Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
RAGE, secondhand smoke, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, respiratory disease
College
Life Sciences
Department
Physiology and Developmental Biology
Abstract
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) is a common respiratory disease among pre-term infants or newborns exposed to harmful toxins during pregnancy or at birth. This leads to several respiratory diseases later in life such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or asthma. However, research on the effects of cigarette smoke in utero has many gaps. This project focuses on developing a transgenic mouse model that mimics the pulmonary morphologies and characteristics of BPD. This model will then be used for further research and potentially discover new therapeutic methods for BPD. The transgenic mouse was established using a modified genetic scheme whereby the receptor for advanced glycated end-products (RAGE) could be increased by introducing doxycycline (dox) into the mouse diet. When this RAGE protein is activated, an immune response is triggered and inflammation is recruited into the lung producing the characteristics of BPD. I proposed that the upregulation of RAGE was a sufficient and necessary factor to induce the symptoms comparable to BPD in order to create a usable model.
Recommended Citation
Kimber, Brent and Reynolds, Dr. Paul
(2018)
"RAGE functions during Secondhand Smoke-Induced Bronchopulmonary dysplasia,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2018:
Iss.
1, Article 169.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2018/iss1/169