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ILIA A.YAMBOLIEV, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
Ph.D., Faculty of Pharmacy, Sofia 1984
Location: Manville 9A
Email: iyamboliev medicine.nevada.edu
Tel: 775 784-4800
Fax: 775 784-1620
Research Interests
The current research of my laboratory is focused in two major areas: (1) intracellular signal-transduction mechanisms involved in the regulation of the voltage-gated chloride channel ClC-3, and (2) vascular smooth muscle cell contractility and motility.
ClC-3 is a membrane-associated channel, which has important functions in many different cell types: this channel contributes to the rhythmic cycle of the heart, cardiac ischemia and preconditioning, cell volume regulation in anisosmotic environment, neutrophil migration and phagocytosis, cell cycle, apoptotic defense, and neuronal excitability. Signal transduction mechanisms that regulate these functions however are largely undefined. Specific topics of our current research include: (1) Regulation of ClC-3 by protein kinases and phosphatases; (2) Regulation of ClC-3 by ubiquitin conjugation; (3) Mechanical activation of ClC-3 by the actin cytoskeletal and microtubular networks; and (4) Oligomerization and intracellular trafficking of ClC-3. The long-term goal is to understand how these mechanisms contribute to the severe abnormalities observed in knock-out mice that include retinal degeneration, loss of hippocampus and ileal mucosa, and a metabolic disorder similar to human neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.
Vascular smooth muscle cell contractility is regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, and by interactions among proteins associated with the contractile domain. Signal transduction molecules of specific interest include myosin light chain kinase, myosin light chain phosphatase and myosin light chain, and members of the RhoA and PKC signal transduction modules such as RhoA-kinase, MYPT1 and CPI-17, which regulate calcium sensitization. In addition, cell motility requires active remodeling of actin filaments at the cell periphery via cofilin and profilin, and members of the ERM protein family. Our current studies investigate how pulmonary hypertension modulates activation and rearrangement of the contractile domain and peripheral actin assembly. The long-term goal is to uncover novel and effective approaches against essential hypertension and ischemia.
View the publications of Dr Yamboliev on PubMed
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