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Anesthesiology

Houston, Texas

Baylor College of Medicine's Department of Anesthesiology is located in the heart of the Texas Medical Center
Anesthesiology
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Cerebrovascular Research Laboratory

Sean Marrelli, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Sean Marrelli, Ph.D.

Research Interests

vascular endothelium, calcium regulation, ion channels, KCa channels, TRP channels

Current Posters

Experimental Biology, 2007

Address

One Baylor Plaza, Suite 433D
Houston, TX, 77030
Tel: 713-798-7892
Fax: 713-798-7644
Email: marrelli@bcm.edu

Education

Baylor College of Medicine
Ph.D., 1998

Awards and Honors

  • Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Research Award for 2006
    The American Heart Association, Texas Affiliate
  • Servier Young Investigator Award (2001)
  • Arnold O. Beckman Academic Achievement Award (1998)

Description of Research

The broad emphasis of my research is on the mechanisms by which the endothelium regulates vascular tone in the cerebral circulation in both normal and pathological conditions, such as ischemia/reperfusion. These studies have employed multiple methodologies including measurement of vessel diameter in isolated pressurized/perfused arteries and arterioles, selective measurement of endothelial Ca2+ concentration or membrane potential by optical dyes, measurement of smooth muscle membrane potential by sharp electrode, and measurement of message and protein by standard molecular techniques. I have also recently begun studies to examine K channel and TRP channel function at the cellular level in freshly isolated smooth muscle and endothelial cells using patch-clamp techniques.

One of the central aims of my research is to determine the role of Ca2+-sensitive K channels (KCa) in the major mechanisms of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. While KCa channels may play a role in multiple mechanisms of vasodilatation, these channels appear to be a central component in the mechanism of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). Based on recent findings from my laboratory and others, I am currently evaluating the hypothesis that endothelial intermediate-conductance KCa channels are capable of promoting vasodilatation of brain arteries and arterioles by producing significant endothelial hyperpolarization that is then translated to the smooth muscle.

Selected Publications

  • Chen J, Crossland RF, Noorani MZ, Marrelli SP. Inhibition of TRPC1/TRPC3 by PKG contributes to NO-mediated vasorelaxation. Am J Physiology. (In Press)
  • Lloyd EE, Marrelli SP, Bryan RM Jr. cGMP does not activate two-pore domain K+ channels in cerebrovascular smooth muscle. Am J Physiology. 296(6), H1774-80 (2009).
  • Shafi NI, Andresen J, Marrelli SP, Bryan RM Jr. Erythropoietin potentiates EDHF-mediated dilations in rat middle cerebral arteries. Journal of Neurotrauma. 25(3), 257-65 (2008).
  • Smith PD, Brett SE, Luykenaar KD, Sandow SL, Marrelli SP, Vigmond EJ, Welsh DG. Kir channels function as electrical amplifiers in rat vascular smooth muscle. Journal of Physiology. 586(4), 1147-60 (2008).
  • Sokoya EM, Burns AR, Marrelli SP, Chen J. Myoendothelial gap junction frequency does not account for sex differences in EDHF responses in rat MCA. Microvascular Research. 74(1), 39-44 (2007).
  • Marrelli SP, O'Neil RG, Bryan RM Jr. PLA2 and TRPV4 channels regulate endothelial calcium in cerebral arteries. Am J. Physiology: Heart Circ. Physiol. 2007; H1390-H1397.
  • Bryan RM, You J, Phillips SC, Andresen JJ, Lloyd EE, Rogers PA, Dryer SE, Marrelli SP. Evidence for Two-Pore Domain Potassium Channels in Rat Cerebral Arteries. Am J. Physiology: Heart Circ. Physiol. 2006; H770-H780.
  • Marrelli SP: Endothelial Ca2+ and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-mediated vasodilation. Chapter 37 in Microvascular Research: Biology and Pathology. 2006; 239-245.
  • Bryan Jr RM, You J, Golding EM, Marrelli, SP: Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. A cousin to nitric oxide and prostacyclin. Anesthesiology 102(6): 1261-1277, 2005.
  • Marrelli SP, Eckmann MS, Hunte MS: Role of endothelial intermediate conductance KCa channels in cerebral EDHF-mediated dilations. American Journal of Physiology. 285, H1590-H1599, 2003.
  • Marrelli SP: Altered Endothelial Ca2+ Regulation After Ischemia/Reperfusion Produces Potentiated Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor-Mediated Dilations. Stroke. 33, 2285-2291, 2002.
  • Golding EM, Ferens DM, Marrelli SP: Altered calcium dynamics do not account for the attenuation of EDHF-mediated dilations in the female middle cerebral artery. Stroke. 33, 2972-2977, 2002.
  • You J, Marrelli SP, Bryan RM Jr: The role of cytoplasmic PLA2 in EDHF- mediated dilations in the rat middle cerebral artery Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism 22, 1239-1247, 2002.
  • Golding EM, Marelli SP, You J, Bryan Jr RM: Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor in the brain: a new regulator of cerebral blood flow? Stroke 33: 661-663, 2002.
  • Marrelli SP, Childres WF, Goddard-Finegold J, Bryan RM Jr. Chapter 43: Potentiated EDHF-mediated dilations in the rat middle cerebral artery following ischemia/reperfusion. In Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor, 3rd Edition. 2001.
  • Bryan RM Jr, You J, Marrelli SP, Golding EM: Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor in the Brain: Fact or Fiction? 7th World Congress for Microcirculation, Sydney, Australia. 15-19, 2001.
  • Marrelli SP: Mechanisms of endothelial P2Y1- and P2Y2-mediated vasodilatation involve differential [Ca2+]i responses. American Journal of Physiology 281: H1759-1766, October 2001.
  • Bryan RM Jr., Steenberg ML, Marrelli SP: Role of endothelium in shear stress-induced constrictions in rat middle cerebral artery. Stroke 32(6): 1394-1400, June 2001.
  • Bryan RM Jr., Marrelli SP, Steenberg ML, Schildmeyer LA, Johnson TD: Effects of luminal shear stress on cerebral arteries and arterioles. American Journal of Physiology 280(5): H2011-22, May 2001.
  • Marrelli SP: Selective measurement of endothelial or smooth muscle [Ca2+]i in pressurized/perfused cerebral arteries with fura-2. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 97:145-155, 2000.
  • Marrelli SP, Khorovets A, Johnson TD, Childres WF, Bryan RM Jr: P2 purinoceptor-mediated dilations in the rat middle cerebral artery after ischemia/reperfusion. American Journal of Physiology 276:H33-H41, 1999.
  • You JP, Johnson TD, Marrelli SP, Bryan RM Jr: Functional heterogeneity of endothelial P2 purinoceptors in the cerebrovascular tree of the rat. American Journal of Physiology 277:H893-H900, 1999.
  • You JP, Johnson TD, Marrelli SP, Mombouli JV, Bryan RM Jr: P2u receptor-mediated release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor/nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor from cerebrovascular endothelium in rats. Stroke 30:1125-1133, 1999.
  • Marrelli SM, Johnson TD, Khorovets A, Childres WF, Bryan RM Jr: Altered function of inward rectifier potassium channels in cerebrovascular smooth muscle after ischemia/reperfusion. Stroke 29:1469-1474, 1998.
  • Golding EM, Steenberg ML, Cherian L, Marrelli SP, Robertson CS, Bryan RM Jr: Endothelial-mediated dilations following severe controlled cortical impact injury in the rat middle cerebral artery. Journal of Neurotrauma 8:635-644, 1998.
  • Johnson TD, Marrelli SP, Steenberg M, Childres WF, Bryan RM Jr: Inward rectifier potassium channels in the rat middle cerebral artery. American Journal of Physiology 43:R541-R547, 1998.
  • Marrelli SP, Zhao X, Allen JC: Molecular evidence for a vascular smooth muscle H+,K+-ATPase. American Journal of Physiology 272:H869-H874, 1997.
  • Tielens ET, Forder JR, Chatham JC, Marrelli SP, Ladenson PW: Acute L-triiodothyronine administration potentiates inotropic responses to b-adrenergic stimulation in the isolated perfused rat heart. Cardiovascular Research 32:306-310, 1996.
  • Puri M, Marrelli S, Li L, Cuvier S, Bear J, Kevan L: Microwave absorption of the YBa2Cu3O7-d high-temperature superconductor prepared by different sintering and oxygen annealing times. J Chem Soc Faraday Trans. 87:167-174, 1991.
  • Puri M, Masiakowski JT, Marrelli S, O?Connor S, Bear J, Kevan L: Low-field microwave absorption of silver doped YBa2Cu3O7-d superconductors. Journal of Physical Chemistry 95:1152-1159, 1991.
  • Puri M, Marrelli S, Bear J, Kevan L: Microwave absorption investigation on the formation of YBa2Cu3O7-d by a binary metal oxide route involving interaction of BaCuO2 and Y2Cu2O5. Applied Magnetic Resonance 1:509-524, 1991.
  • Puri M, Masiakowski JT, Marrelli S, Bear J, Kevan L: Relationship of low-field microwave absorption to the surface area and sample shape of YBa2Cu3O7-d superconductors. Journal of Physical Chemistry 94:6094-6099, 1990.