Research Assistant: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular DiseasesSemester Course

Lars Jørn Jensen’s group (Cerebrovascular Physiology) studies arteriolar function in health and disease. We investigate fundamental mechanisms in regulation of arteriolar tone involved in the control of blood pressure and organ perfusion (with emphasis on the brain). We specialize in myogenic tone, flow-mediated vasodilatation, and structural remodeling, which are key determinants of vascular function in vivo.  We strive to describe new molecular mechanisms, and to apply this research using animal models of hypertension, aging and obesity/diabetes. In collaboration with the LifePharm In Vivo Pharmacology Centre (UCPH), we assist in development of porcine models of obesity and diabetes through our expertise in microvascular function.

Research Assistantship: One 6-credit research assistantship project is offered for 1-2 students in total.

Research Institution: University of Copenhagen

Project 1: Basic characterization of the proteome expressed in small resistance arteries of the pig brain. We are interested in mapping the following family of proteins: Multi-drug resistance proteins (PGP; MRP; BCRP); Claudins; Occludin; ZO-1; ROCK1/2; Rho-GEFs; Ga12; Ca_V3.X channels (T-type); Ca_V2.1 channels (P/Q-type); TRPA1; TRPC6; TRPV4; SK_Ca/IK_Ca channels; Kir2.x channels; K_ATP channels; Insulin-R; IGF₁-R; TGFBR_1-2; MCR_1-4 Receptors. We want to map the expression and localization of these targets using standard molecular biological tools coupled with Mass Spectrometry in order to use the pig brain as a translational model to study human cerebrovascular function and disease. The experiments will be focused on immunofluorescence microscopy using specific antibodies recognizing epitopes of the expressed proteins mentioned above, and will clarify the cellular localization and the relative expression levels compared to a positive control sample. As such an exhaustive characterization has not previously been performed in the pig brain the results are likely to be published eventually (although not necessarily right after the course).

Recent peer-reviewed publications:

1. Hansted AK, Jensen LJ, Olesen J, and Jansen-Olesen I. Localization of TRPA1 channels and characterization of TRPA1 mediated responses in dural and pial arteries in vivo after intracarotid infusion of Na₂ Cephalalgia (accepted) (2020) (IF 4.438).
2. Ludvigsen TP, Olsen LH, Pedersen HD, Christoffersen BØ, and Jensen LJ (Corr.). Hyperglycemia-induced transcriptional regulation of ROCK1 and TGM2 expression is involved in small artery remodeling in obese diabetic Göttingen Minipigs. Clinical Science 133, 2499-2516 (2019) (IF 5.237).
3. Hansted AK, Bhatt DK, Olesen J, Jensen LJ, and Jansen-Olesen I. Effect of TRPA1 activator allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) on rat dural and pial arteries. Rep. 71, 565-572 (2019) (IF 2.787).
4. Björling K,* Joseph PD,* Egebjerg K,* Salomonsson M, Hansen JL, Ludvigsen TP, and Jensen LJ (Corr.). Role of age, Rho-kinase 2 expression, and G protein-mediated signaling in the myogenic response in mouse small mesenteric arteries. Rep. 6(17), e13863: DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13863 (2018). * Shared first-authorship.
5. Klein A, Joseph PD, Christensen VG, Jensen LJ, and Jacobsen JCB. Lack of Tone in Mouse Small Mesenteric Arteries Leads to Outward Remodeling, which can be Prevented by Prolonged Agonist-Induced Vasoconstriction. Am . J. Physiol. (Heart Circ. Physiol.): 315(3):H644-H657, 2018. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00111 (IF 3.569).
6. Gradel AKJ, Salomonsson M, Sørensen CM, Holstein-Rathlou N-H, and Jensen LJ (Corr.). Long-term diet-induced hypertension in rats is associated with reduced expression and function of small artery SK_Ca, IK_Ca, and Kir2.1 channels. Clinical Science 132, 461–474, 2018 (IF 4.936)
7. Jensen LJ, Nielsen MS, Salomonsson M and Sorensen CM. T-type channels and autoregulation of local blood flow. Channels (Austin) 11 (3), 183–195, 2017. (IF 2.008)
8. Mikkelsen MF, Björling K and Jensen LJ (Corr.). Age-dependent impact of Ca_V2 T-type calcium channel deletion on myogenic tone and flow-mediated vasodilatation in small arteries. J. Physiol. 594.20:5881–5898, 2016. (IF 4.731 – BFI level 2)
9. Frandsen RH, Salomonsson M, Hansen PBL, Jensen LJ, Braunstein TH, Holstein-Rathlou N-H, Sorensen CM. No apparent role for T-type Ca²⁺ channels in renal autoregulation. Pflügers Arch – Eur J Physiol. 468:541–550, 2016. (IF 3.654)
10. Løhr M, Folkmann JK, Sheykhzade M, Jensen LJ, Kermanizadeh A, Loft S and Møller P. Hepatic oxidative stress, genotoxicity and vascular dysfunction in lean or obese Zucker rats. PlosOne 10(3):e0118773. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118773, March 4^th, 2015 (IF 4.411)
11. Boonen HCM, Moesgaard SG, Birck MM, Christoffersen BØ, Cirera S, Heegaard PMH, Højbøge TR, Jensen LJ, Mortensen A, Olsen LH, Sheykhzade M, Tang J and Lykkesfeldt J. Functional network analysis of obese and lean Göttingen minipigs elucidates changes in oxidative and inflammatory networks in obese pigs. Pflugers Arch – Eur J Physiol. 466:2167–2176, 2014 (IF 3.654)
12. Ngo AT, Riemann M, Holstein-Rathlou N-H, Torp-Pedersen C and Jensen LJ (Corr.). Significance of K_ATP channels, L-type Ca²⁺ Channels and CYP450-4A enzyme in oxygen sensing in mouse cremaster arterioles in vivo. BMC Physiol. 13:8, 2013. (IF 2.0)
13. Jensen LJ (Corr.) and Holstein-Rathlou N-H. The vascular conducted response in cerebral blood flow regulation. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 33: 649-656, 2013. (IF 4.929)
14. Björling K, Morita H, Olsen MF, Prodan A, Hansen PB, Lory P, Holstein-Rathlou N-H and Jensen LJ (Corr.). Myogenic tone is impaired at low arterial pressure in mice deficient in the low voltage-activated Ca_V1 T-type Ca²⁺ channel. Acta Physiol. (Oxford) 207, 709–720, 2013. (IF 4.066)