Peter Polgar

Professor

Boston University School of Medicine
Silvio Conte Building
72 E. Concord Street, K403
Boston, MA  02118

Phone: 617-638-4717
Lab Phone: 617-638-4717
Fax: 617-638-5339
Email: peterp@bu.edu

Education

BA, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
PhD, Boston University, Boston, MA

People

Linda Taylor
Research Asst. Professor		 Jun Yu
Research Asst. Professor		 Jamie Wilson
Post Doc

Research Interests

We are engaged in the study of mechanisms involved in the development of hypertension and the accompanying fibrosis in the heart and lung and the contributions of the angiotensin II, AT1, endothelin ETA and ETB, and prostanoid receptors to the process. We are attempting to determine the structure function relationships of these G-protein coupled receptors. These receptors are the targets of many drugs on the market today. Using mutagenesis we have been locating specific motifs or combinations of motifs in the receptors responsible for specific signals. We have also been able to block specific signals using cell permeable peptides mimicking specific receptor motifs.  Knowledge of the tertiary structure of BKB2R and AT1R obtained from our mutagenesis experiments has provided important insight into understanding receptor function and for the design of transgenic mice. These transgenic mice are providing a unique tool to study the underlying signaling events of AngII in the aging process in a combined in vivo and in vitro environment and present as a unique model to study important signaling pathways involved in the progressive dysfunction of the cardiovascular system during aging. The laboratory is also differentiating human embryonic stem cells to eventually replace some of the cells damaged during hypertension and fibrosis which are critical to normal function of these organs.

Research Themes

Neuroscience & Aging; ECM/Cellular Injury

Representative Publications

Pubmed

  • Huang Z, Yu J, Toselli P, Bhawan J, Sudireddy V, Taylor L, Polgar P. Angiotensin II type 1 and Bradykinin B2 receptors expressed in early stage epithelial cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. J Cell Physiol. 211:816-825, 2007.
  • Yu J, Lubinsky D, Tsomaia N, Huang Z, TaylorL, Mierke DM, Navarro J, Miraz, O, Polgar P : Activation of ERK, JNK, Akt and G-protein Coupled Signaling by Hybrid Angiotensin II AT1/Bradykinin B2 Receptors Expressed in HEK-293 Cells. J Cell Biochem 101:192-204, 2007.
  • Huang Z, Taylor L, Lui B, Yu J, Polgar P. Modulation by bradykinin of angiotensin type 1 receptor-evoked rhoA activation of connective tissue growth factor expression in human lung fibroblasts. Am J Physiology-Lung,Cell and Mol Physiol. 290:L1291-1299, 2006.
  • Liu B, Yu J, Taylor L, Zhou X, Polgar P. Microarray and phosphokinase screenings leading to studies on ERK and JNK regulation of connective tissue growth factor expression by angiotensin II 1a and bradykinin B2 receptors. J Cell Biochem. 97:1104-1120, 2006.
  • Yu J, Polgar P, Lubinsky D, Gupta M, Wang L, Mierke D, Taylor L. Coulombic and hydrophobic interactions in the first intracellular loop are vital for bradykinin B2 receptor ligand binding and consequent signal transduction. Biochemistry. 44:5295-306, 2005.
  • Piserchio, A., V. Zelesky, J. Yu, L. Taylor, P. Polgar, and D.F. Mierke. Bradykinin B2 receptor signaling: Structural and functional characterization of the C-terminus. Biopolymers. 80:367-73 2005
  • Yu J, Liu B, Eramian D, Mierke D, Taylor L and Polgar P. K317, R319 and E320 within the proximal C-terminus of the bradykinin B2 receptor form a motif important for phospholipase C and phospholipase A2 but not connective tissue growth factor related signaling. J Cell Biochem 92:547-559, 2004
  • Pal-Ghosh R, Yu J, Prado GN, Taylor L, Mierke DF, Polgar P. Chimeric exchanges within the bradykinin B2 receptor intracellular face with the prostaglandin EP2 receptor as the donor: importance of the second intracellular loop for cAMP synthesis Arch Biochem Biophys. 415:54-62, 2003
  • Prado GN, Taylor L, Zhou X, Ricupero D, Mierke DF and Polgar P Mechanisms Regulating the Expression, Self-Maintenance and Signaling-Function of the Bradykinin B2 and B1 Receptors. J Cell Phys. 193:275-386, 2002.
  • Yu J, Prado GN, Taylor L, Pal-Ghosh R, Polgar, P Hybrid formation between the intracellular faces of the bradykinin B2 and angiotensin II AT1 receptors and signal transduction. Int Immunopharmacol. 2:1807-1822, 2002.
  • Yu J, Prado GN, Schreiber B, Polgar PJ, Polgar P and Taylor L. Role of Prostaglandin E2 EP Receptors and cAMP in the Expression of Connective Tissue Growth Factor. Arch Biochem Biophys 404:302-308, 2002
  • Yu J, Prado GN, Taylor L, Piserchio A, Gupta A, Mierke DF, Polgar P. Global chimeric exchanges within the intracellular face of the bradykinin B2 receptor with corresponding angiotensin II type Ia receptor regions: generation of fully functional hybrids showing characteristic signaling of the AT1a receptor. J Cell Biochem 85:809-819, 2002.
  • Piserchio A, Prado GN, Zhang R, Taylor L, Yu J, Polgar P, Mierke DF. Structural Insight into the Role of the Second Intracellular Loop of the Bradykinin B2 Receptor in Signaling and Internalization. Biopolymers 63:239-246, 2002.