Summer 2013 Research

Dr. Krystle Strand

Larissa Shiue, Emily Puckett

“Gene Regulation of Behavior in Lupus-Prone Mice”

Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that often results in severe damage to joint, kidney, heart, lung and brain tissue in humans.  Initial symptoms and early progression of the disease are variable, but frequently central nervous system effects are present.  People with lupus often report fatigue, changes in emotionality including depression, and cognitive impairment.  Many people with lupus experience what is known as neuropsychiatric lupus, a form of the disease which includes symptoms such as stroke, seizures and psychosis. 

The complex molecular interactions involved in lupus, as well as associated changes in gene expression and protein synthesis are poorly understood.  Current treatment regimens such as prednisone and other anti-inflammatory drugs are non-specific and over time often lead to adverse effects.  Increasing our understanding of the gene regulation involved in the development of lupus, at various stages of disease progression, and in its various forms, as well as the pathways and biological processes into which these genes are organized, may provide the information necessary for developing more narrowly-targeted therapeutic strategies in the future.   

This project is collaborative, interdisciplinary research with Dr. Susan Larson in the Psychology Department.  Students working on this project will evaluate behavior of lupus-prone mice, as well as use bioinformatics tools to analyze gene expression differences within different tissues of the mouse model.  Techniques include behavioral analyses, maintenance of mouse colonies, harvesting and dissection of mouse tissues, microarray data analysis, and ELISA.

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