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Alvin Beitz, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology E-mail: alvin@biosci.cbs.umn.edu

Research Interests:

My major research focus is in the field of neuroscience, but my interests extend beyond this field to include the areas of immunology, biochemistry and pharmacology. There are currently 4 main research projects in my lab. The first project is focused on determining the neurochemical and molecular basis of cancer pain. We are utilizing microperfusion techniques to obtain extracellular fluid samples from tumors in vivo in conjunction with a unique tumor/bone explant tissue culture procedure in an attempt to identify novel pain-producing peptides and proteins that are released by tumor cells. A variety of techniques including 2-D HPLC, 2-D gel electrophoresis are used in combination with mass spectrometry are employed to identify peptides and proteins that contribute to cancer pain. Antagonists or antibodies against these substances are then tested in an animal tumor model to determine their efficacy in reducing cancer pain. The second project is aimed at examining the role that gender plays in the development of persistent pain states and to examine the effect of both pain and gender on immune function. The third project focuses on alterations in spinal cord gene and protein expression in cancer pain versus iinflammatory pain using mouse models of these conditions. The fourth project examines the role of gender and endogenous opioids in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Selected Publications:

Roh DH, Kim HW, Yoon SY, Seo HS, Kwon YB, Han HJ, Beitz AJ, Lee JH. Depletion of capsaicin sensitive afferents prevents lamina-dependent increases in spinal N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit 1 expression and phosphorylation associated with thermal hyperalgesia in neuropathic rats. Eur J Pain. 2007 Oct 12.

Yoon SY, Kwon YB, Kim HW, Roh DH, Seo HS, Han HJ, Beitz AJ, Lee JH. A spinal muscarinic M2 receptor-GABAergic disinhibition pathway that modulates peripheral inflammation in mice. Neuropharmacology. 2007 Oct;53(5):677-86.

Khasabova IA, Stucky CL, Harding-Rose C, Eikmeier L, Beitz AJ, Coicou LG, Hanson AE, Simone DA, Seybold VS. Chemical interactions between fibrosarcoma cancer cells and sensory neurons contribute to cancer pain. J Neurosci. 2007 Sep 19;27(38):10289-98.

Yoon SY, Kwon YB, Kim HW, Roh DH, Seo HS, Han HJ, Lee HJ, Beitz AJ, Hwang SW, Lee JH. Peripheral bee venom's anti-inflammatory effect involves activation of the coeruleospinal pathway and sympathetic preganglionic neurons.Neurosci Res. 2007 Sep;59(1):51-9.

Lynch JL, Gallus NJ, Ericson ME, Beitz AJ. Analysis of nociception, sex and peripheral nerve innervation in the TMEV animal model of multiple sclerosis. Pain. 2007 Aug 31.

Kim HW, Kang SY, Yoon SY, Roh DH, Kwon YB, Han HJ, Lee HJ, Beitz AJ, Lee JH. Low-frequency electroacupuncture suppresses zymosan-induced peripheral inflammation via activation of sympathetic post-ganglionic neurons. Brain Res. 2007 May 7;1148:69-75.

Yoon SY, Kim HW, Roh DH, Kwon YB, Han HJ, Beitz AJ, Lee JH. Intrathecal clonidine suppresses zymosan-induced peripheral leukocyte migration in a mouse air pouch model via activation of spinal muscarinic type 2 receptors and sympathoadrenal medullary activity. Neuropharmacology. 2006 Sep;51(4):829-37.

Roh DH, Kim HW, Yoon SY, Kang SY, Kwon YB, Cho KH, Han HJ, Ryu YH, Choi SM, Lee HJ, Beitz AJ, Lee JH. Bee venom injection significantly reduces nociceptive behavior in the mouse formalin test via capsaicin-insensitive afferents. J Pain. 2006 Jul;7(7):500-12.

Kim HW, Kwon YB, Roh DH, Yoon SY, Han HJ, Kim KW, Beitz AJ, Lee JH.
Intrathecal treatment with sigma1 receptor antagonists reduces formalin-induced osphorylation of NMDA receptor subunit 1 and the second phase of formalin test in mice. Br J Pharmacol. 2006 Jun;148(4):490-8.

Kwon YB, Yoon SY, Kim HW, Roh DH, Kang SY, Ryu YH, Choi SM, Han HJ, Lee HJ, Kim KW, Beitz AJ, Lee JH. Substantial role of locus coeruleus-noradrenergic activation and capsaicin-insensitive primary afferent fibers in bee venom's anti-inflammatory effect. Neurosci Res. 2006 Jun;55(2):197-203.

Kim HW, Roh DH, Yoon SY, Kang SY, Kwon YB, Han HJ, Lee HJ, Choi SM, Ryu YH, Beitz AJ, Lee JH. The anti-inflammatory effects of low- and high-frequency electroacupuncture are mediated by peripheral opioids in a mouse air pouch inflammation model. J Altern Complement Med. 2006 Jan-Feb;12(1):39-44.

Former Graduate Students:

Ming Gu (Ph.D. 2007, Neuroscience, University of Minnesota).

Lisa Bellavance (Ph.D., Neuroscience, 1997), Life Sciences Marketing Specialist & Editor, Molecular Simulations, Inc., San Diego, CA.

Uri Herzberg (Ph.D., Veterinary Biology, 1995), Research Scientist, Acorda Therapeutics, Hawthorne, NY.

Jang-Hern Lee (Ph.D., Veterinary Biology, 1994). Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, South Korea.

Jessica Lynch (Ph.D., Neuroscience, 2006).