678 research outputs found
Immunocytochemical staining of Drosophila larval body-wall muscles
No full textFirst author Preethi Ramachandran is a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Program in the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at UMass Medical School.Over the last two decades, the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) has gained immense popularity as a model system for the study of synaptic development, function, and plasticity. With this model, it is easy to visualize synapses and manipulate the system genetically with a high degree of temporal and spatial control, which makes it ideal for resolving problems in synaptic physiology and development. This article describes a procedure for labeling various proteins with antibodies in dissected larval body-wall muscles and visualizing their localization and distribution in the brain, NMJ, and muscle.Neuroscienc
Dissection of Drosophila larval body-wall muscles
No full textFirst author Preethi Ramachandran is a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Program in the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at UMass Medical School.Over the last two decades, the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction has gained immense popularity as a model system for the study of synaptic development, function, and plasticity. With this model, it is easy to visualize synapses and manipulate the system genetically with a high degree of temporal and spatial control, which makes it ideal for resolving problems in synaptic physiology and development. A number of different techniques have been used to dissect third-instar larval preparations to expose the body-wall muscles. Here, we describe a procedure that uses magnetic chambers and pins to allow for fine control in spreading the larval body wall.Neuroscienc
Shipwreck Survivors Stranded by a Faltering Deal, Preethi Nallu - Iason Athanasiadis, newsdeeply.com,02/11/2016
No full text@Photo : Called the “graveyard of life vests,” the aerial view of this site located about 45 minutes from Skala Sikamineas is a telling visual of the number of arrivals over the past year. (Iason Athanasiadis)ibidem "As an E.U.–Turkey agreement on refugees nears collapse, Preethi Nallu and Iason Athanasiadis report from the Greek island of Lesbos on how the deal never fully stopped the deadly voyages and has left survivors of such tragedies in agonizing limbo. Mytilini, Greece – The fishing t..
Representation of Women Characters in Preethi Shenoy’s ‘It’s All in the Planets’
No full text \u27It’s all in the Planets\u27 is a charismatic love story written by Preethi Shenoy. It was published in September 2016. The author of the novel, Preethi Shenoy is an Indian author, Speaker and famous blogger. In this paper, I am analysing this novel from the perspective of feminism, especially how the author presented her female characters. Feminism originated as an offshoot of the women\u27s suffrage movement. The major feminist theorist is Toril Moi, Simone de Beauvoir, Elaine Showalter etc. It is a movement against men’s ideologies and society’s certain representations. Their main concern was the representations of women in literature. Traditionally females are represented in literature as passive characters. Though the feminists broke all such representations, our literary works do not completely get rid of such representations. Many of the authors still present women as passive in their works. In this novel too there are such representations. Superficially it is a love story between two persons who are living in two different worlds. They have their tastes, opinions and attitudes. Even they have two life partners (living relationships). But ultimately fate joins them
Shipwreck Survivors Stranded by a Faltering Deal, Preethi Nallu - Iason Athanasiadis, newsdeeply.com,02/11/2016
No full text@Photo : Called the “graveyard of life vests,” the aerial view of this site located about 45 minutes from Skala Sikamineas is a telling visual of the number of arrivals over the past year. (Iason Athanasiadis)ibidem "As an E.U.–Turkey agreement on refugees nears collapse, Preethi Nallu and Iason Athanasiadis report from the Greek island of Lesbos on how the deal never fully stopped the deadly voyages and has left survivors of such tragedies in agonizing limbo. Mytilini, Greece – The fishing t..
사람의 침윤성 암세포에서 후성학적 BTG2/TIS21/PC3 발현 조절과 암 억제 기전 연구
No full textB cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2/TIS21/PC3) belongs to the family of antiproliferative (APRO) genes and reported as a tumor suppressor by our group and others. Expression of BTG2 is significantly reduced in cancers developed in various organs and tissues. EJ (bladder carcinoma cells), MKN-1 (gastric cancer cells) are highly invasive and metastatic cells with very less endogenous BTG2 expression due to epigenetic regulation. Significantly lower endogenous expression of BTG2 was observed in human muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBC) than matched normal tissues and non-muscle invasive bladder cancers (NMIBC). BTG2 expression was inversely correlated with increased expression of the DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 and DNMT3a in MIBC, but not NMIBC, suggesting a potential role for BTG2 expression in muscle invasion of bladder cancer. Over 90% of tumor tissues revealed strong methylation at CpG islands of the BTG2 gene, compared with no methylation in the normal tissues, implying epigenetic regulation of BTG2 expression in bladder carcinogenesis. BTG2 is constitutively expressed in mucous epithelium and parietal cells of gastric glands in stomach, and the expression was increased in mucous epithelium with H. pylori infection as opposed to loss in human gastric adenocarcinoma. Indeed, adenoviral transduction of BTG2 significantly inhibited Tipα activity in MKN-1 and MGT-40, human and mouse gastric cancer cells, respectively, thereby downregulated TNFα expression and Erk1/2 phosphorylation via reducing nucleolin, Tipα receptor, expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation proved that BTG2 inhibited Sp1 expression and it’s binding to the promoter of nucleolin gene. In addition, BTG2 expression significantly reduced membrane localized nucleolin expression in cancer cells and the loss of BTG2/TIS21 expression rather induced cytoplasmic nucleolin availability in gastric cancer tissues, evidenced by immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. The higher expression of BTG2 and the lower nucleolin expression accompanied with the better overall survival of the poorly differentiated gastric cancer patients.B cell translocation gene 2(BTG2/TIS21/PC3)는 antiproliferative gene(APRO) 계열에 속하며 본 연구팀을 포함한 많은 연구자들에 의해 BTG2 의 암억제 기능이 연구되어 왔다. BTG2 는 여러 조직과 기관에서 발생한 암에서 그 발현이 감소되어 있고, 특히 침윤(invasion)과 전이(metastasis)를 잘하는 암세포인 EJ (bladder carcinoma cells)와 MKN-1 (gastric cancer cells)에서도 후성유전학적(epigenetic regulation)으로 BTG2 발현이 매우 감소되어 있다. 최근 사람에서, 이런 침윤성과 전이성이 높은 암에서 BTG2 가 침윤을 억제하고 침윤을 조장하는 단백질과 mRNA 발현과는 음의 상관도를 보인다는 보고가 많기에, 본 저자는 BTG2 가 어떤 기전으로 침윤성 암을 조절하는지를 중점적으로 연구하였다. 사람의 근육침범 방광암(muscleinvasive bladder cancers, MIBC)에서 비-근육침범 방광암(non-muscle invasive bladder cancers, NMIBC)보다 BTG2 의 발현이 현저히 감소되어 있다는 것을 발견하였다. 이런 MIBC 에서의 BTG2 의 감소는 반대로 DNA 메틸기전달효소 DNMT1 과 DNMT3a 의 증가와 연관이 있었고, 이런 음의 상관관계는 NMIBC 에서는 발견되지 않음으로써 BTG2 이 방광암의 근육 침범에 분명한 역할을 하고 있다는 가능성을 보였다. 방광암 조직들의 90%에서 BTG2 유전자의 CpG 섬에 강한 메틸화를 보였고, 반대로 정상 방광조직에서는 메틸화가 발견되지 않음으로써, 방광암발생과정에서 BTG2 이 후성학적 조절을 받는다는 사실도 증명했다. 한편, BTG2 는 위 점막의 상피세포와 위샘의 벽세포(Parietal cell)에서 기본적으로 발현되고 있으며, 이 유전자의 발현은 H. pylori 감염시 위 점막 상피세포에서 증가되고, 반대로 위선암(gastric adenocarcinoma)에서는 감소됨을 발견했다. 사람 암세포 MKN-1 과 쥐 암세포 MGT-40 에서 BTG2 를 adenoviral transduction 을 통해 발현시키면 Tumor necrosis factor- α inducing protein (Tip α ) 활성이 억제되었고, 이는 Tip α receptor 인 nucleolin 을 감소시킴으로 TNFα의 발현과 Erk1/2 의 인산화를 억제시켰다. BTG2 는 Sp1 의 발현과 또한 염색질 면역침전(Chromatin immunoprecipitation) 실험을 통해 nucleolin 의 promoter 에 결합하는 Sp1 도 감소시킴을 확인했다. 또한 암세포에서 BTG2 를 발현시키면 세포막에 위치한 nucleolin 의 발현이 감소되었고, 반대로 BTG2 발현을 감소시키면 세포질 내에 nucleolin 의 발현이 증가함을 면역조직화학법과 면역블롯검사를 통해 위암조직에서 밝혔다. 이런 BTG2 의 강한 발현과 nuclolin 의 발현 저하는 저분화 위암 환자에서의 높은 생존율(overall survival)과 연관이 있었다. 더욱이 이런 BTG2 의 발현증가는 침윤성 암세포에서도 암 진행과 성장을 억제했다. 따라서, 본 저자는 본 연구를 통해 BTG2 유전자가 침윤성 암 환자를 위한 강력한 치료로 사용될 수 있으리라 제안한다.ABSTRACT i
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
LIST OF FIGURES vi
ABBREVIATIONS viii
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS 7
A. Tissues and cell cultures 7
B. RNA isolation and reverse transcription 8
C. Real-time and RT-PCR analyses 8
D. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and unmethylation-specific PCR (USP) analyses 9
E. Western blotting 9
F. DNMT activity assay 10
G. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis 10
H. Cloning of CpG islands and sequencing analyses 10
I. Immunoprecipitation/immunoblot analysis 11
J. Regulation of gene expression 11
K. Tumorigenesis study 12
L. Invasion assay 13
M. Immunohistochemistry analysis 14
N. Preparation of recombinant Tipα protein 15
O. Subcellular fractionation 15
P. Statistical analysis 15
III. RESULTS 16
A. Downregulation of BTG2 expression in human MIBC by DNA methylation of BTG2 gene 16
B. Inverse correlations between the expressions of BTG2 vs DNMT1 and DNMT3a in MIBC 18
C. Upregulation of BTG2 expression in EJ bladder cancer cells upon Decitabine treatment 22
D. Chromatin remodeling at the promoter and intron of BTG2 gene after decitabine treatment 27
E. Sp1, the transcription factor, for BTG2 gene upon decitabine treatment 28
F. Induction of BTG2 expression by knockdown of DNMT1 in EJ cells 32
G. Downregulation of tumorigenesis and cell cycle arrest by BTG2 overexpression 35
H. Inhibition of tumor invasion by BTG2 via downregulation of DNMT1
expression 38
I. Direct effect of BTG2/TIS21 expression on the inhibition of cancer invasiveness 41
J. Immunohistochemical findings 44
K. Induction of BTG2 expression by decitabine treatment in various cancer cell lines in addition to APRO gene expression analyses 46
L. Expression of BTG2/TIS21 is increased in mucous epithelium infected with H. pylori, but lost in human gastric adenocarcinoma 48
M. Absence of endogenous BTG2/TIS21 expression in the gastric cancer cells 51
N. Expression of BTG2/TIS21 is epigenetically regulated in gastric adenocarcinoma 52
O. Inhibition of cancer cell proliferation by BTG2/TIS21 gene 54
P. Inhibition of Tipα activity by BTG2/TIS21 in human gastric cancer cells 55
Q. Inhibition of Tipα activity by downregulation p-ERK1/2 in human gastric cancer cells 57
R. Downregulation of nucleolin expression by BTG2/TIS21 59
S. Expression of nucleolin, Tipα receptor, was reduced by BTG2 expression via inhibiting Sp1binding to the nucleolin promoter 61
T. Inverse regulation of Tipα -induced TNFα expression by NCL and BTG2 64
U. Reciprocal expression of BTG2/TIS21 and nucleolin expressions in normal and cancer regions 68
V. Inverse regulation of overall survival of gastric cancer patients by BTG2/TIS21 and NCL genes 71
IV. DISCUSSION 74
V. SUMMARY 80
VI. CONCLUSIONS 82
VII. REFERENCES 83
국문요약 95Docto
Data associated with the publication: Iron oxide nanoparticles inhibit tumor progression and suppress lung metastases in mouse models of breast cancer
No full textSystemic exposure to starch-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) can stimulate antitumor T cell responses, even when little IONP is retained within the tumor. Here, we demonstrate in mouse models of metastatic breast cancer that IONPs can alter the host immune landscape leading to systemic immune-mediated disease suppression. We report that a single intravenous injection of IONPs can inhibit primary tumor growth, suppress metastases, and extend survival. Gene expression analysis revealed activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways involving signaling via Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor domain-containing adaptor-inducing IFN-β (TRIF), a TLR pathway adaptor protein. Requisite participation of TRIF in suppressing tumor progression was demonstrated with histopathologic evidence of upregulated IFN-regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a downstream protein, and confirmed in a TRIF knockout syngeneic mouse model of metastatic breast cancer. Neither starch-coated polystyrene nanoparticles lacking iron, nor iron-containing dextran-coated parenteral iron replacement agent, induced significant antitumor effects suggesting a dependence on the type of IONP formulation. Analysis of multiple independent clinical databases support a hypothesis that upregulation of TLR3 and IRF3 correlates with increased overall survival among breast cancer patients. Taken together, these data support a compelling rationale to re-examine IONP formulations as harboring anti-cancer immune (nano)adjuvant properties to generate therapeutic benefit without requiring uptake by cancer cells
Investigating the role of ERK2 in peripheral T cell function using a novel transgenic mouse model
No full textThis item is available only to currently enrolled UTSA students, faculty or staff. To download, navigate to Log In in the top right-hand corner of this screen, then select Log in with my UTSA ID.Extracellular signal Regulated Kinase 2 (ERK2) is an important Serine-Threonine Kinase involved in the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway. ERK2 is indispensable for early T cell development and is also believed to play a role in T-cell specific antigen recognition, signaling, cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and survival. However, it remains unclear how ERK2 regulates peripheral T cell function. Our studies focused on the impact and mechanism of ERK2 deficiency in peripheral T cell activation/function utilizing a mouse model with a conditional ERK2 knockout identified and confirmed by expression of a Yellow Fluorescent Protein (YFP) reporter. Our gene knockout strategy relied on Cre recombinase driven by either proximal lck or inducible promoters. Using flow cytometry analysis/cell sorting and cytokine ELISPOT assay, we have found that T cell activation, survival and cytokine production were impaired in the absence of ERK2. Our results also indicate a role for ERK2 in cell survival in serum starvation and ionomycin/Ca2+ mediated apoptosis. In addition, we characterized the activation marker profile of the CD4+ T cells upon ERK2 deletion. We observed an up-regulation of CD25 and Foxp3 expression, which could suggest a role for ERK2 in affecting the stability of "nTreg" cells. The presented approach will allow us to further investigate the role of ERK2 in other peripheral T cell functions and potentially identify cellular signaling pathways that could be explored for the treatment of CD4+ T cell mediated autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).Integrative Biolog
Physiological roles and regulation of the cryptic prophage-encoded small protein DicB and small RNA DicF in Escherichia coli
No full textBacterial adaptation to stress conditions is vital for their survival in different environments. In the past decade, the important roles that small RNAs (sRNAs) and small proteins perform in regulating the stress response in bacteria has become evident. While the roles of numerous sRNAs and small proteins encoded on the bacterial core genome have been characterized, very few that are phage or prophage-encoded have been studied. This dissertation describes the roles and regulation of the sRNA DicF and small protein DicB encoded on the Qin cryptic prophage of Escherichia coli K12. Bacterial genomes harbor cryptic prophages that have lost genes required for induction, excision from host chromosomes, or production of phage progeny. DicB and DicF are encoded on the dicBF operon, which is located in the immunity region of the cryptic prophage Qin. DicB and DicF have previously been implicated in inhibiting cell division of the host bacterium. In this study, we show that the small protein DicB protects the host cells from phage infection. DicB specifically inhibits infection by λ and other phages that use ManYZ inner membrane proteins to inject their DNA into the host cell. DicB also inhibits the canonical function of ManYZ, which is mannose sugar transport. We demonstrated that the previously known interaction between DicB and MinC, a host protein involved in proper positioning of the Z ring during cell division, is necessary for the DicB-dependent phenotypes involving ManYZ identified in this study. The sRNA DicF is widely conserved is many E. coli strains and inhibits ftsZ mRNA translation in E. coli. In this study, we establish the mechanism of this regulation by characterizing the base pairing interaction between DicF and ftsZ, and delineate the roles of other host factors involved in this regulation. Additionally, we identify new mRNA targets of the sRNA DicF, that are primarily involved in host cell metabolism. The final part of this thesis work describes the genetic mechanisms defining the regulation of the dicBF operon. The dicBF operon is constantly repressed under laboratory conditions by the repressor DicA. In this work, we identified that the protein Rem impairs DicA repression of the dicBF operon and is the antirepressor of DicA. We show that Rem induces expression of dicB and dicF, which leads to the concomitant cell filamentation phenotype as DicB and DicF are cell division inhibitors. In the absence of the dicBF gene products, the promoter of the dicBF operon was found to undergo spontaneous induction in a subset of cells, reminiscent of the λ phage bistable genetic switch. Lastly, urea and high temperature were identified as strong inducers of the dicBF promoter in strains deleted for the dicBF operon. Our results suggest that expression of the dicBF operon is regulated in multiple ways in E. coli K12, indicative of the complex relationship that exists between the host cell and cryptic prophages.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2023-05-01The student, Preethi Narayani Thattai Ragunathan, accepted the attached license on 2020-12-22 at 15:01.The student, Preethi Narayani Thattai Ragunathan, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2020-12-22 at 16:38.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2020-12-23 at 13:10.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #16136 on 2021-09-16 at 17:01:29Made available in DSpace on 2021-09-17T02:34:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
THATTAIRAGUNATHAN-DISSERTATION-2021.pdf: 22774621 bytes, checksum: ce6861aa0e51fd8410a2de050f497792 (MD5)
LICENSE.txt: 4223 bytes, checksum: 84400cf7c26ccb380ac340b40d74b4c7 (MD5)
Previous issue date: 2020-12-23Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 118462
Lift date: 2023-09-17T02:34:57Z
Reason: Author requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemAuthor requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemU of I Onl
Evaluation of F1 Hybrids in Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) for Yield and Quality
No full textTo study the combining ability and heterosis for yield and quality characters, full diallel analysis was carried out in bitter gourd during January - April 2008 (Thai pattam), with 10 diversified parents, at Research Farm, Horticultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Coimbatore. Parental mean and gca effects revealed that the parents Preethi, CO-1, MC-30, Uchha Bolder, Green Long and MC-105 were the best genotypes for improvement of yield, combined with quality characters. Hybrids, viz., Preethi x MC-30, KR x USL, MC-105 x MC-10 and Priyanka x CO-1 registered favourable values for mean, significant sca and standard heterosis for yield and quality parameters. Hence, these hybrids are recommended for commercial exploitation of heterosis. Comparison of parental gca and sca of hybrids revealed that hybridization between good x good, good x poor, medium x poor and poor x good combiners gave rise to hybrids with significant sca effects. Considering the mean performance, sca and standard heterosis, hybrid 'Preethi x MC-30' registered favourable values for the most important characters like earliness, number of fruits, fruit yield and quality. Top performing F1 hybrids can be tested over seasons and locations for assessing stability for high yield and quality
- …
