Robert P. Yasuda

Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Ph.D., Pharmacology
University of Colorado, Denver, 1986
(202) 687-8189
yasudar@georgetown.edu

My laboratory is involved in the study of the structure and function of neuronal nicotinic receptors in the brain that are composed of five protein subunits that act as ligand-gated ion channels. These receptors are thought to be involved in the nicotine addiction observed in smokers. We utilize molecular biological, biochemical and electrophysiological methods to study these receptors. Specifically, we are interested in understanding the nature of the nicotine binding site and how the order of these nicotinic receptors subunits effects function. One approach we are currently using is the creation of concatamers of the nicotinic receptor subunits that allow us to make receptors composed of subunits of known order and composition.

Selected Publications:

• DeDominicis KE, Sahibzada N, Olson TT, Xiao Y, Wolfe BB, Kellar KJ and Yasuda RP  The stoichiometry (α4)3(β2)2 of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor predominates in the rat motor cortex (new window). Molecular Pharmacology July 11, 2017.
• Gelb T, Pshenichkin S, Rodriguez O, Hathaway HA, Grajkowska E, DiRaddo JO, Wroblewska B, Yasuda R, Albanese C, Wolfe BB, Wroblewski JT. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1 acts as a Dependence Receptor Creating a Requirement for Glutamate to Sustain the Viability and Growth of Human Melanomas. Oncogene. 34(21), 2711-2720, 2014. 
• Horti AG, Gao Y, Kuwabara H, Wang Y, Abazyan S, Yasuda RP, Tran T, Xiao Y, Sahibzada N, Holt DP, Kellar KJ, Pletnikov MV, Pomper MG, Wong DF, Dannals RF. 18F-ASEM, a Radiolabeled Antagonist for Imaging the α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor with PET. J Nucl Med. 2014 Apr;55(4):672-7
• Hussmann GP, Dedominicis KE, Turner JR, Yasuda RP, Klehm J, Forcelli PA, Xiao Y, Richardson JR, Sahibzada N, Wolfe BB, Lindstrom J, Blendy JA, Kellar KJ. Chronic sazetidine-A maintains anxiolytic effects and slower weight gain following chronic nicotine without maintaining increased density of nicotinic receptors in rodent brain. J Neurochem. 2014 May;129(4):721-31
• Gao Y, Kellar KJ, Yasuda RP, Tran T, Xiao Y, Dannals RF, Horti AG. Derivatives of dibenzothiophene for positron emission tomography imaging of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. J Med Chem. 2013 Oct 10;56(19):7574-89
• Hussmann GP, TurnerJR, Lomazzo E, Venkatesh R, Cousins V, Xiao Y, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Perry DC, Rezvani AH, Levin ED, Blendy JA, Kellar KJ: Chronic sazetidine-A at behaviorally active doses does not increase nicotinic cholinergic receptors in rodent brain.   J Pharmacol Exp Ther Aug 16 Epub ahead of print, 2012
• Emery AC, Diraddo JO, Miller E, Hathaway HA, Pshenichkin S, Takoudjou GR, Grajkowska E, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Wroblewski JT. Ligand Bias at Metabotropic Glutamate 1a Receptor: Molecular Determinants that Distinguish beta-arrestin from G Protein Mediated Signaling. Mol Pharmacol. May 14, 2012
• Hussmann GP, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Xiao, Y, Kellar KJ Endogenously expressed muscarinic receptors in HEK293 cells augment up-regulation of stably expressed alpha4-beta2 nicotinic receptors. J Biol. Chem. 286:39726, 2011
• Janssen MJ, Yasuda RP, Vicini S. GABA(A) Receptor {beta}3 Subunit Expression Regulates Tonic Current in Developing Striatopallidal Medium Spiny Neurons. Front Cell Neurosci. 5:15, 2011
• Lomazzo E, Hussmann GP, Wolfe BB, Yasuda RP, Perry DC, Kellar KJ. Effects of chronic nicotine on heteromeric neuronal nicotinic receptors in rat primary cultured neurons. J Neurochem. 119(1):153-64, 2011
• N’Gouemo P, Yasuda R, Faingold CL. Seizure susceptibility is associated with altered protein expression of voltage-gated calcium channel subunits in inferior colliculus neurons of the genetically epilepsy-prone rat. Brain Res. 1308:153-7, 2010
• Lomazzo E, MacArthur L, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Kellar KJ:  Quantitative analysis of the heteromeric neuronal nicotinic receptors in the rat hippocampus.  J Neurochem 115: 625-634, 2010
• N’Gouemo P, Yasuda RP, Faingold CL: Protein expression of small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels is altered in inferior colliculus neurons of the genetically epilepsy-prone rat. Brain Res. 1270:107-11, 2009
• Mao D, Perry DC, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Kellar KJ: The alpha4beta2alpha5 nicotinic cholinergic receptor in rat brain is resistant to up-regulation by nicotine in vivo J Neurochem. 104:446-56, 2008
• Ortinski PI, Turner JR, Barberis A, Motamedi G, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Kellar KJ, Vicini S: Deletion of the GABA(A) receptor alpha1 subunit increases tonic GABA(A) receptor current: a role for GABA uptake transporters. J Neurosci. 26:9323-31, 2006
• Lu C, Fu Z, Karavanov I, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Buonanno A, Vicini S:  NMDA receptor subtypes at autaptic synapses of cerebellar granule neurons. J Neurophysiol. 96:2282-94, 2006
• Mao D, Yasuda RP, Fan H, Wolfe BB, Kellar KJ: Heterogeneity of nicotinic cholinergic receptors in rat superior cervical and nodose Ganglia. Mol Pharmacol. 70:1693-9, 2006
• N’Gouemo P, Yasuda RP, Morad M: Ethanol withdrawal is accompanied by downregulation of calcium channel alpha 1B subunit in rat inferior colliculus neurons. Brain Res. 1108:216-20, 2006
• Marritt AM, Cox BC, Yasuda RP, McIntosh JM, Xiao Y, Wolfe BB, Kellar KJ: Nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the rat retina: simple and mixed heteromeric subtypes. Mol Pharmacol. 68:1656-68, 2005
• Brown KM, Wrathall JR, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB: Glutamate receptor subunit expression after spinal cord injury in young rats. Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 152:61-8, 2004
• Hernandez SC, Vicini S, Xiao Y, Dávila-García MI, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Kellar KJ: The nicotinic receptor in the rat pineal gland is an alpha3beta4 subtype. Mol Pharmacol. 66:978-87, 2004
• Jarabek BR, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB: Regulation of proteins affecting NMDA receptor-induced excitotoxicity in a Huntington’s mouse model. Brain. 127:505-16, 2004
• Akinshola BE, Yasuda RP, Peoples RW, Taylor RE: Ethanol sensitivity of recombinant homomeric and heteromeric AMPA receptor subunits expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 27:1876-83, 2003
• Al-Hallaq RA, Jarabek BR, Fu Z, Vicini S, Wolfe BB, Yasuda RP: Association of NR3A with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR1 and NR2 subunits. Mol Pharmacol. 62:1119-27, 2002
• Brown KM, Wrathall JR, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB: Quantitative measurement of glutamate receptor subunit protein expression in the postnatal rat spinal cord. Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 137:127-33, 2002
• Yeh J, Ferreira M, Ebert S, Yasuda RP, Kellar KJ, Wolfe BB: Axotomy and nerve growth factor regulate levels of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha3 subunit protein in the rat superior cervical ganglion. J Neurochem. 79:258-65, 2001
• Ferreira M, Ebert SN, Perry DC, Yasuda RP, Baker CM, Dávila-García MI, Kellar KJ, Gillis RA: Evidence of a functional alpha7-neuronal nicotinic receptor subtype located on motoneurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 296:260-9, 2001
• Al-Hallaq RA, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB: Enrichment of N-methyl-D-aspartate NR1 splice variants and synaptic proteins in rat postsynaptic densities. J Neurochem. 77:110-9, 2001
• Yeh JJ, Yasuda RP, Dávila-García MI, Xiao Y, Ebert S, Gupta T, Kellar KJ, Wolfe BB: Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha3 subunit protein in rat brain and sympathetic ganglion measured using a subunit-specific antibody: regional and ontogenic expression. J Neurochem. 77:336-46, 2001
• Grossman SD, Wolfe BB, Yasuda RP, Wrathall JR: Changes in NMDA receptor subunit expression in response to contusive spinal cord injury. J Neurochem. 75:174-84, 2000
• Wang Y, TesFaye E, Yasuda RP, Mash DC, Armstrong DM, Wolfe BB: Effects of post-mortem delay on subunits of ionotropic glutamate receptors in human brain. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 80:123-31, 2000
• Dunah AW, Wang Y, Yasuda RP, Kameyama K, Huganir RL, Wolfe BB, Standaert DG. Alterations in subunit expression, composition, and phosphorylation of striatal N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors in a rat 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson’s disease. Mol Pharmacol. 57:342-52, 2000
• Rosebraugh CJ, Yasuda RP, Yasuda SU: Quantification of human H1 histamine receptor mRNA from peripheral blood. Pharmacotherapy. 20:191-8, 2000

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