Nada M. Porter, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of Illinois, 1987.
Office: MS-315 Chandler Medical Center (0298)
Lab: (859) 257-6373 or (859) 323-4670
Tel: (859) 257-4715
Research interests are in the area of hormone modulation of ion channels. Specifically, our studies address two central questions: 1) Do stress hormones adversely affect neuronal viability by altering calcium channel influx?, and 2) Under what conditions can steroid hormones have a beneficial or adverse effect? Recent studies indicate that steroid hormones regulate calcium channel activity. Current efforts are focused on how these changes in calcium influx affect neuronal viability. Answers to these questions will help determine whether neuronal calcium channels are potential therapeutic targets for degenerative or traumatic disorders of the brain.
Recent Publications
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Pancani T, Phelps JT, Searcy JL, Kilgore MW, Porter NM, and Thibault O (2009)
Distinct modulation of voltage-gated and ligand-gated Ca2+ currents by PPAR-γ agonists in cultured hippocampal neurons. J. Neurochem., 109:1800-1811.
Kadish I, Thibault O, Blalock EM, Chen, K-C, Gant JC, Porter NM, and Landfield PW (2009)
Onset of hippocampal and cognitive aging: Lifespan expression analyses identify associated changes in metabolism and cholesterol trafficking.
J. Neurosci., 29:1805-1816.
Brewer LD, Dowling AL, Curran-Rauhut MA, Landfield PW, Porter NM, and Blalock EM (2009)
Estradiol reverses a calcium-related biomarker of brain aging in female rats.
J Neurosci. 2009 May 13;29(19):6058-67.
Norris CM, Blalock EM, Chen KC, Porter NM, Thibault O, Kraner SD, and Landfield PW (2008)
Hippocampal 'zipper' slice studies reveal a necessary role for calcineurin in the increased activity of L-type Ca(2+) channels with aging.
Neurobiol Aging. 2008 May 7. [Epub ahead of print]
Landfield PW, Blalock EM, Chen KC, Porter NM (2007)
A New Glucocorticoid Hypothesis of Brain Aging: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease.
Current Alzheimer's Research 4: 205-212
Rowe* WB, Blalock* EM, Chen KC, Kadish I, Wang D, Barrett JE, Thibault O, Porter NM, Rose GM, Landfield PW (2007)
Hippocampal Expression Analyses Reveal Selective Association of Immediate-Early, Neuroenergetic, and Myelinogenic Pathways with Cognitive Impairment in Aged Rats.
J Neurosci 27: 3098-3110
Attucci S, Clodfelter GV, Thibault O, Staton J, Moroni F, Landfield PW, Porter NM.(2002)
Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor inhibition selectively blocks a prolonged Ca(2+) elevation associated with age-dependent excitotoxicity.
Neuroscience 112:183-194.
Norris CM, Blalock EM, Chen KC, Porter NM, Landfield PW. (2002)
Calcineurin enhances L-type Ca(2+) channel activity in hippocampal neurons: increased
effect with age in culture.
Neuroscience.110:213-225.
Brewer L, Thibault V, Chen K-C, Langub C, Landfield PW and Porter NM.
VitaminD hormone confers neuroprotection in parallel with down-regulation of
L-type calcium channel expression in hippocampal neurons.
J Neurosci 21(1)98-108, 2001.
Blalock EM, Porter NM, Landfield PW.
Decreased G-protein-mediated regulation and shift in calcium channel types with age in hippocampal cultures.
J Neurosci 19:8674-84, 1999.
Porter NM, Thibault O, Thibault V, Chen K-C and Landfield PW.
Calcium channel density and hippocampal cell death with age in long-term culture.
J Neurosci 17:5629-5639, 1997.
Thibault O, Mazzanti ML, Blalock EM, Porter NM and Landfield PW.
Single-channel and whole-cell studies of calcium currents in young and aged rat hippocampal
slice neurons.
J Neurosci Meth 59:77-83, 1995.
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