Anthony J. Baker, PhD
Research Scientist, Radiology Service, SFVAMC
Associate Adjunct Professor of Radiology, UCSF
Email: anthony.baker@va.gov
Mechanisms of Contractile Dysfunction in the Failing Heart
The heart has two main pumping chambers called ventricles. The right ventricle (RV) pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. Then, oxygen-rich blood returns to the heart and is pumped by the left ventricle (LV) out to the body. The LV has been extensively studied; drug treatments to increase contractions have well-known effects on the LV in health and disease. However, the RV has been much less studied, and the effect of drug treatments on contractions of the RV remain unclear. Results from Dr. Baker's laboratory suggest that function and disease in the RV are quite different than in the LV -- which is critically important, because the RV is centrally involved in major cardiac diseases. Surprisingly, for some diseases of the heart, RV function may actually be increased; moreover, the responses of the RV to drug treatments may also be increased. To better understand the function of the right side of the heart, Dr. Baker and his colleagues are measuring the effect of drug treatments on contractions of the right ventricle; investigating the mechanisms for the lower responses of the right ventricle to drug treatments; investigating the impact of disease on right and left ventricle function; investigating the mechanisms for increased right ventricle function in diseased hearts; and seeking to understand the very different regulation of function in the right and left sides of the heart.
Wang GY, McCloskey DT, Turcato S, Swigart PM, Simpson PC, Baker AJ. 2006. Contrasting inotropic responses to alpha1-adrenergic receptor stimulation in left versus right ventricular myocardium. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 291(4):H2013-7.
McCloskey DT, Turcato S, Wang GY, Turnbull L, Zhu BQ, Bambino T, Nguyen AP, Lovett DH, Nissenson RA, Karliner JS, Baker AJ. 2008. Expression of a Gi-coupled receptor in the heart causes impaired Ca2+ handling, myofilament injury, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 294(1):H205-12.
