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M.
Renee Prater, DVM, Ph.D.
Assistant
Professor, Discipline Chair of Microbiology
Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060
Tele: 540-231-5457
Fax: 540-231-5252
Email: rprater@vcom.vt.edu |
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Discipline: |
Microbiology |
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Education: |
| 1985 |
University
of Akron |
B.S. |
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| 1987 |
University
of Akron |
M.S. |
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Currently Teaching: |
Microbiology |
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Pathology I - Infectious Disease |
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Physiology |
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Current
Research
Interests
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Immune
Protection Against MNU-induced Digital Defects in Mice -
Methylnitrosourea (MNU) is a potent carcinogen and teratogen that
is associated with
CNS, craniofacial, skeletal, ocular,
and appendicular
birth defects following transplacental exposure at critical time
points during development. This study examines fetal limb shortening,
digital defects (syndactyly, polydactyly, oligodactyly, clubbing,
and webbing), and placental integrity following maternal exposure
to MNU at gestation day 9 (gd 9) in CD-1 and C57BL/6N mice, and
correlates improvement in placental integrity with abrogation
of fetal defects following maternal immune stimulation with interferon-gamma
(IFN gamma) at gd 7 or Freund's complete adjuvant at days
3 and 5 prior to breeding. Placental spongiotrophoblast integrity
is
disrupted in MNU-exposed dams, suggesting that MNU-induced placental
breakdown likely contributes to fetal limb and digital maldevelopment.
Increased death of placental trophoblasts and labyrinthine endothelial
cells from MNU-treated dams has been noted, with increased intercellular
spaces in the spongiotrophoblast layer and minimal inflammation,
suggesting apoptosis rather than necrosis as a mechanism of placental
breakdown. IFN gamma + MNU is associated with diminished placental
cell death, especially in the labyrinthine layer. These data
suggest
a link between placental integrity and fetal development. This
study also examines altered gene expression in placenta and fetal
limbs using gene microarrays, targeting cytokine, cell cycle,
and apoptotic pathways to explain development of limb and digital
defects
following exposure to MNU, and fetal protection from development
of limb defects with maternal immune upregulation. And finally,
this study examines cytokine and growth factor expression by
protein array to correlate altered gene expression with fetal
limb and
placental morphologic defects. |
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Current Academic
and
Clinical Service: |
VCOM Student Advisor |
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Administrative
Duties: |
Interdisciplinary Research Committee |
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Professional
and
Community Activities: |
American Veterinary Medical Association |
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American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology |
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Universal Kempo
Karate Association |
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American Journal of Veterinary Research Board of Scientific
Reviewers,
2003-2006 |
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Honors
and Awards: |
Phi Sigma Outstanding Research Award, 2002 |
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Outstanding Graduate Student Award, 2002 |
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NIH SERCA NCRR Grant, 2002 |
