Stroke is a leading cause of disability and one of the major causes of death in the United States. A stroke occurs if blood supply to the brain is suddenly disrupted and brain cells die due to a lack of oxygen.

A major area of our research addresses molecular and cellular events underlying neuronal death as a result of global and focal cerebral ischemia i.e stroke. A particular focus centers on the REST program of gene expression in cerebral global ischemia and the role of microRNAs in neuronal death and survival. Additionally, we are interested is in the role that mitophagy (selective degradation of damaged mitochondria by autophagy) plays in neuronal death. Our research focuses on elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying preconditioning-induced mitophagy.

Burguete MC, Jover-Mengual T, López-Morales MA, Aliena-Valero A, Jorques M, Torregrosa G, Alborch E, Castelló-Ruiz M, Salom JB. The selective estrogen receptor modulator, bazedoxifene, mimics the neuroprotective effect of 17β-estradiol in diabetic ischemic stroke by modulating estrogen receptor expression and the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. J Neuroendocrinol.31(8):e12751 (2019).

Cho CH, Byun HR, Jover-Mengual T, Pontarelli F, Dejesus C, Cho AR, Zukin RS, Hwang JY. Gadd45b Acts as Neuroprotective Effector in Global Ischemia-Induced Neuronal Death. Int Neurourol J. (Suppl 1):S11-21 (2019).

Rebeca Vecino, Maria C. Burguete, Teresa Jover-Mengual, Jesus Agulla,Veronica Bobo-Jiménez, Juan B. Salom, Angeles Almeida, Maria Delgado-Esteban. The MDM2-p53 pathway is involved in preconditioning induced neuronal tolerance to ischemia. Scientific Reports. ISSN: 2045-2322. 8:1610 (2018).

Jover-Mengual, T.; Castelló-Ruiz, M.; Burguete, M.C.; Jorques, M.; López- Morales, M.A.; Aliena-Valero, A.; Jurado-Rodríguez, A.; Pérez, S.; Centeno, J.M.; Miranda, F.J.; Alborch, E.; Torregrosa, G.; Salom,J.B. Molecular mechanisms mediating the neuroprotective role of the selective estrogen receptor modulator, bazedoxifene, in acute ischemic stroke: A comparative study with 17beta-estradiol. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ISSN: 0960-0760. 171: 296-304 (2017).

López-Morales MA, Centeno JM, Jover-Mengual T, Marrachelli VG, Burguete MC, Castelló-Ruiz M, Aliena-Valero A, Alborch E, Torregrosa G, Salom JB, Miranda FJ. Mechanisms involved in the increased sensitivity of the rabbit basilar artery to atrial natriuretic peptide in diabetes. European Journal of Pharmacology. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014299917306593 ISSN: 0014-2999 815: 64-7 (2017).

Etgen AM, Jover-Mengual T, Zukin RS. Neuroprotective actions of estradiol and novel estrogen analogs in ischemia: Translational implications. Front Neuroendocrinol.32: 336-52 (2011).

Jover-Mengual T, Miyawaki T, Latuszek A, Alborch E, Zukin RS, Etgen AM. Acute estradiol protects CA1 neurons from ischemia-induced apoptotic cell death via the PI3K/Akt pathway. Brain Res. 1321: 1-12 (2010).

Jover-Mengual T, Zukin RS, Etgen AM. MAPK signaling is critical to estradiol protection of CA1 neurons in global ischemia. Endocrinology. 148: 1131-43 (2007).

Calderone A, Jover T, Noh KM, Tanaka H, Yokota H, Lin Y, Grooms SY, Regis R, Bennett MVL, Zukin RS. Ischemic insults derepress the gene silencer REST in neurons destined to die. J. Neurosci. 23: 2112-21 (2003).

Jover T, Tanaka H, Calderone A, Oguro K, Bennett MVL, Etgen AM, Zukin RS. Estrogen protects against global ischemia-induced neuronal death and prevents activation of apoptotic signaling cascades in the hippocampal CA1. J. Neurosci. 22: 2115-24 (2002).