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Roles of beta-catenin in dermal fibrosis

Hamburg-Shields, Emily J
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1425654721

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Biology.
Fibrosis is an end-stage response to tissue injury in which excess extracellular matrix production by fibroblasts results in loss of organ function. In skin, pathologic fibrosis is associated with keloid scar formation and scleroderma. Dermal fibroblasts in fibrotic skin exhibit increased activity of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling; however, the precise role of dermal fibroblast beta-catenin activity in fibrosis is not known. I have found that sustained expression of stabilized beta-catenin in mouse dermal fibroblasts is sufficient for dermal fibrosis in vivo. The consequences of stabilized beta-catenin expression in dermal fibroblasts include increased fibroblast proliferation, abundant collagen with abnormal fibril morphology, and elevated expression of matrix-encoding genes. Therefore, I have identified mediators of the pro-fibrotic effects of stabilized beta-catenin and uncovered a matrix-regulatory role for fibroblast beta-catenin activity. These findings support future investigation of beta-catenin and its mediators as therapeutic targets for treatment of fibrotic skin disease.
Radhika Atit, PhD (Advisor)
Stephen Haynesworth, PhD (Committee Chair)
Nicole Ward, PhD (Committee Member)
Arnold Caplan, PhD (Committee Member)
Suneel Apte, MBBS (Committee Member)
Peter Scacheri, PhD (Committee Member)
241 p.
Biology; Cellular Biology; Pathology
fibrosis; dermis; fibroblast; extracellular matrix

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hamburg-Shields, E. J. (2015). Roles of beta-catenin in dermal fibrosis [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1425654721

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hamburg-Shields, Emily. Roles of beta-catenin in dermal fibrosis. 2015. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1425654721.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hamburg-Shields, Emily. "Roles of beta-catenin in dermal fibrosis." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1425654721

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1425654721
194
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.