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College of Medicine: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Nancy J. Rusch, Ph.D.

Nancy J. Rusch, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor and Chair
Phone: 501-686-5510
Fax: 501-686-5521
Email: nrusch@uams.edu

Education

Ph.D. – Mayo Clinic, 1983

Research Interests

Calcium and potassium channels conduct Ca2+ and K+ ions, respectively, across the surface membrane of vascular muscle cells. Abnormalities in these channels trigger contraction of small arteries resulting in high blood pressure (hypertension). The goal of our laboratory is to discover abnormalities of ion channel expression and composition that contribute to systemic and pulmonary hypertension, and identify channel-based therapies to treat these diseases. We employ a multi-faceted approach of patch-clamp, molecular, cellular and in-vivo techniques to accomplish this goal.

Meet Dr. Rusch’s Research Team

Recent Research Support

Completed Research

  • AHA (SW Affiliate) Predoc 6PRE30830010   (Co-Sponsor for Shrum)   (07/01/16 – 06/30/18)
    “Role of mitoBK Channels in Rat Renal Cold Preservation”
  • UAMS Pilot Grant  (Co-PI)   (06/01/16 – 05/31/17)
    “Role of Mitochondrial BK channel in Renal Transplantation”
  • 1R21CA187325-01A1  (PI)   (03/01/15 – 02/28/17)
    “Doxorubicin Suppression of Lymphatic Function and Therapeutic Reversal”
  • PhRMA Fellowship  (Sponsor for Stolarz)   (01/01/16 – 12/31/16)
    “Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America”
  • R01 HL097107   (Co-I)   (03/15/11 – 02/28/16)
    “PSD95 Scaffolding of Vascular K+ Channels in Hypertension”
  • UL1 RR025209 (Member of Internal Advisory Committee)  (07/01/09 – 03/31/16)
    “Arkansas Center for Clinical and Translational Research”
  • R01 HL0932526-05 (PI) (04/01/09 – 03/31/15)
    “Long-term Antihypertensive Therapy by Delivery of the BK Channel Gene to VSMCs”
  • UAMS Pilot Grant, UAMS  (PI) (01/01/14 – 12/31/14)
    “Doxorubicin and Suppression of Lymphatic Function”
  • GIA 13GRNT14590001 (PI) (01/01/13 – 12/31/14)
    “Vascular TRPC3 Channels as Antihypertensive Targets”
  • AHA (SW Affiliate) Predoc 12PRE17240055 (Sponsor for Detweiler) (07/01/13 – 06/30/15)
    “Targeting the BK Channel as Therapy for Pulmonary Hypertension”
  • R01 HL64806-14 (PI) (01/01/09 – 06/30/14)
    “Vascular Calcium Channel Expression in Hypertension”

Publications

  • Qi X, Rusch NJ, Fan J, Mora CJ, Xie L, Mu S, Rabinovitch PS, Zhang H. Mitochondrial proton leak in cardiac aging. 45(4):2135-2143. 2023. PMCID: PMC10651624
  • Shosha E, Shahror RA, Morris CA, Xu Z, Lucas R, McGee-Lawrence ME, Rusch NJ, Caldwell RB, Fouda AY. The arginase 1/ornithine decarboxylase pathway suppresses HDAC3 to ameliorate the myeloid cell inflammatory response: implications for retinal ischemic injury. 14(9):62. 2023. PMCID: PMC10514323
  • Liu S, Wu J, Stolarz A, Zhang H, Boerma M, Byrum SD, Rusch NJ, Ding Z. PCSK9 attenuates efferocytosis in endothelial cells and promotes vascular aging.13(9):2914-2929. 2023. PMCID: PMC10240829
  • Stolarz AJ, Mu S, Zhang H, Fouda AY, Rusch NJ, Ding Z. Opinion: Endothelial Cells – Macrophage-Like Gatekeepers? 13:902945. 2022. PMCID: PMC9127206
  • Pal S, Rahman J, Mu S, Rusch NJ, Stolarz AJ. Drug-Related Lymphedema: Mysteries, Mechanisms, and Potential Therapies. 13:850586. 2022. PMCID: PMC8930849
  • Garner BR, Stolarz AJ, Stuckey D, Sarimollaoglu M, Liu Y, Palade PT, Rusch NJ, Mu S. KATP Channel Openers Inhibit Lymphatic Contractions and Lymph Flow as a Possible Mechanism of Peripheral Edema. 376(1):40-50. 2021. PMCID: PMC7745085
  • Van S, Pal S, Garner BR, Steed K, Sridharan V, Mu S, Rusch NJ, Stolarz AJ. Dantrolene Prevents the Lymphostasis Caused by Doxorubicin in the Rat Mesenteric Circulation. 12:727526. 2021.  PMCID: PMC8415554
  • Moore CL, Henry DS, McClenahan SJ, Ball KK, Rusch NJ, Rhee SW. Metoprolol Impairs β 1-Adrenergic Receptor-Mediated Vasodilation in Rat Cerebral Arteries: Implications for β-Blocker Therapy. 376(1):127-135. 2021. PMCID: PMC7788352
  • Cozart MA, Phelan KD, Wu H, Mu S, Birnbaumer L, Rusch NJ, Zheng F. Vascular smooth muscle TRPC3 channels facilitate the inverse hemodynamic response during status epilepticus. 10(1):812, 2020. PMCID: PMC6972937
  • Shrum S, Rusch NJ, MacMillan-Crow LA. Specific BK Channel Activator NS11021 Protects Rat Renal Proximal Tubular Cells from Cold Storage-Induced Mitochondrial Injury In Vitro. 9(12):825, 2019. PMCID: PMC6995623
  • Boulanger CM, Baretella O, Blaise G, Bond RA, Cai Y, Chan CKY, Chataigneau T, Chen MJ, Chen H, Cheng Y, Clement DL, Cohen RA, Collis M, Danser AHJ, de Mey J, Detremmerie CMS, Duprez D, Feletou M, Flavahan N, Gao Y, Guo Y, Hoeffner U, Houston DS, Huang IB, Huang Y, Iliano S, Junquero D, Katusic ZS, Komori K, Lee MYK, Leung SWS, Li Z, Liang SC, Liu JTC, Luscher TF, Michel F, Miller VM, Mombouli JV, Morrison K, Muldoon SM, O’Rourke S, Perrault L, Quignard JF, Rusch NJ, Sanchez-Ferrer CF, Schini-Kerth V, Shen K, Shi Y, Song E, Sun KWY, Taddei S, Tang EHC, Tuncer M, van den Ende R, Vedernikov Y, Verbeuren TJ, Webb C, Weigert A, Wong KHK, Xu C, Yang K, Ying F, Zellers T, Zhao Y, Zou Q, Shimokawa H; Professor Paul M. Vanhoutte’s former fellows. Tribute to Paul M. Vanhoutte, MD, PhD (1940-2019). 39(12):2445-2447. 2019. PMID: 31770032
  • Stolarz AJ, Sarimollaoglu M, Marecki JC, Fletcher TW, Galanzha EI, Rhee SW, Zharov VP, Klimberg VS, Rusch NJ. Doxorubicin Activates Ryanodine Receptors in Rat Lymphatic Muscle Cells to Attenuate Rhythmic Contractions and Lymph Flow. 371(2):278-289, 2019. PMCID: PMC6815939
  • Zheng F, Mu S, Rusch NJ. Leptin Activates Trpm7 Channels in the Carotid Body As a Mechanism of Obesity-Related Hypertension. 125(11):1003-1005. 2019. PMCID: PMC7938426
  • Mu S, Fantegrossi WE, Rusch NJ. Cocaine-Responsive miRNA and Blood Pressure Elevation. Hypertension. 71(4):561-562, 2018. PMID: 29483229
  • Rhee SW, Rusch NJ. Molecular determinants of beta-adrenergic signaling to voltage-gated K+ channels in the cerebral circulation. Microcirculation. 25(1), 2018. PMID: 29072364
  • Sarimollaoglu M, Stolarz AJ, Nedosekin DA, Garner BR, Fletcher TW, Galanzha EI, Rusch NJ, Zharov VP. High-speed microscopy for in vivo monitoring of lymph dynamics. J Biophotonics. 2017. doi: 10.1002/jbio.201700126. PMID: 29232054
  • Hill BJF, Dalton RJ, Joseph BK, Thakali KM, Rusch NJ. 17β-estradiol reduces Cav 1.2 channel abundance and attenuates Ca2+ -dependent contractions in coronary arteries. Pharmacol Res Perspect. 5(5), 2017. PMID: 28971605
  • Hilgers RH, Kundumani-Sridharan V, Subramani J, Chen LC, Cuello LG, Rusch NJ, Das KC. Thioredoxin reverses age-related hypertension by chronically improving vascular redox and restoring eNOS function. Sci Transl Med. 9(376), 2017. PMID: 28179506
  • Detweiler ND, Song L, McClenahan SJ, Versluis RJ, Kharade SV, Kurten RC, Rhee SW, Rusch NJ. BK channels in rat and human pulmonary smooth muscle cells are BKα-β1 functional complexes lacking the oxygen-sensitive stress axis regulated exon insert. Pulm Circ. 6(4), 2016. PMID: 28090300
  • Srivastava AK, MacMillan-Crow LA, Rhee SW, Rusch NJ. Abnormalities of vascular ion channels during hypertension. In: Vascular Ion Channels in Physiology and Disease, Levitan I and Dopico A (eds), Spring International Publishing AG, New York, NY, 2016.
  • Stolarz AJ, Rusch NJ. Gender differences in cardiovascular drugs. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 29(4):403-410. doi: 10.1007/s10557-015-6611-8, 2015. PMID: 26227895
  • Stimers JR, Song L, Rusch NJ, Rhee SW. Overexpression of the large-conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel shortens action potential duration in HL-1 cardiomyocytes. PLoS One. 19;10(6):e0130588, 2015. PMID: 26091273
  • Schleifenbaum J, Kassmann M, Szijártó IA, Hercule HC, Tano JY, Weinert S, Heidenreich M, Pathan AR, Anistan YM, Alenina N, Rusch NJ, Bader M, Jentsch TJ, Gollasch M. Stretch-activation of angiotensin II type 1a receptors contributes to the myogenic response of mouse mesenteric and renal arteries. Circulation Research. 115:263-272, 2014. PMID: 24838176
  • Detweiler ND, Srivistava AK, Pathan AR, Kharade SV, Rusch NJ.  Smooth muscle excitability.  In: Cell Physiology Source Book, N Sperelakis (ed), San Diego, CA, Academic Press, 2014.
  • Moore CL, Nelson PL, Parelkar NK, Rusch NJ, Rhee SW. Protein kinase A-phosphorylated Kv1 channels in PSD95 signaling complex contribute to the resting membrane potential and diameter of cerebral arteries. Circulation Research. 114:1258-1267, 2014. PMID: 24585759
  • Patton AL, Seely KA, Pulla S, Rusch NJ, Moran CL, Fantegrossi WE, Knight LD, Marraffa JM, Kennedy PD, James LP, Endres GW, Moran JH. Quantitative measurement of acetyl fentanyl and acetyl norfentanyl in human urine by LC-MS/MS. Analytical Chemistry. 86(3):1760-1766, 2014. PMID: 24354295
  • Anh NT, Gomez D, Bell RD, Campbell JH, Clowes AW, Gabbiani G, Giachelli CM, Parmacek MS, Raines EW, Rusch NJ, Speer MY, Sturek M, Thyberg J, Towler DA, Weiser-Evans MC, Yan C, Miano JM, Owens GK. Smooth muscle cell plasticity: fact or fiction? Circulation Research. 112:17-22, 2013. PMID: 23093573
  • Kharade SV*, Sonkusare SK*, Srivistava A, Rhee SW, Thakali KM, Fletcher TW, Rusch NJ.  The β3 subunit contributes to vascular calcium channel upregulation and hypertension in angiotensin II –infused C57BL/6 mice. Hypertension. 61:137-142, 2013. PMID: 23129698

View Dr. Rusch’s Publication List