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Bruce Liang
Professor of Cardio-Pulmonary
bliang@uchc.edu

• M.D., Harvard Medical School
• Cell Biology Graduate Program
• Not accepting students for Lab Rotations at this time

Dr. Liang’s research program has focused on the fundamental signaling mechanisms that regulate cardiovascular functions. Using the concepts and tools of biochemistry and molecular biology, integrated with a cellular and pharmacological approach, the program has addressed and elucidated novel functions and signaling mechanisms for the various purinergic receptors in the heart. Two tracks of development have evolved new directions and models relevant to advances in cardiovascular research. The first direction is exemplified by the development of a novel cardiac cell model for cardioprotection and ischemic preconditioning. The development of efficient cardiac myocyte transfection enables the use of an approach to delineate mechanism and to develop new receptor ligands important in protecting the myocyte against ischemia. This model is now widely recognized and is currently used by different laboratories. Certain basic observations, for example, those related to his studies on the cardiac adenosine A3 receptor, have been repeated and investigated further by others. His research has yielded new insights on the fundamental mechanisms of cardiac myocyte protection. In a second example, a new transgenic mouse line overexpressing a novel P2X purinergic ligand-gated receptor channel shows enhanced basal cardiac contractility and relaxation. This transgenic line provides the proof of principle that this ligand-gated channel is a potential novel therapeutic target for the treatment of heart failure.

It is anticipated that the program will continue to develop new translational/clinical research projects. Some examples of such research include the ongoing studies on novel purine receptors and their ligands in protecting the ischemic myocardium and in treating heart failure. Study on identifying novel mutations of the adenosine transporter represents another example. Overall, He has had continuous NIH support for the last 16 years. His work advances novel concepts on signaling mechanisms and receptor function. He is an internationally recognized expert on adenosine receptor biology and myocyte function.

Recent Selected Publications:

Jian, B., Xu, J., Connolly, J., Savani, R.C., Narula, N., Liang, B.T., Levy, R.J. Serotonin Mechanisms in Heart Valve Disease I: Serotonin Induced Upregulation of TGF-b 1 via G-protein Signal Transduction in Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells. Am. J. Path., in press, 2003.

Xu, J., Jian, B., Chu, R., Lu, Z., Li, Q., Dunlop, J., Rosenzweig-Lipson, S., McGonigle, P.,Levy, R.J.,*Liang, B.T. Serotonin Mechanisms in Heart Valve Disease II: The 5-HT₂Receptor and its Signaling Pathway in Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells. Am J. Path., in press, 2003.
Hu, B., Senkler, C., Yang, A., Soto, F. and *Liang, B.T. P2X4 receptor is a glycosylated cardiac receptor mediating a positive inotropic response to ATP. J. Biol. Chem.277: 15752-15757, 2002.

Lee, J.E., Bokoch, G., and *Liang, B.T. Signaling mechanism of the adenosine A₃ receptor: Novel cardioprotective role of RhoA. FASEB J. 15: 1886-1894, 2001.

Jacobson, K.A., Gao, Z.-G., Chen, A., Barak, D., Kim, S.-A., Lee, K., Rompaey, P.V., Calenbergh, S.V., Liang, B.T. Neoceptor concept based on molecular complementarity in GPCRs: A mutant adenosine A₃ receptor with selectively enhanced affinity for amine-modified nucleosides. J. Med. Chem. 44, 4125-4136, 2001.

Hu, B., Mei, Q., Smith, E., Barry, W.H. and *Liang, B.T. A novel cardiac inotropic phenotype with cardiac transgenic expression of human P2X₄ Receptor transgenic mouse, FASEB J, 10.1096/fj.01-0445fje, October 15, 2001.