Lu Lu, M.D.
Professor
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
855 Monroe Avenue, Suite 515
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone: (901) 448-7557
Fax: (901) 448-1716
Lab: 521 Johnson Building
Email: Lu Lu
Grants Quick Links
Education
- M.D. Institution: Nantong Medical College, Nantong, China
- Postdoctoral: Columbia University, New York, NY; University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN
Research Interests
I use recombinant inbred (RI) mice and microarrays to study the several brain-related genetic problems. RI mice are an excellent resource for these studies and allow us to examine multiple types of data in a reference population. In addition to using the currently available RI strains, we have recently developed 45 additional BXD RI strains using two advanced intercross lines between C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice as progenitors. In combination with the previously developed BXD strains this is the largest RI strain set in existence.
Many problems can be efficiently addressed using RI mice. One of these questions is the mechanism of genetic control over brain architecture. In order to study this issue we have collected extensive neuroanatomical and gene expression data in the brains of BXD strains. Because all animals are isogenic, we can collect data of the same and differing types from multiple animals and meaningfully relate each data set. This allows us to determine, for instance, whether steady state expression of a gene is related to an observed phenotype, for instance an aspect of brain architecture or a behavioral difference between strains.
Another fascinating problem that we are able to address with RI lines is the modulation of transcriptional control in response to environmental influences. Using the LXS and BXD RI strains we are examining the modulation of transcriptional control in response to alcohol, stress, and the combination of alcohol and stress treatments. By examining modulatory changes in response to these conditions, we hope to gain insight into the molecular substrates underlying differences in ethanol and stress responses?a question thought to be very important in understanding human alcoholism.
Representative Publications
- Jiao Y, Chen H, Yan J, Wang L, Huang Y, Liu X, Williams RW, Lu L, Wang Y, Gu W. Genome-wide gene expression profiles in antioxidant pathways and their potential sex differences and connections to vitamin C in mice. Int J Mol Sci. 2013 May 10;14(5):10042-62. doi: 10.3390/ijms140510042. PubMed PMID: 23665904.
- Swaminathan S, Lu H, Williams RW, Lu L, Jablonski MM. Genetic modulation of the iris transillumination defect: a systems genetics analysis using the expanded family of BXD glaucoma strains. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2013 Apr 13. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.12106. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 23582180.
- Lu L, Cao Y, Tokita K, Heck DH, Boughter JD Jr. Medial cerebellar nuclear projections and activity patterns link cerebellar output to orofacial and respiratory behavior. Front Neural Circuits. 2013;7:56. doi: 10.3389/fncir.2013.00056. Epub 2013 Apr 2. PubMed PMID: 23565078; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3613706.
- Wang X, Mozhui K, Li Z, Mulligan MK, Ingels JF, Zhou X, Hori RT, Chen H, Cook MN, Williams RW, Lu L. A promoter polymorphism in the Per3 gene is associated with alcohol and stress response. Transl Psychiatry. 2012 Jan 31;2:e73. doi: 10.1038/tp.2011.71. PubMed PMID: 22832735; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3309544.
- Heck DH, Lu L. The social life of neurons: synaptic communication deficits as a common denominator of autism, schizophrenia, and other cognitive disorders. Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Aug 1;72(3):173-4. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.05.013. PubMed PMID: 22792880; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3417140.
- Boughter JD Jr, Mulligan MK, St John SJ, Tokita K, Lu L, Heck DH, Williams RW. Genetic control of a central pattern generator: rhythmic oromotor movement in mice is controlled by a major locus near Atp1a2. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e38169. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038169. Epub 2012 May 31. PubMed PMID: 22675444; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3364982.
