Lipids Commons^™

Serum Amyloid A Is Not Incorporated Into Hdl During Hdl Biogenesis, Ailing Ji, Xuebing Wang, Victoria P. Noffsinger, Drew Jennings, Maria C. De Beer, Frederick C. De Beer, Lisa R. Tannock, Nancy R. Webb

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Liver-derived serum amyloid A (SAA) is present in plasma where it is mainly associated with HDL and from which it is cleared more rapidly than are the other major HDL-associated apolipoproteins. Although evidence suggests that lipid-free and HDL-associated forms of SAA have different activities, the pathways by which SAA associates and disassociates with HDL are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated SAA lipidation by hepatocytes and how this lipidation relates to the formation of nascent HDL particles. We also examined hepatocyte-mediated clearance of lipid-free and HDL-associated SAA. We prepared hepatocytes from mice injected with lipopolysaccharide or an SAA-expressing adenoviral …

Does Enhancing Epidermal Barrier Function With Moisturizing Topical Products Improve Acne Vulgaris In Adult Patients Compared To Non-Moisturizing Products Or Non-Intervention?, Aziza Jadallah

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Acne is a common skin disorder with multifactorial causes that can persist beyond adolescence or appear for the first time in adulthood. Treatments of varying potency exist, ranging from over-the-counter face washes and creams to prescription topical and oral treatments. Current treatment guidelines target sebum production, exfoliation of excess skin cells, and the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes. Research as early as 1995 suggests dysfunctions of the skin barrier, such as abnormal ceramide levels and increased water loss, play a role in the pathophysiology of acne and are not addressed by current treatments. This review analyzes the role of moisturizing …

The Impact Of Aging And Mechanical Injury On Alveolar Epithelial And Macrophage Responses In Acute Lung Injury And Inflammation, Michael S. Valentine

Theses and Dissertations

Patients with severe lung pathologies, such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), often require mechanical ventilation as a clinical intervention; however, this procedure frequently exacerbates the original pulmonary issue and produces an exaggerated inflammatory response that potentially leads to sepsis, multisystem organ failure, and mortality. This acute lung injury (ALI) condition has been termed Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI). Alveolar overdistension, cyclic atelectasis, and biotrauma are the primary injury mechanisms in VILI that lead to the loss of alveolar barrier integrity and pulmonary inflammation. Stress and strains during mechanical ventilation are believed to initiate alveolar epithelial mechanotransduction signaling mechanisms that contribute …

Influence Of Single And Multiple Histidine Residues And Their Ionization Properties On Transmembrane Helix Dynamics, Orientations And Fraying, Fahmida Afrose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since aromatic and charged residues are often present in various locations of transmembrane helices of integral membrane proteins, their impacts on the molecular properties of transmembrane proteins and their interactions with lipids are of particular interest in many studies. In this work, I used solid-state deuterium NMR spectroscopy in designed model peptide GWALP23 [GGALW(LA)6LWLAGA] with selective deuterium labels to addresses the pH dependence and influence of single and multiple “guest” histidine residues in the orientation and dynamic behaviors of transmembrane proteins. The mutations include Gly to His (G2/22 to H2/22), Trp to His (W5/19 to H5/19) and Leu to His …

Rare Degs1 Variant Significantly Alters De Novo Ceramide Synthesis Pathway, Nicholas B. Blackburn, Juan M. Peralta, Satish Kumar, Ana C. Leandro, Marcio Almeida, Michael C. Mahaney, Thomas D. Dyer, Laura Almasy, John L. Vandeberg, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Ravindranath Duggirala, John Blangero, Joanne E. Curran

School of Medicine Publications

The de novo ceramide synthesis pathway is essential to human biology and health but genetic influences remain unexplored. The core function of this pathway is the generation of biologically active ceramide from its precursor, dihydroceramide. Dihydroceramides have diverse, often protective, biological roles; conversely, increased ceramide levels are biomarkers of complex disease. To explore the genetics of the ceramide synthesis pathway, we searched for deleterious nonsynonymous variants in the genomes of 1,020 Mexican Americans from extended pedigrees. We identified a Hispanic ancestry−specific rare functional variant, L175Q, in DEGS1, a key enzyme in the pathway that converts dihydroceramide to ceramide. This amino …

Association Of Fish Oil And Physical Activity On Mobility Disability In Older Adults, Anoop T. Balachandran

Publications and Research

Purpose: This study aimed to examine whether long-term fish oil (FO) supplementation is associated with a lower risk of mobility disability and enhances benefits of physical activity (PA). Methods: A total of 1635 sedentary adults age 70 to 89 yr from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders single-blinded randomized,multicenter clinical trial, which compared a structured PA program to a health education program. Primary outcome was incident major mobility disability (MMD), defined by loss of ability to walk 400 m, measured every 6 months for an average of 2.6 yr. Secondary outcomes included persistent mobility disability, Short Physical Performance Battery, …

Using Molecular Dynamics To Study Qs21 Interactions And Penetration Of Lipid-Cholesterol Bilayers, Sarai Guerrero, Mikko Karttunen

Western Research Forum

Saponins have been used as adjuvant agents for decades in vaccines and therapies, but none are as well studied or heavily used as QS-21. This achievement is notwithstanding the fact that QS-21 usage is limited by its stability, toxicity, and scarcity. These shortcomings have only pushed researchers to develop and experiment with artificial recreations of the saponin to harness its unique benefits. A considerable number of research hours have been poured into this topic, but like QS-21 there is a shortcoming here as well. The number of articles that look at QS-21 interactions with the bilayer or the conditions under …

Arachidin 3 Modulation Of Lipid Metabolism In Rotavirus Infections, Stormey Wisdom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rotavirus (RV) can cause severe and deadly gastroenteritis in young children, infants, and immunocompromised individuals. Previous studies have shown that arachidin 3 (A3) inhibits RV replication, and that RV replication is dependent on the presence of lipids. This study investigated the alteration of lipid metabolism by A3 in RV infected HT29.f8 cells. A decrease in the RV regulation of lipid biosynthesis genes was observed with the addition of A3 using qRT-PCR. Also, immunofluorescent and histochemical staining for neutral fats, a major component of cellular lipid droplets, revealed an increased accumulation with both RV and RV+A3 when compared to no virus …

A Robust Delivery System For Rna Therapeutics, Suleyman Bozal

University Scholar Projects

The field of RNA therapeutics is currently undergoing both transformation and expansion. Specifically, research in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) based RNA therapeutics is gaining significant traction. Other research into mechanisms of gene regulation and manipulation, including siRNA and the CRISPR/Cas9 system have demonstrated the potential of RNA-based disease treatment. This work identifies a delivery system which can regulate expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) stably expressing GFP.

Analysis of siRNA-induced gene knockdown demonstrates that the current siRNA-LNP formulation is equally as effective as a commercially available transfection reagent, Lipofectamine RNAiMAX (RNAiMAX), which is designed specifically …

A Robust Delivery System For Rna Therapeutics, Suleyman Bozal

Honors Scholar Theses

The field of RNA therapeutics is currently undergoing both transformation and expansion. Specifically, research in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) based RNA therapeutics is gaining significant traction. Other research into mechanisms of gene regulation and manipulation, including siRNA and the CRISPR/Cas9 system have demonstrated the potential of RNA-based disease treatment. This work identifies a delivery system which can regulate expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) stably expressing GFP.

Analysis of siRNA-induced gene knockdown demonstrates that the current siRNA-LNP formulation is equally as effective as a commercially available transfection reagent, Lipofectamine RNAiMAX (RNAiMAX), which is designed specifically …

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1s Compared To Sulfonylureas In The Treatment Of Adults Diagnosed With Type Ii Diabetes Mellintus In Primary Care, Tracy Kirchner

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent disease in our country. Bullard et al. (2018) report approximately 21 million adults have T2DM in the United States. “The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2017 is $327 billion, including $237 billion in direct medical costs and $90 billion in reduced productivity” (Yang et al., 2018). Treatment of T2DM is individualized to each patient based on their co-morbidities, fiscal responsibility, and route of administration options. Sulfonylureas and Glucagon-like Peptide-1s (GLP-1) are two classes of antidiabetic drugs that are available for use as second line treatment options after metformin. This review …

Association Of Lowering Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With Contemporary Lipid-Lowering Therapies And Risk Of Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Victor Okunrintemi

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Apolipoprotein E4 Alters Astrocyte Fatty Acid Metabolism And Lipid Droplet Formation, Brandon C. Farmer, Jude Kluemper, Lance A. Johnson

Physiology Faculty Publications

Lipid droplets (LDs) serve as energy rich reservoirs and have been associated with apolipoprotein E (APOE) and neurodegeneration. The E4 allele of APOE (E4) is the strongest genetic risk factor for the development of late onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since both E4 carriers and individuals with AD exhibit a state of cerebral lipid dyshomeostasis, we hypothesized that APOE may play a role in regulating LD metabolism. We found that astrocytes expressing E4 accumulate significantly more and smaller LDs compared to E3 astrocytes. Accordingly, expression of perilipin-2, an essential LD protein component, was higher in E4 astrocytes. We then …

The Journey Of Implementing A Pediatric Essential Oil Program, Elizabeth Edmundson, Tiffany Kim

Nurse Presentations

Describes use of essential oil patches for specific indications with pediatric patients greater than 3 years old or greater than 20 kilograms. Lavender, peppermint, mandarin, or spearmint inhalation patches are used.

Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics For The Treatment Of Cancer And Lung Inflammation, Shravan Morla

Theses and Dissertations

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are linear polysaccharides whose disaccharide building blocks consist of an amino sugar and either uronic acid or galactose. They are expressed on virtually all mammalian cells, usually covalently attached to proteins, forming proteoglycans. GAGs are highly negatively charged due to an abundance of sulfate and carboxylic acid groups, and are structurally very diverse, with differences arising from chain length, the type of monomeric units, the linkages between each monomeric unit, the position of sulfate groups, and the degree of sulfation. GAGs are known to interact with a multitude of proteins, impacting diverse physiological and pathological processes. In addition, …

Diuretic And Natriuretic Activity Of Faah Inhibition In The Renal Medulla: A Proposed Role Of Palmitoylethanolamide And Its Regulation By Renal Medullary Interstitial Cells, Sara Dempsey

Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension is a critical public health issue worldwide, and in the United States, it is the leading cause of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, contributing to more than 1,100 deaths per day. It is proposed that the renal medulla combats increased blood pressure by releasing a neutral lipid from the lipid droplets of medullary interstitial cells, termed medullipin, which induces diuresis- natriuresis and vasodepression. The renal medulla is enriched with fatty acid lipid ethanolamides including the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and oleoylethanolamide (OEA), along with their primary hydrolyzing enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Our lab is investigating …

Targeting Lipoprotein Biogenesis: Considerations Towards Antimicrobials, Toufic El Arnaout, Tewfic Soulimane

Articles

Decades have passed without approval of a new antibiotic class. Several companies have recently halted related discovery efforts because of multiple obstacles. One promising route under research is to target the lipoprotein maturation pathway in light of major recent findings and the virulence roles of lipoproteins. To support the future design of selective drugs, considerations and priority-setting are established for the main lipoprotein processing enzymes (Lgt, LspA, and Lnt) based on microbiology, biochemistry, structural biology, chemical design, and pharmacology. Although not all bacterial species will be similarly impacted by drug candidates, several advantages make LspA a top target to pursue …

Autotaxin-Lpa Signaling Contributes To Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance In Muscle And Impairs Mitochondrial Metabolism, Kenneth D'Souza, Carine Nzirorera, Andrew M. Cowie, Geena P. Varghese, Purvi Trivedi, Thomas O. Eichmann, Dipsikha Biswas, Mohamed Touaibia, Andrew J. Morris, Vassilis Aidinis, Daniel A. Kane, Thomas Pulinilkunnil, Petra C. Kienesberger

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Autotaxin (ATX) is an adipokine that generates the bioactive lipid, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). ATX-LPA signaling has been implicated in diet-induced obesity and systemic insulin resistance. However, it remains unclear whether the ATX-LPA pathway influences insulin function and energy metabolism in target tissues, particularly skeletal muscle, the major site of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. The objective of this study was to test whether the ATX-LPA pathway impacts tissue insulin signaling and mitochondrial metabolism in skeletal muscle during obesity. Male mice with heterozygous ATX deficiency (ATX^+/−) were protected from obesity, systemic insulin resistance, and cardiomyocyte dysfunction following high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS) feeding. …

Mass Spectrometry Image Creator (Msic): Ion Mobility / Mass Spectrometry Imaging Workflow In Python, Stephen Creger, Julia Laskin, Daniela Mesa Sanchez

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful characterization technique that enables identification of compounds in complex mixtures. Acquiring mass spectra in a spatially-resolved manner (i.e. over a grid), allows the data to be used to generate images that show the spatial distribution and relative intensities of every compound in a sample. These images can be used to monitor and identify biomarkers, explore the metabolism of compounds within tissues, and much more. However, the limitations of mass spectrometry can result in ambiguous compound identifications. Another characterization tool, ion mobility spectrometry (IM) can be integrated into existing MS routines to address this problem; …

Endocannabinoid Metabolome Of Human Breast Milk, Adriana V. Gaitan Espinoza

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Human breast milk (HBM) is an extremely complex yet fascinating biofluid tailored to meet an infant’s nutritional requirements for development. Amongst the nutrients present in HBM, the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) are of high importance due to the pivotal role they play in infant cognitive and visual development, and growth. In addition, the LCPUFAs are precursors to endocannabinoids (EC) which are endogenous lipid mediators. EC exert metabolic responses including appetite and food intake regulation, and they have been identified to play a role in establishing the suckling response of the newborn that is needed to nurse. Thus, we aimed …