William E. Sonntag

Professor and Donald W. Reynolds Chair of Aging Research
Department of Geriatric Medicine
University of Oklahoma Health Science Center
975 NE 10th Street, BRC-1303
Oklahoma City OK 73104
Telephone      (405) 271-8000 (x47812)
e-mail             william-sonntag@ouhsc.edu

B.S., 1972 Tufts University
M.S., 1974 University of Bridgeport
Ph.D., 1979 Tulane University

Research Interests: Molecular Endocrinology and Neuroendocrinology.

1. Molecular mechanisms responsible for changes within the hypothalamus and pituitary of aging animals especially related to growth hormone and IGF-1 regulation (including transcriptional and translational regulatory events).

2. Relationship between microvascular rarefaction, vascular reactivity and brain aging. Molecular mechanisms contributing to the decline in cognitive ability with age. Effects and mechanisms of action of growth hormone and IGF-1 on brain aging.

3. Application of DNA array, RT-PCR and functional proteomic measures for assessing molecular basis for age-related changes in physical and cognitive function.

4. Effects of moderate caloric restriction on the development of functional impairments with age and the development of age-related pathologies.

5. Mechanisms contributing to the decline in cognitive function after ionizing radiation treatment

The primary interests of this laboratory have been the effects of aging and alcoholism on the neuroendocrine regulation of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) secretion. These studies have included alterations in hypothalamic somatostatin and growth hormone releasing hormone gene expression, translational regulation of neuropeptide mRNA and in vitro response to neuropeptides. More recent studies have concentrated on growth hormone and IGF-1 signal transduction in several tissues, including brain. These studies suggest that signal transduction diminishes with age or in response to chronic ethanol use and is closely associated with the reduced capacity of tissues to express several key intracellular proteins, including the immediate early gene, c-fos. Our results indicate that decreases in growth hormone and IGF-1 may lead to a reduction in viability of peripheral tissues and neurons and contribute to degenerative diseases which normally accompany aging and alcoholism

 

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