Jayarama Gunaje

Areas of Research

• Novel pathways of cancer prevention by aspirin in epithelial tissues.
• Novel pathways of cancer prevention by flavonoid compounds.

Awards and Honors

• 1989, Shamarao Kaikini Medal (best thesis award) from Indian Institute of Science, India.
• 1997, second place in the Pharmacia and Up John Young Investigator Award competition. XIV annual meeting, International Society for Heart Research, Vancouver, Canada.
• 2005, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Graduate Teacher of the Year Award.
• 2006, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Graduate Teaching Team of the Year Award (biochemistry).
• 2009, Unsung Hero Award in recognition of hard work and dedication to the students of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
• 2011, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, P1 Teaching Team of the Year Award (biochemistry).
• 2011, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Graduate Teaching Team of the Year Award (research design and analysis).
• 2011, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Graduate Teacher of the Year Award.
• 2011, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Graduate Mentor for All 2010-2011.
• 2012, South Dakota State University, TRiO SSS Students' Choice Award for the fall 2012 semester (for the exceptional efforts put forth so many students, including TRiO students).
• 2013, Pharmacy College Teacher of the Year Award (for the academic year 2012-13), South Dakota State University College of Pharmacy, Brookings, South Dakota.
• 2016, Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity, South Dakota State University College of Pharmacy, Bookings, South Dakota.

Grants

• “Transcriptional control of proto-oncogenes by Angiotensin II in cardiac cells.” American Heart Association Pennsylvania affiliate Grant-In-Aid, 1994-1996, $70,000.
• “Mechanism of activation of transcription factor Stat92 by Angiotensin II.” AHA (national) Grant-In-Aid, 1996-1999, $165,000.
• “Activation of STAT transcription factors by α-thrombin in vascular smooth muscle cells.” AHA PA affiliate Grant-In-Aid, 1997-1999, $70,000.
• “Control of Interleukin-6-signaling by α-thrombin in lung fibroblasts.” RO1 grant from National Institutes of Health, 2000-2003, $732,000
• “p53 acetylation as a mechanism in chemoprevention by aspirin.” RO3 grant from NIH, 2009-2011, $148,500.
• “Novel mechanisms of chemoprevention by aspirin.” SDSU Translational Cancer Research Center seed grant, 2012-2013, $30,000.
• "Cyclins as novel targets of aspirin in chemoprevention." Scholarly Faculty Excellence Fund (Office of Research, SDSU), 2014-2015, $7,500.

Publications

1. Dwarki, V.J., Francis, V.S.N.K., Bhat, G.J. and Padmanaban, G. (1987). Regulation of cytochrome P-450 mRNA and apoprotein levels by heme. Journal of Biological Chemistry 262, 16958-16962.
2. Bhat, G.J., Rangarajan, P.N. and Padmanaban, G. (1987). Differential effects of cycloheximide on rat liver cytochrome –P-450 gene transcription in the whole animal and hepatoma cell culture. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal 148, 1118-1123.
3. Bhat, G.J. and Padmanaban, G. (1988). Heme regulates cytochrome P-450 gene transcription elongation. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal 151, 737-742.
4. Bhat, G.J. and Padmanaban, G. (1988). Heme is a positive regulator of cytochrome P-450 gene transcription. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 264, 584-590.
5. Bhat, G.J., Koslowsky, D.J., Feagin, J.E., Smiley, B.L. and Stuart, K. (1990). An extensively edited mitochondrial transcript in kinetoplastids encodes a protein homologous to ATPase subunit 6. Cell 61, 885-894.
6. Koslowsky, D.J., Bhat, G.J., Perrollaz, A.L. Feagin, J.E. and Stuart, K. (1991). The MURF3 gene of T. Brucei contains multiple domains of extensive RNA editing and is homologous to a subunit of NADH dehydrogenase. Cell 62, 901-911.
7. Bhat, G.J., Lodes, M.J., Myler, P.J. and Stuart, K. (1991). A simple method for cloning blunt ended DNA fragments. Nucleic Acids Research 19, 398.
8. Koslowsky, D.J., Bhat, G.J., Read, L.K and Stuart, K. (1991). Cycles of progressive alignment of gRNA with mRNA in RNA editing. Cell 67, 537-546.
9. Bhat, G.J., Myler, P.J. and Stuart, K. (1991). The two ATPase 6 mRNAs of Leishmania tarentolae differ in the 3’ ends. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 48, 139-150.
10. Bhat, G.J., Souza, A.E., Feagin, J.E. and Stuart, K. (1992). Transcript specific developmental regulation of polyadenylation in kinetoplastid mitochondria. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 52, 231-240.
11. Bhat, G.J., Thekkumkara, T.J., Thomas, W.G., Conrad, K.M. and Baker, K.M. (1994). Angiotensin II stimulates sis-inducing factor-like DNA binding activity: Evidence that AT1A receptor activates transcription factor Stat91 and / or a related protein. Journal of Biological Chemistry 269, 31443-31449.
12. Bhat, G.J., Thekkumkara, T.J., Thomas, W.G., Conrad, K.M. and Baker, K.M. (1995). Activation of the STAT pathway by angiotensin II in T3CHO/AT1A cells: Crosstalk between angiotensin II and interleukin-6-induced Stat3 signaling. Journal of Biological Chemistry 270, 19059-19065.
13. Bhat, G.J., Abraham, S.T. and Baker, K.M. (1996). Angiotensin II interferes with interleukin-6-induced Stat3 signaling by a pathway involving MAP kinase kinase 1. Journal of Biological Chemistry 271, 22447-22452.
14. Bhat, G.J., Abrama, S.T., Singer, H.A and Baker, K.M. (1997). α-Thrombin stimulates SIF-A DNA binding activity in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Hypertension, 29[part2], 356-360.
15. Bhat, G.J and Baker, K.M. (1997). Angiotensin II stimulates rapid serine phosphorylation of transcription factor Stat3. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 170, 171-176.
16. Dostal, D.E., Hunt, R.A., Kule, C.E., Bhat, G.J., Karoor, V.J., McWhinney, C.D. and Baker, K.M. (1997). Molecular mechanisms of angiotensin II in modulating cardiac function. Intracardiac effects and signal transduction pathways. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 29, 2893-2902.
17. Bhat, G.J and Baker, K.M. (1998). Crosstalk between angiotensin II and interleukin-6-induced STAT signal transduction pathways. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. 93, Suppl 3, 26-29.
18. Bhat, G.J and Baker, K.M. (1998). α-Thrombin inhibits signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 signaling by interleukin-6, leukemia inhibitory factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor in CCl39 cells. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 350, 307-314.
19. Bhat, G.J, Gunaje, J. and Idell, S. (1999). Urokinase type plasminogen activator induces tyrosine phosphorylation of a 78-kDa protein in H-157 cells. American Physiological Society 277, (American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology 21): L301-L309.
20. Bhat, G.J. Raghu, G., Gunaje, J.J. and Idell, S. (1999). α-Thrombin inhibits interleukin-6-induced Stat3 signaling and gp130 gene expression in primary cultures of human lung fibroblasts. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 256, 626-630.
21. Hunt, R.A., Bhat, G.J. and Baker, K.M. (1999). Angiotensin II-stimulated induction of sis-inducing factor is mediated by pertussis toxin-sensitive G(q) proteins in cardiac myocytes. Hypertension. 34(4 Pt 1): 603-608.
22. Gunaje, J.J. and Bhat, G.J. (2000). Distinct mechanism of inhibition of interleukin-6 induced Stat3 signaling by TGF-β and α-thrombin in CCL39 cells. Molecular Cell Biology Research Communications 4, 151-157.
23. Gunaje, J.J. and Bhat, G.J. (2001). Involvement of tyrosine phosphatase 1D in the inhibition of interleukin-6-induced Stat3 signaling by α-thrombin. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 288, 252-257. * corresponding author
24. Azghani, A.O., Baker, J.W., Shetty, S., Miller, E.J. and Bhat, G.J. (2002).  Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase stimulates ERK signaling pathway and enhances IL-8 production by alveolar epithelial cells in culture. Inflammation Research 51, 506-510.
25. Bhat, G.J., Samikkannu, T., Thomas, J.J. and Thekkumkara, T.J. (2004). α-Thrombin rapidly induces tyrosine phosphorylation of a novel, 74-78 kDa stress response protein(s) in lung fibroblast cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry 279, 48915-48922.
26. Yang, T., Roder, K.E., Bhat, G.J., Thekkumkara, T.J. and Abbruscato, T.J. (2006). Protein Kinase C family members as a target for regulation of blood brain barrier Na, K, 2Cl-co-transporter during in vitro stroke conditions and nicotine exposure. Pharmaceutical Research. 23, 291-302.
27. Samikkannu, T., Thomas, J.J., Bhat, G.J. and Thekkumkara, T.J. (2006). Acute effect of high glucose on long-term Cell growth: A role for transient glucose in proximal tubule cell injury. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology 291, F162-F-175.
28. Niture, S.K., Velu, C.S., Smith, Q.R., Bhat, G.J. and Srivenugopal, K.S. (2007). Increased expression of the MGMT repair protein mediated by cysteine prodrugs and chemopreventive natural products in human lymphocytes and tumor cell lines. Carcinogenesis 28, 378-389.
29. Krishna, B.K., Alfonso, L.F., Thekkumkara, T.J., Abbruscato, T.J. and Bhat, G.J. (2007). Angiotensin II induces phosphorylation of glucose regulated protein-75 in WB rat liver cells: Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 457, 16-28.
30. Vemula, S., Yang, T., Roder, K.E., Bhat, G.J., Thekkumkara, T.J. and Abbruscato, T.J. (2009). A functional role for sodium dependent glucose transport across the blood brain barrier during oxygen glucose deprivation. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 328, 487-495.
31. Alfonso, L.F., Srivenugopal, K.S., Arumugam, T.V., Abbruscato T.J., Weidanz, J.A. and Bhat, G.J. (2009). Aspirin inhibits camptothecin-induced p21CIP1 levels in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. International Journal of Oncology 34, 597-608.
32. Alfonso, L.F., Srivenugopal, K.S. and Bhat, G.J. (2009). Does aspirin acetylate multiple cellular proteins? Molecular Medicine Reports 2, 533-537.
33. Yusuf, M.A., Chuang, T., Bhat, G.J., and Srivenugopal, K.S. (2010). Cys-141 glutathionylation of human p53: studies using specific polyclonal antibodies in cancer samples and cell lines. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 49, 908-915.
34. Marimuthu, S., Chivukula, R., Alfonso, L., Moridani, M. and Hagen, F and Bhat, G.J. (2011). Aspirin acetylates multiple cellular proteins in HCT-116 cells: Identification of novel targets. International Journal of Oncology 39, 1273-1283.
35. Vad, N.M., Kudugunti, S.K., Wang, H., Bhat, G.J. and Moridani, M.Y. (2014). Efficacy of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in skin B16-F0 melanoma tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice. Tumor Biology, 35, 4967-4976.
36. Alfonso, L.F., Ai, G., Spitale, R. and Bhat, G.J. (2014). Molecular targets of aspirin and cancer prevention. British Journal of Cancer 111, 61-67.
37. Ai, G., Dachineni., R., Muley, P., Tummala, R. and Bhat, G.J. (2016). Aspirin and salicylic acid decrease c-Myc expression in cancer cells: a potential role in chemoprevention. Tumor Biology 37, 1727-1738.
38. Dachineni, R., Ai, G., Kumar, D.R., Sadhu, S.S., Tummala, H. and Bhat, G.J. (2016). Cyclin A2 and CDK2 as Novel Targets of Aspirin and Salicylic acid: A Potential Role in Cancer Prevention. Molecular Cancer Research, 14; 241-252.
39. Ai, G., Dachineni, R., Kumar, D.R., Marimuthu, S., Alfonso, L. and Bhat, G.J. (2016). Aspirin Acetylates Wild Type and Mutant p53 in Colon Cancer Cells: Identification of Aspirin Acetylated Sites on Recombinant p53. Tumor Biology 37, 6007-6016.
40. Kumar, S., Kesharwani, S.S., Mathur, H., Tyagi, M., Bhat, G.J. and Tummala, H. (2016). Molecular complexation of curcumin with pH sensitive cationic copolymer enhances the aqueous solubility, stability and bioavailability of curcumin. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 82, 86-96.
41. Ai, G., Dachineni, R., Kumar, D.R., Marimuthu, S., Alfonso, L. and Bhat, G.J. (2016). Aspirin Inhibits Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity in HCT 116 Cells through Acetylation: Identification of Aspirin Acetylated Sites. Molecular Medicine Reports 14, 1726-1732.
42. Dachineni, R., Kumar, D.R., Callegari, E., Kesharwani, S.S., Sankaranarayan, R., Seefeldt, T., Tummala, H. and Bhat, G.J. (2017). Salicylic acid metabolites and derivatives inhibit CDK activity: Novel insights into aspirin’s chemopreventive effects against colorectal cancer. International Journal of Oncology 51, 1661-1673.