Laboratory of Pharmaconeurochemistry

Head
prof. dr hab. Elżbieta Salińska; 22 60 86 528; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Secretariat
Aleksandra Stafiej, Msc.; 22 60 86 528; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Research staff
Associate Professor Elżbieta Ziemińska; 22 60 86 534; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Justyna Augustyniak PhD: 22 60 86 534; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ewelina Bratek-Gerej PhD; 22 60 86 430; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lab technician
Grzegorz Pałka; 22 60 86 531; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Research profile:
• Searching for therapeutic strategies in brain ischemia, mainly by induction of the tolerance to ischemic insults with pre- or post-conditioning (subjecting the brain before or shortly after the insult to sub-injurious factors).
• Studies on the pharmacologically-induced neuroprotection and brain tolerance to ischemia.
• Investigation of the role of selected environmental toxins in mechanisms of neurodegeneration and their effect on brain developmental disorders.
• Studies on the molecular mechanisms of memory consolidation and reconsolidation.

Grants
• Investigations into molecular mechanisms of neuroprotective effects of metabotropic glutamate receptors group II (mGluR2/3) agonists in an animal model of birth asphyxia, was supported by the Polish National Science Centre, grant number 2016/23/N/NZ7/01942, project manager: mgr inż. Ewelina Bratek (2017-2019)
• Study of the gene expression potentially involved in the pathogenesis of autism in two animal models: valproate and thalidomide. was supported by the Polish National Science Centre; grant number: 2017/01/X/NZ3/01049, project manager:
dr hab. Elżbieta Ziemińska (2017-2018)
• Study of SNAP-25 protein expression, NMR metabolomic analysis, and behavioral characteristics in animal models of infantile autism: reference to glutamate hypothesis, was supported by the Polish National Science Centre; grant number 2014/15/B/NZ4/04490, project manager: prof. dr hab. Jerzy Wojciech Łazarewicz (2015-2018)
• Participation of transient receptor potential channels (TRP) permeable for calcium ions in memory formation and retrieval and their connections with the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors. Studies on the model of passive avoidance task in one-day-old chicks were supported by the Polish National Science Centre; grant number 2014/15/B/NZ4/04487, project manager: prof. dr hab. Elżbieta Salińska (2015-2018)

Collaboration:
domestic
• Maj Institute of Pharmacology, PAS, Cracow
• Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, PAS, Warsaw
• Institute of Organic Chemistry PAS, Warsaw
• Warsaw University, Warsaw

foreign
• Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India;
• University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, NY, USA;
• University of Milan, Milan, Italy
• Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

Research equipment:
• multifunctional microplate reader FLUOstar Omega - fluorimeter, luminometer and spectrophotometer (BMG Labtech); ex: 340,390,405,440,485,530,590; em: 340,485,510,520,580,620 nm
• microplate reader FLUOROSKAN FL- fluorimeter, luminometer (Labsystems); ex: 400,440,485,530,544; em: 485,520,527,538,590,620 nm
• stereotaxic apparatus, set for microdialysis of small laboratory animals
• continuous perfusion system
• anesthetic kit for surgery on small animals
• a hypobaric chamber and a hyperbaric chamber
• preparatory ultracentrifuge Optima XPN Series (Beckman)
• thermocyclers: LightCycler(R) 96 (Roche), Civic Cycer (Biotach, INC)
• densitometer ImageScanner III Labscan 6.0 (GE Healtcare) with the software
• cryostat Leica
• microtome

Research methods:
• cell cultures
• biochemical methods: electrophoresis, Western Blot, determination of enzyme activity
• immunocytochemical, immunohistochemical methods (ELISA, TUNEL)
• assessment of ligand affinity to cell membranes (binding)
• isolation of nucleic acids RNA and DNA
• PCR, RT- PCR, qRT-PCR,
• fluorescence and confocal microscopy imaging
• rat brain microdialysis
• oxygen and air hypobaria and hyperbaria

Research models:
in vitro:
• primary culture of rat cerebellar granule cells

in vivo:
• model of perinatal asphyxia in 7-day-old puppies
• model of global ischemia in gerbils
• model of passive avoidance task in one-day-old chickens

Selected publications

  • Sowińska M, Szeliga M, Morawiak M,Ziemińska E, Zabłocka B, Urbańczyk-Lipkowska Z. Peptide Dendrimers with Non-Symmetric Bola Structure Exert Long Term Effect on Glioblastoma and Neuroblastoma Cell Lines. Biomolecules. 2021 Mar 15;11(3):435. doi: 10.3390/biom11030435.
  •  Zieminska E, Ruszczynska A,Augustyniak J, Toczylowska B, Lazarewicz JW. Zinc and Copper Brain Levels and Expression of Neurotransmitter Receptors in Two Rat ASD Models. Front Mol Neurosci. 2021 Jun 29;14:656740. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.656740.
  • Jastrzebski D, Toczylowska B,Zieminska E, Zebrowska A, Kostorz-Nosal S, Swietochowska E, Di Giulio C, Ziora D. The effects of exercise training on lipid profile in patients with sarcoidosis. Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 10;11(1):5551. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-84815-4.
  • Lenart J, Augustyniak J, Lazarewicz JW,Zieminska E. Altered expression of glutamatergic and GABAergic genes in the valproic acid-induced rat model of autism: a screening test. Toxicology. 2020; Jul;440:152500. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2020.152500.
  • Lenart J, Augustyniak J, Lazarewicz JW, Zieminska E. Altered expression of glutamatergic and GABAergic genes in the valproic acid-induced rat model of autism: a screening test. Toxicology. 2020; Jul;440:152500. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2020.152500. 
  • Sunderland P, Augustyniak J, Lenart J, Bużańska L, Carlessi L, Delia D, Sikora E. ATM-deficient neural precursors develop senescence phenotype with disturbances in autophagy. Mech Ageing Dev. 2020; Sep;190:111296. doi:10.1016/j.mad.2020.111296.
  • Kosinski M, Figiel-Dabrowska A, Lech W, Wieprzowski L, Strzalkowski R, Strzemecki D, Cheda L, Lenart J, Domanska-Janik K, Sarnowska A. Bone Defect Repair Using a Bone Substitute Supported by Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from the Umbilical Cord. Stem Cells Int. 2020; Apr 5;2020:1321283. doi: 10.1155/2020/1321283.
  • Graczyk S, Perlińska-Lenart U, Górka-Nieć W, Lichota R, Piłsyk S, Zembek P, Lenart J, Bernat P, Gryz E,Augustyniak J, Palamarczyk G, Kruszewska JS. Increased activity of the sterol branch of the mevalonate pathway elevates glycosylation of secretory proteins and improves antifungal properties of Trichoderma atroviride. Fungal Genet Biol. 2020; Apr;137:103334. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103334.
  • Lenart J, Bratek E, Lazarewicz JW, Zieminska E. Changes in the Expression of SNAP-25 Protein in the Brain of Juvenile Rats in Two Models of Autism. J Mol Neurosci. 2020; Sep;70(9):1313-1320. doi: 10.1007/s12031-020-01543-6.
  • Tuchalska-Czuroń J, Lenart J, Augustyniak J, Durlik M. Clinical value of tissue DNA integrity index in pancreatic cancer. Surgeon. 2020; Oct;18(5):269-279. doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2019.10.008. 
  • Toczylowska B, Zieminska E, Senator P, Lazarewicz JW. Hippocampal Metabolite Profiles in Two Rat Models of Autism: NMR-Based Metabolomics Studies. Mol Neurobiol. 2020; Jul;57(7):3089-3105. doi: 10.1007/s12035-020-01935-0.
  • Toczylowska B, Zieminska E, Michałowska M, Chalimoniuk M, Fiszer U. Changes in the metabolic profiles of the serum and putamen in Parkinson's disease patients - In vitro and in vivo NMR spectroscopy studies. Brain Res. 2020; Sep 12;1748:147118. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147118. 
  • Bratek E, Ziembowicz A, Salinska E. N-Acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) Pretreatment Reduces Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage and Oxidative Stress in Neonatal Rats. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020; Sep 17;9(9):E877. doi: 10.3390/antiox9090877
  • Rzemieniec J, Bratek E, Wnuk A, Przepiórska K, Salińska E, Kajta M. Neuroprotective effect of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane against perinatal asphyxia involves inhibition of the AhR and NMDA signaling and hypermethylation of specific genes. Apoptosis. 2020; Aug 20. doi: 10.1007/s10495-020-01631-3.
  • Bronisz A, Salińska E, Chiocca EA, Godlewski J. Hypoxic Roadmap of Glioblastoma-Learning about Directions and Distances in the Brain Tumor Environment. Cancers (Basel). 2020; May 13;12(5):1213. doi: 10.3390/cancers12051213
  • Krolik A, Diamandakis D, Zych A, Stafiej A, Salinska E. The involvement of TRP channels in memory formation and task retrieval in a passive avoidance task in one-day old chicks. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2020, May;171:107209. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107209.
  • Raulinajtys-Grzybek M, Grabska-Liberek I, Opala A, Słomka M, Chrobot M. Budget impact analysis of lens material on the posterior capsule opacification (PCO) as a complication after the cataract surgery. Cost Eff Resour Alloc. 2020; Jun 16;18:19. doi: 10.1186/s12962-020-00214-y.
  • Janik A, Niewiadomska M, Perlińska-Lenart U, Lenart J, Kołakowski D, Skorupińska-Tudek K, Swiezewska E, Kruszewska JS, Palamarczyk G. Inhibition of Dephosphorylation of Dolichyl Diphosphate Alters the Synthesis of Dolichol and Hinders Protein N-Glycosylation and Morphological Transitions in Candida albicans. Int J Mol Sci. 2019; Oct 12;20(20):5067. doi: 10.3390/ijms20205067.
  • Diamandakis D, Zieminska E, Siwiec M, Tokarski K, Salinska E, Lenart J, Hess G, Lazarewicz JW; Tetrabromobisphenol A-induced depolarization of rat cerebellar granule cells: ex vivo and in vitro studies.; Chemosphere. 2019; May;223:64-73. doi: 10.1016/j.Chemosphere.2019.02.032.
  • Augustyniak J, Lenart J, Lipka G, Stepien PP, Buzanska L. Reference Gene Validation via RT-qPCR for Human iPSC-Derived Neural Stem Cells and Neural Progenitors. Mol Neurobiol. 2019; Oct;56(10):6820-6832. doi: 10.1007/s12035-019-1538-x. 
  • Zychowicz M, Pietrucha K, Podobinska M, Kowalska-Wlodarczyk M, Lenart J, Augustyniak J, Buzanska L. The collagen scaffold supports hiPSC-derived NSC growth and restricts hiPSC. Front Biosci (Schol Ed). 2019; Mar 1;11:105-121.
  • Diamandakis D, Zieminska E, Siwiec M, Tokarski K, Salinska E, Lenart J, Hess G, Lazarewicz JW. Tetrabromobisphenol A-induced depolarization of rat cerebellar granule cells: ex vivo and in vitro studies. Chemosphere. 2019; May;223:64-73. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.032. 
  • Augustyniak J, Lenart J, Gaj P, Kolanowska M, Jazdzewski K, Stepien PP, Buzanska L. Bezafibrate Upregulates Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Influence Neural Differentiation of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Mol Neurobiol. 2019; Jun;56(6):4346-4363. doi: 10.1007/s12035-018-1368-2. 
  • Tuchalska-Czuroń J, Lenart J, Augustyniak J, Durlik M. Is mitochondrial DNA copy number a good prognostic marker in resectable pancreatic cancer? Pancreatology. 2019; Jan;19(1):73-79. doi: 10.1016/j.pan.2018.11.009. 
  • Ogawa D, Ansari K, Nowicki MO, Salińska E, Bronisz A, Godlewski J. MicroRNA-451 Inhibits Migration of Glioblastoma while Making It More Susceptible to Conventional Therapy.; Noncoding RNA. 2019. Mar 15;5(1). pii: E25. doi: 10.3390/ncrna5010025
  • Godlewski J, Lenart J, Salinska E. MicroRNA in Brain pathology: Neurodegeneration the Other Side of the Brain Cancer. Noncoding RNA. 2019; Feb 23;5(1):20. doi: 10.3390/ncrna5010020.
  • Podlecka-Piętowska A, Kacka A, Zakrzewska-Pniewska B, Nojszewska M, Zieminska E, Chalimoniuk M, Toczylowska B. Altered Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentrations of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Compounds in Early Stages of Multiple Sclerosis-Metabolic Profile Analyses.; J Mol Neurosci. 2019; Sep;69(1):94-105. doi: 10.1007/s12031-019-01336-6. 
  • Sowinska M, Morawiak M, Bochyńska-Czyż M, Lipkowski AW, Ziemińska E, Zabłocka B, Urbanczyk-Lipkowska Z. Molecular Antioxidant Properties and In Vitro Cell Toxicity of the p-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA) Functionalized Peptide Dendrimers.; Biomolecules. 2019; Mar 5;9(3). pii: E89. doi: 10.3390/biom9030089.
  • Zieminska E, Toczylowska B, Diamandakis D, Hilgier W, Filipkowski RK, Polowy R, Orzel J, Gorka M, Lazarewicz JW. Glutamate, Glutamine and GABA Levels in Rat Brain Measured Using MRS, HPLC and NMR Methods in Study of Two Models of Autism; Front Mol Neurosci. 2018; Nov 16;11:418. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00418. eCollection 2018.
  • Toczylowska B, Jastrzebski D, Kostorz S, Zieminska E, Ziora D. Serum lipidomics in diagnostics of sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis. 2018; 35(2):150-153. doi: 10.36141/svdld.v35i2.6131.
  • Bratek E, Ziembowicz A, Bronisz A, Salinska E. The activation of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors protects neonatal rat brains from oxidative stress injury after hypoxia-ischemia. PLoS One. 2018; Jul 25;13(7):e0200933. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200933. eCollection 2018.
  • Bratek E, Ziembowicz A, Salinska E. Pretreatment with Group II Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Agonist LY379268 Protects Neonatal Rat Brains from Oxidative Stress in an Experimental Model of Birth Asphyxia. Brain Sci. 2018; Mar 17;8(3):48. doi: 10.3390/brainsci8030048.
  • Lenart J, Mitochondria w niedotlenieniu mózgu. Postepy Hig Med Dosw. 2017; 71:129-136
  • Lenart J, Kogut K, Salinska E. Lateralization of housekeeping genes in the brain of one-day old chicks. Gene Expr Patterns. 2017; Nov;25-26:85-91. doi: 10.1016/j.gep.2017.06.006. 
  • Lenart J, Zieminska E, Diamandakis D, Lazarewicz JW. Altered expression of genes involved in programmed cell death in primary cultured rat cerebellar granule cells acutely challenged with tetrabromobisphenol A.; Neurotoxicology. 2017; Dec;63:126-136. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2017.09.014.
  • Zieminska E, Ruszczynska A, Lazarewicz JW. Tetrabromobisphenol A disturbs zinc homeostasis in cultured cerebellar granule cells: A dual role in neurotoxicity. Food Chem Toxicol. 2017. Nov;109(Pt 1):363-375.
  • Zieminska E, Lenart J, Diamandakis D, Lazarewicz JW. The Role of Ca2+ Imbalance in the Induction of Acute Oxidative Stress and Cytotoxicity in Cultured Rat Cerebellar Granule Cells Challenged with Tetrabromobisphenol A. Neurochem Res. 2017; Mar;42(3):777-787.
  • Godlewski J, Ferrer-Luna R, Rooj AK, Mineo M, Ricklefs F, Takeda YS, Nowicki MO, Salińska E, Nakano I, Lee H, Weissleder R, Beroukhim R, Chiocca EA, Bronisz A. MicroRNA Signatures and Molecular Subtypes of Glioblastoma: The Role of Extracellular Transfer. Stem Cell Reports. 2017; Jun 6;8(6):1497-1505. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.04.024. 
  • Augustyniak J, Lenart J, Zychowicz M, Stepien PP, Buzanska L. Mitochondrial biogenesis and neural differentiation of human iPSC is modulated by idebenone in a developmental stage-dependent manner. Biogerontology. 2017; Aug;18(4):665-677. doi: 10.1007/s10522-017-9718-4. 
  • Augustyniak J, Lenart J, Zychowicz M, Lipka G, Gaj P, Kolanowska M, Stepien PP, Buzanska L. Sensitivity of hiPSC-derived neural stem cells (NSC) to Pyrroloquinoline quinone depends on their developmental stage; Toxicol In Vitro. 2017, Dec;45(Pt 3):434-444. doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2017.05.017.