Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems and Bioinformatics

Behavioral neuroscience; signal transduction; intracellular signaling; neuroanotomy; neuroendocrinology

Behavioral relevance of angiotensin intracellular signaling pathways
Regulating proper body fluid balance is critical for life. A number of physiological mechanisms help prevent the loss of additional fluid during dehydration, but in order to restore fluid levels to normal, an animal must drink. Angiotensin II is a key hormone that controls drinking behavior. Our laboratory is trying to understand what events occur after angiotensin II acts on its receptors in the brain and how these events lead to changes in behavior. Recent experiments in our lab support our working hypotheses that one signaling pathway (stimulation of IP3 and PKC) is responsible for the water intake stimulated by angiotensin II whereas angiotensin II-induced NaCl intake occurs through the activation of another pathway (stimulation of MAP kinase). These projects are funded by a five-year award from the National Institutes of Health.

Interaction between feeding- and drinking-related hormone systems
Both feeding and drinking are regulated by hormones that are made in the body and act on the brain. Our laboratory is working to understand how hormones that are generally associated with regulating feeding behavior can affect drinking behavior. Recent studies have focused on the hormone ghrelin, which is produced by the stomach and stimulates food intake through its actions in the brain. Our evidence indicates that in addition to its effects on food intake, ghrelin is a potent inhibitor of water intake under some dipsogenic conditions. These experiments have the potential to provide new information about the overlap between brain circuits regulating food intake and those regulating water balance.

Rattus norvegicus

• Angiotensin II
• Melanocortins
• Ghrelin
• urocortin I
• aldosterone
• MAP kinase
• Protein Kinase C (PKC)

Obesity; body fluid homeostasis (cardiovascular regulation)

• Neural tract tracing
• Immunocytochemistry
• behavioral pharmacology

Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, heart disease, obesity, diabetes

Brain

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16123155?dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15601952?dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17329311?ordinalpos=7&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17376547?ordinalpos=6&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum