Yong Xiao Wang

Title : Cerebral vascular calcium signaling in diabetic alzheimer's disease-related dementias

Abstract:

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) are the common incurable neurodegenerative conditions characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration, memory decline and even death. The major forms of ADRD include vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). In agreement, vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia and the most frequent comorbidity with AD. Diabetes is a leading factor in the development of VCID. The molecular mechanisms that link diabetes to the development of VCID remain to be elucidated, and the current treatments for these diseases are neither always effective nor specific. We and other investigators have found that the severity of diabetes is highly associated with the cognitive and memory impairments. The role of diabetes may primarily occur due to the abnormal glucose metabolism and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells (CASMCs). In support, antioxidant therapies have shown promising results in protecting against diabetes-induced VCID and other dementias. Diabetes increases mitochondrial ROS. The increased mitochondrial ROS could dissociate FK506 binding protein 12.6 (FKBP12.6) from type-2 ryanodine receptor (RyR2) to remove its inhibitory effect on RyR2 channel and induce Ca2+ release, which causes cerebral vasoconstriction and cerebral blood flow reduction, thereby leading to progressive memory loss, cognitive decline and VCID. These novel findings may not only enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms for VCID, ADRD and AD, but also help to identify novel therapeutic targets for these common devastating diseases.

What will audience learn from your presentation?

• Our current presentation will greatly help the audience to create their future research directions
• The finding presented may significantly assist the audience to develop new drugs, establish novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for VCID and other dementias.
• Our research could also be used by other faculty to expand their research or teaching.

Biography:

Yong-Xiao Wang has been a Full Professor in Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at Albany Medical College (USA) since 2006. Dr. Wang obtained his MD at Wannan Medical University (China) and PhD at Fourth Military Medical University. He received his postdoctoral training at Technology University of Munich (Germany) and at University of Pennsylvania (USA). In addition to his excellent teaching and services, he has had the intensive research training, expertise, leadership, motivation, and experience . His research interests have been primarily working on basic, translational and drug discovery research in cardiopulmonary biology and diseases. In particular, he has made many important findings in studies of cell calcium, ion channels, reactive oxygen species, neurotransmitter receptors, and protein kinases in cardiovascular and respiratory systems using complementary molecular, biochemical, physiological, pharmacological and genetic approaches at the molecular, organelle, cellular, tissue and organism levels in animals and human samples. Serving as the Principal Investigator, Dr. Wang has/had a number of NIH research awards, AHA Established Investigator Award, ADA Research Award, and other grants. As the corresponding author, first author and key contributor, he has had numerous publications in highly peer-reviewed journals including Nature Commun (impact factor: 14.290), Antioxid Redox Signal (8.209), Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (9.432), Nature (34.480), Circ Res (9.214), etc. As the editor, he has published several academic books in the field. Dr. Wang has also served as the editorial board member and/or section editor as well as the executive committee member and/or subcommittee chair for professional societies.