Bibie M. Chronwall
Associate Professor, CBB
Ph.D. University of Uppsala, Sweden
Office: 351 AC
Phone: (816) 235-1868
E-mail: Chronwall
Research Areas
Mechanisms for coincident signaling by dopamine D2 and GABAB receptors.
Current Interests
"Drugs that target dopamine D2 receptors are involved in depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and alleviation of cocaine withdrawal symptoms. The GABAB receptor agonist baclofen is a clinically effective muscle relaxant for treatment of spasticity in spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. The overall objective of my research is to determine the mechanisms by which co-expressed dopamine D2 and GABAB receptors synergistically i nhibit cellular functions. We focus on suppression of calcium channel activity that is crucial for release of neurotransmitter vesicles and for contraction of muscle cells. The key to treating many disorders may lie in drug therapies exploiting coincident signaling by receptors. We are testing the hypothesis that the receptors signal via separate pathways that converge to allosterically inhibit the activity and gene expression of a specific channel type. To dissect the signaling pathways, we systematically eliminate messenger molecules by antisense oligonucleotide knockdown and analyze the impact on function by video imaging and on gene expression by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Pituitary melanotropes, cell lines transfected with either or both receptors, and a melanotrope tumor cell line are used as model systems."
"Other ongoing projects concern heterogeneity in gene expression among melanotropes, melanotrope-glia interactions, innervation and development of the pituitary intermediate lobe, and studies of the mechanisms of action of the anti-epileptic drug gabapentin."
