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Edwin K. Jackson, PhD

Distinguished Professor
Bridgeside Point Building, Office: Room 514; Labs: Rooms 520 and 522
100 Technology Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
edj@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-648-1505
Fax: 412-624-5070

Education

BS (Pharmacy), University of Texas at Austin, 1976
PhD (Pharmacology), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 1979
Postdoctoral Fellow (Clinical Pharmacology), Vanderbilt University, 1979-1981
Headshot of Edwin K. Jackson, PhD
Purine Pharmacology:  Adenosine is an endogenous purine that regulates most physiological systems.  We are investigating (using a variety of molecular, analytical, cellular and physiological tools and using several strains of genetically modified animals, as well as conducting studies in patients): 1) the production of adenosine from 3’,5’-cAMP and 2’,3’-cAMP (the cAMP-adenosine pathways; see Figure 1); 2) the modulation of adenosine levels by guanosine;3) the roles of adenosine in regulating the sympathetic nervous system, heart, vascular system, kidneys, bladder, brain and immune system;4)  the effects of adenosine on cardiac fibroblasts, vascular smooth muscle cells, vascular endothelial cells, glomerular mesangial cells, renal epithelial cells, T cells and B cells; 5) the role of exosomes in adenosine biochemistry; 6) how to modulate the adenosine system with drugs to treat cardiovascular and renal diseases, traumatic brain injury, cancer and HIV infected patients.
Figure 1

 
Cardiovascular and Renal Pharmacology:  Our recent studies indicate that NPY1-36 (a peptide released from sympathetic nerves) and PYY1-36 (a peptide released from the intestines) trigger proliferation of and extracellular matrix production by preglomerular vascular smooth muscle cells (PGVSMCs) and glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) in kidneys from genetically-hypertensive animals, a phenomenon mediated via Y1 receptors and that involves signaling by RACK1 (receptor for activated C kinase 1).  Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) metabolizes NPY1-36 and PYY1-36 (Y1 receptor agonists) to NPY3-36 and PYY3-36 (inactive at Y1 receptors).  We are investigating whether a new class of antidiabetic drugs (DPPIV inhibitors) may adversely affect the kidneys of hypertensive subjects by preventing the conversion of PYY1-36 and NPY1-36 to less active metabolites and thereby promoting inappropriate cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production (see Figure 2). 

Figure 2

Journal Articles

Verrier JD, TC Jackson, DG Gillespie, K Janesko-Feldman, R Bansal, A-K Nave, PM Kochanek and EK Jackson.  Oligodendrocyte expressed CNPase is essential to the extracellular 2’,3’-cAMP-adenosine pathway. Glia 61:1595-1606, 2013.
Jackson EK and Z Mi.  In Vivo cardiovascular pharmacology of 2’,3’-cAMP, 2’-AMP, and 3’-AMP in the rat. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 346:190-200, 2013.
Saze Z, PJ Schuler, C-S Hong, D Cheng, EK Jackson and TL Whiteside.  Adenosine production by human B cells and B cell-mediated suppression of activated T cells. Blood 122:9-18, 2013.
Jackson EK, D Cheng, TC Jackson, JD Verrier and DG Gillespie. Extracellular guanosine regulates extracellular adenosine levels.  American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology 304: C406-C421, 2013. 
Cheng D, X Zhu, GD Gillespie and EK Jackson. Role of RACK1 in the differential proliferative effects of neuropeptide Y1-36 and peptide YY1-36 in SHR versus WKY preglomerular vascular smooth muscle cells.  American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology 304: F770-F780, 2013. 
Jackson EK and DG Gillespie.  Extracellular 2’,3’-cAMP-adenosine pathway in proximal tubular,  thick ascending limb and collecting duct epithelial cells.   American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology 304: F49-F55, 2013. 
Jackson EK, D Cheng, SP Tofovic and Z Mi. Endogenous adenosine contributes to renal sympathetic neurotransmission via postjunctional A1-receptor-mediated coincident signaling.  American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology 302: F466-FF76, 2012.
Verrier JD, TC Jackson, PM Kochanek and Jackson EK. The brain in vivo expresses the 2’,3’-cAMP-adenosine pathway.  Journal of Neurochemistry 122: 115-125, 2012. 
Jackson EK, SJ Kochanek and DG Gillespie.  Dipeptidyl peptidase IV regulates proliferation of preglomerular vascular smooth muscle and mesangial cells.  Hypertension 60: 757-764, 2012.
Jackson EK and DG Gillespie. Extracellular 2’,3’-cAMP and 3’,5’-cAMP stimulate proliferation of preglomerular vascular endothelial cells and renal epithelial cells.  American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology 303: F954-F962, 2012. 

Sponsored Research

Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research (Core B) - 8/1/2018 - 7/31/2023
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - P30DK079307
The Role of RNA Binding Motif 5 in Traumatic Brain Injury - 7/1/2018 - 6/30/2023
NIH - R01NS105721
Impact of Poor Sleep on Inflammation and the Adenosine Signaling Pathway in HIV Infection - 8/1/2018 - 4/30/2022
NIH - R01HL142118
Vascular smooth muscle and blood pressure regulation by Cyb5R3 - 7/1/2016 - 6/30/2021
NIH - R01HL128304
Adenosine in Renal Sympathetic Neurotransmission - 10/1/2016 - 6/30/2021
NIH - R01DK091190
Role of Cardiac and Renal DPP4 - 4/1/2017 - 3/31/2021
NIH - R01HL069846
Biomarkers and Drug Discovery Pipeline of TBI-Related Neurodegeneration - 1/1/2018 - 12/31/2020
PA Cures - PA Cures Grant
The Guanosine-Adenosine Mechanism - 6/1/2016 - 5/31/2020
NIH - R01HL109002
Histone deacetylase modulation in Sepsis induced Acute kidney injury (AKI): ACMSD inhibitor (TES-1025) and Histone deacetylase inhibitor(m4PTB) - 9/13/2018 - 9/12/2019
TES Pharma
2, 3 cAMP in Traumatic Brain Injury - 7/1/2014 - 6/30/2019
NIH - R01NS087978