The research of our laboratory has been focused on 2 major areas. One is to determine the significance of tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) response in control of renal hemodynamics, salt-water balance and hypertension under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. TGF response is an intrarenal regulatory process by which increases in NaCl delivery at the macula densa cause constriction of the afferent arterioles, thereby decreasing glomerular filtration rate and NaCl delivery to the distal nephron. Another area is to study the renal mechanisms and identify potential therapeutic targets for kidney injury, including acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy and graft dysfunction after kidney transplantations. The techniques used in our laboratory include microperfusion of kidney tubules and arterioles in vitro, micropuncture in vivo, molecular biology, cell biology, mouse and rat kidney transplantation, systemic hemodynamic measurement, and tissue knockout
Recent Publications
Wang X Chandrashekar K Wang L Lai EY Wei J Zhang G Wang S Zhang J Juncos LA Liu R. Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Synthase 1 Induces Salt-Sensitive Hypertension in Nitric Oxide Synthase 1α Knockout and Wild-Type Mice.Hypertension. 67(4) : 792-9, 2016.
Zhang G Wang Q Zhou Q Wang R Xu M Wang H Wang L Wilcox CS Liu R Lai EY. Protective Effect of Tempol on Acute Kidney Injury Through PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.Kidney Blood Press Res. 41(2) : 129-38, 2016.
Wang L Shen C Liu H Wang S Chen X Roman RJ Juncos LA Lu Y Wei J Zhang J Yip KP Liu R. Shear stress blunts tubuloglomerular feedback partially mediated by primary cilia and nitric oxide at the
macula densa.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol.. 309(7) : R757-66, 2015.
Lu Y, Wei J, Stec DE, Roman RJ, Ge Y, Cheng L, Liu EY, Zhang J, Hansen PB, Fan F, Juncos LA, Wang L, Pollock J, Huang PL, Fu Y, Wang S, Liu R. Macula Densa Nitric Oxide Synthase 1β Protects against Salt-Sensitive Hypertension.Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. , 2015.
Lu Y Zhang R Ge Y Carlstrom M Wang S Fu Y Cheng L Wei J Roman RJ Wang L Gao X Liu R. Identification and function of adenosine A3 receptor in afferent arterioles.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.. 308(9) : F1020-5, 2015.
Liu ZZ Schmerbach K Lu Y Perlewitz A Nikitina T Cantow K Seeliger E Persson PB Patzak A Liu R
Sendeski MM. Iodinated contrast media cause direct tubular cell damage, leading to oxidative stress, low
nitric oxide, and impairment of tubulo-glomerular feedback.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 306(8) : F864-72, 2014.
Ge Y Murphy SR Fan F Williams JM Falck JR Liu R Roman RJ. Role of 20-HETE in the impaired
myogenic and TGF responses of the Af-Art of Dahl Salt-sensitive rats.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.. 307(5) : F509-15, 2014.
Song J Yan Lu Y Lai EY Wei J Wang L Chandrashekar K Wang S Shen C Luis A, Juncos LA Liu R. Oxidative status in the macula densa modulates tubuloglomerular feedback responsiveness in Ang IIinduced
hypertension.Acta Physiologica. 213(1) : 249-58, 2014.
Wang X Johnson AC Williams JM White T Chade AR Zhang J Liu R Roman RJ Lee JW Kyle PB
Solberg-Woods L Garrett MR. Nephron Deficiency and Predisposition to Renal Injury in a Novel One-
Kidney Genetic Model.J Am Soc Nephrol. 26(7) : 1634-46, 2014.
Fu Y Lu Y Liu E Zhu X Mahajan GJ Lu D Roman RJ Liu R. Testosterone enhances tubuloglomerular
feedback by increasing superoxide production in the macula densa.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol.. 304(9) : R726-33, 2013.
Zhang J Chandrashekar K Lu Y Duan Y Qu P Wei J Juncos LA Liu R. Enhanced expression and
activity of Nox2 and Nox4 in the macula densa in Ang II-induced hypertensive mice.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.. 306(3) : F344-50, 2013.
Brewer J Liu R Lu Y Scott J Wallace K Wallukat G Moseley J Herse F Dechend R Martin JN Jr
Lamarca B. Endothelin-1, oxidative stress, and endogenous angiotensin II: mechanisms of angiotensin II
type I receptor autoantibody-enhanced renal and blood pressure response during pregnancy.Hypertension.. 62(5) : 886-92, 2013.
Ge Y Murphy SR Lu Y Falck J Liu R Roman RJ. Endogenously produced 20-HETE modulates
myogenic and TGF response in microperfused afferent arterioles.Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat. 1021: 42-8, 2013.
Soljancic A Lopez-Ruiz AF Chandrashekar K Maranon RO Liu R Reckelhoff JF Juncos LA. Protective
Role of Testosterone in ischemia-reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 304(11) : R951-8, 2013.
Burke M Pabbidi MR Fan F Ge Y Liu R Williams JM Sarkis AB Lazar J Jacob HJ Roman RJ. Genetic Basis of the Impaired Renal Myogenic Response in FHH Rats.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 304(5) : F565-577, 2012.
Chandrashekar K Lopez-Ruiz A Juncos R Nath K Stec DE Vera T Liu R Juncos LA. The Modulatory
role of heme oxygenase on subpressor Angiotensin II-Induced hypertension and renal Injury.Int J Hypertens.. , 2012.
Zhang Q Lin L Lu Y Liu H Duan Y Zhu X Zou C Manning RD Jr, Liu R. Interaction between nitric
oxide and superoxide in the macula densa in aldosterone-induced alterations of tubuloglomerular
feedback.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.. 304(3) : F326-32, 2012.
Lu Y Fu Y Ge Y Juncos LA Reckelhoff JF Liu R. The vasodilatory effect of testosterone on renal
afferent arterioles.Gender Medicine. 9(2) : 103-11, 2012.
Fu Y Hall JE Lu D Lin L Manning RD Cheng L Gomez-sanchez CE Juncos LA Liu R. Aldosterone
blunts tubuloglomerular feedback by activating macula densa mineralocorticoid receptors.Hypertension. 59: 599-606, 2012.
Ge Y Gannon KP Gousset M Liu R Murphey B Drummond H. Impaired myogenic constriction of the
renal afferent arteriole in a mouse model of reduced βENaC expression.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.. 302(1) : F1486-93, 2012.
Zhu X Manning RD Jr, Lu D Gomez-Sanchez CE Fu Y Juncos LA Liu R. Aldosterone stimulates superoxide production in macula densa cells.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol.. 301(3) : F529-35, 2011.
Lai E Wang Y Persson E Manning D Liu R. Pressure induces intracellular calcium changes in
juxtaglomerular cells in perfused afferent arterioles.Hypertension Res.. 34: 942-948, 2011.
Wang H Garvin JL D''Ambrosio MA Falck JR Leung P Liu R Ren Y Carretero OA. Heme oxygenase metabolites inhibit tubuloglomerular feedback in vivo.Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 300(4) : H1320-6, 2011.
Fu Y Zhang R Lu D Liu H Chandrashekar K Juncos LA Liu R. NOX2 is the primary source of AngII
induced superoxide in the macula densa.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp. 298: R707-712, 2010.
Lu D Fu Y Lopez-Ruiz AF Zhang R Juncos R Liu H Manning RD Jr Juncos LA Liu R. Salt sensitive
splice variant of nNOS expressed in the macula densa cells.Am J Physiol Renal. 298: F1465-1471, 2010.
Ren Y D’Ambrosio MA Liu R Pagano PJ Garvin JL Carretero OA. Enhanced myogenic response in the afferent arteriole of spontaneously hypertensive rats.Am J Physiol Heart Circ. 298(6) : H1769-75, 2010.
Liu R and Juncos L. GTPase-Rac enhances depolarization-induced superoxide production by the
macula densa during tubuloglomerular feedback.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp. 298: R453-458, 2010.
