Areas of Interest
Dr. Peluso's laboratory is involved in investigating the
cellular and molecular mechanisms by which hormones and growth
factors regulate ovarian follicular growth, differentiation, and
atresia. At present there are three specific aspects of ovarian
function being studied: (1) The role of cell contact in
inhibiting ovarian cell apoptosis, (2) The identification and
characterization of a novel progesterone receptor that possesses
GABAA receptor-like properties and (3) The elucidation of the
mechanism through which steroidogenic factor-1, an orphan
nuclear receptor, negatively regulates mitosis and positively
promotes steroidogenesis. The last project is being conducted in
collaboration with Dr. Bruce White.
Selected Publications
Peluso JJ: A Multiplicity of Progesterone’s Actions and its
Receptors in the Ovary. Biol Reprod accepted, Jan 2006.
Peluso, JJ, Pappalardo, A, Losel, R and Wehling, M:
Progesterone Membrane Receptor Complex 1 Expression in the
Immature Rat Ovary and Its role in Mediating Progesterone’s
Anti-Apoptotic Action. Submitted to Endocrinology Jan, 2006
Peluso, JJ: N-cadherin mediated cell contact inhibits
germinal vesicle breakdown in mouse oocytes maintained in vitro.
Reproduction: (in press).
Peluso, JJ, Pappalardo, A: Expression and function of PAIRBP
within gonadotopin-primed immatue rat ovaries: PAIRBP regulation
of granulosa and luteal cell viability. Biol Reprod: 73:
261-270, 2005.
Peluso JJ: Rapid Actions of Progesterone on Granulosa Cells.
Steroids 69:579-583, 2004.
Peluso, JJ, Pappalardo, A: Progesterone regulates granulosa
cell viability through a protein kinase G-dependent mechanism
that involves 14-3-3s. Biol Reprod 71: 1870 - 1878, 2004.
Peluso, JJ, Pappalardo, A, Fernandez, G and Wu, CA:
Involvement of an unnamed protein, RDA288, in the mechanism
through which progesterone mediates its anti-apoptotic action in
spontaneously immortalized granulosa cells. Endocrinology (Feb
26, 2004).
Peluso JJ: Progesterone as a Regulator of Granulosa Cell
Viability J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 85: 167-173, 2003
Peluso, JJ: Basic fibroblast growth factor regulation of
plasma membrane calcium ATPase as part of an anti-apoptotic
mechanism of action. Biochem Pharm 66: 1363-1369; 2003.
Peluso, JJ, Bremner, T, Fernandez, G, Pappalardo, A, White,
BA: Expression pattern and role of a 60 kDa progesterone binding
protein in regulating granulosa cell apoptosis: Involvement of
the MAP kinase cascade. Biol Reprod 68: 122-128, 2003.
Smith, PM, Heinrich, CA, Pappas, S, Peluso, JJ, Cowan, A,
White, BA: Reciprocal regulation by estradiol17ß of ezrin and
cadherin-catenin complexes in pituitary GH3 cells. Endocrine 17:
219-228, 2002.
Peluso, JJ, Fernandez, G, Pappalardo, A, White, BA:
Membrane-initiated events account for progesterone’s ability to
regulate intracellular free calcium levels and inhibit rat
granulosa cell mitosis. Biol Reprod 67: 379-385, 2002.
Peluso, JJ, Pappalardo, A, Fernandez, G: Basic Fibroblast
Growth Factor Maintains Calcium Homeostasis and Granulosa Cell
Viability by Stimulating Calcium Efflux via a Protein Kinase Cd-Dependent
Pathway. Endocrinology 142: 4203-4211, 2001.
Peluso, JJ, Fernandez, G, Pappalardo, A, White, BA:
Characterization of a putative membrane receptor for
progesterone in rat granulosa cells. Biol Reprod 65: 94-101,
2001.
Peluso, JJ, Pappalardo, A, Fernandez, G: E-cadherin-mediated
cell contact prevents apoptosis of spontaneously immortalized
granulosa cells by regulating Akt kinase activity. Biol Reprod
64: 1183-1190, 2001. |
