Abstract

Preventive measures are increasingly relevant to medical practice. Preconditioning, a preemptive therapy that administers mildly harmful stimuli to induce endogenous protective mechanisms before major injury, has been shown to minimize injury in many animal models. Given the elective nature of most neurosurgical procedures, the surgical brain injury (SBI) rodent model provides an ideal platform for preconditioning. Our work shows that preconditioning with Crotalus rattlesnake venom, known for its hemorrhagic and inflammatory effects, mitigates some harmful effects of SBI. We have identified two proteins of interest in Crotalus venom: snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP), an enzyme with hemorrhagic effects, and phospholipase A2 (PLA2), an enzyme upstream to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the inflammatory cascade. We have found that preconditioning Crotalus venom increases endogenous fibrinogen, decreases perioperative hemorrhage, attenuates COX-2 activity, and reduces postoperative brain edema. Further understanding of these enzymes may yield a novel, preventive approach to reducing perioperative hemorrhage and edema in elective neurosurgical procedures.

LLU Discipline

Biochemistry

Department

Basic Sciences

School

School of Medicine

First Advisor

Zhang, John H.

Second Advisor

Duerksen-Hughes, Penelope

Third Advisor

Huang, Helen

Fourth Advisor

Obenaus, Andre

Fifth Advisor

Tang, Jiping

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2015

Date (Title Page)

6-2015

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Crotalid Venoms - Therapeutic Use; Crotalus - Metabolism; Brain Injuries - Surgery; Brain Edema - Drug Therapy; Postoperative Hemorrhage; Neuroprotective Agents; Phospholipases - Antagonist & Inhibitors; Matrix Mettaloproteinase Inhibitors

Subject - Local

Preconditioning; Endogenous Protective Mechanisms; Surgical Brain Injury Rodent Model; Endogenous Fibrinogen; Perioperative Hemorrhage; Postoperative Brain Edema

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

102

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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