Effects of oxidative stress induced by glutathione depletion on the expression of endothelial-derived vasomediator genes
Year: 1999
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The endothelium plays an important homeostatic role in vascular physiology. Important diseases of the blood vessel, such as atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus, evidence a common phenotype best summarized as a dysfunctional endothelium. A major component of this endothelial phenotype is an impaired ability to appropriately regulate local vascular tone. It is of interest that these diseases are associated with oxidative stress. Surprisingly however, the vascular endothelium is richly endowed with antioxidant defense mechanisms. The aim of this thesis is to address the role of oxidative stress in perturbations in the gene expression of endothelial-derived vasomediators. Intracellular glutathione is a prominent antioxidant defense against oxidative stress. We hypothesized that depletion of glutathione, a non-protein sulfhydryl, would lead to decreased vasodilator and enhanced vasoconstrictor gene expression. To examine the molecular mechanisms implicated in diethyl maleate (DEM)-mediated changes in endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA expression we evaluated the relative contributions of transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Author: Anne Abraham
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2761168471