Drs. Enrique Leira and Anil Chauhan are co-PIs at the University of Iowa SPAN. Our team has worked efficiently in animal studies with the maximum rigor, involving a multidisciplinary approach of vascular neurologists, animal laboratory surgeons, and imaging facilities. Dr. Chauhan laboratory is very experienced with stroke translational animal studies. Dr. Nirav Dhanesha is a co-investigator and experienced animal surgeon. Dr. Daniel Thedens is our animal MRI imaging expert. Dr. Angel Chamorro, from the University of Barcelona, an international expert in uric acid, is a collaborator and a consultant in this proposal. Dr. Chauhan’s lab studies the mechanistic role of adhesion molecules in the pathophysiology of brain ischemia/reperfusion injury, particularly in context of thrombo-inflammation.1-4 The approach utilizes experimental models of stroke: filament and embolic models to evaluate stroke outcomes in male and female mice with preexisting comorbidities including hyperlipidemia and aging. Furthermore, the group utilizes state-of-the-art imaging techniques (intravital microscopy, laser-speckle imaging and MRI) and several sensorimotor tests (cylinder test, accelerated rota-rod test, wire-hanging test and corner test) to evaluate long-term functional recovery after stroke.
Publications
1. Dhanesha N, Schnell T, Rahmatalla S, DeShaw J, Thedens D, Parker BM, Zimmerman MB, Pieper AA, Chauhan AK, Leira EC. Low-Frequency Vibrations Enhance Thrombolytic Therapy and Improve Stroke Outcomes. Stroke. 2020 Jun;51(6):1855-1861. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.029405. Epub 2020 May 13. PMID: 32397935; PMCID: PMC7263385.
2. Dhanesha N, Jain M, Tripathi AK, Doddapattar P, Chorawala M, Bathla G, Nayak MK, Ghatge M, Lentz SR, Kon S, Chauhan AK. Targeting Myeloid-Specific Integrin α9β1 Improves Short- and Long-Term Stroke Outcomes in Murine Models With Preexisting Comorbidities by Limiting Thrombosis and Inflammation. Circ Res. 2020 Jun 5;126(12):1779-1794. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.316659. Epub 2020 Mar 20. PMID: 32195632; PMCID: PMC7274887.
3. Dhanesha N, Chorawala MR, Jain M, Bhalla A, Thedens D, Nayak M, Doddapattar P, Chauhan AK. Fn-EDA (Fibronectin Containing Extra Domain A) in the Plasma, but Not Endothelial Cells, Exacerbates Stroke Outcome by Promoting Thrombo-Inflammation. Stroke. 2019 May;50(5):1201-1209. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.023697. PMID: 30909835; PMCID: PMC6476677.
4. Dhanesha N, Vázquez-Rosa E, Cintrón-Pérez CJ, Thedens D, Kort AJ, Chuong V, Rivera-Dompenciel AM, Chauhan AK, Leira EC, Pieper AA. Treatment with Uric Acid Reduces Infarct and Improves Neurologic Function in Female Mice After Transient Cerebral Ischemia. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2018 May;27(5):1412-1416. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2017.12.043. Epub 2018 Feb 15. PMID: 29398531.
5. Dhanesha N, Prakash P, Doddapattar P, Khanna I, Pollpeter MJ, Nayak MK, Staber JM, Chauhan AK. Endothelial Cell-Derived von Willebrand Factor Is the Major Determinant That Mediates von Willebrand Factor-Dependent Acute Ischemic Stroke by Promoting Postischemic Thrombo-Inflammation. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2016 Sep;36(9):1829-37. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.116.307660. Epub 2016 Jul 21. PMID: 27444201; PMCID: PMC5001895.
6. Dhanesha N, Ahmad A, Prakash P, Doddapattar P, Lentz SR, Chauhan AK. Genetic Ablation of Extra Domain A of Fibronectin in Hypercholesterolemic Mice Improves Stroke Outcome by Reducing Thrombo-Inflammation. Circulation. 2015 Dec 8;132(23):2237-47. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.016540. Epub 2015 Oct 27. PMID: 26508731; PMCID: PMC4674336.
7. Khan MM, Motto DG, Lentz SR, Chauhan AK. ADAMTS13 reduces VWF-mediated acute inflammation following focal cerebral ischemia in mice. J Thromb Haemost. 2012 Aug;10(8):1665-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1538-7836.2012.04822.x. PMID: 22712744; PMCID: PMC3419774.
8. Khan MM, Gandhi C, Chauhan N, Stevens JW, Motto DG, Lentz SR, Chauhan AK. Alternatively-spliced extra domain A of fibronectin promotes acute inflammation and brain injury after cerebral ischemia in mice. Stroke. 2012 May;43(5):1376-82. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.635516. Epub 2012 Feb 23. PMID: 22363055; PMCID: PMC3335936.
Meet the Team
