EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Ph.D., State University of New York, Buffalo, NY

Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Molecular Biology, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, NY

Postdoctoral Scholar, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, CA

OFFICE ADDRESS

University of Washington
815 Mercer Street
UW Mailbox 358050
Seattle, WA 98109


CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

Research is directed toward identifying environmental and genetic factors involved in the development of atherosclerosis and diabetes/obesity.  In particular, our research focuses on vascular complications associated with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  Environmental factors include dietary components (e.g. fat, cholesterol and carbohydrates).  Genetic factors include genes coding for proteins involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation.  A focus is the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and mice lacking TNF receptors are used to determine the molecular mechanism(s) controlling disease severity.  Inbred mouse strains differing in susceptibility to these diseases are used.  Finally, inbred mice are used in positional cloning approaches to identify new genes involved in disease development.


REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

Mystkowski P, Shankland E, Schreyer SA, LeBoeuf RC, Schwartz RS, Cummings DE, Kushmerick M and Schwartz MW:  Validation of whole-body magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a tool to assess murine body composition.  Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 24:719-724, 2000.

Kirk EA, Dinauer MC, Rosen H, Chait A, Heinecke JW and LeBoeuf RC:  Impaired superoxide production due to a deficiency in phagocyte NADPH oxidase fails to inhibit atherosclerosis in mice.  Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 20:1529-1535, 2000.

Schreyer SA, Cummings DE, McKnight GS and LeBoeuf RC:  Mutation of the RIIbeta subunit of protein kinase A prevents diet-induced insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in mice.  Diabetes 50:2555-2562, 2001.

Kirk EA, Heinecke JW and LeBoeuf RC:  Iron overload diminishes atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice.  J Clin Invest 107:1545-1553, 2001.

Deeg MA, Bowen RF, Williams MD, Olson LK, Kirk EA and LeBoeuf RC:  Increased expression of GPI-specific phospholipase D in mouse models of type 1 diabetes.  Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 281:E147-E154, 2001.

Wen M, Segerer S, Dantas M, Brown PA, Hudkins KL, Goodpaster T, Kirk E, LeBoeuf RC and Alpers CE:  Renal injury in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.  Lab Invest 82:999-1006, 2002.

Brown ML, Yui K, Smith JD, LeBoeuf RC, Weng W, Umeda PK, Li R, Song R, Gianturco SH and Bradley WA:  The murine macrophage apoB-48 receptor gene (Apob-48r): homology to the human receptor.  J Lipid Res 43:1181-1191, 2002.

Kunjathoor VV, Chiu DS, O'Brien KD and LeBoeuf RC:  Accumulation of biglycan and perlecan, but not versican, in lesions of murine models of atherosclerosis.  Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 22:462-468, 2002.

Schreyer SA, Vick CM and LeBoeuf RC:   Loss of lymphotoxin-alpha but not tumor necrosis factor-alpha reduces atherosclerosis in mice.  J Biol Chem 277:12364-12368, 2002.

Schreyer SA, Vick C, Lystig TC, Mystkowski P and LeBoeuf RC:  LDL receptor but not apolipoprotein E deficiency increases diet-induced obesity and diabetes in mice.  Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 282:E207-E214, 2002.

Schreyer SA, Lystig TC, Vick CM and LeBoeuf RC:  Mice deficient in apolipoprotein E but not LDL receptors are resistant to accelerated atherosclerosis associated with obesity.  Atherosclerosis 171:49-55, 2003.

Vidal J, Verchere CB, Andrikopoulos S, Wang F, Hull RL, Cnop M, Olin KL, LeBoeuf RC, O'Brien KD, Chait A and Kahn SE:  The effect of apolipoprotein E deficiency on islet amyloid deposition in human islet amyloid polypeptide transgenic mice.  Diabetologia 46:71-79, 2003.

Muhlfeld AS, Spencer MW, Hudkins KL, Kirk E, LeBoeuf RC and Alpers CE.  Hyperlipidemia aggravates renal disease in B6.ROP Os/+ mice.  Kidney Int 66:1393-1402, 2004.

Spencer MW, Muhlfeld AS, Segerer S, Hudkins KL, Kirk E, LeBoeuf RC and Alpers CE:  Hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia act synergistically to induce renal disease in LDL receptor-deficient BALB mice.  Am J Nephrol 24:20-31, 2004.

O'Brien KD, McDonald TO, Kunjathoor V, Eng K, Knopp EA, Lewis K, Lopez R, Kirk EA, Chait A, Wight TN, deBeer FC and LeBoeuf RC:   Serum amyloid A and lipoprotein retention in murine models of atherosclerosis.  Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 25:785-790, 2005.

McMillen TS, Heinecke JW, LeBoeuf RC:  Expression of human myeloperoxidase by macrophages promotes atherosclerosis in mice.  Circulation 111:2798-2804, 2005.

Ladiges WC, Knoblaugh SE, Morton JF, Korth MJ, Sopher BL, Baskin CR, MacAuley A, Goodman AG, LeBoeuf RC, Katze MG:  Pancreatic beta-cell failure and diabetes in mice with a deletion mutation of the endoplasmic reticulum molecular chaperone gene P58IPK.  Diabetes 54:1074-1081, 2005. 

O'Brien KD, McDonald TO, Kunjathoor V, Eng K, Knopp EA, Lewis K, Lopez R, Kirk EA, Chait A, Wight TN, deBeer FC, LeBoeuf RC:  Serum amyloid A and lipoprotein retention in murine models of atherosclerosis.  Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 25:785-90, 2005.

Kanter JE, Johansson F, LeBoeuf RC, Bornfeldt KE:  Do glucose and lipids exert independent effects on atherosclerotic lesion initiation or progression to advanced plaques?  Circ Res 100:769-781, 2007.