Faculty

MORTON P. PRINTZ

Professor of Pharmacology

Key Words: Functional Genomics and Genetics, Hypertension, Stress Neural Mechanisms, Sensori-autonomic coupling, Angiotensin, Bradykinin

What genes are responsible for adverse stress-induced effects on the cardiovascular/autonomic system and what are their molecular mechanisms? That is the global underlying question of my research. In my NIH Program Project on Genetic and Receptor Mechanisms in Hypertension, we use functional genomics and other approaches to identify genetic loci responsible for the following traits: (a) genetic hypertension and associated target organ damage; (b) mechanisms and central nervous system sites important in sensori-autonomic coupling; and (c) deleterious effects of stress on the cardiovascular system. Starting from studies that defined the brain angiotensin system, I have focused on genetic control and molecular/cellular mechanisms important to the coupling of behavior with autonomic/cardiovascular responses. Most recently this effort uncovered genetic traits and quantitative trait loci (QTL) important to endophenotypes of such behavioral disorders as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and panic/anxiety attacks. A secondary effort continues my long-standing interest in several autocoids, namely angiotensin, bradykinin and eicosanoids. For these studies we rederived and use a powerful genetic rat "platform" of recombinant inbred rat strains suitable for all the traits we are focusing on, and many more. Within our recently renewed Program Project we also are utilizing unique approaches to unmask candidate genes within QTL we identified, and to test their importance to the specific physiological, behavioral or biochemical trait associated with the QTL.

Conti LH, Jirout M, Breen L, Vanella JV, Printz MP. Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci for Anxiety and Locomotion Phenotypes in Rat Recombinant Inbred Strains. Behavior Genetics, In Press, 2003.

Printz MP, Jirout M, Jaworski R, Alemayehu A, Kren V. Invited Review: The HXB/BXH rat recombinant inbred strain platform: a newly enhanced tool for cardiovascular, behavioral and dvelopmental genetics and genomics. J Applied Physiology, 94:2510-2522, 2003..

Palmer AA, Breen LL, Flodman P, Conti LH, Spence MA, Printz MP. Identification of quantitative trait loci for prepulse inhibition in rats. Psychopharmacology 165:270-279, 2003.

Khan IM, Singletary E, Alemayehu A, Stanislaus S, Printz MP, Yaksh TL, Taylor P. Nicotinic receptor gene cluster on rat chromosome 8 in nociceptive and blood pressure hyperresponsiveness. Physiological Genomics. 2002 11:65-72, 2002

Alemayehu A, Breen L, Krenova D, Printz MP. Reciprocal rat chromosome 2 congenic strains reveal contrasting blood pressure and heart rate QTL. Physiological Genomics, 10:199-210, 2002.