Office: MSB, G659
Lab: MSB, I574
Tel: (973) 972-1339
Fax: (973) 972-7489
Email: vatnerdo@umdnj.edu

CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR SIGNALLING MECHANISMS IN THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Dr. Vatner's laboratory focuses on cellular and molecular signaling related to G-protein coupled receptors. Recent studies utilize transgenic mouse models. One example is the mouse cardiac Gsa, which exhibit chronically enhanced b-AR signaling. These mice develop cardiomyopathy with age. Furthermore, the cardiomyopathy induced in this animal model is completely averted by b-AR blockade therapy. Dr. Vatner's laboratory works on the cellular and molecular mechanisms, mediating the cardiomyopathy in this and related models and the mechanisms underlying prevention of the cardiomyopathy following genetic intervention. These studies are being conducted in several transgenic models and in other models of heart failure, myocardial ischemia and aging.

Representative Publications:

Sato N, Asai K, Okumura S, Takagi G, Shannon RP, Fujita-Yamaguchi Y, Ishikawa Y, Vatner SF, Vatner DE. Mechanisms of desensitization to a PDE inhibitor (milrinone) in conscious dogs with heart failure. Am J Physiol. 1999 May;276(5 Pt 2):H1699-705. PubMed Citation

Hittinger L, Ghaleh B, Chen J, Edwards JG, Kudej RK, Iwase M, Kim SJ, Vatner SF, Vatner DE. Reduced subendocardial ryanodine receptors and consequent effects on cardiac function in conscious dogs with left ventricular hypertrophy. Circ Res. 1999 May 14;84(9):999-1006. PubMed Citation

Vatner DE. Stimulating G protein-coupled receptors: cure or cause for heart failure? Circ Res. 2001 Apr 13;88(7):645-7. PubMed Citation

Kim YK, Kim SJ, Kramer CM, Yatani A, Takagi G, Mankad S, Szigeti GP, Singh D, Bishop SP, Shannon RP, Vatner DE, Vatner SF. Altered excitation-contraction coupling in myocytes from remodeled myocardium after chronic myocardial infarction. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2002 Jan;34(1):63-73. PubMed Citation