Research

Rao, L. Vijaya Mohan, Ph.D.

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Contact: vijay.rao@uthct.edu

Education:
M.S. Genetics, 1977, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India.
Ph.D. Life Sciences, 1982, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

Research Interest:
Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Protease-induced signaling.

Current Projects:

  1. Endocytosis and intracellular trafficking pathways of tissue factor and factor VIIa.
  2. Modulation of tissue factor expression by membrane cholesterol.
  3. Protease-induced signaling.

Lay Summary:
Cardiovascular diseases cause more death and disability in US than all other diseases combined. The impact of heart diseases and stroke on the health care system is catastrophic; and the risk grows as the population ages. Thrombosis is an integral component in the pathogenesis of heart diseases. Thrombus formation is the primary reason for most acute coronary syndromes, including unstable angina and myocardial infarction. In addition to heart diseases, many chronic disorders, such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension are also associated with thrombotic complications. The suppression of aberrant clotting activity would not only prevent thrombotic complications associated with various diseases but also prevent the development and progression of the disease in it self. Our research involves defining how blood clotting is triggered and regulated, and potential consequences of malfunctioning of these regulatory mechanisms. The emphasis of our research is to understand how abnormalities in blood clotting lead to cardiovascular diseases, septic shock and cancer.

Research Overview:
Tissue factor (TF)-dependent blood coagulation plays a primary role in hemostasis after tissue injury and also in pathogenesis of many thrombotic events, including atherosclerosis, acute coronary syndrome, septicemia, and cancer. Tissue factor functions as the cellular receptor for plasma clotting factor VII(a) and the formation of TF/VII(a) complexes on cell surfaces triggers the coagulation cascade. Tissue factor is constitutively expressed on the surface of many extravascular cells, such as fibroblasts and pericytes within the blood vessel wall, but not in cells within vasculature that contact blood, such as monocytes and endothelial cells. However, TF expression is induced in vivo in monocytes and endothelial cells under various pathological conditions. The activation of the coagulation pathway not only leads to fibrin formation but also affects various cellular processes, which could play an important role in pathogenesis of various diseases, including atherosclerosis and cancer. Thus, a tight regulation of TF and TF/VIIa expression is critical for the maintenance of hemostatic balance as well as health in general.

Selected Papers and Abstracts: