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



Enrico Stefani
Cell Biology of Ion Channels

Email Address:  estefani@ucla.edu
Home Page: http://www.anes.ucla.edu/~estefani/

Work Address:
CHS
CHS
Phone Numbers:
(310) 825-6649 Phone Numbers:
(310) 794-7808 Laboratory
310-794-7804 Office

Selected Publications:

Tanaka, Y. Tang, G. Takizawa, K. Otsuka, K. Eghbali, M. Song, M. Nishimaru, K. Shigenobu, K. Koike, K. Stefani, E. Toro, L. Kv channels contribute to nitric oxide- and atrial natriuretic peptide-induced relaxation of a rat conduit artery. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006; 317(1): 341-54.
Pagani, R. Song, M. McEnery, M. Qin, N. Tsien, R. W. Toro, L. Stefani, E. Uchitel, O. D. Differential expression of alpha 1 and beta subunits of voltage dependent Ca2+ channel at the neuromuscular junction of normal and P/Q Ca2+ channel knockout mouse. Neuroscience. 2004; 123(1): 75-85.
Nishimaru, K. Eghbali, M. Stefani, E. Toro, L. Function and clustered expression of MaxiK channels in cerebral myocytes remain intact with aging. Exp Gerontol. 2004; 39(5): 831-9.
Toro, L. Alioua, A. Mahajan, A. Nishimaru, K. Zarei, M. M. Stefani, E. MaxiK, c-Src and vasoconstriction. J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 2004; 25(8): 616-7.
Stefani, E. Eghbali, M. Minosyan, T. Alioua, A. Toro, L. Molecular studies in heart hypertrophy during pregnancy. J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 2004; 25(8): 607.
Haug, T. Sigg, D. Ciani, S. Toro, L. Stefani, E. Olcese, R. Regulation of K+ flow by a ring of negative charges in the outer pore of BKCa channels. Part I: Aspartate 292 modulates K+ conduction by external surface charge effect. J Gen Physiol. 2004; 124(2): 173-84.
Haug, T. Olcese, R. Toro, L. Stefani, E. Regulation of K+ flow by a ring of negative charges in the outer pore of BKCa channels. Part II: Neutralization of aspartate 292 reduces long channel openings and gating current slow component. J Gen Physiol. 2004; 124(2): 185-97.
Sartoris, S. Testi, M. G. Stefani, E. Chignola, R. Guerriero, C. Matucci, A. Cestari, T. Scarpa, A. Riviera, A. P. Zanoni, G. Tridente, G. Andrighetto, G. Induction of an antitumour adaptive immune response elicited by tumour cells expressing de novo B7-1 mainly depends on the anatomical site of their delivery: the dose applied regulates the expansion of the response. Immunology. 2003; 110(4): 474-81.
Madonini, E. Agostinis, F. Barra, R. Berra, A. Donadio, D. Pappacoda, A. Stefani, E. Tierno, E. Long-term and preventive effects of sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy: a retrospective, multicentric study. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2003; 16(1): 73-9.
Guerriero, C. Zoccatelli, G. Stefani, E. Sartoris, S. Cestari, T. Riviera, A. P. Tridente, G. Andrighetto, G. Chignola, R. Myelin basic protein epitopes secreted by human T cells encounter natural autoantibodies in the serum. J Neuroimmunol. 2003; 141(1-2): 83-9.
Vella, A. Sartoris, S. Bambara, L. Ortolani, R. Carletto, A. Biasi, D. Stefani, E. Tridente, G. Cell contact-dependent PMN HLA-DR and CD69 membrane expression induced by autologous mono-lymphocytes and cell lines. Inflammation. 2002; 26(4): 143-52.
Ropero A., Eghbali M., Minosyan, T.Y., Tang, G., Toro L. and Enrico Stefani Heart Estrogen Receptor Alpha: Distinct Membrane and Nuclear Distribution Patterns and Regulation by Estrogen. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 2006; (In Press): .
Eghbali M., Wang Y., Toro L., and Enrico Stefani Heart hypertrophy during pregnancy: a better functioning heart? Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2006; (In Press): .
Toro B., Cox N., Wilson R.J., Garrido-Sanabria, E., Enrico Stefani, Toro L., and Zarei M. M. KCNMB1 Regulates Surface Expression of a Voltage and Ca2+-activated K+ Channel via Endocytic Trafficking Signals. Neuroscience 2006; (In Press): .
Gomes, A.V., Chenggong Zong, Edmondson, R.D., Xiaohai Li, Enrico Stefani, Jun Zhang, Jones R.C., Sheeno Thyparambil, Guang-Wu Wang, Xin Qiao, Fawzia Bardag-Gorce, Peipei Ping Mapping the Murine Cardiac 26S Proteasome Complexes. Circulation Research 2006; (Epub ahead of print): .
Rueda, A., Song M., Toro L., Enrico Stefani, and Valdivia H. H. Sorcin Modulation of Ca2+ Sparks in Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. Journal of Physiology 2006; (In Press): .
Research Interest:

MOLECULAR MECHANISM AND METABOLIC PATHWAYS OF K+ CHANNEL REMODELING IN HEART FUNCTIONAL HYPERTROPHY DURING PREGNANCY. During pregnancy, there is an increased risk of arrhythmias and the heart develops functional hypertrophy. We are investigating K+ channel molecular remodeling and metabolic pathways during heart functional hypertrophy that may explain the cardiac risks during pregnancy and their reversibility after delivery. These studies are focused on the molecular constituents of heart transient outward currents (Ito, Kv1.4, Kv4.2 and Kv4.3 genes and regulatory subunits). We recently discovered that transcripts and protein levels of some of the molecular constituents of heart Ito were reduced in late pregnancy. We are proposing that estrogen dependent c-Src activity is one of the molecular pathways involved in K+ channel remodeling during functional heart hypertrophy. (RO1 HL071824). . MECHANISMS OF HORMONAL CONTROL OF ION CHANNELS IN MYOMETRIUM. We are using myometrium from animals at different stages of pregnancy and under various hormonal treatments to investigate molecular remodeling of ion channels under the influence of hormones. These studies are focused on Ca2+-activated K+ channels (MaxiK), fast transient K+ channels (Kv4.3), and L-type Ca2+ channels. We are investigating the role of sex hormones on channel cell biology such as transcriptional regulation, intracellular trafficking and targeting to the cell membrane. We are also using microarray technology in conjunction with functional genomics to identify gene regulation mechanism(s) by hormones.(RO1 HD38983; RO1046510).