XIAOLAN CUI, M.D. Assistant Professor, Research Division Maternal-Fetal Medicine Email Telephone: 558-5416 Office Location: MSB 5362B

Dr. Cui’s research focuses on a novel source of reactive oxygen species, NADPH oxidase isoforms (Nox), by identifying their role in physiological and pathological alterations during pregnancy.
Oxidative stress, which is an imbalance of overproduction of reactive oxygen species and/or decreased antioxidant capacity, has been associated with obstetrical and gynecological pathologies such as fibrosis, early pregnancy failure, and preeclampsia. Currently there are seven Nox isoforms cloned from human tissues. Dr. Cui has characterized Nox1 and 5 in human placental trophoblasts and Nox 1, 4, and 5 in myometrial smooth muscle cells. In the placenta, Nox protein expression is increased from pregnant women complicated with preeclampsia and diabetes. The enzyme also mediates the effects of growth hormones in myometrial hypertrophy. Dr. Cui is further investigating the regulation of Nox expression during trophoblast differentiation, and mechanisms of Nox-mediated signal transduction leading to myometrial hypertrophy.

Publications
1. Parenti, A., Cui, X., Hopfer, U., Ziche, M. and Douglas, J. G.: Activation of MAPKs in proximal tubule cells from spontaneously hypertensive and control Wistar-Kyoto rats. Hypertension 35:1160-1166, 2000
2. Saxena, P., Saxena, A., Cui, X., Obrenovich, M. and Monnier, V.: Transition metal-catalyzed oxidation of ascorbate in human cataracts: possible role of advanced glycation end products. Invest. Opthalmol. Vis. Sci. 41:1473-1481, 2000
3. Cui, X., Jin, W., Ding, Y., Alexander, L. D., Hopfer, U. and Douglas, J. G.: Ca2+-dependent activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase in primary rabbit proximal tubular epithelial cells. Am. J. Physiol. 279: C402-C409, 2000
4. Alexander, L. D., Cui, X., Falck, J. R., and Douglas, J. G.: Arachidonic acid directly activates members of the MAP kinase superfamily in rabbit proximal tubule cells. Kidney Int. 59: 2039-2053, 2001
5. Sun, K., Ma, R., Cui, X., Campos, B., Webster, R., Brockman, D., and Myatt, L.: Glucocorticoids induce cytosolic phospholipase A2 and prostaglandin H synthase type 2 but not microsomal prostaglandin E synthase (PGES) and cytosolic PGES expression in cultured primary human amnion cells. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Met. 88: 5564-5571, 2003
6. Myatt L. and Cui, X.: Oxidative stress in the placenta. Histochemistry and Cell Biology 122: 369-382, 2004
7. Cui, X., Brockman, D., Campos, B. and Myatt, L.: Expression of NADPH oxidase isoform 1 (Nox1) in human placenta: Involvement in preeclampsia. Placenta, in press
8. Cui, X., Ding, Y., Alexander, L. D., Bao, C., Al-Khalili, O., Simonson, M., Eaton, D., and Douglas, J. G.: Oxidative signaling in renal epithelium: Critical role of cPLA2 and p38SAPK. Free Rad. Biol. Medicine, in press
9. Alexander, L. D., Ding, Y., Alagarsamy, S., Cui, X. and Douglas, J. G.: Arachidonic acid induces ERK activation via Src SH2-domain association with the epidermal growth factor receptor. Kidney Int., in press

Grant support:

RO3 HD052838
Regulation of NADPH Oxidase by Angiotensin II-Role in Myometrial Hypertrophy
Funding Agency: NIH
Principle Investigator: Xiaolan Cui
Period of Award: 4/2006-3/2008
The major goal of this study is to investigate the role of Nox isoforms in angiotensin II- induced myometrial smooth muscle hypertrophy and in labor.

RO1 HL075297
Protein Nitration in the Placenta
Funding Agency: NIH
Role: Co-investigator
Principle Investigator: Leslie Myatt, Ph.D.
Period of Award: 2/2004-3/2009
The major goal of this study is to evaluate oxidative/nitrisive modification of essential placental proteins and their functions.

RO1 HD048466
Identification of Human Placenta NADPH Oxidases
Funding Agency: NIH
Principle Investigator: Xiaolan Cui
Period of Award: pending
The major goal of this project is to study the role of placental trophoblast Nox isoforms in oxidative stress and preeclampsia.