Faculty & Staff   

Building:McIntyre
Room: 1321/1323
Phone: 514-398-6222
Fax:514-398-2045

E-mail: guillermina.almazan@mcgill.ca

Research Area:

Molecular Neuropharmacology

Research Description:

Our research is focused on central nervous system development with emphasis on myelination. Oligodendrocytes are the cells responsible for the synthesis and maintenance of myelin, and our main objective is to understand the molecular and cellular signals that regulate the growth of oligodendrocytes and their progenitors. These studies are carried out with immortalized cell lines from the optic nerve of neonatal rats which behave as oligodendrocyte precursors, in addition to oligodendrocyte-enriched primary cultures. Our current specific aims are: (1) to delineate the role of growth factors, neurotransmitters and second messenger systems on proliferation and oligodendrocyte-specific gene expression, (2) to identify the critical interactions of oligodendrocytes with neurons and astrocytes leading to myelination, and (3) to determine the existence of regulatory genes mediating the conversion of the progenitor cell into the oligodendrocyte phenotype.

A related area of interest in my laboratory is the establishment of cell lines representing different stages of development using recombinant retrovirus vectors as carriers of immortalizing oncogenes. These experimental tools may be useful for the future transfer or delivery of specific gene products as therapeutic agents in the treatment of disease.

Selected Publications:

Qiao-Ling Ciu, Wen-Hua Zheng, Remi Quirion and Guillermina Almazan (2005) Inhibition of src-like kinase reveals Akt-dependent and –independent pathways in IGF-I-mediated oligodendrocyte progenitor survival. J. Biol. Chem. 280: 8918-8928.

Larocque D, Galarneau A, Liu H-N, Scott M, Almazan G and Richard S (2005) Protection of p27 (Kip 1) mRNA by quaking RNA binding proteins promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation. Nature Neurosci. 1: 27-33.

Wasik K, Ruffinni F, Almazan G, Olivier A, Nalbantoglu J and Antel JP. (2004) Resistance of human adult oligodendrocytes to AMPA-kainate receptor-mediated glutamate injury. Brain 127: 2636-2648.

Rodriguez-Gabin, A. G., Almazan, G. and Larocca, J.N. (2004) Vesicle transport in oligodendrocytes: Probable role of Rab40c protein. J. Neurosci. Res. 76:758-770.

Brault S., Martinez-Bermudez A.K., Cui Q.L., Fragoso G., Hemdan S., Liu H.N., Almazan G. and Chemtob S. (2004) Increased vulnerability of oligodendrocyte progenitor to thromboxane-dependent cytotoxic effects of 8-iso-PGE2. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 37: 358-366.

Fragoso G., Martinez-Bermudes A.K., Liu H.-N., Khorchid A., Mushynski W.E. and Almazan G. (2004) Developmental differences in H2O2-induced oligodendrocytes cell death: role of glutathione, mitogen activated kinases and caspases 3. J. Neurochem. 90: 392-404.

Fragoso G., Robertson J., Athlan E, Tam E, Almazan G. and Mushynski W (2003) Inhibition of p38 MAPK interferes with cell shape changes and gene expression associated with Schwann cell myelination. Exp. Neurol. 183:34-46.

Brault S., Martinez-Bermudez A.K., Marrache A.M., Gobeil F., Hou X., Beauchamp M., Quiniou C., Almazan G., Lachance C. Roberts II J., Varma D.R. and Chemtob S. (2003) Selective neuromicrovascular endothelial cell death by 8-iso-PGF2: possible role in ischemic brain injury. Stroke 34:776-782.

Molina-Holgado E., Khorchid A., Liu H.N. and Almazan G. (2003) Regulation of muscarinic receptor function by agonist exposure in developing oligodendrocytes. Br. J. Pharmacol. 138:47-56.

Brault S., Martinez-Bermudez A.K., Marrache A.M., Gobeil F., Hou X., Beauchamp M., Quiniou C., Almazan G., Lachance C. Roberts II J., Varma D.R. and Chemtob S. (2003) Selective neuromicrovascular endothelial cell death by 8-iso-PGF2: possible role in ischemic brain injury. Stroke 34:776-782.

Molina-Holgado E., Khorchid A., Liu H.N. and Almazan G. (2003) Regulation of muscarinic receptor function by agonist exposure in developing oligodendrocytes. Br. J. Pharmacol. 138:47-56.

Larocque D., Pilotte J., Chen T., Cloutier F., Massie B., Pedraza L., Couture R., Lasko P., Almazan G. and Richard S. (2002) Nuclear retention of MBP mRNAs in the quaking viable mice. Neuron 36:1-15.

Molina-Holgado E., Vela J.M., Arévalo-Martín A., Almazán G., Molina-Holgado F., Borrell J. and Guaza C. (2002) Cannabinoids promote oligodendrocyte progenitor survival: involvement of CB1 receptors and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling. J. Neurosci. 22:9742-9753.

Khorchid A., Fragoso G., Shore G. and Almazan G. (2002) Catecholamine-induced oligodendrocyte cell death in culture is developmentally regulated and involves free radical generation and differential activation of caspase-3. Glia 40:283-299.

Vela JM, Molina-Holgado E., Arévalo-Martín A., Almazán G. and Guaza C. (2002) A novel role for interleukin-1 in timing oligodendrocytes development. Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 20:489-502.

Liu S.N., Giasson B.I., Mushynski W.E. and Almazan G. (2002) AMPA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity in oligodendrocyte progenitors involves free radical generation ad activation of JNK, calpain and caspase 3. J. Neurochem. 82:398-409.