Amy J. Eshleman
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Behavioral Neuroscience
Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
e-mail: eshleman@ohsu.edu
Major Areas:
- Regulation and pharmacology of biogenic amine transporters
- Characterizing possible therapeutics for drug abuse
- Genes and gene products involved in alcohol abuse
Previous Positions
Research pharmacologist, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, Oregon
Postdoctoral fellow, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Education
B.S. (1985) Biology, Portland State University
Ph.D. (1990) Program in Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
Research Interests
I am interested in the role of transporters for the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine in drug abuse. One principal aim of this research is to contribute to the discovery of possible therapeutics for the treatment of cocaine and methamphetamine abuse. Using stable cell lines that express the cDNA for these transporters, we test compounds, submitted to the National Institute of Drug Abuse as possible therapeutics for cocaine abuse, for their affinity and efficacy at transport and binding sites. I am interested in the effect of intracellular second messengers on the cellular localization and function of these transporters. A related area of interest is the pharmacology and regulation of the vesicular monoamine transporter2 (VMAT2), especially as it may play a role in neuroadaptation to psychoactive drugs. Another related area is the elucidation of the role of serotonin and serotonin transporters in bone function. Another area of interest is the identification and verification of genes and gene products that play a role in alcohol abuse. We have assessed the relative densities of the dopamine D2 receptor in mouse strains that differ in voluntary ethanol consumption. This receptor is the protein product of a candidate gene within a broad QTL for several ethanol-related traits on mouse Chromosome 9. We have found that the density of this receptor varies between the two lines depending on the brain region examined.
Wilhelm, CJ, RA Johnson, AJ Eshleman and A Janowsky. (2006) Hydrogen ion concentration differentiates effects of methamphetamine and dopamine on transporter-mediated efflux. J Neurochemistry 96:1149-59.
Fiala M, Eshleman AJ , Cashman J, Lin J, Lossinsky AS, Suarez V, Yang W, Zhang J, Popik W, Singer E, Chiappelli F, Carro E, Weinand M, Witte M, Arthos J (2005) Cocaine increases HIV-1 neuroinvasion through remodeling brain microvascular endothelial cells. J NeuroVirology .
Wilhelm CJ, Johnson RA, Lysko PG, Eshleman AJ , Janowsky A (2004) Effects of methamphetamine and lobeline on vesicular monoamine and dopamine transporter-mediated dopamine release in a co-transfected model system. J Pharmacol Exp Therap . 310:1142-1151.
Lu NZ, Eshleman AJ , Janowsky A, Bethea CL (2003) Ovarian steroid regulation of serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) binding, distribution, and function in female macaques. Mol Psychiatry . 8:353-360.
Bliziotes M, Gunness M, Eshleman A , Wiren K (2003) The role of dopamine and serotonin in regulating bone mass and strength: Studies on dopamine and serotonin transporter null mice. J Musculoskel Neuron Interact . 2(3):291-295.
Janowsky A, Mah C, Johnson RA, Cunningham CL, Phillips TJ, Crabbe JC, Eshleman AJ, Belknap JK (2001) Mapping genes that regulate the density of dopamine transporters and correlated behaviors in recombinant inbred mice. J Pharmacol Exp Therap. 298:634-643.
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Last updated: November 13, 2007