Publications by authors named "D T Dickey"

Lipid enals are electrophilic products of lipid peroxidation that induce genotoxic and proteotoxic stress by covalent modification of DNA and proteins, respectively. As lipid enals accumulate to substantial amounts in visceral adipose during obesity and aging, we hypothesized that biogenic lipid enals may represent an endogenously generated, and therefore physiologically relevant, senescence inducers. To that end, we identified that 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), 4-hydroxyhexenal (4-HHE) or 4-oxo-2-nonenal (4-ONE) initiate the cellular senescence program of IMR90 fibroblasts and murine adipose stem cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Aging is a complex biological process characterized by obesity and immunosenescence throughout the organism. Immunosenescence involves a decline in immune function and the increase in chronic-low grade inflammation, called inflammaging. Adipose tissue expansion, particularly that of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), is associated with an increase in pro-inflammatory macrophages that play an important role in modulating immune responses and producing inflammatory cytokines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A) is an important target for drug development because it helps regulate cardiovascular and renal functions, and current research aims to create small molecular activators instead of relying solely on peptides.
  • This study utilized high-throughput screening and in silico design to discover small molecules that enhance the effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) on GC-A in various cellular experiments.
  • The findings revealed a new allosteric binding site on GC-A that small molecules can target selectively, paving the way for potential new cardiovascular therapies that improve the efficacy of ANP and BNP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Backgrounds: The Curriculum Committee of a medical school introduced a longitudinal course for clinical medical students addressing the hidden curriculum as a way to enhance the overall learning environment in undergraduate medical education.

Methods: This novel design included podcasts, virtual online sessions, and self-reflection videos.

Outcomes: Students and faculty viewed it as successful.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Obesity-linked diabetes is associated with accumulation of proinflammatory macrophages into adipose tissue leading to inflammasome activation and pyroptotic secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. Targeting fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) uncouples obesity from inflammation, attenuates characteristics of type 2 diabetes and is mechanistically linked to the cellular accumulation of monounsaturated fatty acids in macrophages. Herein we show that pharmacologic inhibition or genetic deletion of FABP4 activates silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) and deacetylates its downstream targets p53 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF