Obesity is a serious health problem worldwide. Consumption of fat rich food is a common cause of obesity. Some of the food components (i.e. saturated free fatty acids (SFAs)) have been identified as inflammatory inducers (Egger G at al., 2010). After a meal, absorbed free fatty acids (FFAs) will be stored in the liver and adipose tissue. On the luminal surfaces of endothelium in adipose tissue microcirculation, lipoprotein lipase hydrolyses absorbed triglycerides into FFAs. Then, in order to be available for adipocyte storage, FFAs have to cross the capillary endothelium barrier, which connected by tight junctions (Stremmel W et al., 2001). Increased leukocyte infiltration is a featured sign of adipose tissue inflammation found in obesity. Endothelial adhesion molecules up-regulation contributes to leukocyte infiltration during inflammation. Some clinical data suggested an increase of leukocyte-endothelium interaction in healthy volunteers after ingestion of high-fat meals (Shimabukuro M et al., 2007). Other lab results also showed that neutrophil infiltration occurred at a very early stage with high-fat feeding in mice (Talukdar S et al., 2012). However, the detailed mechanism of the above phenomena is still unknown. This thesis provides exciting preliminary data which will guide the further study in this area. First of all, we successfully established a stable protocol that CD31 antibody conjugated microbeads were used to isolate primary microvascular endothelial cells from fresh mice lung tissue. After second sorting, CD31+ cells reach 83.3% by FACS analysis. Previous literatures showed that FFAs activate recruitment of inflammatory cells through up-regulation of endothelial adhesion molecules via reduced eNOS derived eNO production (Rizzo NO et al., 2010; Davenpeck KL et al., 1994; Ahluwalia A et al., 2004). In this thesis, it was found that SFAs palmitate exposure dose dependently reduced endothelial AMPK thr172 and eNOS ser1177 phosphorylation by western blot. Moreover, our study demonstrated that endothelial calpain, a calcium dependent protease associated with endothelial dysfunction, was activated by palmitate, specifically its μ-calpain isoform. Altogether, these data suggested that a new role of calpain as a key mediator of palmitate induced endothelial dysfunction and indicated both AMPK and eNOS1177 phosphorylation contribute to this pathological process. Further investigations are still needed to explore connections among those molecules. This thesis may also lead to a novel way of clinical treatment for the obese related vascular diseases. / Physiology

This study tested the role of the calcium dependent cytosolic protein calpain in neutrophilic hepatitis. We hypothesized that inhibition of calpain would protect against LPS-induced neutrophilic liver damage. To test our hypothesis, a reliable LPS-mediated hepatitis model to investigate the mechanisms of hepatic neutrophil infiltration following LPS administration was developed by repeat intravenous injection of LPS at a dose of 10 mg/kg to rats. Blood was collected for hematologic and biochemical analysis and multiple organs including liver were collected for evaluation of histopathologic changes. Flow cytometry was employed to investigate L-selectin (CD 62L) and MAC-1 (CD11b/18) expression on neutrophils both in vivo and in vitro. Significant hematologic changes included neutrophilia, elevation in neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio with toxic changes and left shift. Biochemical changes were observed in several liver (AST, GGT) and kidney (BUN) parameters generally at the earliest time points. Histopathology revealed a time-dependent neutrophil and mononuclear infiltration around the periportal areas in the single dose study and mid-zonal inflammation with multifocal coagulative necrosis in the repeated dose study. CD 11b was up-regulated both in vitro and in vivo. After development of a suitable model, the first goal was to investigate the role of the intracellular enzyme calpain in the development of neutrophilic hepatitis and midzonal necrosis. A second goal was to compare the observed protective effects of calpain inhibition with a relatively selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine and an inhibitor of coagulation, heparin. When compared to rats administered LPS alone, administration of calpain 1 inhibitor prior to LPS significantly reduced hepatic iNOS expression, hepatic neutrophil infiltration and attenuated midzonal hepatic necrosis. Administration of heparin and aminoguanidine prior to LPS also decreased liver iNOS expression, hepatic neutrophil infiltration and liver pathology comparable to calpain inhibition. Blood neutrophil activation, as measured by the neutrophil adhesion molecule CD11b integrin, was upregulated in all the LPS treated groups regardless of inhibitor administration. We conclude that amelioration of liver pathology via calpain inhibition is likely dependent on the down-regulation of iNOS expression in the rat model of LPS mediated hepatitis.

This study tested the role of the calcium dependent cytosolic protein calpain in neutrophilic hepatitis. We hypothesized that inhibition of calpain would protect against LPS-induced neutrophilic liver damage. To test our hypothesis, a reliable LPS-mediated hepatitis model to investigate the mechanisms of hepatic neutrophil infiltration following LPS administration was developed by repeat intravenous injection of LPS at a dose of 10 mg/kg to rats. Blood was collected for hematologic and biochemical analysis and multiple organs including liver were collected for evaluation of histopathologic changes. Flow cytometry was employed to investigate L-selectin (CD 62L) and MAC-1 (CD11b/18) expression on neutrophils both in vivo and in vitro. Significant hematologic changes included neutrophilia, elevation in neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio with toxic changes and left shift. Biochemical changes were observed in several liver (AST, GGT) and kidney (BUN) parameters generally at the earliest time points. Histopathology revealed a time-dependent neutrophil and mononuclear infiltration around the periportal areas in the single dose study and mid-zonal inflammation with multifocal coagulative necrosis in the repeated dose study. CD 11b was up-regulated both in vitro and in vivo. After development of a suitable model, the first goal was to investigate the role of the intracellular enzyme calpain in the development of neutrophilic hepatitis and midzonal necrosis. A second goal was to compare the observed protective effects of calpain inhibition with a relatively selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine and an inhibitor of coagulation, heparin. When compared to rats administered LPS alone, administration of calpain 1 inhibitor prior to LPS significantly reduced hepatic iNOS expression, hepatic neutrophil infiltration and attenuated midzonal hepatic necrosis. Administration of heparin and aminoguanidine prior to LPS also decreased liver iNOS expression, hepatic neutrophil infiltration and liver pathology comparable to calpain inhibition. Blood neutrophil activation, as measured by the neutrophil adhesion molecule CD11b integrin, was upregulated in all the LPS treated groups regardless of inhibitor administration. We conclude that amelioration of liver pathology via calpain inhibition is likely dependent on the down-regulation of iNOS expression in the rat model of LPS mediated hepatitis.

No description available.

ABSTRACT To understand the mechanisms underlying cardiac dysfunction during ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury, we tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress and defects in endothelium play a critical role in the activation of calpain and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), inhibition of sarcolemmal (SL) Na+-K+-ATPase, and induction of cardiac dysfunction during I/R injury. It was observed that I/R induced depression in cardiac function and SL Na+-K+-ATPase activity was greater in hearts perfused at constant flow than in hearts perfused at constant pressure. Such a difference was associated with increased calpain activity as well as decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein content and in nitric oxide production. The depression in Na+-K+-ATPase activity and decrease in protein content of Na+-K+-ATPase isoforms in I/R hearts were associated with an increase in calpain activity and translocation of calpain isoforms (I and II) from the cytosol to SL membrane as well as changes in the distribution of calpastatin. I/R induced alterations were Ca2+-dependent and were prevented by treatment with calpain inhibitors, MDL28170 and Leupeptin (Leu). These results suggest that depressions in cardiac function and SL Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the I/R hearts may be due to endothelial dysfunction as well as changes in the activity and translocation of calpain. In another set of experiments, we examined the role of oxidative stress in activation of calpain during I/R and its association with changes in the activity of MMP. Our results show depression of cardiac function and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in I/R hearts were associated with increased calpain and MMP activities. These alterations due to I/R were attenuated by ischemic preconditioning as well as treatment with antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG). Treatment of I/R hearts with MMP inhibitor doxycycline (Dox) improved I/R-induced changes in cardiac function and Na+-K+-ATPase activity without affecting the calpain activation while treatment with calpain inhibitors, Leu and MDL 28170, reduced the MMP activity significantly in addition to attenuating the I/R-induced depression in Na+-K+-ATPase activity. These results suggests that alterations in Na+-K+-ATPase activity in I/R hearts are associated with oxidative stress and intracellular Ca2+ overload induced activation of calpain and MMP.

During early development, a series of regulated cell movements is required to set up the adult body plan of an organism. Collectively referred to as gastrulation, these coordinated cell movements organize the germ layers and establish the major body axes of the embryo. One such coordinated cell movement, epiboly, describes the thinning and spreading of a multilayered cell sheet to cover the embryo during gastrulation. The zebrafish embryo has emerged as a vital model system to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive epiboly. In the zebrafish, the blastoderm undergoes epiboly to engulf the yolk cell and close the blastopore at the vegetal pole. This is achieved through the coordinated movement of the deep cells, which make up the embryo proper, and two extra-embryonic tissues, the enveloping layer and yolk syncytial layer. Epiboly is essential to the development of most organisms; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving epiboly are poorly understood. Here I report the findings of two distinct projects which addressed the cellular and molecular basis for epiboly in the zebrafish. One cellular mechanism thought to be involved in driving epiboly is the removal of yolk cell membrane ahead of the advancing blastoderm margin. Using a combination of drug- and dominant-negative based approaches to inhibit Dynamin, a key component of the endocytic machinery, I demonstrated that marginal yolk cell endocytosis is dispensable for the successful completion of epiboly. Instead, I found that Dynamin primarily acts in the blastoderm where it maintains integrity of the enveloping layer (EVL) during epiboly. Dynamin maintains EVL integrity through regulation of the Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERM) family of proteins and the activity of the small GTPase Rho A. With the goal of identifying genes involved in regulating epiboly, I characterized the calpain family of calcium-dependent cysteine proteases in the zebrafish and examined the developmental expression patterns of these genes. My study provided insight into the evolution of this large gene family. Furthermore, I found that most members of this family are expressed in the early embryo, suggesting that they may play a role in regulating early developmental processes such as epiboly.

During early development, a series of regulated cell movements is required to set up the adult body plan of an organism. Collectively referred to as gastrulation, these coordinated cell movements organize the germ layers and establish the major body axes of the embryo. One such coordinated cell movement, epiboly, describes the thinning and spreading of a multilayered cell sheet to cover the embryo during gastrulation. The zebrafish embryo has emerged as a vital model system to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive epiboly. In the zebrafish, the blastoderm undergoes epiboly to engulf the yolk cell and close the blastopore at the vegetal pole. This is achieved through the coordinated movement of the deep cells, which make up the embryo proper, and two extra-embryonic tissues, the enveloping layer and yolk syncytial layer. Epiboly is essential to the development of most organisms; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving epiboly are poorly understood. Here I report the findings of two distinct projects which addressed the cellular and molecular basis for epiboly in the zebrafish. One cellular mechanism thought to be involved in driving epiboly is the removal of yolk cell membrane ahead of the advancing blastoderm margin. Using a combination of drug- and dominant-negative based approaches to inhibit Dynamin, a key component of the endocytic machinery, I demonstrated that marginal yolk cell endocytosis is dispensable for the successful completion of epiboly. Instead, I found that Dynamin primarily acts in the blastoderm where it maintains integrity of the enveloping layer (EVL) during epiboly. Dynamin maintains EVL integrity through regulation of the Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERM) family of proteins and the activity of the small GTPase Rho A. With the goal of identifying genes involved in regulating epiboly, I characterized the calpain family of calcium-dependent cysteine proteases in the zebrafish and examined the developmental expression patterns of these genes. My study provided insight into the evolution of this large gene family. Furthermore, I found that most members of this family are expressed in the early embryo, suggesting that they may play a role in regulating early developmental processes such as epiboly.

ABSTRACT To understand the mechanisms underlying cardiac dysfunction during ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury, we tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress and defects in endothelium play a critical role in the activation of calpain and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), inhibition of sarcolemmal (SL) Na+-K+-ATPase, and induction of cardiac dysfunction during I/R injury. It was observed that I/R induced depression in cardiac function and SL Na+-K+-ATPase activity was greater in hearts perfused at constant flow than in hearts perfused at constant pressure. Such a difference was associated with increased calpain activity as well as decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein content and in nitric oxide production. The depression in Na+-K+-ATPase activity and decrease in protein content of Na+-K+-ATPase isoforms in I/R hearts were associated with an increase in calpain activity and translocation of calpain isoforms (I and II) from the cytosol to SL membrane as well as changes in the distribution of calpastatin. I/R induced alterations were Ca2+-dependent and were prevented by treatment with calpain inhibitors, MDL28170 and Leupeptin (Leu). These results suggest that depressions in cardiac function and SL Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the I/R hearts may be due to endothelial dysfunction as well as changes in the activity and translocation of calpain. In another set of experiments, we examined the role of oxidative stress in activation of calpain during I/R and its association with changes in the activity of MMP. Our results show depression of cardiac function and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in I/R hearts were associated with increased calpain and MMP activities. These alterations due to I/R were attenuated by ischemic preconditioning as well as treatment with antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG). Treatment of I/R hearts with MMP inhibitor doxycycline (Dox) improved I/R-induced changes in cardiac function and Na+-K+-ATPase activity without affecting the calpain activation while treatment with calpain inhibitors, Leu and MDL 28170, reduced the MMP activity significantly in addition to attenuating the I/R-induced depression in Na+-K+-ATPase activity. These results suggests that alterations in Na+-K+-ATPase activity in I/R hearts are associated with oxidative stress and intracellular Ca2+ overload induced activation of calpain and MMP.

Graduation date: 1993

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- Lincoln University, 2008. / Also available via the World Wide Web.