Abstracts Category : Other

Thermal Burn Injury Induced Microvesicle ParticleRelease

by Katherine Erin Fahy

Microvesicle particles (MVP) are found to be importantfor cellular communication because they contain many bioactiveproteins, lipids, cytokines, and nucleic acids. We have previouslyfound that ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) and a Platelet-activatingfactor agonist (CPAF) can stimulate the release of MVP inkeratinocytes. We hypothesized that there may also be an increasein MVP released after thermal burn and that could be involved inpathogenesis of the systemic effects found in some patients. Inthis thesis various keratinocyte cell lines, mice and human ex vivoskin were used as model systems to test our hypotheses. It wasdetermined that thermal burn significantly increases the release ofMVP compared to the untreated groups. UVB, CPAF and thermal burnall seemed to involve acid sphingomyelinase (aSMase), but differentMAP kinase pathways. There was also a significant decrease in thecytokine concentration inside MVP after thermal burn, suggesting apossible defense mechanism to prevent cytokine storm.Advisors/Committee Members: Travers, Jeffrey (Advisor).