Research

Dr. Sun's research fields of interest are focused on the regulation of microvascular function via NO/sGC pathway that serves as a key player in a variety of aspects of vascular regulation, and as a specific target of oxidative species such as superoxide, peroxynitrite and hydrogen peroxide as well. Specifically, during the pathological development of vascular dysfunction, such as in vascular aging, metabolic syndrome, heart failure, and pulmonary and systemic hypertension, reduced activation of eNOS and enhanced oxidative stress contribute significantly to the altered vascular NO/sGC signaling. By using isolated arterioles to assess flow-induced dilation and shear stress-induced release of NO, Dr. Sun demonstrated that all pathological change-associated endothelial dysfunction is characterized by an impaired NO bioavailability, as a function of decreased shear stress-induced eNOS phosphorylation, increased superoxide formation and decreased antioxidant capacity, wherein, changes in renin angiotensin system (RAS) play key roles. Novel methods used in my lab include but not limited to, 1): a perfusion system containing two serial connected vessels chambers for the study of EDHF bioassay and electrophysiology of single vessels. 2): a vessel culture perfusion system containing ten separated chambers, which allows to synchronically evaluate the function of ten single vessels isolated from different animal models or different sexes in an identical experimental environment. 3): a perfusing freshly isolated single vessels to obtained endothelial lysates for detecting specific endothelial mRNA(s) and protein(s), and 5): HPLC-fluorescence detector-based measurement of vascular EETs, mitochondrial/cytosolic superoxide, homocysteine, angiotensins, protoporphyrins, ferrochelatase activity etc. from single isolated and pressurized vessels.

Publications

• Ishiko S, Koller A, Deng W, et. al. "Liposomal nanocarriers of preassembled glycocalyx restore normal venular permeability and shear stress sensitivity in sepsis: assessed quantitatively with a novel microchamber system." American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 327(2), (2024) H390-H398. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00138.2024
• Ishiko S, Huang A, Sun D, et. al. "Long-term efficacy of liposomal nanocarriers of preassembled glycocalyx in restoring cerebral endothelial glycocalyx in sepsis." Microvascular research, 154(), (2024) 104684. doi: 10.1016/j.mvr.2024.104684
• Alruwaili N, Kandhi S, Froogh G, et. al. "Superoxide-Mediated Upregulation of MMP9 Participates in BMPR2 Destabilization and Pulmonary Hypertension Development." Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 12(11), (2023) . doi: 10.3390/antiox12111961
• Ishiko S, Ben Rahoma G, Kandhi S, et. al. "Liposomal nanocarriers of preassembled glycocalyx expeditiously restore endothelial glycocalyx in endotoxemia." American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 325(4), (2023) H645-H655. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00196.2023
• Vahldieck C, Cianflone E, Fels B, et. al. "Endothelial Glycocalyx and Cardiomyocyte Damage Is Prevented by Recombinant Syndecan-1 in Acute Myocardial Infarction." The American journal of pathology, 193(4), (2023) 474-492. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2022.12.009
• Yu H, Alruwaili N, Kelly MR, et. al. "Endothelin-1 depletion of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein modulates pulmonary artery superoxide and iron metabolism-associated mitochondrial heme biosynthesis." American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology, 323(4), (2022) L400-L409. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00534.2020
• Huang A, Kandhi S, Sun D, et. al. "Roles of Genetic Predisposition in the Sex Bias of Pulmonary Pathophysiology, as a Function of Estrogens : Sex Matters in the Prevalence of Lung Diseases." Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1303(), (2021) 107-127. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-63046-1_7

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Memberships and Affiliations

• Graduate Faculty Council Graduate School’s Membership Committee

Teaching Responsibilities

• Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences: Mammalian Physiology
• School of Health Sciences: Mammalian Physiology
• Dental School: Mammalian Physiology