Ming Cui Gong, PhD, MD

We use a variety of knockout and transgenic mouse models in combination with physiological, molecular, biochemical, pharmacological, and genetic approaches to study the mechanisms underlying 1) the disruption of blood pressure circadian rhythm in diabetes and 2) aortic aneurysms. 

The blood pressure circadian rhythms are disrupted in up to 75% of diabetic patients, associated with significant worsening of their cardiovascular outcomes. However, the mechanisms linking diabetes to blood pressure circadian rhythm disruption remain largely unknown. Current work focuses on the mechanisms of GLP-1R agonists, a recently FDA-approved class of anti-diabetes drug, on the regulation of blood pressure circadian rhythm. Our studies revealed that the dysregulations of intrinsic clocks and vascular contractility play important roles. We were excited to find that active time-restricted feeding powerfully protects blood pressure circadian rhythm in a diabetic mouse model, suggesting it can serve as a potential novel strategy for helping diabetic patients.

The second line of study investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying aortic aneurysm, a vascular disease affecting millions of Americans with no available drug treatment. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are much more common in men than women, but the mechanisms underlying sex dimorphism are incompletely understood. Using the novel aldosterone and salt-induced aortic aneurysm mouse model developed in our lab, we investigate the roles of PD-1, estrogen, and IL-6 in sex differences in aortic aneurysms.