Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Du, Deguo
Abstract
Human calcitonin (hCT) is a peptide hormone that is produced by the thyroid gland where it regulates blood calcium and stimulates bone formation. However, increased concentrations can cause hCT to aggregate into amyloid fibrils where they can cause cellular toxicity. In this dissertation, we investigated the role of the N-terminal intramolecular disulfide bond, the effects cholesterol derivatives, the inhibitory effects of a group of polyphenolic molecules, and membrane interactions on hCT amyloid formation. To better understand hCT amyloid formation, we investigated the role of the N-terminal intramolecular disulfide bond has on the aggregation kinetics of hCT. Our results demonstrated that the presence of the disulfide bond is key to the formation of the oligomeric nucleus that is needed for amyloid formation. We also investigated the role of cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, and 3β-[N-(dimethylaminoethane)carbamoyl]-cholesterol (DC-cholesterol) in moderating hCT fibril formation. We showed that cholesterol does not significantly affect hCT fibrillization while high concentrations of cholesterol sulfate has a moderate inhibiting effect. However, DC-cholesterol strongly inhibits hCT fibril formation in a concentration-dependent manner suggesting the role of electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions have in moderating the interactivity between hCT and the surface of DC-cholesterol vesicles. We also probed the inhibitory effects of a group of polyphenolic molecules on hCT fibril formation. Our results showed that molecules containing vicinal hydroxyl groups on the phenyl ring effectively inhibits hCT fibril formation though a plausible covalent linkage between the oxidized polyphenol and hCT.
Extent
181 p.
Recommended Citation
Lantz, Richard, "HUMAN CALCITONIN: AN INVESTIGATION OF AMYLOID FORMATION AND INHIBITION" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present. 533.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/533
Identifier
FA00013514
Comments
Includes bibliography.|Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.