Request for Funding

Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2002

Mentor: Fiemu Nwariaku MD
Department: Surgery
Room number: E7.126
Mail Code: 9156
Phone number: 214-648 7261
E-mail: Fiemu.Nwariaku@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: Mechanisms of Endothelial Barrier Dysfunction

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

Basic research

Brief Description of Project:

Cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and oxidants have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory conditions such as sepsis, stroke, myocardial ischemia and infarction. TNF-a is believed to play an important role in the microvascular barrier dysfunction associated with these conditions. Current evidence suggests that during inflammation, intercellular clefts develop between adjacent vascular endothelial cells in response to TNF and the oxidant, hydrogen peroxide, thus allowing unimpeded movement of fluid, macromolecules and white blood cells into the interstitium.
Adherens junctions act as important regulators of endothelial monolayer integrity by binding adjacent endothelial cells to one another. Our laboratory is exploring the effect of cytokines and oxidants on adherens junction proteins. The overall objective is to identify potential targets to modulate endothelial function in inflammatory states.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Andrew Adusei
Lawrence Fan

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