Overview
The greatest amount of my time in the past years has been devoted to developing and characterizing our interposition vein graft model in mice. This model allows us to use IVC to carotid artery transplants between congenic mice. These transplants allow us to ask the questions about which gene products contribute to the pathogenesis of vein graft disease. In addition, I have used carotid artery to carotid artery transplants to study the role of TNF receptors in atherosclerosis. For these studies, we have used apolipoprotein E-deficient mice as graft recipients.
By using mouse vein graft model we demonstrate that most of the neointimal cells in vein grafts originate from cellular pools outside of the vein graft at the time of its implantation. The importance of this work relates to our persistent inability to treat vein graft disease in human beings. The second work demonstrates that expression of the tumor necrosis factor receptor-1, even in just in the vein graft cells themselves, contributes to the pathogenesis of vein graft neointimal hyperplasia. In this project, I surgically created chimeric mice to demonstrate molecular mechanisms by which the tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 aggravates neointimal hyperplasia, a process that is believed to lay the foundation for accelerated atherosclerosis in vein grafts.
I have also adapted my vein graft procedure in mice to ask questions about the arterial wall’s role in atherosclerosis. This atherosclerosis model involves making carotid interposition grafts not with veins, but with the carotid artery of congenic mice, and placing them into the carotid artery of spontaneously atherogenic mice that are deficient in apolipoprotein E.
I plan to continue our studies related to the role of inflammatory cytokine receptors in neointimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis. In addition, I envision extending this work with the surgical models I have created in mice.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Assistant Professor in Medicine
·
2021 - Present
Medicine, Cardiology,
Medicine
Education, Training & Certifications
Nanjing Medical University (China) ·
1988
M.D.