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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Scholarly Works (4 results)

  • Thesis
  • Peer Reviewed
UC Irvine Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2019)

There is a need to develop and expand approaches to regulate and alter the function of RNA using light. Although there are many optogenetic tools involving light-responsive proteins, RNA tools remain underdeveloped. The highly useful nature of RNA makes them valuable tools in regulating intracellular functions. For example, riboswitches are RNAs that mediate gene expression in archaea, plants, and fungi and play significant roles in feedback mechanisms. Other RNAs, like ribozymes, have enzymatic activity and can self-cleave in the presence of adequate concentrations of its metabolite. The functionality of RNA has grasped the attention of synthetic biologists in recent years, leading to new discoveries and the start of RNA optogenetic tools.

In this thesis, I report the first example of a riboswitch that can reversibly regulate translation in response to a sub-millisecond pulse of light in vivo. This is the first optogenetic tool that is a light-regulated RNA switch that responds to a reversible photoactive ligand to control gene expression, giving great spatial and temporal resolution. This work also investigates two more potential photoriboswitches, significantly expanding the field of optogenetic RNA tools.

    Cover page: Advances in RNA Optogenetic ToolsCreative Commons 'BY-ND' version 4.0 license
    • Article
    • Peer Reviewed
    UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2019)
      Cover page: PRECLINICAL IN VIVO EVALUATION OF VASCULAR EFFECTS OF PULSED DYE LASER IN COMBINATION WITH OXYMETAZOLINECreative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
      • Article
      • Peer Reviewed
      UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2020)

      Background and objective

      Oxymetazoline, an α-1A agonist, is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of persistent facial erythema associated with rosacea and induces vasoconstriction by interacting with α receptors. The objective of our study was to study the microvascular effects of oxymetazoline and pulsed dye laser (PDL).

      Materials and methods

      A dorsal window chamber was surgically installed on 20 mice. Each animal was assigned to one of four experimental groups: saline alone, oxymetazoline alone (10 μl applied once daily × 7 days), saline + PDL (saline applied 5 minutes before PDL irradiation [10 mm spot, 1.5 ms pulse duration, 7 J/cm2 delivered to epidermis]), or oxymetazoline + PDL (10 μl oxymetazoline applied 5 minutes before PDL and then once daily × 7 days). Brightfield and laser speckle imaging were performed for 7 days to monitor vascular architectural and functional changes.

      Results

      We observed persistent blood flow in all of the saline-only and oxymetazoline-only experiments. A higher rate of vascular shutdown was observed with oxymetazoline + PDL (66.7%) compared with saline + PDL alone (16.7%). Oxymetazoline application increased venule diameter at 5 minutes post-application and decreased both arteriole and venule diameters at 60 minutes post-application.

      Conclusion

      The combination protocol of oxymetazoline + PDL induces persistent vascular shutdown observed 7 days after irradiation. This result may be associated with the acute vascular effects of oxymetazoline. Oxymetazoline + PDL should be evaluated as a treatment for cutaneous vascular disease, including rosacea and port wine birthmarks. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
        Cover page: Microvascular Effects of Pulsed Dye Laser in Combination With Oxymetazoline.Creative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
        • Article
        • Peer Reviewed
        UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2020)

        Background and objective

        Oxymetazoline, an α-1A agonist, is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of persistent facial erythema associated with rosacea and induces vasoconstriction by interacting with α receptors. The objective of our study was to study the microvascular effects of oxymetazoline and pulsed dye laser (PDL).

        Materials and methods

        A dorsal window chamber was surgically installed on 20 mice. Each animal was assigned to one of four experimental groups: saline alone, oxymetazoline alone (10 μl applied once daily × 7 days), saline + PDL (saline applied 5 minutes before PDL irradiation [10 mm spot, 1.5 ms pulse duration, 7 J/cm2 delivered to epidermis]), or oxymetazoline + PDL (10 μl oxymetazoline applied 5 minutes before PDL and then once daily × 7 days). Brightfield and laser speckle imaging were performed for 7 days to monitor vascular architectural and functional changes.

        Results

        We observed persistent blood flow in all of the saline-only and oxymetazoline-only experiments. A higher rate of vascular shutdown was observed with oxymetazoline + PDL (66.7%) compared with saline + PDL alone (16.7%). Oxymetazoline application increased venule diameter at 5 minutes post-application and decreased both arteriole and venule diameters at 60 minutes post-application.

        Conclusion

        The combination protocol of oxymetazoline + PDL induces persistent vascular shutdown observed 7 days after irradiation. This result may be associated with the acute vascular effects of oxymetazoline. Oxymetazoline + PDL should be evaluated as a treatment for cutaneous vascular disease, including rosacea and port wine birthmarks. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
          Cover page: Microvascular Effects of Pulsed Dye Laser in Combination With Oxymetazoline
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