Yasuko Iwakiri PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases)
Research Interests
Portal hypertension; Nitric oxide; S-nitrosylation; CD147 (EMMPRIN, Basigin); Reticulon 4B (Nogo-B); liver fibrosis; liver regeneration; vascular biology
Current Projects
- Arterial remodeling in chronic liver diseases (1R01DK082600).
- Role of S-nitrosylation of the Golgi proteins in the function of endothelial cells (NIH/NIDDK, 5K01 DK067933).
- The mechanisms of the development of the hyperdynamic circulatory syndrome in patients with liver diseases (YCCI-CTSA award, NCRR, UL1 RR024139).
- Role of Nogo-B in liver fibrosis.
- Role of EMMPRIN (extracellular matrix metalloprotease inducer) in the pathogenesis of liver diseases.
Research Summary
- Portal hypertension in liver diseases
- Liver fibrosis and regeneration
- Nitric oxide signaling
Extensive Research Description
Selected Publications
- Gao, L., Utsumi, U., Tashiro, K., Liu. B., Zhang, D., Swenson, E.S., and Iwakiri, Y. Reticulon 4B (Nogo-B) facilitates hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration. Hepatology 2012 (in press).
- Tashiro, K., Satoh, A., Utsumi, T., Chung, C., and Iwakiri, Y. Absence of Nogo-B (Reticulon 4B) facilitates hepatic stellate cell apoptosis and diminishes hepatic fibrosis in mice. Am J Pathology 2012(in press).
- Chung, C. and Iwakiri, Y. Activated hepatic stellate cells: Negative regulators of hepatocyte proliferation in liver diseases. Hepatology. 2012;51(1):389-391.
- Iwakiri, Y. A role of miR-33 for cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Cell Cycle. 2012;11(6):1057-8.
- Sangwung, P., Greco, T.M., Wang, Y., Ischiropoulos, H., Sessa, W.C., and Iwakiri, Y. Proteomic Identification of S-nitrosylated Golgi Proteins: New Insights into Endothelial Cell Regulation by eNOS-derived NO. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(2): e31564.
- Iwakiri, Y. The Molecules: abnormal vasculatures in the splanchnic and systemic circulation in portal hypertension. In Portal Hypertension. Ed. D. Garbuzenko. Rijeka, Croatia: InTech. 2012. pp.1- 26
- Iwakiri, Y. Endothelial dysfunction in the regulation of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Liver International. 2012;32(2):199-213
- Huang, H.C., Haq O., Utsumi, T., Sethasine, S., Abraldes, J.G., Groszmann, R.J., and Iwakiri, Y. Intestinal and Plasma VEGF Levels in Cirrhosis: The Role of Portal Pressure. J Cellular and Molecular Medicine. 2012; 16(5):1125-33.
- Schmitz, J.C., Protiva, P., Gattu,A.K., Utsumi, T., Iwakiri, Y., Neto, A., Quinn, M., Cornwell, M.L., Fitchev, P., Lugea, A., Crawford, S.E., Chung C. Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (PEDF) Regulates Early Pancreatic Fibrotic Responses and Suppresses the Pro-Fibrotic Cytokine Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1). Am J Pathol. 2011;179(6):2990-9.
- Iwakiri, Y. S-Nitrosylation of Proteins: A New Insight into Endothelial Cell Function Regulated by eNOS-derived NO. Nitric Oxie. 2011;25(2):95-101.
Selected Publications
- Gao, L., Utsumi, U., Tashiro, K., Liu. B., Zhang, D., Swenson, E.S., and Iwakiri, Y. Reticulon 4B (Nogo-B) facilitates hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration. Hepatology 2012 (in press).
- Tashiro, K., Satoh, A., Utsumi, T., Chung, C., and Iwakiri, Y. Absence of Nogo-B (Reticulon 4B) facilitates hepatic stellate cell apoptosis and diminishes hepatic fibrosis in mice. Am J Pathology 2012(in press).
- Chung, C. and Iwakiri, Y. Activated hepatic stellate cells: Negative regulators of hepatocyte proliferation in liver diseases. Hepatology. 2012;51(1):389-391.
- Iwakiri, Y. A role of miR-33 for cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Cell Cycle. 2012;11(6):1057-8.
- Sangwung, P., Greco, T.M., Wang, Y., Ischiropoulos, H., Sessa, W.C., and Iwakiri, Y. Proteomic Identification of S-nitrosylated Golgi Proteins: New Insights into Endothelial Cell Regulation by eNOS-derived NO. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(2): e31564.
- Iwakiri, Y. The Molecules: abnormal vasculatures in the splanchnic and systemic circulation in portal hypertension. In Portal Hypertension. Ed. D. Garbuzenko. Rijeka, Croatia: InTech. 2012. pp.1- 26
- Iwakiri, Y. Endothelial dysfunction in the regulation of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Liver International. 2012;32(2):199-213
- Huang, H.C., Haq O., Utsumi, T., Sethasine, S., Abraldes, J.G., Groszmann, R.J., and Iwakiri, Y. Intestinal and Plasma VEGF Levels in Cirrhosis: The Role of Portal Pressure. J Cellular and Molecular Medicine. 2012; 16(5):1125-33.
- Schmitz, J.C., Protiva, P., Gattu,A.K., Utsumi, T., Iwakiri, Y., Neto, A., Quinn, M., Cornwell, M.L., Fitchev, P., Lugea, A., Crawford, S.E., Chung C. Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (PEDF) Regulates Early Pancreatic Fibrotic Responses and Suppresses the Pro-Fibrotic Cytokine Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1). Am J Pathol. 2011;179(6):2990-9.
- Iwakiri, Y. S-Nitrosylation of Proteins: A New Insight into Endothelial Cell Function Regulated by eNOS-derived NO. Nitric Oxie. 2011;25(2):95-101.
- Zhang, D., Utsumi, T., Huang, H., Gao, L., Sangwung, P., Chung, C., Shibao, K., Okamoto, K., Yamaguchi, K., Groszmann, R.J., Jozsef, L., Hao, Z., Sessa, W.C., and Iwakiri, Y. Reticulon 4B (Nogo-B) is a Novel Regulator of Hepatic Fibrosis. Hepatology. 2011; 53(4):1306-15.
- Iwakiri, Y., EFFECTS OF LIVER FAILURE ON ORGAN SYSTEMS: The systemic and splanchnic circulations, in CHRONIC LIVER FAILURE: MECHANISMS AND MANAGEMENT. Editors, Gines, P., Kamath, P.S., and Arroyo, V. Humana Press, Springer Science and Business Media, LLC, New York, NY. 2011. pp305-321.
- Shibao, K., Fiedler, M.J., Nagata, J., Minagawa, N., Hirata, K., Nakayama, Y., Iwakiri, Y., Nathanson, M.H., and Yamaguchi, K. The typeIII inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor is associated with aggressiveness of colorectal carcinoma. Cell Calcium. 2010;48(6): 315-23..
- Iwakiri, Y. The molecules: Mechanisms of arterial vasodilatation observed in the splanchnic and systemic circulation in portal hypertension. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2007 41(10 Suppl 3): S288-94.
- Kwon, S., Groszmann, R.J., and Iwakiri, Y. Increased Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Interaction with Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Contributes to the Splanchnic Arterial Vasodilation in Portal Hypertensive Rats. Hepatology Research. 2007 37(1): 58-67.
- Iwakiri, Y., Satoh, A., Chatterjee, S., Shah, V., Chalouni, C., Toomre, D., Fulton, D., Groszmann, R.J., and Sessa. W.C. Nitric Oxide Synthase Establishes a Local Nitric Oxide Gradient Regulating S-nitrosylation and Protein Secretion. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2006; 103(52): 19777-82.
- Iwakiri, Y. and Groszmann, R.J. The Hyperdynamic Circulation of Chronic Liver Diseases: From the Patient to the Molecule. Hepatology. 2006: S121-31.


