Gerard P. Ahern

Professor of Pharmacology
Ph.D., Physiology and Biophysics
Australian National University, 1996
(202) 687-9678
gpa3@georgetown.edu

How do we sense the world around us? How do cells detect changes in the external or extracellular environment?  We are interested in the fundamental mechanisms that allow cells to sense diverse chemical or physical stimuli.  Our focus is a class of membrane ion channels called Transient Receptor Potentials (TRP) channels. We also explore novel ligand signaling at G-protein coupled receptors both in neurons and immune cells. We use a combination of electrophysiological, cell imaging, genetic and biochemical techniques, and where possible, appropriate animal models.

Selected Publications:

• Rozzi SJ, Avdoshina V, Fields JA, Trejo M, Ton HT, Ahern GP, Mocchetti I. Human Immunodeficiency Virus Promotes Mitochondrial Toxicity.. Neurotox Res. 32:723-733, 2017
• Ton HT, Phan TX, Abramyan AM, Shi L, Ahern GP. Identification of a putative binding site critical for general anesthetic activation of TRPA1.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.14(14):3762-3767. 2017
• Phan TX, Jaruga B, Pingle SC, Bandyopadhyay BC, Ahern GP. Intrinsic Photosensitivity Enhances Motility of T Lymphocytes.. Sci Rep. 6:39479, 2016
• Allen M, Ghosh S, Ahern GP, Villapol S, Maguire-Zeiss KA, Conant K. Protease induced plasticity: matrix metalloproteinase-1 promotes neurostructural changes through activation of protease activated receptor 1.. Sci Rep. 6:35497, 2016
• Phan TX, Ton HT, Chen Y, Basha M, Ahern GP. Sex-dependent Expression of TRPV1 in Bladder Arterioles.. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. ajprenal.00234.2016
• Ton HT, Smart AE, Aguilar BL, Olson TT, Kellar KJ, Ahern GP. Menthol Enhances the Desensitization of Human α3β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors.. Mol Pharmacol. 88, 256-264, 2015
• Chen Y, Leon-Ponte M, Pingle SC, O’Connell PJ, Ahern GP. T lymphocytes possess the machinery for 5-HT synthesis, storage, degradation and release.. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2015 Feb 14
• Ahern GP. Transient receptor potential channels and energy homeostasis.. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Nov;24(11):554-60
• Motter AL and Ahern GP. TRPA1 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid sensor in mammals. PLoS One 7: e38439, 2012
• Ahern GP. 5-HT and the immune system. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 11(1):29-33, 2011
• Bandyopadhyay BC, Pingle SC, Ahern GP., Store-operated Ca²+ signaling in dendritic cells occurs independently of STIM1. J Leukoc Biol. 89(1):57-62, 2011
• Cornett PM, Matta JA, Ahern GP. General anesthetics sensitize the capsaicin receptor transient receptor potential V1. Mol Pharmacol. 74(5):1261-8, 2008
• Matta JA, Cornett PM, Miyares RL, Abe K, Sahibzada N, Ahern GP  General anesthetics activate a nociceptive ion channel to enhance pain and inflammation.  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:8784-8789, 2008
• Matta JA, Ahern GP: Voltage is a partial activator of rat thermosensitive TRP channels. J Physiol. 585:469-82, 2007
• O’Connell PJ, Wang X, Leon-Ponte M, Griffiths C, Pingle SC, Ahern GP: A novel form of immune signaling revealed by transmission of the inflammatory mediator serotonin between dendritic cells and T cells. Blood. 107:1010-7, 2006
• Ahern GrP, Books IM, Miyares RL, Wang XB: Extracellular cations sensitize and gate capsaicin receptor TRPV1 modulating pain signaling. J Neurosci. 25:5109-16, 2005
• Ahern GP: Activation of TRPV1 by the satiety factor oleoylethanolamide. J Biol Chem. 278:30429-34, 2003
• Klyachko VA, Ahern GP, Jackson MB: cGMP-mediated facilitation in nerve terminals by enhancement of the spike after-hyperpolarization. Neuron. 31:1015-25, 2001
• Hsu Sf, O’Connell PJ, Klyachko VA, Badminton MN, Thomson AW, Jackson MB, Clapham DE, Ahern GP: Fundamental Ca2+ signaling mechanisms in mouse dendritic cells: CRAC is the major Ca2+ entry pathway. J Immunol. 166:6126-33, 2001
• Premkumar LS, Ahern GP: Induction of vanilloid receptor channel activity by protein kinase C. Nature. 408:985-90, 2000

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