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Govind Vatassery Department of Psychiatry Director, Neurochemistry Laboratory, Research Service and GRECC program E-mail: vatas001@umn.edu

Research Interests:

We are interested in understanding the role of antioxidants such as vitamin E and oxidative stress in modulation of brain function. Numerous experiments suggest that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders.  Our goal is to obtain experimental information that will aid in understanding the mechanism of how oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases .  One of our most recent studies examines the role of apoE in modulating vitamin E in brain.  The E4 isoform of apoE has been implicated as a risk factor for the incidence of Alzheimer's disease.  We are also studying the role of mitochondria in inducing oxidative stress.  Modulation of oxidative stress by exogenous antioxidants and endogenous antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C and glutathione is also being studied in our laboratory.

Selected Publications

Vatassery GT, Quach HT, Smith WE, Santacruz KS, Roy S. Apolipoprotein e deficiency leads to altered brain uptake of alpha tocopherol injected into lateral cerebral ventricles. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2007 Jul;1772(7):797-803.

Vatassery GT, Smith WE, Quach HT. Effect of oxidative stress induced by L-dopa on endogenous antioxidants in PC-12 cells. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Aug;1074:330-6.

Vatassery GT, Lam C, Smith WE, Quach HT. Apolipoprotein E exerts selective and differential control over vitamin E concentrations in different areas of mammalian brain. J Neurosci Res. 2006 Nov 1;84(6):1335-42.

Lee ES, Smith WE, Quach HT, Jones BD, Santilli SM, Vatassery GT. Moderate hyperoxia (40%) increases antioxidant levels in mouse tissue. J Surg Res. 2005 Aug;127(2):80-4.

Packer L, Azzi A, Kraemer K, Ozer N, Sies H, Niki E, Violi F, Vatassery G. Future directions in preclinical vitamin E research: panel discussion A. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:305-12. 

Vatassery GT. Impairment of brain mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation accompanying vitamin E oxidation induced by iron or reactive nitrogen species: a selective review. Neurochem Res. 2004 Nov;29(11):1951-9.

Vatassery GT, SantaCruz KS, DeMaster EG, Quach HT, Smith WE. Oxidative stress and inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation induced by peroxynitrite and nitrite in rat brain subcellular fractions. Neurochem Int. 2004 Dec;45(7):963-70.

Vatassery GT, Adityanjee, Quach HT, Smith WE, Kuskowski MA, Melnyk D. Alpha and gamma tocopherols in cerebrospinal fluid and serum from older, male, human subjects. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):233-8.

Vatassery GT, DeMaster EG, Lai JC, Smith WE, Quach HT. Iron uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in brain mitochondria isolated from vitamin E-deficient rats. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2004 Apr 5;1688(3):265-73.

Vatassery GT, Lai JC, DeMaster EG, Smith WE, Quach HT. Oxidation of vitamin E and vitamin C and inhibition of brain mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by peroxynitrite. J Neurosci Res. 2004 Mar 15;75(6):845-53.