Education

Research Interest

Although the task of inward potassium transport in muscle is often attributed to the electrogenic Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase, a complementary mechanism is Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl^- cotransporter (NKCC) activity. If coupled with the activity of the Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase, NKCC activity provides a much more energy efficient transport of potassium up its concentration gradient than with the Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase alone. NKCC activity can be stimulated to contribute as much as one-third of the potassium influx in skeletal muscle. Because of the mass of skeletal muscle, this transport may contribute to whole-body potassium homeostasis. Ongoing studies examine the intracellul ar mechanism(s) that stimulates NKCC activity to allow potassium uptake by skeletal muscle and how adaptation of NKCC expression affects potassium homeostasis.

Selected Publications

• Zhou YW, D.B. Thomason, D. Gullberg, H.W. Jarrett. Binding of laminin alpha1-chain LG4-5 domain to alpha-dystroglycan causes tyrosine phosphorylation of syntrophin to initiate Rac1 signaling. Biochemistry 45: 2042-52, 2006.
• Gosmanov, A.R., G.E. Umpierrez, A.H. Carabel, R. Cuervo, and D.B. Thomason. Impaired expression and insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt-2 in muscle of obese patients with atypical diabetes. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 287: E8-E15, 2004.
• Gosmanov, A.R., Z. Fan, X. Mi, E.G. Schneider, and D.B. Thomason. ATP-sensitive potassium channels mediate hyperosmotic stimulation of NKCC in slow-twitch muscle. Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. 286: C586-C595, 2004.
• Gosmanov, A.R., M.I. Lindinger, and D.B. Thomason. Riding the Tides: [K⁺] and Volume Regulation by Muscle Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl^- Cotransport Activity. News Physiol. Sci. 18: 196-200, 2003.
• Gosmanov, A.R., and D.B. Thomason. Regulation of Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl^- cotransporter activity in rat skeletal muscle and intestinal epithelial cells. Tsitologiia 45: 812-816, 2003. (pdf reprint)
• Gosmanov, A.R., E.G. Schneider, and D.B. Thomason. NKCC activity restores muscle water during hyperosmotic challenge independent of insulin, ERK, and p38 MAPK. Am. J. Physiol. Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 285: R655-665, 2003.
• Gosmanov, A.R., J.A. Wong, and D.B. Thomason. Duality of G protein-coupled mechanisms for b-adrenergic activation of NKCC activity in skeletal muscle. Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. 283: C1025-1032, 2002.
• Chockalingam, P.Y., R Cholera, S.A. Oak, Y. Zheng, H.W. Jarrett, and D.B. Thomason. Dystrophin-glycoprotein complex and Ras and Rho GTPases signaling are altered in muscle atrophy. Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. 283: C500-C511, 2002.
• Booth, F. W., and D. B. Thomason. Molecular and cellular adaptation of muscle in response to exercise: perspectives of various models. Physiol. Rev. 71: 541-585, 1991.