Yiru Guo, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine

Tel.: (502) 852-5669

E-mail: Email Dr. Guo

Dr. Guo directs the Murine Physiology Core in the Institute of Molecular Cardiology of the University of Louisville – a state-of-the-art laboratory that performs the most advanced and technically challenging operations in murine models of disease and that serves as the supporting  core facility for almost 20 NIH grants. He has developed the first mouse model of early and late phase of ischemic preconditioning with Dr. Bolli's full support. This model represents a major advance and will be very useful for elucidating the cellular mechanisms of myocardial protection by making it possible to apply molecular biology techniques to intact animal preparations to dissect the precise roles of individual proteins. Using this reliable and physiologically-relevant mouse model, Dr. Guo has identified a specific protein, iNOS, that is responsible for the cardioprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning, one of the most powerful cardioprotective phenomenon discovered thus far. Dr. Guo possesses extensive expertise in the area of cardio-thoracic and vascular surgery, physiology, and pharmacology. His research focuses on: (i) elucidating the mechanisms of ischemic- pharmacologic- and exercise-induced preconditioning by using the ischemia/reperfusion model in genetically engineered animals, (ii) studying protection of ischemic myocardium by using gene and/or cell therapy, and (iii) elucidating adaptations to ischemia/reperfusion injury in the aging heart. Dr. Guo has published more than 44 peer-reviewed papers, 3 book chapters, and 80 abstracts since 1997. Dr. Guo is currently supported by 7 NIH grants including one where he serves as PI.  

Selected Recent Publications:

• Guo Y, Flaherty MP, Wu WJ, Tan W, Zhu X, Li Q, Bolli R. Genetic background, gender, age, body temperature, and arterial blood pH have a major impact on myocardial infarct size in the mouse and need to be carefully measured and/or taken into account: results of a comprehensive analysis of determinants of infarct size in 1,074 mice. Basic Res Cardiol. 2012 Sep;107(5):288. doi: 10.1007/s00395-012-0288-y. Epub 2012 Aug 3.
• Guo Y, Tukaye DN, Wu WJ, Zhu X, Book M, Tan W, Jones SP, Rokosh G, Narumiya S, Li Q, Bolli R. The COX-2/PGI2 receptor axis plays an obligatory role in mediating the cardioprotection conferred by the late phase of ischemic preconditioning. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e41178. Epub 2012 Jul 23.
• Guo Y, Sanganalmath SK, Wu W, Zhu X, Huang Y, Tan W, Ildstad ST, Li Q, Bolli R. Identification of inducible nitric oxide synthase in peripheral blood cells as a mediator of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Basic Res Cardiol. 2012 Mar;107(2):253. Epub 2012 Feb 21.
• Li Q, Guo Y, Ou Q, Chen N, Wu WJ, Yuan F, O'Brien E, Wang T, Luo L, Hunt GN, Zhu X, Bolli R. Intracoronary administration of cardiac stem cells in mice: a new, improved technique for cell therapy in murine models. Basic Res Cardiol. 2011 Sep;106(5):849-64. Epub 2011 Apr 24.
• Flaherty MP, Guo Y, Tiwari S, Rezazadeh A, Hunt G, Sanganalmath SK, Tang XL, Bolli R, Dawn B. The role of TNF-alpha receptors p55 and p75 in acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and late preconditioning. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2008 Dec;45(6):735-41. Epub 2008 Sep 12.
• Guo Y, Li Q, Wu WJ, Tan W, Zhu X, Mu J, Bolli R. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase is not necessary for the early phase of ischemic preconditioning in the mouse. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2008 Mar;44(3):496-501. Epub 2008 Jan 17.
• Guo Y, Stein AB, Wu WJ, Zhu X, Tan W, Li Q, Bolli R. Late preconditioning induced by NO donors, adenosine A1 receptor agonists, and delta1-opioid receptor agonists is mediated by iNOS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2005 Nov;289(5):H2251-7. Epub 2005 Jul 8.
• Stein AB, Guo Y, Tan W, Wu WJ, Zhu X, Li Q, Luo C, Dawn B, Johnson TR, Motterlini R, Bolli R. Administration of a CO-releasing molecule induces late preconditioning against myocardial infarction. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2005 Jan;38(1):127-34. Epub 2004 Dec 8.
• Guo Y, Stein AB, Wu WJ, Tan W, Zhu X, Li QH, Dawn B, Motterlini R, Bolli R. Administration of a CO-releasing molecule at the time of reperfusion reduces infarct size in vivo. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2004 May;286(5):H1649-53. Epub 2004 Jan 2.
• Guo Y, Bao W, Wu WJ, Shinmura K, Tang XL, Bolli R. Evidence for an essential role of cyclooxygenase-2 as a mediator of the late phase of ischemic preconditioning in mice. Basic Res Cardiol. 2000 Dec;95(6):479-84.