Grace Y. Sun

Professor of Biochemistry

Email:	sung@missouri.edu
Phone:	(573) 882-5377
Fax:	(573) 882-5635
Office:	135C Schweitzer Hall
Mailing Address:	Biochemistry 117 Schweitzer Hall University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO 65211
Research Areas:	Neurodegenerative diseases, Signal transduction, phospholipases A2, oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant botanical compounds

Educational Background

BS		Seattle Pacific University	Seattle, Wash.	Chemistry/Mathematics
PhD		Oregon State University	Corvallis, Ore.	Biochemistry

Notable Honors and Service

Editorial Boards
   Neurochemistry Research
   Neurochemistry International (1995-98)
Organizing Committees
   International Symposium on Neural Membrane, 1982
   International Symposium on Biomedical Research on Alcoholism, 1988
   International Symposium on Neurotransmission and Signal Transduction, 1989
   Oxidative Mechanisms for Neurodegenerative Disorders, 2004

Research Description

The Central Nervous System (CNS) is comprised of complex cellular networks consisting of neurons and glial cells. Intricate biochemical pathways are known to mediate communications among these cells. Neurons and glial cells are active in their response to numerous extracellular signals, including neurotransmitters and growth factors, which are transmitted through activation of cell specific receptors and signaling pathways. Abnormal functioning of these signaling pathways can impart on a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, alcoholism and stroke. An important goal for this laboratory is to investigate the signaling pathways mediated by different types of receptors, especially the metabotropic G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) and the ionotropic receptors, associated with generation of second messengers and mobilization of intracellular calcium. Current studies in this laboratory are focused on relating these pathways to activation of phospholipases A₂ (PLA₂), a group of enzymes important in mediating the release of arachidonic acid and biosynthesis of prostaglandins. Increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress have been regarded important pathological landmarks of many neurodegenerative diseases. One of our goals is to understand how oxidative mechanisms lead to activation of PLA₂ and cyclooxygenase (COX) in neuron and glial cells and the significance of these pathways on Alzheimer's disease pathology and stroke. Cell and animal models will be used to investigate possible anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of a variety of botanical compounds. Research in this laboratory also uses animal models to examine whether nutritional supplement of these compounds may elicit neuroprotective effects. Our studies will employ basic biochemical as well as modern molecular techniques to examine gene and protein expressions. We believe that our effort to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying signal transduction pathways will contribute to new therapeutic strategies for combating neuronal damage due to stroke, alcoholism and Alzheimer's disease.

Selected Publications

Sun, G.Y., Xu, J., Jensen, M.D., Yu, S., Wood, W.G., Gonzalez, F.A., Simonyi, A., Sun, A.Y., and Weisman, G.A. (2005) Phospholipase A₂ in Astrocytes: Responses to Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and G-protein-coupled Receptor Agonists. Mol. Neurobiol. 31, 27-42.

Simonyi A, Wang Q, Miller RL, Yusof M, Shelat P, Sun AY, Sun GY. (2005) Polyphenols in cerebral ischemia: Novel targets for neuroprotection. Mol. Neurobiol. 31: 135-148.

Wang Q, Simonyi A, Li W, Sisk BA, Miller RL, MacDonald RS, Lubahn DE, Sun GY and Sun AY. (2005) Dietary grape supplement ameliorates cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal death in gerbils. Mol Nutr. Food Res. 49: 443-451.

Zhu D, Tan KS, Yu S, Sun AY, Sun GY, and Lee JCM. (2005) Hydrogen peroxide alters membrane and cytoskeleton properties and enhances intercellular communications in astrocytes. J. Cell Sci. 118: 3695-3703.

Shen S, Yu S, Binek J, Chalimonuik M, Lo SC, Hannink M, Wu J, Fritsche K, Donato R, Sun GY. (2005) Distinct signaling pathways for induction of type II NOS by IFNγ and LPS in BV-2 microglial cells. Neurochem. International. 47: 298-307.

Wang, Q., Sun, A.Y., Simonyi, A., Jensen, M.D., Shelat, P., Rottinghaus, G.E., MacDonald, R.S., Miller, D.K., Lubahn, D.E., Weisman, G.A., and Sun, G.Y. (2005) Neuroprotective mechanisms of curcumin against cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal apoptosis and behavioral deficits. J. Neurosci. Res. 82: 138-148.

Wang Q, Tompkins KD, Simonyi A, Korthuis RJ, Sun AY, and Sun GY. (2006) Apocynin protects against global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative stress and injury in the gerbil brain. Brain Res. 1090:182-189.

P. B. Shelat, A. P. Coulibaly, Q. Wang, A. Y. Sun, G. Y. Sun, A. Simonyi (2006) Ischemia-induced increase in RGS7 mRNA expression in gerbil hippocampus. Neuroscience Letters 403:157-61.

D. Zhu, Y. Lai, P. B. Shelat, C. Hu, G. Y. Sun, and J. C-M. Lee (2006) Phospholipases A2 Mediate Amyloid- Peptide-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Journal of Neuroscience, 26:11111-11119.

Moses GSD, Jensen MD, Lue L-F, Walker DG, Sun AY, Simonyi A, Sun GY Secretory PLA2- IIA: A new inflammatory factor for Alzheimer’s disease. J. Neuroinflammation 2006; 3: 28-39.

Sun G, Horrocks, LA, Farooqui AA. The roles of NADPH oxidase and phospholipases A2 in oxidative and inflammatory responses in neurodegenerative diseases. J. Neurochem. 2007, 103: 1-16.

Wang Q, Sun AY, Simonyi A, Kalogeris TJ, Miller DK, Sun GY, Korthuis RJ. Ethanol preconditioning protects against ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain damage: Role of NADPH oxidase-derived ROS. Free Radical Biol. & Med. 2007, 43: 1048-1060.

Employment Opportunities

Post-Doctoral Opportunities

Electronic submission is encouraged, e-mail to biochemsearch@missouri.edu

Applicants should send CV and names of two references to:
Dr. Grace Sun
Postdoctoral Application
Biochemistry
117 Schweitzer Hall
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211

Neurodegenerative diseases, Signal transduction, phospholipases A2, oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant botanical compounds