Guoli Dai, DVM, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biology
Department of Biology, School of Science
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
723 W. Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms regulating hepatocyte proliferation and liver growth in both physiological and pathological conditions. The maternal liver adapts to pregnancy by marked growth manifested by hepatocyte proliferation and liver size increase. We are particularly interested in revealing the role of placental hormones in mediating the hepatic growth response to pregnancy. In response to acute or chronic liver injuries, the liver regenerates, repairing damaged tissue and restoring original structures and functions. The hepatic regenerative response is a phenomenon of compensatory growth of injured liver. Timely and/or enhanced hepatocyte proliferation leads to recovery from liver injury and survival, whereas delayed and/or inhibited hepatocyte proliferation in pathological conditions results in liver failure and death. We are studying the functions of transcription factors that can be activated by a pharmacological approach in modulating hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration. Our goal is to develop a clinical strategy to rescue injured livers by targeting hepatocyte proliferation and thereby liver repair.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
G Dai, L Lu, S Tang, N Sahgal, and M Soares. 2002. Prolactin Family Miniarray: A Tool for Evaluating Uteroplacental-trophoblast Endocrine Cell Phenotypes. Reproduction, 24(6):755-65.
R Ain, G Dai, J Dunmore, A Godwin, and M Soares. 2004. A Prolactin Pamily Paralog Regulates Reproductive Adaptations to A Physiological Stressor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A., 23;101(47):16543-8.
G Dai and YJ Wan. 2005. Animal Models of Xenobiotic Receptors. Current Drug Metabolism, 6(4):341-355.
G Dai, N Chou, L He, MA Gyamfi, JA Mendy, AL Slitt, CD Klaassen, and YJ Wan. 2005. Retinoid X Receptor Alpha Regulates the Expression of Glutathione S-transferase Genes and Modulates Acetaminophen-glutathione Conjugation in Mouse Liver. Molecular Pharmacology, 68(6):1590-1596.
G Dai, N Chou, L He, and YJ Wan. 2006. Acetaminophen Metabolism Does Not Contribute to Gender Difference in Its Hepatotoxicity in Mouse. Toxicological Sciences, 92(1):33-41.
SM Alam, T Konno, G Dai, L LU, D Wang, JH Dunmore, AR Godwin, MJ Soares. 2007. A Uterine Decidual Cell Cytokine Ensures Pregnancy-dependent Adaptations to A Physiological Stressor. Development, 134(2):407-15.
J Bustamante, G Dai, and MJ Soares. 2008. Pregnancy and Lactation Modulate Maternal Splenic Growth and Development of the Erythroid Lineage in the Rat and Mouse. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 20(2):303-310
G Dai, L He, P Bu, and YJ Wan. 2008. Pregnane X Receptor Is Required for Normal Progression of Liver Regeneration. Hepatology, 47(4):1276-1287
