Research Profile Journal Articles
James E. Melvin, D.D.S., Ph.D.

James E. Melvin, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Contact Information

NIDCR/National Inst of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892-2190

Office: (585) 275-3444
Fax: (585) 276-0190

Lab Description

Mechanism and Regulation of Fluid and Electrolyte Secretion

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Research Bio

It is estimated that up to 20% of Americans suffer from xerostomia, (dry mouth). Multiple factors are associated with this disease, including defects in the genes that encode for water and ion transport proteins. The focus of my laboratory is to determine the molecular identity of the transport proteins that regulate fluid secretion. We are using an interdisciplinary approach to provide information about the structure and the physiological roles of these transport proteins. Insight gained from these studies will provide critical information for developing rationales for preventing and/or treating exocrine gland dysfunction.

Specifically, we have four major NIH-funded projects: (1) Salivary gland secretory cells express at least five distinct chloride channels including cAMP-activated, hyperpolarization-dependent, ATP-activated, volume-sensitive, and calcium-dependent channels. The former 2 channels are encoded by the Cftr and Clcn2 genes, respectively; whereas, the molecular identities of the latter 3 channels are unknown. Molecular biology, gene knockout, and electrophysiological technologies are being used to characterize these channel proteins; (2) Multiple sodium/proton exchangers (NHE1-4) are expressed in salivary gland cells. These exchangers regulate acinar cell fluid secretion and NaCl reabsorption in the ducts. We are characterizing clones of these proteins to examine structure-function relations, and are determining the functional consequences of gene ablation in mice; (3) The role of the AQP5 water channel (aquaporin 5) in salivary secretion is being investigated using a combination of cell biology, physiological and genomic approaches to analyze a mouse in which Aqp5 has been ablated by gene targeting; and(4) The functional consequence of potassium channel gene disruption on salivary gland function is being assessed. A second component of this study is to characterize the ion transport proteins expressed in human salivary gland acinar cells. The results of these studies will be correlated with findings from studies of humans suffering from dry mouth disease in an attempt to develop new treatments for these individuals.

Awards & Honors

IADR Salivary Research Award | Toronto, Canada 2008
Editorial Board, Journal of Biological Chemistry 2007 - Present
Elected Chair, Section on Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences (R), American Association for the Advancement of Science 2005 - 2008
NIH Merit Award 2004 - Present
Ad Hoc Member, Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH 2004
Editorial Board, Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models 2004 - Present
Editorial Board, Archives of Oral Biology 2003 - 2006
Elected Co-chair/Chair, Gordon Research Conference "Salivary Gland and Exocrine Gland Biology" 2001 - 2005
Elected Vice President/President, Salivary Gland Research Group, International Association for Dental Research 2000 - 2003
NIH Charter Member, Special Grants Study Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research 1999 - 2003
Editorial Board, Journal of Dental Research 1997 - 2000
Andrew W. Mellon Deans Teaching Scholar: University of Rochester 1995 - 1998
Research Career Development Award; National Institute of Dental Research 1992 - 1997
American Association of Dental Research Edward H. Hatton Award 1988
American Association of Dental Research Travel Award 1986
Individual National Research Service Award; Clinical Investigations & Patient Care Branch, National Institute of Dental Researc 1985 - 1988
Individual National Research Service Award; Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Rochester 1984 - 1985
PhD Training Award; Program in Biology & Medicine, University of Rochester 1983 - 1984
Academic Scholarship- Ohio Instructional Grant; Kent State University 1971 - 1973

Recent Journal Articles

Showing the 5 most recent journal articles. 84 available »

Srivastava A, Wang J, Zhou H, Melvin JE, Wong DT. "Age and gender related differences in human parotid gland gene expression." Archives of oral biology. 2008; 53(11):1058-70. Epub 2008 Jun 20.
Taylor SR, Gonzalez-Begne M, Dewhurst S, Chimini G, Higgins CF, Melvin JE, Elliott JI. "Sequential shrinkage and swelling underlie P2X7-stimulated lymphocyte phosphatidylserine exposure and death." Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 2008; 180(1):300-8.
Nakamoto,T.; Romanenko,V. G.; Takahashi,A.; Begenisich,T.; Melvin,J. E.;. "Apical maxi-K (KCa1.1) channels mediate K+ secretion by the mouse submandibular exocrine gland." American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology. 2008; 294(3): 810-819.
Denny, P., F. Hagen, M. Hardt, L. Liao, W. Yan, M. Arellano, S. Bassilian, G. Bedi, P. Boontheung, D. Cociorva, C. Delahunty, T. Denny, J. Dunsmore, K. Faull, J. Gilligan, M. Gonzalez-Begne, F. Halgand, S. Hall, X. Han, B. Henson, J. Hewel, S. Hu, S. Jeffrey, J. Jiang, J. Loo, R. Loo, D. Malamud, J. Melvin, et al. "The Proteomics of Human Parotid and Submandibular/ Sublingual Gland Salivas Collected as the Ductal Secretions". J. Proteomics Research. 2008; : 7:1994-2006.
Srivastava, A., V.G. Romanenko , M. Gonzalez-Begne, M.A. Catalan, and J.E. Melvin. "A Variant of the Ca2+-activated Cl Channel Best3 is Expressed in Mouse Exocrine Glands". J. Membrane Biol. 2008; : In press.

Education

PhD | Neurobiology & Anatomy | Univ Rochester Sch Med/Dent1987
MS | Anatomy | Univ Rochester Sch Med/Dent1983
DDS | Dentistry | Case Western Reserve Univ1978
BA | Biology | Kent St University1975