RESEARCH INTERESTS:
- Nuclear aspects of insulin action and insulin resistance
- Diet and exercise interventions in type 2 diabetes
- Neuropathic and cardiovascular complications of diabetes at the cellular
level
UNIQUE TECHNIQUES/EQUIPMENT:
- Protein analytical techniques including FPLC for use in phosphatase and
phosphorylation analysis
- Molecular biology gene transfer studies in adipocytes, smooth muscle
cells, and neurons using plasmid and adenoviral vectors
- Digital deconvoluting microscopy
RECENT REPRESENTATIVE RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS:
Pugazhenthi S, Boras T, O’Connor D, Heidenreich KA, Reusch JE-B:
IGF-I signaling to CREB in neuronal tissue involves redundant signaling
pathways. Journal of Biological Chemistry 274:2829-2837, 1999.
- Pugazhenthi S, Sable S, Heidenreich KA, Boxer LM, Reusch JEB:
Isozyme specific activation of the bcl-2 promoter by p38 MAPK through cAMP
response element binding protein Journal of Biological Chemistry
274:27529-27535, 1999.
- Reusch JEB
, Colton L, Klemm DJ CREB is Necessary and Sufficient for
Adipocyte Differentiation Mol Cell Biol. 2000 Feb;20(3):1008-20.
- Pugazhenthi S, Nesterova A, Sable C, Heidenreich KA, Boxer LM, Heasley
LE, Reusch JEB: Akt/Protein Kinase B mediated cell
survival involves transcriptional upregulation of bcl-2 Journal of
Biological Chemistry 275, 10,761-10,766, 2000.
-
Brandenberg SL, Reusch JEB, Felder KK, Nelson-Wong E, Lindenfeld J,
Regensteiner JG "Impaired Fibrinolysis in Pre-menopausal women and
Age-matched Men with Type 2 diabetes" (In press 2001 JIM).
RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Chairman, Diabetes Advisory Council, State Dept of Public Health and the
Environment and Co-chair State of Colorado Diabetes Grassroots Initiatives
Program
Director, VA Diabetes Center
President, National Council for American Federation of Medical
Research
American Diabetes Association – Study Section:
VA Endocrinology Study Section
LAY SUMMARY OF RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:
The major laboratory focus is on post-receptor insulin action. The current
investigations address the effect of insulin on nuclear proteins involved in
cellular growth and differentiation. We have observed a regression of mature
cellular function in fat cells, nerve cells, blood vessels cells and heart cells
in diabetes. We believe this is in part due to the loss of a transcriptions
factor (a protein that turns genes on and off) named CREB. Our work is currently
focused on understanding how that occurs and restoring the function of this key
developmental protein.
My clinical research involves individuals with type 2 diabetes and
understanding what interferes with normal exercise tolerance in these
individuals.
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