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23Rd Annual April 17 2015 23rd Annual April 17 2015 unthsc.edu/RAD Thank you to the 2015 sponsors! Posters by Category Aging/Alzheimer’s Disease (Abstracts in the 100s) Cancer (Abstracts in the 200s) Cardiovascular (Abstracts in the 300s) Case Presentation (Abstracts in the 400s) Cellular and Molecular Science (Abstracts in the 500s) Community Medicine (Abstracts in the 600s) Diabetes (Abstracts in the 700s) Education (Abstracts in the 800s) Eye/Vision (Abstracts in the 900s) General Medicine (Abstracts in the 1000s) General Public Health (Abstracts in the 1100s) Immunology (Abstracts in the 1200s) Investigative Genetics (Abstracts in the 1300s) Microbiology/Infectious Disease (Abstracts in the 1400s) Neuroscience (Abstracts in the 1500s) Other (Abstracts in the 1600s) Physical Medicine/OMM (Abstracts in the 1700s) Proteomics & Genomics/General Biochemistry (Abstracts in the 1800s) Psychology (abstracts in the 1900s) Receptor Pharmacology & Drug Delivery (Abstracts in the 2000s) Woman’s Health (Abstracts in the 2100s) Aging/Alzheimer’s (Abstracts in the 100s) 100 Oral Classification: GSBS Student Presenter: Marjana Sarker Department: Pharmacology & Neuroscience Authors: Marjana Sarker, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Michael Forster, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Caloric Restriction and Dietary Curcumin Improve Functional Outcomes of Aging in Mice Curcumin, from Curcuma Longa, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that are hypothesized to benefit impaired functional capacity related to normal aging. The following results are from an ongoing study of dietary curcumin alone and in combination with caloric restriction, testing functional and biochemical outcomes in late middle age (MAG) (15 months) and senescent (AG) (20 months) C57BL/6J male and female mice. Mice were assigned in treatment groups to receive: (i) base diet ad libitum (AL), (ii) weight stable caloric restriction (CR), (iii) curcumin in the base diet (7200 mg/kg diet) (CURAL) or (iv) curcumin plus CR (CURCR). At 8 weeks of treatment, all mice were tested for spatial memory and cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility, tested using a serial reversal task, was significantly better for MAG males under CR and CURAL compared to AL but not under CURCR, suggesting an antagonistic interaction. On the other hand, MAG and AG female experimental groups did significantly better than AL. No interaction of CR and CUR was observed in AG males, with CURAL and CR yielding comparable benefits. None of the treatments had a significant effect on hippocampus- dependent spatial memory performance in MAG or AG. These results suggest that when implemented separately, both CR and CUR treatments have an ameliorative effect on impaired frontal cortical function present in late middle age and senescence. These effects were similar across different behavioral tasks and were non-interactive or antagonistic, suggesting that they could involve the same or similar mechanisms. Therefore, curcumin intake may mimic the effect of CR in the absence of diminished energy intake and weight loss. Sponsor IRB/IACUC# 2011/12-30 A04 101 Poster Classification: GSBS Student Presenter: Phong Duong Department: Pharmacology & Neuroscience Authors: Phong Duong, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Jo Contreras, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Brina Snyder, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Sid O'Bryant, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Rebecca Cunningham, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Determining the Viability of Biomarkers for Oxidative Stress Detection in Clinically Afflicted Cohorts Intro: In the US, there are more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and approximately 500,000 more are suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD). Oxidative stress (OS) and its deregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated as a component of neurodegenerative diseases. Accumulation of ROS is accountable for increasing mitochondrial dysfunction that leads to neuronal apoptosis. In addition to ROS accumulation, OS can result in a number of cellular by-products such as Malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-Isoprostane, and Advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP). Recent studies also suggest that high levels of testosterone can depress cellular resistance to oxidative stress. Purpose: The objective of this research is to determine the viability of laboratory assays as a detection tool for the evaluation of neurodegenerative diseases in aging males. Methods: 352 clinical plasma samples from the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium were used in assay evaluation. The samples were collected from either Caucasian or Hispanic males and evaluated based on 6 previously determined disease statuses. The AOPP Assay was used to detect chlorinated oxidation of plasma proteins. For AOPP, plasma samples were performed with a 1:7 dilution factor. Following preparation, the samples were then plated in duplicates and read at an absorbance of 340nm. To correlate with a previous testosterone study, a Testosterone ELISA was conducted with the use of Rabbit Anti-Free T-Antibody without sample dilution. Once plated, the samples were incubated for 60 minutes, washed, and read at an absorbance of 450nm. MDA can be accounted for in OS-resultant lipid peroxidation (LP). MDA levels in the clinical samples were examined using a Colorimetric TBARS Assay. The assay subjected the samples to boiling, centrifuging, and incubation in an ice bath. The supernatant was then removed, plated, and read at an absorbance of 532nm. Results: The absorbance reading from the AOPP assay and Colorimetric TBARS assay, yielded similar results across all six-disease statuses. Despite the differences in disease status, samples were determined to have triple the amount of MDA concentration compared the control. Conclusion: The similarity in values and discrepancy from the control indicates that AOPP and TBARS cannot accurately determine OS in banked plasma samples. T-ELISA is currently undergoing further scrutiny with the use of mass spectrometry. Sponsor N/A IRB/IACUC# 2007-137 102 Poster Classification: GSBS Student Presenter: Shantanu Shewale Department: Forensic and Investigative Genetics Authors: Shantanu Shewale, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Robert Barber, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; John Planz, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Epigenetic alterations in Brain tissue and Alzheimer's Disease Background: Epigenetic factors such as methylation of DNA have shown to impact the phenotype of a cell and irregular methylation of DNA has been correlated with numerous diseases. DNA methylation has been shown to impact the expression of certain genes associated with AD. Methods: A novel method, methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP), is used to study genome wide methylation patterns via high throughput sequencing to assess DNA methylation patterns in brain tissue from individuals diagnosed with AD (N=12) and age matched controls (N=12). MeDIP isolation facilitates an unbiased methylation analysis of the entire human genome by enriching samples for methylated DNA fragments. The MethylMiner kit (Life Technologies) was utilized to precipitate methylated DNA, which was sequenced on the Illumina Hi-seq 2500. In addition, another aliquot will undergo MeDIP and bisulfite treatment. This will allow analysis of methylated cytosines at single base pair resolution across the entire genome. In addition, RNA and miRNA-seq was performed on the Illumina Hi-seq 2500. RNA-seq information obtained provides additional insight on epigenetic impacts on miRNA and RNA levels. Results: Sequence data reveal a genome wide methylation pattern profile, along with gene expression changes that differentiate case from control participants. Conclusions: These data provide insight and help explain a portion of the missing heritability that has yet to be characterized for AD. Sponsor IRB/IACUC# UNTHSC IRB Protocol # 2007-­‐137. 103 Poster Classification: School of Health Professions Student Presenter: Karen Bonham Department: Physician Assistant Studies Authors: Lisa Tshuma, Northern Arizona University; Kagen Miller, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Karen Bonham, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth; Jessica Hartos, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth HDL and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review PURPOSE: The objective of this systematic review was to address the question, “Is High Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C or HDL) related to cognitive function in older adults?” MATERIALS AND METHODS: This systematic review included 17 primary research articles: 8 cross-sectional studies and 9 prospective studies that assess the relationship between HDL and cognitive function in older adults. The search for articles was conducted in July 2014 using online library resources at the UNT Health Science Center. The criteria for selection included (1) primary research articles that reported (2) a measure for HDL-C and (3) at least one measure for cognitive function (4) in older adults. Data was extracted using an individual article review form that assessed the research level, quality, and results for each article. Determination of the evidence base rating was based on the results across articles.
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