Department of Medicine Professor Gregory M. Vercellotti, M.D University of Illinois, Chicago, 1976, M.D. verce001@umn.edu 612-626-3757 office

Research Interests:

Vascular Biology, Inflammation, Atherosclerosis, Sickle Cell Anemia

My research interests focus on inflammation and vascular biology. At the present time we are exploring the role inflammation plays in the pathophysiology of sickle cell anemia. Patients with sickle cell disease suffer organ damage due to vasoocclusion of the microvasculature. We posit that inflammation promotes endothelial cell activation with subsequent expression of adhesion molecules and pro-coagulants moieties which provide a substrate for blood cell adherence and thrombus formation. We are utilizing transgenic murine models that express human hemoglobin S in our studies. In vivo video microscopy provides an examination of blood flow in vessels on the backs of these mice. Our aim is to develop evidence that anti-inflammatory agents will be beneficial in ameliorating the vasooclusive process in sickle cell disease.Infection promotes inflammation and we are studying how viruses like cytomegalovirus enhances vasoocclusion and how viruses might also play a role in another disease, atherosclerosis.

Selected Recent Publications:

• Kalambur VS, Mahaseth H, Bischof JC, Kielbek MC, Welch TE, Vilback A, Swanlund DJ, Hebbel RP, Belcher JD, Vercellotti GM. Microvascular blood flow and stasis in transgenic sickle mice: Utility of a dorsal skin fold chamber for intravital microscopy.  Am J Hematol 77(2):117-126, 2004.

•  Shen YH,Utama B, Wang J, Raveendran M, Senthil D, Waldman WJ, Belcher JD, Vercellotti GM, Martin, D, Mithcelle, BM, and Wang XL. Human cytomegalovirus causes endothelial injury through the ataxia telangiectasia mutant and p53 DNA damage signaling pathways. Circ Res 94 (10):1310-7, 2004

• Kaul DK, Liu XD, Choong S, Belcher JD, Vercellotti GM, Hebbel RP. Anti-inflammatory therapy ameliorates leukocyte adhesion and microvascular flow abnormalities in transgenic sickle mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol287(1):H293-301,2004.

• Belcher JD, Mahaseth H, Welch TE, Vilback AE, Sonbol KM, Kalambur VS, Bowlin PR, Bischof JC Hebbel RP, and Vercellotti GM. Critical role of endothelial cell activation in hypoxia-induced vaso-occlusion in transgenic sickle mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 288(6):H2715-25, 2005.

• Mahaseth H, Vercellotti GM, Welch TE, Bowlin PR, Sonbol KM, Hsia CJC, Ma L, Bischof JC, Hebbel  RP, Belcher, JD. Polynitroxyl albumin inhibits inflammation and vaso-occlusion in sickle mice.  J Lab  Clin Med, 145:204-211, 2005. Abstract

• Nagy E, Jeney V, Yachie A, Szabo RP, Wagner O, Vercellotti GM, Eaton JW, Balla G, and Balla J. Oxidation of hemoglobin by lipid hydroperoxide associated with LDL and increased cytotoxic effect by LDL oxidation in heme oxygenase-1 deficiency.  Cellular and Molecular Biology, in press, 2005.

Last modified on: August 11, 2005