Research Summary
Dr. Koliatsos's research involves the fundamental mechanisms of neural responses to traumatic and degenerative signals as well as mechanisms of neural repair. His current emphasis is on axons and the white matter and especially their breakdown in traumatic brain injury and major neurodegenerative diseases, and protection or regeneration of circuits in the injured brain using stem cells and their products. The main focus in the lab currently is the role of molecular programs of axonal self-destruction, especially SARM1 and stress MAPKs, in the initiation and progression of traumatic and other axonopathies and the discovery of small molecules that can mitigate such pathogeneses.
Lab
The Koliatsos lab focuses on molecular, cellular and pharmacological therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injuries. With broad partnerships with other laboratories at JHMI, the Lab currently pursues experimental treatments for axonopathies as they occur in traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, and hearing damage. Emphasis is on targeting stress MAPK signals like mixed lineage kinases and the key enzymatic trigger of Wallerian degeneration, SARM1.
Lab Website: Koliatsos Laboratory
Selected Publications
View all on PubMed
Yan J, Xu L, Welsh AM, Hatfield G, Hazel T, Johe K, Koliatsos VE: Extensive Neuronal Differentiation of Human Neural Stem Cell Grafts in Adult Rat Spinal Cord. PLoS Medicine 4(2):318-332
Ryu J, Horkayne-Szakaly I, Xu L, Pletnikova O, Leri F, Eberhart CG, Troncoso JC and Koliatsos VE: The problem of axonal injury in the brains of veterans with histories of blast exposure. Acta Neuropathol. Commun. 2(1) 153
Xu L, Ryu J, Nguyen J, Arena J, Rha E, Vranis P, Hitt D, Marmarou C, Marsh-Armstrong N and Koliatsos VE: Evidence for accelerated tauopathy in the retina of transgenic P301S tau mice exposed to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. Exp. Neurol. 273:168-176
Ziogas NK and Koliatsos VE. Primary traumatic axonopathy in mice subjected to impact acceleration: a reappraisal of pathology and mechanisms with high-resolution anatomical methods. J Neurosci. 2018 Apr 18;38(16)
Welsbie DS, Ziogas NK, Xu L, Kim B-J, Ge Y, Patel AK, Ryu J, Lehar M, Alexandris AS, Stewart N, Zack DJ, Koliatsos VE. Targeted disruption of dual leucine zipper kinase and leucine zipper kinase protects CNS neurons in diffuse traumatic brain injury. Mol Neurodegener. 2019 Nov 27;14(1):44
Alexandris AS, Ryu J, Rajbhandari L, Harlan R, McKenney J, Wang Y, Aja S, Graham D, Venkatesan A, Koliatsos VE. Protective effects of NAMPT and MAPK inhibitors on the Wallerian degeneration of mammalian axons: mechanisms and synergies. Neurobiol Dis 2022 Sep;171:105808
Alexandris AS, Lee Y, Lehar M, Alam Z, Samineni P, Ryu J, Koliatsos VE. Traumatic axonopathy in spinal tracts after impact acceleration head injury: ultrastructural observations and evidence of SARM1-dependent axonal degeneration. Exp. Neurol. Jan;359:114252
Price DL, Koo EH, Sisodia SS, Martin LJ, Koliatsos VE, Muma NA, Walker LC and Cork LC: Neuronal responses to injury and aging: lessons from animal models. Prog. Brain Res. 86:297 308
Rao V, Koliatsos VE, Ahmed F, Lyketsos C, Kortte K: Neuropsychiatric Disturbances Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Practical Approach to Evaluation & Management, Seminars in Neurology 35(1):64-82
Koliatsos VE, Alexandris A: Wallerian degeneration as a therapeutic target in traumatic brain injury. Current Opinion in Neurology, 2019; 32(6):786-795
Patents
Transplantation Of Human Neural Cells For Treatment Of Neurodegenerative Conditions
Patent # PCT/US2005/04163, WO/2006/055685 | 05/26/2006
Combined Mapk And Nampt Inhibition For Treatment Of Neuron Degeneration
Patent # Application No.17570809, 07/14/2022 JHU Ref C16718 |
Sarm1 Inhibition Or Deletion As Experimental Treatment Of Traumatic Brain Injury And Neurodegenerative Disease
Patent # US filed 9/2021 JHU Ref C15349 |
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