David Stepp

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

• Galectin-3 is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells and promotes pulmonary hypertension through changes in proliferation, apoptosis, and fibrosis., 2019
  Journal Article, Academic Journal
• Deletion of the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) promotes insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation during high fat feeding., 2018
  Journal Article, Academic Journal
• Hsp70 Suppresses Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species and Preserves Pulmonary Microvascular Barrier Integrity Following Exposure to Bacterial Toxins., 2018
  Journal Article, Academic Journal
• Galectin-3 Promotes Vascular Remodeling and Contributes to Pulmonary Hypertension., 2018
  Journal Article, Academic Journal
• A single high-fat meal provokes pathological erythrocyte remodeling and increases myeloperoxidase levels: implications for acute coronary syndrome., 2018
  Journal Article, Academic Journal

Research Interests

Work in our lab is devoted to unraveling links between obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction. While weight loss is ideal, the overwhelming majority of the obese population – either due to chronic entrainment of metabolism or behavior, increased age or accumulation of injuries – retain or regain excess weight. A critical need therefore is to break the links between obesity and its cardiovascular outcomes. The CORE HYPOTHESIS of our laboratory is that resolution of endocrine and metabolic abnormalities in obesity is the path to preventing cardiovascular disease in overweight patients. Currently, the central theme of these studies is that the balance of nitric oxide (NO) derived from eNOS and the loss of its bioavailability from NADPH Oxidase (NOX)-generated super-oxide is a key determinant of cardiometabolic health. Changes in glycemic status, either absolute levels or pattern of hyperglycemia, appear to be a primary determinant of states in which super-oxide excess reduces NO below a threshold needed for full cardiovascular function. Thus, the glucose-NOS/NOX axis in the primary focus of studies in our lab.