Phone: (615) 327-6835 (Office)
Phone: (615) 327-6791 (Lab)

elee@mmc.edu

The primary focus of research in Dr. Lee's laboratory is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of astroglial glutamate transporters associated with neurodegeneration and neuroprotection. Astroglial glutamate transporters are critical in maintaining physiological extracellular glutamate levels of neuronal cells in the brain. Impairment of these transporters is known to play a key role in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), as well as manganism (Mnism) [caused by chronic exposure to manganese (Mn)]. Thus insight into the role of glutamate transporters in Mnism will shed pertinent information for neuroprotective strategies encompassing multiple neurodegenerative disorders. 17beta-Estradiol (E2) and some SERMs including tamoxifen (TX) have been shown to be neuroprotective in various neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD, PD and ischemia. Dr. Lee and her colleagues have discovered that E2 and TX enhanced glutamate transporter function via increasing transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) expression in astrocytes. The current research in her lab is especially focused on understanding how E2 and TX as a SERM regulate astroglial glutamate transporter functions and thereby, protecting neurons from excitotoxicity. The long-term research goal of Dr. Lee's lab is to develop strategies for the discovery of suitable selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) that can be used as neuroprotectants without risks of cancer in women or of feminizing effects in men.

Dr. Lee's lab is also interested in understanding the mechanism of neurotoxicity involved in environmental toxin, benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P], associated with impairment of astroglial glutamate transporters. Furthermore, since astroglial glutamate transporters play a crucial role in neuronal development and excitotoxic neuronal injury, her lab is investigating whether gestational B(a)P exposure impairs astroglial glutamate transporters in offspring and if there is gender differences showing female offspring show lesser vulnerability due to E2 levels.

The research in Dr. Lee's lab utilizes molecular, cellular and biochemical techniques including primary cell cultures, transfection of cDNAs, assays for activation of signaling pathways, measurement of transport activity, quantitation of cell surface expression of transporters, western blotting, RT-PCR, real time-PCR, confocal microscopy, high performance liquid chromatography and cell viability assay.