Paruir Sevak st. 5/1, 0014, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Tel: +374-10 28 18 40/28 18 01
Fax: +374-10 29 73 43
E-mail: ggevorgyan@sci.am
Department of Neurohormone Biochemistry
The main investigations are carried out in the fields of neurochemistry, neuroendocrine cardiology and neuroendocrine immunology, as well as bioorganic chemistry. Family of cardioactive neurohormones (multiple forms of coronary-dilatory and coronary-constrictory glycopeptides) produced by neurosecretory cells of hypothalamus (nucleus paraventricularis and nucleus supraopticus) and interleukins (I1-1a, I1-1b , I1-2, TNF-a , IL-6, etc) have been isolated for the first time. Group of proline-rich polypeptides have been discovered in neurosecretory granules of hypohalamus-neurohypophyseal system. The role of synthetic analogues of hypothalamic proline-rich peptides in a variety of biochemical pathways as well as in neuronal-immune response is largely investigated.
The Department consists of the following laboratories and a unit:
Laboratory of Biochemistry of Neurospecific Proteins
Scientists look at the neurohormonal regulation of metabolic pathways in the brain and cardiovascular activity. Particular attention is directed to discovery and identification of protein-hormonal complexes in magnocellular cells of hypothalamus, as well as how these complexes influence the brain and myocardial function of animal models and humans. This group collaborates with Beckman Center, laboratory of mass-spectral analysis, California; Dalhousie University, Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Canada; Moscow State University, Russia, Orbeli Institute of Physiology, Natl. Acad. Sci. of RA, Yerevan.
Laboratory of Analytical Chromatography
Researchers use RP-HPLC and PAAG-Electrophoresis techniques for isolation and purification of biologically active peptides from bovine and human hypothalamus. Particular emphasis is on clarifying of the functional activity of the peptides in connection to molecular composition. Researchers coordinate investigations with Bah Institute of Biochemistry and Institute of Molecular Biology in Moscow, Russia; Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Germany; Center of Human Genetics, Yerevan, RA.
Neurotransmitter Function Unit
This group investigates high affinity uptake of excitatory and inhibitory amino acids, such as glutamate, aspartate, GABA, in synaptosomes and slices from different brain structures in aging, stress and pathology. The effects of synthetic analogues of hypothalamic proline-rich peptides are also studied at experimental Parkinsonism. Collaborators are Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Calcutta, India; Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA; Dept. of Pharmacology, YSMU, Yerevan.
Nervous Tissue Histochemistry Unit investigates localization of immunomodulators, such as immunophilin (1-15) fragment (IphF) and proline rich peptides in rat brain and spinal cord structures in normal and pathological conditions, using immunohistochemical technique.
Collaborators are Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, Canada; Vector Labs, Burlingame, CA, USA; Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Molecular Biology and Orbeli Institute of Physiology, Yerevan, RA.
Neuroimmune Regulation Unit studies interaction of novel brain born cytokines and immunocytes.
Laboratory of Pathological Biochemistry and Radioisotope Methods
Scientists monitor metabolic pathways such as glucose utilization, synthesis and degradation of Ca2+-proteins, energy providing enzymes’ activity in the brain and other tissues at experimental crush syndrome pathology, caused by compression of femoral muscle of rats. For experiments radioisotope method is applied. The effects of biologically active compounds are also examined.
Laboratory of Neuropeptides Biochemistry
The main investigations are carried out in the field of neurochemistry, interaction between the nervous and immune system, neuroendocrinology. The 5 hemorphins, the member of a family of endogenous nonclassical opioid peptides with wide range of biological activities, were isolated for the first time from bovine hypothalamus. The research works of the laboratory starting 2005 are focused on the determination of molecular mechanisms of homeostatic action of hemorphins on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and in pathophysiology of severe multifactorial diseases (stress, diabetes and cancer). It has been found that Ca2+/CaM/calcineurin/NFAT pathway is involved in glucose lowering effect of hemorphin-7 and LVV-hemorphin-3. The same signaling pathway was found to involve in the molecular mechanism of anti-tumor effect of hemorphin-7 and LVV-hemorphin-3. The recent works of Laboratory has demonstrated that hemorphins change the expression levels of some proteins in mouse brain (ferritin, cyclophilin A, some Ca2+-binding proteins and others) and, moreover, have a capacity for direct binding to DNA, making changes in DNA primary structure and thus affect transcriptional activity.
The laboratory has been collaborated and has common publications with Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany; Institute of Pathology University of Wuerzburg, Germany; Dept. of Pharmacology, Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport, USA; Central Research Institute of Chemistry and Institute of Enzymology of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
Laboratory of Reactive Oxygen Species Metabolism
Isolation and purification of metalloproteins from bovine blood and other tissues, assessment of their endogen levels in normal and pathological states, investigation of their antioxidant activity is the objective of this group. Scientists conduct basic and clinical studies, performing joint investigations with Depts. of General and Bioorganic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Patho physiology of YSMU, Yerevan, RA; Lab. of Metalloproteins of Lengsington State University, Kentukki, USA;
Laboratory of Enzyme Activity Regulation
Investigators examine the activity of phosphate-activated glutaminase in the brain, liver, kidney and lymphoid organs. Collaborators are University of Nottingham, UK; University of Toronto, Canada.
Laboratory of Biochemistry of Ontogenesis / Embriochemistry/
This group investigates the activity of malate-, lactate-, and isocitratedehydrogenases in brain subfractions, enzymes responsible for energy supply in the in brain, in different stages of embryonic and ontogenetic development. Collaborators are Institute of physical-chemical biology and Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; Stockholm University, Sweden; Goteborg University, Sweden.
Laboratory of Adenyl Compound Metabolism
The activity of adenosine deaminases, isolated from different tissues of animal models and humans are studied at pathological conditions. Researchers collaborate with University of Camerino, Italy.
Laboratory of Biochemistry of Sensors studies the influence of the newly synthesized in the laboratory drugs on the function of eye receptors.
Molecular Markers of Diseases Unit is conducting searching and investigating molecular markers of diseases. Scientists work in collaboration with Institute of Cardiology, Yerevan, RA.
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