neuropeptides and neurological processes

James Waschek

Research in the Waschek lab is focused on a class of molecules called neuropeptides - short peptides that classically act in the central and peripheral nervous systems to control a wide variety of behaviors and neurological processes. Our studies address neuropeptide control of synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation, and neurodegenerative disease, utilizing gentically-engineered mice and local viral delivery systems.

Recent Publications:
Onaka Y, Shintani N, Nakazawa T, Haba R, Ago Y, Wang H, Kanoh T, Hayata-Takano A, Hirai H, Nagata KY, Nakamura M, Hashimoto R, Matsuda T, Waschek JA, Kasai A,Nagayasu K, Baba A, Hashimoto H. CRTH2, a prostaglandin D2 receptor, mediates depression-related behavior in mice. Behav Brain Res. 2015 May 1;284:131-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.02.013. Epub 2015 Feb 16. PubMed PMID: 25698598.

Ago Y, Condro MC, Tan YV, Ghiani CA, Colwell CS, Cushman JD, Fanselow MS, Hashimoto H, Waschek JA. Reductions in synaptic proteins and selective alteration of prepulse inhibition in male C57BL/6 mice after postnatal administration of a VIP receptor (VIPR2) agonist. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2015 Jun;232(12):2181-9. doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3848-z. Epub 2015 Jan 11. PubMed PMID: 25575489; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4433594.

Tan YV, Abad C, Wang Y, Lopez R, Waschek JA. VPAC2 (vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor type 2) receptor deficient mice develop exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis with increased Th1/Th17 and reduced Th2/Tregresponses. Brain Behav Immun. 2015 Feb;44:167-75. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.09.020. Epub 2014 Oct 13. PubMed PMID: 25305591; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4275378.

Niewiadomski P, Zhujiang A, Youssef M, Waschek JA. Interaction of PACAP with Sonic hedgehog reveals complex regulation of the hedgehog pathway by PKA. Cell Signal. 2013 Nov;25(11):2222-30. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2013.07.012. Epub 2013 Jul 18. PubMed PMID: 23872071; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3768265.

Waschek JA. VIP and PACAP: neuropeptide modulators of CNS inflammation, injury, and repair. Br J Pharmacol. 2013 Jun;169(3):512-23. doi: 10.1111/bph.12181. Review. PubMed PMID: 23517078; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3682700.