Publications by authors named "Jessica Heap"

Article Synopsis
  • Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are crucial for maintaining photoreceptor integrity, and their dysfunction leads to retinal degeneration; researchers have characterized a new cell line of human RPE cells that mimic native cells.* -
  • Unlike standard epithelial cells, RPE cells originate from the neural crest, exhibit unique structures like microvilli and tight junctions, and are terminally differentiated while still sharing traits with their neuronal origins.* -
  • The new RPE cell line shows enhanced resistance to oxidative stress due to mTOR inhibition and responds well to Neuroprotectin D1, making it a valuable tool for studying cellular responses in retinal degenerative diseases.*
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Although acetaminophen (ApAP) is one of the most commonly used medicines worldwide, hepatotoxicity is a risk with overdose or in patients with compromised liver function. ApAP overdose is the most common cause of acute fulminant hepatic failure. Oxidation of ApAP to N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI) is the mechanism for hepatotoxicity.

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We report the characterization of a novel class of lipid mediators termed elovanoids (ELVs) (ELV-N32 and ELV-N34), which are dihydroxylated derivatives of 32:6n3 and 34:6n3, respectively. The precursors of ELVs are made by elongation of a 22:6n3 fatty acid and catalyzed by ELOVL4 (elongation of very-long-chain fatty acids-4). The structure and stereochemistry of ELVs were established using synthetic compounds produced by stereocontrolled total synthesis.

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Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is abundant in the retina and is enzymatically converted into pro-homeostatic docosanoids. The DHA- or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-derived 26 carbon fatty acid is a substrate of elongase ELOVL4, which is expressed in photoreceptor cells and generates very long chain (≥C28) polyunsaturated fatty acids including n-3 (VLC-PUFAs,n-3). While ELOVL4 mutations are linked to vision loss and neuronal dysfunctions, the roles of VLC-PUFAs remain unknown.

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