Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Dr. Thomas E. Tenner, Jr.
Professor of Pharmacology
Ph.D., 1976, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Effects of Chronic Drug Therapies/Disease States on Cardiovascular Signal Transduction.
Research activity is concerned with studying modulatory effects of chronic drug administration and/or disease states on cardiovascular function. The major thrust of this research involves the study of cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus in animal models. Recent studies have evaluated the role of oxidative stress in diabetic-induced cardiovascular complications. Currently, our focus is on an original observation made in this lab, that a group of anti-diabetic drugs known as Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPAR y) ligands induce lipid sequestration in cultured rabbit aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). These drugs are known to possess anti-proliferative effect in VSMC, thought to be an anti-atherogenic effect, and therefore protective. However, the impact of drug-induced lipid sequestration in VSMC on atherogenesis remains unknown. Other areas of interest include the potential anti-diabetic effects of taurine and the role of beta-adrenoceptor regulation in diabetic induced cardiomyopathy.
Representative Publications
Davis, R.L., Lavine, C.L., Arredondo, M.A., McMahon, P., and Tenner,T.E., Jr. Differential indicators of diabetes-induced oxidative stress in New Zealand White rabbits: Role of dietary vitamin E supplementation. Experimental Diabetes Research 3: 1-7, 2002.
Nguyen,H.X., Tenner,T.E., Jr., Jenkins, L.A., Hansen, H.A., Lutherer, L.O. A city-wide evaluation of identification of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in emergency department patients complaining of chest pain. Texas Medicine 98 (3): 82 – 88, 2002.
Machu, T.K., Hamilton, M.E., Frye,T.F., Shanklin, C.L., Harris, M.C., Sun, H., Tenner, T. E., Jr., Soti, F.S., and Kem, W.R. Benzylidene analogs of anabasine display partial agonist and antagonist properties at the 5-hydroxytryptamine3A receptor. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 299: 1112 - 1119, 2001.
Wilcox,R.E., Ragan, J.E., Pearlman, R.S., Brusniak, M.Y-K., Eglen, R.M., Bonhaus, D.W., Tenner, T.E.,Jr., and Miller,J.D.. High-affinity interactions of ligands at recombinant guinea pig 5HT7 receptors. Journal of Computer-aided Molecular Design, 15, 883-909, 2001.
Davis, R.L., and Tenner, T.E., Jr. In vitro vascular smooth muscle cell models: Role in the study of diabetic complications and atherogenic disease. Curr Opin Clin Exp Res, 2: 225-250,2000.
Zhang, X-J, Tenner, T.E., Jr., Lombardini, J.B. Inhibition of rat vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by taurine and taurine analogues. Biochemical Pharmacology 57: 1331-1339,1999.
For further information contact Dr. Thomas E. Tenner, Jr.