Wong, Sze Ki. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-106). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / Abstract in Chinese --- p.iv / Table of contents --- p.V / List of figures --- p.ix / List of abbreviations --- p.X / Chapter Chapter 1. --- General introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- Literature review --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1. --- Pathogenic mechanisms of Vibrio species in fish --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1.1. --- Introduction --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1.2. --- Adhesion --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1.3. --- Invasion --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.4. --- Proliferation --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2. --- Vibrio virulence factors --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.1. --- Introduction --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.2. --- Hemolysin --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.3. --- Protease --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.4. --- Siderophore --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2.5. --- Lipopolysaccharide --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3. --- General apoptotic pathways --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.1. --- Introduction --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.2. --- Extrinsic apoptotic pathway --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.2.1. --- Death receptor signaling apoptosis --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.2.1.1. --- Fas signaling pathway --- p.18 / Chapter 2.3.2.1.2. --- TNF-R1 signaling pathway --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3.2.1.3. --- TRAIL receptors signaling pathway --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3.2.2. --- Growth factor receptor signaling apoptosis --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3.3. --- Intrinsic apoptotic pathway --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3.3.1. --- Mitochondrial apoptotic pathway --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3.3.1.1. --- Cyto c --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3.3.1.2. --- Smac/DIABLO --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3.3.1.3. --- Omi/HtrA2 --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3.3.1.4. --- AIF and endo G --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3.3.1.5. --- Bcl-2 family --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3.3.1.6. --- Mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP) --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3.3.2. --- p53-regulated apoptotic pathway --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3.3.3. --- Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptotic pathway --- p.25 / Chapter 2.4. --- Membrane vesiculation in erythrocytes --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4.1. --- Introduction --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4.2. --- Induction of vesiculation --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4.3. --- Contents of vesicles --- p.28 / Chapter 2.4.4. --- Mechanisms involved during vesiculation --- p.29 / Chapter 2.4.5. --- Correlation between apoptosis and membrane vesiculation in erythrocytes --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4.6. --- Reasons for vesiculation --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- "Induction of apoptosis by Vibrio alginolyticus thermolabile hemolysin (TLH) in blood cells of silver sea bream, Sparus sarba" --- p.33 / Chapter 3.1. --- Abstract --- p.34 / Chapter 3.2. --- Introduction --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3. --- Materials and methods --- p.36 / Chapter 3.3.1. --- Experimental fish --- p.36 / Chapter 3.3.2. --- Whole blood preparation --- p.37 / Chapter 3.3.3. --- Preparation of V. alginolyticus TLH --- p.37 / Chapter 3.3.4. --- "Caspase-3, -8, -9/6 fluorescent assay" --- p.38 / Chapter 3.3.5. --- TUNEL assay --- p.39 / Chapter 3.3.6. --- Apoptotic DNA ladder assay --- p.40 / Chapter 3.3.7. --- Statistical analysis --- p.41 / Chapter 3.4. --- Results --- p.42 / Chapter 3.4.1. --- "Increase of caspase-3, -8, -9/6 activities" --- p.42 / Chapter 3.4.2. --- Detection of DNA fragmentation by TUNEL assay --- p.44 / Chapter 3.4.3. --- Detection of DNA fragmentation by apoptotic DNA ladder assay --- p.44 / Chapter 3.5. --- Discussion --- p.46 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- "Occurrence of membrane vesiculation, apoptosis and post-apoptotic necrosis after exposure to Vibrio alginolyticus thermolabile hemolysin (TLH) in erythrocytes of silver sea bream, Sparus sarba" --- p.51 / Chapter 4.1. --- Abstract --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2. --- Introduction --- p.52 / Chapter 4.3. --- Materials and methods --- p.54 / Chapter 4.3.1. --- Experimental fish --- p.54 / Chapter 4.3.2. --- Whole blood preparation --- p.54 / Chapter 4.3.3. --- Preparation of V. alginolyticus TLH --- p.55 / Chapter 4.3.4. --- Light microscopy --- p.55 / Chapter 4.3.5. --- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) --- p.56 / Chapter 4.3.6. --- Measurement of membrane vesiculation - acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assay --- p.56 / Chapter 4.3.7. --- Measurement of necrosis - hemoglobin colorimetric assay --- p.57 / Chapter 4.3.8. --- Apoptotic DNA ladder assay --- p.58 / Chapter 4.3.9. --- Flow cytometry --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3.10. --- Statistical analysis --- p.59 / Chapter 4.4. --- Results --- p.60 / Chapter 4.4.1. --- Ultrastructural changes in red blood cells after exposure to TLH --- p.60 / Chapter 4.4.2. --- Changes of cell population in size and granularity after exposure of TLH --- p.67 / Chapter 4.4.3. --- Effect of TLH dosage on necrosis and DNA fragmentation --- p.72 / Chapter 4.4.4. --- "Occurrence of membrane vesiculation, necrosis and DNA fragmentation in cells exposed to TLH" --- p.72 / Chapter 4.5. --- Discussion --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- General conclusions --- p.82 / References --- p.87

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The impact of tobacco smoking on human health is well documented. The influence of smoking on tooth loss and cardiovascular diseases was investigated in the current study via both epidemiology and in vitro studies. From analyzing the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2006 BRFSS) database, we confirmed that smoking was significantly associated with the number of teeth lost in a dose-dependent manner and smoking cessation reduced the risk when compared to those subjects continuing to smoke. In addition, the virulence factors related to caries were compared between Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus gordonii in response to cigarette smoking condensate (CSC) treatment. We observed that S. gordonii was more susceptible to CSC treatment than S. mutans. CSC significantly enhanced S. mutans sucrose-dependent and independent adherence. Western blot assays revealed that several bacterial surface proteins including glucosyltransferase (GTF), glucan-binding proteins and antigen I/II, were significantly upregulated for the treated S. mutans. These findings suggested that the oral environment with CSC may favor a cariogenic dominant composition, which may increase the risk for smokers to develop caries. We also found that smoking and oral health status modified each other and synergistically increased the risk of CVD and this joint effect was more pronounced among the youngest age group using the 2006 BRFSS database. To further understand the joint effect, we conducted an in vitro study to investigate bacterial attachment to fibronectin and endothelial cells in response to smoking condensate treatment. Our study clearly demonstrated CSC significantly enhanced S. mutans attachment to both soluble and immobilized fibronectin as well as endothelial cells. Furthermore, our data suggested that bacteria possessed several adhesins that bound to host tissues and endothelial cells also had multiple receptors for bacterial attachment. Among these adhesins, antigen I/II seemed essential for bacterial attachment to endothelial cells without CSC. The knowledge of bacterial attachment to host tissues in the presence of CSC may help in developing different preventive or therapeutic strategies against attachment and colonization of the host by S. mutans.