molecular Mechanisms Of Manganese Porphyrin Compounds In The Prevention Of Radiation-Induced Fibrosis, Shashank Shrishrimal

Theses & Dissertations

Radiation therapy is frequently used as a treatment strategy for prostate cancer patients, which leads to several side effects due to damage to health tissue around the tumor and the development of radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF). Manganese (III) meso-tetrakis (N-ethylpyridinium-2-yl) porphyrin (MnTE-2-PyP or T2E or BMX-010) and other similar manganese porphyrin compounds that scavenge superoxide molecules have been demonstrated to be effective radioprotectors and prevent the development of RIF. However, understanding of the radioprotective molecular pathway associated with these compounds remains limited. Recent RNA-sequencing data from our laboratory revealed that MnTE-2-PyP treatment may activate the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 …


How Can We Stop Cancer?, Joseph R. Current May 2020

How Can We Stop Cancer?, Joseph R. Current

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

Cancer is a disease that humans have been struggling to combat for centuries. It originates from the accumulation of several mutations over the life of a cell that causes it to evade cell death and multiply rapidly. It can affect any tissue in the body and can spread to other parts of the body through metastasis. Cancer comes in numerous shapes and sizes with different levels of aggression, growth speeds, and health risks. Many treatments for cancer exist today, three of the most popular being surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, which can be used in combinations with other treatments to …