Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center

                                         

Theo Hagg 

TROPHIC MECHANISMS, ADULT CNS NEUROGENESIS AND CNS REPAIR

The Hagg lab investigates how novel neurotrophic mechanisms and endogenous stem cells might be used to develop CNS repair strategies.  We are currently investigating how small molecules that activate neuroprotective mechanisms might be used to reduce axon and myelin loss after a contusive spinal cord injury.  We currently investigate how vascular mechanisms could be utilized to reduce degeneration after such injuries.  Lastly, we are identifying molecular regulators of endogenous neural precursors in adult rodents which can be targeted for enhancing neurogenesis and redirect neuroblast migration towards stroke injuries.  The long term goal of these studies is to provide information that would lead to better treatment strategies for a variety of human neurological disorders, including spinal cord injury. Techniques used routinely include various refined microsurgical procedures in the brain and spinal cord of adult rats and mice, regular and confocal immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and real-time PCR.  We are members of the world-class Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center.

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

Muradov J, Hagg T (2013) Intravenous infusion of magnesium chloride improves epicenter blood flow during the acute stage of contusive spinal cord injury in rats.  Journal of Neurotrauma. Jan 9. [Epub ahead of print].

Kang SS, Keasey MP, Arnold SA, Reid R, Geralds JT, Hagg T (2012)  Endogenous CNTF mediates stroke-induced adult CNS neurogenesis in mice. Neurobiology of Disease 49: 68-78.

Arnold SA, Hagg T (2012) Serotonin 1A receptor agonist increases species- and region-selective adult CNS proliferation, but not through CNTF.  Neuropharmacology 63: 1238-1247

Kang SS, Keasey MP, Cai J, Hagg T (2012) Loss of neuron-astrocyte interaction rapidly induces protective CNTF expression after stroke in mice.  Journal of Neuroscience 32:9277-87

Arnold SA, Hagg T (2011) Anti-inflammatory treatments during the chronic phase of spinal cord injury improve locomotor function in adult mice. J Neurotrauma 28:1995-2002

Benton RL, Hagg T (2011) Vascular pathology as potential therapeutic target in SCI. Translational Stroke Research 2: 556-572.

Fassbender JM, Whittemore SR, Hagg T. Targeting microvasculature for neuroprotection after SCI. Neurotherapeutics. 2011 8:240-51.

Han S, Arnold SA, Sithu SD, Mahoney ET, Geralds JT, Phuong V, Benton RL, Maddie MA, D’Sousa SE, Whittemore SR, Hagg T (2010) Rescuing vasculature with intravenous angiopoietin-1 and avb3 integrin peptide is protective after spinal cord injury. Brain 133: 1026-1042

Hagg T. (2009) From neurotransmitters to neurotrophic factors to neurogenesis. The Neuroscientist. 15:20-7.

Mahoney ET, Benton RL, Maddie MA, Whittemore SR, Hagg T. (2009) ADAM8 is selectively up-regulated in endothelial cells and is associated with angiogenesis after spinal cord injury in adult mice. J Comp Neurol. 512:243-55.

Nakashima S., Arnold S.A., Mahoney E.T., Sithu S.D., Zhang Y.P., D'Souza S.E., Shields C.B., Hagg T. (2008) Small molecule protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibition as a neuroprotective treatment following spinal cord injury in adult rats.  Journal of Neuroscience 28: 7293-7303.

Yang P., Arnold S.A., Habas A. Hetman M., Hagg T. (2008) Ciliary neurotrophic factor mediates dopamine D2 receptor-induced neurogenesis in the adult mouse brain. Journal of Neuroscience 28: 2231-2241.

     Chiharu Lovins, Technician

     Hillary Conway, Technician

     Yun Shi Long, Technician

     Seong Kang, Postdoctoral Fellow "Adult CNS neurogenesis, CNTF regulation and stroke"

     Jahongir Muradov, Postdoctoral Fellow "Neuroprotective treatments for spinal cord injury"

     Eric Ewan, Postdoctoral Fellow "Treatments for spinal cord injury"

  

            Lab pictures :
              Party Time 
              The dangers of learning Molecular Biology
              We DO get results
              BMSing

SUPPORT :
 National Institutes of Health
 Kentucky Spinal and Head Injury Research Trust

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