Circadian regulation is essential for many physiological functions, from sleep/wake patterns to hormonal rhythms. While the brain’s biological clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), likely plays a role in reproductive rhythms, it remains unknown if intracellular circadian clocks elsewhere contribute to the neuroendocrine control of reproduction. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulates pituitary...
Feeding conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) improves reproductive performance in dairy cows; however, the molecular mechanisms by which CLA improves reproduction are not well understood. Therefore, we evaluated whether the CLA isomers, trans-10, cis-12 CLA and cis-9, trans-11 CLA altered synthesis of steroidogenic hormones in bovine luteal cells by measuring concentrations...
During the past 30 years, numerous studies have focused on the toxicities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Laboratory and field studies have helped elucidate the detrimental effects of these chemicals on growth, reproduction and immune response. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are in the priority list of chemicals to be studied by...
Background: Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common primary bone tumor of dogs and carries a poor prognosis
despite aggressive treatment. An improved understanding of the biology of OSA is critically needed to allow for
development of novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools. The surface-exposed proteome (SEP) of a
cancerous cell...
BACKGROUND: The significance of the serotonergic system in bone physiology and, more specifically, the importance of the five hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (5HTR2A) in normal osteoblast proliferation have been previously described; however the role of serotonin in osteosarcoma remains unclear. Particularly, the expression and function of 5HTR2A in canine osteosarcoma has...
The serotonergic system plays a significant regulatory role in osteoblast differentiation and proliferation. Serotonin (five-hydroxytryptamine or 5HT) may promote or inhibit osteoblast proliferation depending upon the serotonin receptor isoforms expressed by the cell. Classically, 5HT receptor 1B (5HTR1B) reduces osteoblast proliferation by inhibiting phosphorylation of the cAMP response element binding...
The endogenous circadian clock is an intracellular transcriptional feedback loop timing daily patterns of multiple biological rhythms within a 24-hour period. Disturbance in various rhythms leads to alteration of normal biological processes including cellular proliferation and tumor suppression. Endogenous circadian clock rhythms have been found to be disrupted in breast...
Blastocystis spp. is a common intestinal parasite in humans and animals that has been associated with acute or chronic digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. Serotonin mediates intestinal motility, sensation, and secretory function in the normal intestinal tract. Serotonin (5-HT) signaling is decreased in animal models of colitis, as...
Acute phase protein (APP) measurement can be used to characterize and rapidly detect inflammation. Serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (HP) may be useful for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in horses presenting for colic and other inflammatory diseases. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate the use of SAA...
Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), the most common cancer of the urinary bladder in dogs, is usually diagnosed at an advanced disease stage with limited response to chemotherapy. Commercial screening tests lack specificity and current diagnostic procedures are invasive. A proof of concept pilot project for analyzing the canine urinary proteome...