Boston University Department of Biology

Faculty Profiles

Current Research

Nitric oxide (NO) has normal physiological functions in every retinal cell type, and every retinal cell type can potentially make NO. NO is also involved in many ocular pathologies including diabetic retinopathy and inhibiting NO is often beneficial. NO signaling is regulated by many factors, both in normal retinal function and pathology, making it desirable to target just the pathological pathways. My research focuses on how NO can be selectively targeted to decrease the neuronal and vascular pathology in diabetic retinopathy. We are testing the following two hypotheses. 1) Diabetes increases the retinal levels of adrenomedullin (ADM), which in turn activates neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) to increase retinal NO production to pathological levels. These studies provide the first demonstration of the ADM/nNOS/NO signaling pathways in retina and their modulation in the neuronal and vascular pathology in diabetic retinopathy. 2) Neuronal and vascular pathology in diabetic retinopathy share similar molecular pathways and are amenable to similar pharmacological interventions. Our results will clarify the role of specific NOS isoforms and ADM in diabetic retinopathy and how these pathways can be optimally targeted to treat the pathology. Upregulation of ADM is also found in proliferative vitreoretinopathy, uveitis, vitreoretinal disorders, primary open angle glaucoma, and retinitis pigmentosa. A clearer understanding of the ADM/NOS/NO signaling pathways and how they can be manipulated in retina may have broad implications for much ocular pathology.

Courses Taught

• BI 108 Introductory Biology
• BI 755 Cellular and Systems Neuroscience

Selected Publications

• Blom JJ, Blute TA, Eldred WD (2009). Functional localization of the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway in the salamander retina. Vis Neurosci 26:275-286.
• Giove TJ, Deshpande MM, Eldred WD (2009). Identification of alternate transcripts of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the mouse retina. J Neurosci Res .Epub.
• Pong WW, Eldred WD (2009). Interactions of the gaseous neuromodulators nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide in the salamander retina. J Neurosci Res 87:2356-2364.
• Cimini, BA, Strang CE, Wotring VE, Keyser KT, Eldred WD (2008). Role of acetylcholine in nitric oxide production in the salamander retina. J. Comp. Neurol. 6, 1952-1963.
• Pong WW, Stouracova R, Frank N, Kraus JP, Eldred WD (2007). Comparative localization of cystathionine beta-synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase in retina: Differences between amphibians and mammals. J. Comp. Neurol. 505, 158-165.
• Eldred WD, Blute TA (2005). Imaging of nitric oxide in the retina. Vis. Res. 45, 3469-3486.
• Yu D, Eldred WD (2005). Glycine and GABA interact to regulate the nitric oxide/cGMP signaling pathway in the turtle retina. Vis. Neurosci. 22, 825-838.
• Yu D, Eldred WD (2005). Nitric oxide stimulates GABA release and inhibits glycine release in retina. J. Comp. Neurol. 483, 278-291.