CHED 828 |
| Diabetic retinopathy is caused by the disassembly of tight junctions between endothelial cells in the blood retinal barrier. This project examines the molecular mechanisms of disassembly via endocytosis that occurs upon exposure to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which has been demonstrated to be elevated in the ocular fluid of diabetic patients. Previous work has demonstrated that this growth factor causes the phosphorylation of the zonula occludin (ZO) proteins associated with the tight junctions. ZO proteins can be phosphorylated by the MAP kinase pathway or the AF-6 pathway. In this research, the MAPK pathway was blocked by transfection with a phosphatase (PAC-1) in MDCK cells. After treatment with a growth factor, phosphorylation of ZO-1 was examined by Western blot analysis. This work will elucidate which phosphorylation cascade leads to tight junction disassembly in diabetics. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Biochemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |