UCLA Neuroscience Program Ph.D. Admissions Neuroscience Faculty UCLA and Beyond  



Jean De Vellis
Regulation of Development and Regeneration of Brain Cells

Email Address:  jdevellis@mednet.ucla.edu

Work Address:
NRB 375D
NPI
Phone Numbers:
(310) 825-0239 Laboratory
310-825-9395 Office

Selected Publications:

Biancotti JC, Kumar S, de Vellis J. Activation of Inflammatory Response by a Combination of Growth Factors in Cuprizone-Induced Demyelinated Brain Leads to Myelin Repair.. Neurochem Res. 2008; .
Coskun V, Wu H, Blanchi B, Tsao S, Kim K, Zhao J, Biancotti JC, Hutnick L, Krueger RC Jr, Fan G, de Vellis J, Sun YE. CD133+ neural stem cells in the ependyma of mammalian postnatal forebrain.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105(3): 1026-31.
Chattopadhyay N, Espinosa-Jeffrey A, Tfelt-Hansen J, Yano S, Bandyopadhyay S, Brown EM, de Vellis J. Calcium receptor expression and function in oligodendrocyte commitment and lineage progression: potential impact on reduced myelin basic protein in CaR-null mice.. J Neurosci Res. 2008; 86(10): 2159-67.
Ghiani CA, Ying Z, de Vellis J, Gomez-Pinilla F. Exercise decreases myelin-associated glycoprotein expression in the spinal cord and positively modulates neuronal growth.. Glia 2007; 55(9): 966-75.
Espinosa-Jeffrey A, Zhao P, Awosika W, Wu N, Macias F, Cepeda C, Levine M, de Vellis J. Activation, proliferation and commitment of endogenous stem/progenitor cells to the oligodendrocyte lineage by TS1 in a rat model of dysmyelination.. Dev Neurosci 2006; 28(6): 488-98.
Kumar S, Mattan NS, de Vellis J. Canavan disease: a white matter disorder.. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 2006; 12(2): 157-65.
Kumar S, Biancotti JC, Yamaguchi M, de Vellis J. Combination of growth factors enhances remyelination in a cuprizone-induced demyelination mouse model.. Neurochem Res 2006; 32(4-5): 783-97.
Kumar S, Sowmyalakshmi R, Daniels SL, Chang R, Surendran S, Matalon R, de Vellis J. Does ASPA gene mutation in Canavan disease alter oligodendrocyte development? A tissue culture study of ASPA KO mice brain.. Adv Exp Med Biol 2006; 576: 175-82.
Ghiani CA, Lelievre V, Beltran-Parrazal L, Sforza DM, Malvar J, Smith DJ, Charles AC, Ferchmin PA, de Vellis J. Gene expression is differentially regulated by neurotransmitters in embryonic neuronal cortical culture.. J Neurochem 2006; 97(Suppl 1): 35-43.
Ghiani CA, Lelievre V, Beltran-Parrazal L, Sforza DM, Malvar J, Smith DJ, Charles AC, Ferchmin PA, de Vellis J. Gene expression is differentially regulated by neurotransmitters in embryonic neuronal cortical culture.. J Neurochem 2006; .
Ghiani CA, Beltran-Parrazal L, Sforza DM, Malvar JS, Seksenyan A, Cole R, Smith DJ, Charles A, Ferchmin PA, de Vellis J. Genetic program of neuronal differentiation and growth induced by specific activation of NMDA receptors.. Neurochem Res 2006; 32(2): 363-76.
Lelievre V, Ghiani CA, Seksenyan A, Gressens P, de Vellis J, Waschek JA. Growth factor-dependent actions of PACAP on oligodendrocyte progenitor proliferation.. Regul Pept 2006; 137(1-2): 58-66.
Becker-Catania SG, Gregory TL, Yang Y, Gau CL, de Vellis J, Cederbaum SD, Iyer RK. Loss of arginase I results in increased proliferation of neural stem cells.. J Neurosci Res 2006; 84(4): 735-46.
Beltran-Parrazal L, Lopez-Valdes HE, Brennan KC, Diaz-Munoz M, de Vellis J, Charles AC. Mitochondrial transport in processes of cortical neurons is independent of intracellular calcium.. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2006; 291(6): C1193-7.
Givogri MI, de Planell M, Galbiati F, Superchi D, Gritti A, Vescovi A, de Vellis J, Bongarzone ER. Notch signaling in astroctyes and neuroblasts of the adult subventricular zone in health and after cortical injury.. Dev Neurosci 2006; 28(1-2): 81-91.
Gallo V, de Vellis J. Preface: white matter disorders.. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 2006; 12(2): 83-4.
Woerly S, Awosika O, Zhao P, Agbo C, Gomez-Pinilla F, de Vellis J, Espinosa-Jeffrey A. Expression of heat shock protein (HSP)-25 and HSP-32 in the rat spinal cord reconstructed with Neurogel.. Neurochem Res 2005; 30(6-7): 721-35.
Kim SU, de Vellis J. Microglia in health and disease.. J Neurosci Res. 2005; 81(3): 302-13.
Ferchmin PA, Hao J, Perez D, Penzo M, Maldonado HM, Gonzalez MT, Rodriguez AD, de Vellis J. Tobacco cembranoids protect the function of acute hippocampal slices against NMDA by a mechanism mediated by alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptors.. J Neurosci Res 2005; 82(5): 631-41.
Liu JC, DeFazio RA, Espinosa-Jeffrey A, Cepeda C, de Vellis J, Levine MS. Calcium modulates dopamine potentiation of N-methyl-D-aspartate responses: electrophysiological and imaging evidence.. J Neurosci Res 2004; 76(3): 315-22.
Woerly S, Doan VD, Sosa N, de Vellis J, Espinosa-Jeffrey A. Prevention of gliotic scar formation by NeuroGel allows partial endogenous repair of transected cat spinal cord.. J Neurosci Res 2004; 75(2): 262-72.
Lopez IA, Zhao PM, Yamaguchi M, de Vellis J, Espinosa-Jeffrey A. Stem/progenitor cells in the postnatal inner ear of the GFP-nestin transgenic mouse.. Int J Dev Neurosci 2004; 22(4): 205-13.
Saleh MC, Espinosa de los Monteros A, de Arriba Zerpa GA, Fontaine I, Piaud O, Djordjijevic D, Baroukh N, Garcia Otin AL, Ortiz E, Lewis S, Fiette L, Santambrogio P, Belzung , Connor JR, de Vellis J, Pasquini JM, Zakin MM, Baron B, Guillou F. Myelination and motor coordination are increased in transferrin transgenic mice.. J Neurosci Res 2003; 72(5): 587-94.
Ferchmin PA, Perez D, Eterovic VA, de Vellis J. Nicotinic receptors differentially regulate N-methyl-D-aspartate damage in acute hippocampal slices.. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2003; 305(3): 1071-8.
Givogri MI, Schonmann V, Cole R, de Vellis J, Bongarzone ER. Notch1 and Numb genes are inversely expressed as oligodendrocytes differentiate.. Dev Neurosci 2003; 25(1): 50-64.
Dopp JM, Sarafian TA, Spinella FM, Kahn MA, Shau H, de Vellis J. Expression of the p75 TNF receptor is linked to TNF-induced NFkappaB translocation and oxyradical neutralization in glial cells.. Neurochem Res 2002; 27(11): 1535-42.
Cristobal R, Popper P, Lopez I, Micevych P, de Vellis J, Honrubia V. In vivo and in vitro localization of brain-dervied neurotrophic factor, fibroblast growth factor-2 and their receptors in the bullfrog vestibular end organs.. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 2002; 102(1-2): 83-99.
Chen WC, McBride WH, Iwamoto KS, Barber CL, Wang CC, Oh YT, Liao YP, Hong JH, de Vellis J, Shau H. Induction of radioprotective peroxiredoxin-I by ionizing irradiation.. J Neurosci Res 2002; 70(6): 794-8.
Espinosa-Jeffrey A, Becker-Catania SG, Zhao PM, Cole R, Edmond J, de Vellis J. Selective specification of CNS stem cells into oligodendroglial or neuronal cell lineage: cell culture and transplant studies.. J Neurosci Res 2002; 69(6): 810-25.
de Vellis J. The MRRC at the University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA.. Int J Dev Neurosci 2002; 20(3-5): 287-8.
Espinosa-Jeffrey A, Kumar S, Zhao PM, Awosika O, Agbo C, Huang A, Chang R, de Vellis J. Transferrin regulates transcription of the MBP gene and its action synergizes with IGF-1 to enhance myelinogenesis in the md rat.. Developmental neuroscience. . 2002; 24(2-3): 227-41.
Espinosa-Jeffrey A, Kumar S, Zhao PM, Awosika O, Agbo C, Huang A, Chang R, de Vellis J. Transferrin regulates transcription of the MBP gene and its action synergizes with IGF-1 to enhance myelinogenesis in the md rat.. Dev Neurosci 2002; 24(2-3): 227-41.
Huang, CJ Nazarian, R Lee, J Zhao, PM Espinosa-Jeffrey, A de Vellis, J Tumor necrosis factor modulates transcription of myelin basic protein gene through nuclear factor kappa B in a human oligodendroglioma cell line.. International journal of developmental neuroscience : the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience. . 2002; 20(3-5): 289-96.
Huang CJ, Nazarian R, Lee J, Zhao PM, Espinosa-Jeffrey A, de Vellis J. Tumor necrosis factor modulates transcription of myelin basic protein gene through nuclear factor kappa B in a human oligodendroglioma cell line.. Int J Dev Neurosci 2002; 20(3-5): 289-96.
Liva SM, de Vellis J. IL-5 induced proliferation and activation of microglia via an unknown receptor.. Neurochem Res 2001; 26(6): 629-37.
Dell'Albani P, Santangelo R, Torrisi L, Nicoletti VG, de Vellis J, Giuffrida Stella AM. JAK/STAT signaling pathway mediates cytokine-induced iNOS expression in primary astroglial cell cultures.. J Neurosci Res 2001; 65(5): 417-24.
Tzeng SF, Bresnahan JC, Beattie MS, de Vellis J. Upregulation of the HLH Id gene family in neural progenitors and glial cells of the rat spinal cord following contusion injury.. J Neurosci Res 2001; 66(6): 1161-72.
de los Monteros AE, Korsak RA, Tran T, Vu D, de Vellis J, Edmond J Dietary iron and the integrity of the developing rat brain: a study with the artifically-reared rat pup.. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2000; 46(3): 501-15.
Huang CJ, Spinella F, Nazarian R, Lee MM, Dopp JM, de Vellis J Expression of green fluorescent protein in oligodendrocytes in a time- and level-controllable fashion with a tetracycline-regulated system.. Mol Med 1999; 5(2): 129-37.
S.H. Tzeng, and J. de Vellis Id1, Id2, and Id3 Gene Expression In Neural Cell Development.. Glia 1998; 20: 37-39.
M.A. Kahn, C.J. Huang, A. Caruso, V. Barresi, R. Nazarian, D.F. Condorelli, and J. de Vellis Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Activates JAK/Stat Signal transduction Cascade and Induces Transcriptional Expression of Glial Fi.. J. of Neurochemistry 1997; 68: 1413-1423.
Kumar, S. and de Vellis, J. J. Neurotrophin activates signal transduction in oligodendroglial cells: Expression of functional TrkC receptor isoforms.. J. Neurosci. Res. 1996; 44: 490-498.
He F, Ge W, Martinowich K, Becker-Catania S, Coskun V, Zhu W, Wu H, Castro D, Guillemot F, Fan G, de Vellis J, Sun YE. A positive autoregulatory loop of Jak-STAT signaling controls the onset of astrogliogenesis.. Nat Neurosci 25; 8(5): 616.
Ferchmin, PA Perez, D Eterovic, VA de Vellis, J Nicotinic receptors differentially regulate N-methyl-D-aspartate damage in acute hippocampal slices.. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. . 2003; 305(3): 1071-8.
Dopp, JM Sarafian, TA Spinella, FM Kahn, MA Shau, H de Vellis, J Expression of the p75 TNF receptor is linked to TNF-induced NFkappaB translocation and oxyradical neutralization in glial cells.. Neurochemical research. . 2002; 27(11): 1535-42.
Espinosa-Jeffrey, A Becker-Catania, SG Zhao, PM Cole, R Edmond, J de Vellis, J Selective specification of CNS stem cells into oligodendroglial or neuronal cell lineage: cell culture and transplant studies.. Journal of neuroscience research. . 2002; 69(6): 810-25.
Cristobal, R Popper, P Lopez, I Micevych, P De Vellis, J Honrubia, V In vivo and in vitro localization of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, fibroblast growth factor-2 and their receptors in the bullfrog vestibular end organs.. Brain research. Molecular brain research. . 2002; 102(1-2): 83-99.
Tzeng, SF Bresnahan, JC Beattie, MS de Vellis, J Upregulation of the HLH Id gene family in neural progenitors and glial cells of the rat spinal cord following contusion injury.. Journal of neuroscience research. . 2001; 66(6): 1161-72.
Liva, SM de Vellis, J IL-5 induces proliferation and activation of microglia via an unknown receptor.. Neurochemical research. . 2001; 26(6): 629-37.
Lee, M Lelievre, V Zhao, P Torres, M Rodriguez, W Byun, JY Doshi, S Ioffe, Y Gupta, G de los Monteros, AE de Vellis, J Waschek, J Pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide stimulates DNA synthesis but delays maturation of oligodendrocyte progenitors.. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. . 2001; 21(11): 3849-59.
Espinosa de los Monteros, A Baba, H Zhao, PM Pan, T Chang, R de Vellis, J Ikenaka, K Remyelination of the adult demyelinated mouse brain by grafted oligodendrocyte progenitors and the effect of B-104 cografts.. Neurochemical research. . 2001; 26(6): 673-82.
De Los Monteros, AE Zhao, PM De Vellis, J In vitro injury model for oligodendrocytes: development, injury, and recovery.. Microscopy research and technique. . 2001; 52(6): 719-30.
Cheng, JD de Vellis, J Oligodendrocytes as glucocorticoids target cells: functional analysis of the glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase gene.. Journal of neuroscience research. . 2000; 59(3): 436-45.
Liva, SM Kahn, MA Dopp, JM de Vellis, J Signal transduction pathways induced by GM-CSF in microglia: significance in the control of proliferation.. Glia. . 1999; 26(4): 344-52.
Kahn, MA Kumar, S Liebl, D Chang, R Parada, LF De Vellis, J Mice lacking NT-3, and its receptor TrkC, exhibit profound deficiencies in CNS glial cells.. Glia. . 1999; 26(2): 153-65.
Tzeng, SF Kahn, M Liva, S De Vellis, J Tumor necrosis factor-alpha regulation of the Id gene family in astrocytes and microglia during CNS inflammatory injury.. Glia. . 1999; 26(2): 139-52.
Kahn, MA Dopp, JM Liva, S MacKenzie-Graham, AJ Chang, R Huang, A Nazarian, R Dell'Albani, P Condorelli, D Voskuhl, RR de Vellis, J Temporal kinetics and cellular phenotype of TNF p55/p75 receptors in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.. Journal of neuroimmunology. . 1999; 95(1-2): 19-34.
Espinosa de los Monteros, A Kumar, S Zhao, P Huang, CJ Nazarian, R Pan, T Scully, S Chang, R de Vellis, J Transferrin is an essential factor for myelination.. Neurochemical research. . 1999; 24(2): 235-48.
Espinosa de los Monteros, A Zhao, P Huang, C Pan, T Chang, R Nazarian, R Espejo, D de Vellis, J Transplantation of CG4 oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the myelin-deficient rat brain results in myelination of axons and enhanced oligodendroglial markers.. Journal of neuroscience research. . 1997; 50(5): 872-87.
Kahn, MA Ellison, JA Speight, GJ de Vellis, J CNTF regulation of astrogliosis and the activation of microglia in the developing rat central nervous system.. Brain research. . 1995; 685(1-2): 55-67.
Research Interest:

My laboratory is interested in the genetic and epigenetic molecular mechanisms that fashion the progression of stem cells into the amazing cellular phenotypic diversity of the central nervous system? We have developed rat and mouse cell culture models capable of recapitulating key developmental events of glial cells and neurons. These model systems have been used to identify growth factors and other agents that regulate proliferation, survival/death and differentiation in a cell specific manner. In this way, many environmental signals and numerous cell processes have been correlated with the appearance of different neural phenotypes. The expressions of regulatory genes, particularly those that are lineage restricted, are regulated in a combinatorial manner by growth factors, hormones, neurotransmitters and cytokines. This research has helped define at the molecular level the plasticity of brain cells and their potential for regeneration in neurodegenerative diseases. Cortical and hippocampal cultures are used to study the role of neurotransmitter ligands and receptors in plasticity and neuroprotection Another focus of the laboratory is on pathogenesis of the oligodendrocytes, the myelin forming cells in the central nervous system and a key cell in brain iron homeostasis. Human myelin disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and genetically induced myelin deficiencies, are studied in animal models. For instance, regeneration of oligodendrocytes and myelin has been partially achieved in myelin-deficient mouse and rat mutants by transplantation of progenitor cells and treatment with growth factors.