A5016995908- Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Cell Adhesion Molecules Research
- Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
- Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Skin and Cellular Biology Research
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Galectins and Cancer Biology
- Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
- HER2/EGFR in Cancer Research
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancer
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
- Pituitary Gland Disorders and Treatments
- Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Immune Response and Inflammation
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Metabolism, Diabetes, and Cancer
- Respiratory Support and Mechanisms
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans research
- Lipid metabolism and disorders
- Peptidase Inhibition and Analysis
University of Alabama at Birmingham
2017-2025
University of Houston
2025
Pharmac
2025
University of Michigan
2017-2018
Wayne State University
2014-2015
Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapies predominantly focus on β-amyloid (Aβ), but Aβ effects may be maximal before clinical symptoms appear. Downstream of Aβ, dendritic spine loss correlates most strongly with cognitive decline in AD. Rho-associated kinases (ROCK1 and ROCK2) regulate the actin cytoskeleton, ROCK1 ROCK2 protein abundances are increased early Here, we found that abundance cultured primary rat hippocampal neurons reduced length through a myosin-based pathway, whereas induced serine...
ABSTRACT Mechanical forces, growth factors and the extracellular matrix all play crucial roles in cell adhesion. To understand how epidermal factor receptor (EGFR) impacts mechanics of adhesion, we employed tension gauge tether (TGT) probes displaying integrin ligand cRGDfK quantified tension. EGF exposure significantly increased spread area, circularity, integrated tension, mechanical rupture density, radial organization size focal adhesions Cos-7 cells on TGT surfaces. These findings...
Adrenal chromaffin cells release hormones and neuropeptides that are essential for physiological homeostasis. During this process, secretory granules fuse with the plasma membrane deliver their cargo to extracellular space. It was once believed fusion final regulated step in exocytosis, resulting uniform total of granule cargo. Recent evidence argues nonuniform outcomes after fusion, which is released variable kinetics selectivity. The goal study identify factors contribute different...
Abstract Clathrin polymerization and changes in plasma membrane architecture are necessary steps forming vesicles to internalize cargo during clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). Simultaneous analysis of clathrin dynamics structure is challenging due the limited axial resolution fluorescence microscopes heterogeneity CME. This has fueled conflicting models vesicle assembly obscured roles flat assemblies. Here, using Two-wavelength Axial Ratiometry (STAR) microscopy, we bridge this critical...
Heterogeneity within the glycocalyx influences cell adhesion mechanics and signaling. However, role of specific glycosylation subtypes in influencing via alterations receptor function remains unexplored. It has been shown that addition sialic acid to terminal glycans impacts growth, development, cancer progression. In addition, sialyltransferase ST6Gal-I promotes epidermal growth factor (EGFR) activity, we have EGFR is an 'allosteric mechano-organizer' integrin tension. Here, investigated...
Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer cell. One prevalent alteration an enrichment in α2,6-linked sialylation N-glycosylated proteins, modification directed by the ST6GAL1 sialyltransferase. upregulated many malignancies including ovarian cancer. Prior studies have shown that addition α2,6 sialic acid to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activates this receptor, although mechanism was largely unknown. To investigate role EGFR activation, overexpressed OV4 line, which lacks...
Desmosomes are macromolecular cell-cell junctions critical for maintaining adhesion and resisting mechanical stress in epithelial tissue. Desmosome assembly the relationship between maturity molecular architecture not well understood. To address this, we employed a calcium switch assay to synchronize followed by quantification of desmosome nanoscale organization using direct Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (dSTORM). We found that desmoplakin rod/C-terminal junction changed over...
In chromaffin cells, the kinetics of fusion pore expansion vary depending on which synaptotagmin isoform (Syt-1 or Syt-7) drives release. Our recent studies have shown that pores granules harboring Syt-1 expand more rapidly than those Syt-7. Here we sought to define structural specificity action at by manipulating Ca
Desmosomes are cell–cell junctions that provide mechanical integrity to epithelial and cardiac tissues. have two distinct adhesive states, calcium-dependent hyperadhesive, which balance tissue plasticity strength. A highly ordered array of cadherins in the interface is hypothesized drive hyperadhesion, but how desmosome structure confers state still elusive. We employed fluorescence polarization microscopy show cadherin order not required for hyperadhesion induced by pharmacologic genetic...
Growth hormone (GH) receptor (GHR) and (full-length) prolactin (PRL) (PRLR) are transmembrane class I cytokine receptors that co-exist in various normal cancerous cells. Both respond to their associated ligands predominantly by activating the Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2)-signal transducer activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathways, both also known initiate receptor-specific JAK2-independent signaling. Together with cognate ligands, these have been pro-tumorigenic effects cancers,...
Abstract Background: Targeted agents, such as nanobodies, can be covalently linked to radionuclide chelators for theranostics. Nanobodies are single-domain immunoglobulin variable regions with a short blood half-lives and high specificity. Calreticulin (CALR) is endoplasmic reticular (ER) protein that translocates the cell surface upon induction certain namely doxorubicin. We hypothesized CALR on tumors could targeted using novel nanobody after Methods: Studies were conducted in vitro vivo...
Adrenomedullary chromaffin cells respond to sympathetic nervous system activation by secreting a cocktail of potent neuropeptides and hormones into the circulation. The distinct phases cell secretory response have been attributed progressive fusion populations dense core granules with different kinetics. However, it has difficult define what distinguishes these at molecular level. Functional segregation granule pools may depend on selective sorting synaptotagmin-1 (Syt-1) synaptotagmin-7...
Acid aspiration-induced lung injury is a common disease in the intensive care unit (ICU) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α major transcription responsible for regulating cellular response to changes oxygen tension. A clear understanding of function HIF-1α inflammatory currently lacking. Here, we sought determine role type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) generation following gastric aspiration (GA). GA led profound hypoxia at very early time...
Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer cell. One prevalent alteration an enrichment in α2,6-linked sialylation N-glycosylated proteins, modification directed by the ST6GAL1 sialyltransferase. upregulated many malignancies including ovarian cancer. Prior studies have shown that addition α2,6 sialic acid to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) activates this receptor, although mechanism was largely unknown. To investigate role EGFR activation, overexpressed OV4 line, which lacks...
To gain novel insights into the dynamics of exocytosis, our group focuses on changes in lipid bilayer shape that must be precisely regulated during fusion vesicle and plasma membranes. These rapid localized are achieved by dynamic interactions between lipids specialized proteins control membrane curvature. The absence such would not only have devastating consequences for fusion, but a host other cellular functions involve shape. In recent years, identity number with membrane-shaping...
Aspiration-induced lung injury is a common grievance encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU). It significant risk factor for improving ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Hypoxia-inducible (HIF)-1α one of primary transcription factors responsible regulating cellular response to changes oxygen tension. Here, we sought determine role HIF-1α specifically type 2 alveolar epithelial cells generating inflammatory following acid particles...
Abstract Bacterial pneumonia is one of the most important causes mortality in United States. The bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae ( KP ) accounts for a significant proportion community and hospital‐acquired infections. Here, we determine that holy basil Ocimum sanctum extract improves cell viability dampens proinflammatory cytokine response an vitro model pneumonia. For this, A549, human alveolar basal epithelial line, was subjected to lethal following 24‐hr pretreatment with extract....
Multicellular organisms rely on interactions between membrane receptors and cognate ligands in the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) to orchestrate multiple functions, including adhesion, proliferation, migration, differentiation. Mechanical forces can be transmitted from cell via adhesion receptor integrin ECM. The amount spatial organization of these cell-generated modulated by growth factor receptors, epidermal (EGFR). tools currently available quantify crosstalk-mediated changes...
To gain novel insights into the dynamics of exocytosis, our group focuses on changes in lipid bilayer shape that must be precisely regulated during fusion vesicle and plasma membranes. These rapid localized are achieved by dynamic interactions between lipids specialized proteins control membrane curvature. The absence such would not only have devastating consequences for fusion, but a host other cellular functions involve shape. In recent years, identity number with membrane-shaping...