Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biological Sciences
Committee Chair
Ahmed Lawan
Committee Member
Carrie Deans
Committee Member
Luis Cruz-Vera
Research Advisor
Ahmed Lawan
Subject(s)
Mitogen-activated protein kinases, Cellular signal transduction, Oxidative stress, Diabetes
Abstract
The main processes linked to diabetes (type 1 or type 2) and obesity are impaired insulin production and glucose intolerance. The imbalance between antioxidant defense systems and oxygen-reactive species are known as oxidative stress. Understanding oxidative stress and its substantial effects on diabetes is crucial. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). We hypothesize that altered MAPK phosphorylation and hence downstream signaling is associated with changes in oxidative stress in the human pancreatic duct epithelial cell line (H6C7). While H6C7 cells are often engineered to be cancerous precursors, the natural phenotype of these cells and their expression of the MAPKs has yet to be described. In this study, we found that growth stimuli using 10% FBS significantly increases the MAPK JNK phosphorylation, yet JNK phosphorylation decreases at high treatments of hydrogen peroxide. We also found that H6C7 cells form wider tube-like structures at high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.
Recommended Citation
Fink, Alexis, "Impact of oxidative stress on MAPK signaling in human pancreatic ductal cell line" (2026). Theses. 819.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/819