Dr. Grzegorz Sawicki BSc, MSc, PhD

Grzegorz (Greg) Sawicki, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology
College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan

Academic Credentials

B.Sc., Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Wroclaw, Poland
M.Sc., Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Wroclaw, Poland
Ph.D., Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland

Professional Affiliations

Member, Cardiovascular Research Group
http://www.usask.ca/healthsci/cardiovascular

Member, Pharmacological Society of Canada
http://www.physpharm.med.uwo.ca/psc

Member, International Proteolysis Society
http://www.protease.org

Member, Swiss Proteomics Society
http://www.swissproteomicsociety.org

Lin HB, Cadete VJ, Sra B, Sawicka J, Chen Z, Bekar LK, Cayabyab F, Sawicki G. Inhibition of MMP-2 expression with siRNA increases baseline cardiomyocyte contractility and protects against simulated ischemic reperfusion injury.  Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:810371. 

Lin HB, Sharma K, Bialy D, Wawrzynska M, Purves R, Cayabyab FS, Wozniak M, Sawicki G.  Inhibition of MMP-2 expression affects metabolic enzyme expression levels: proteomic analysis of rat cardiomyocytes.  J Proteomics. 2014 Jun 25;106:74-85.

Sawicki G.  Intracellular regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity: new strategies in treatment and protection of heart subjected to oxidative stress.  Scientifica (Cairo). 2013;2013:130451. 

Sawicki G.  Synergistic effect of inhibitors of MMPs and ROS-dependent modifications of contractile proteins on protection hearts subjected to oxidative stress.  Curr Pharm Des. 2014;20(9):1345-8. Review.

Arcand S, Sharma K, Al-Dissi AN, Cadete VJ, Sawicki G, Weber LP.  Resveratrol protects against functional impairment and cardiac structural protein degradation induced by secondhand smoke exposure.  Can J Cardiol. 2013 Oct;29(10):1320-8. 

Cadete VJ, Sawicka J, Bekar LK, Sawicki G.  Combined subthreshold dose inhibition of myosin light chain phosphorylation and MMP-2 activity provides cardioprotection from ischaemic/reperfusion injury in isolated rat heart.  Br J Pharmacol. 2013 Sep;170(2):380-90.

Cadete VJ, Arcand SA, Chaharyn BM, Doroszko A, Sawicka J, Mousseau DD, Sawicki G. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 is activated during ischemia/reperfusion in a model of myocardial infarction.  Can J Cardiol. 2013 Nov;29(11):1495-503. 

Cadete VJ, Arcand SA, Lin HB, Sawicki G.  Synergistic protection of MLC 1 against cardiac ischemia/reperfusion-induced degradation: a novel therapeutic concept for the future.  Future Med Chem. 2013 Mar;5(4):389-98. 

Lin HB, Cadete VJ, Sawicka J, Wozniak M, Sawicki G.  Effect of the myosin light chain kinase inhibitor ML-7 on the proteome of hearts subjected to ischemia-reperfusion injury.  J Proteomics. 2012 Sep 18;75(17):5386-95. 

Cadete VJ, Lin HB, Sawicka J, Wozniak M, Sawicki G.  Proteomic analysis of right and left cardiac ventricles under aerobic conditions and after ischemia/reperfusion.  Proteomics. 2012 Aug;12(14):2366-77. 

Cadete VJ, Sawicka J, Jaswal JS, Lopaschuk GD, Schulz R, Szczesna-Cordary D, Sawicki G.  Ischemia/reperfusion-induced myosin light chain 1 phosphorylation increases its degradation by matrix metalloproteinase 2.  FEBS J. 2012 Jul;279(13):2444-54. 

Cadete VJ, Sawicka J, Polewicz D, Doroszko A, Wozniak M, Sawicki G.  Effect of the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 on the proteome of hearts with ischemia-reperfusion injury.  Proteomics. 2010 Dec;10(24):4377-85. 

Polewicz D, Cadete VJ, Doroszko A, Hunter BE, Sawicka J, Szczesna-Cordary D, Light PE, Sawicki G.  Ischemia induced peroxynitrite dependent modifications of cardiomyocyte MLC1 increases its degradation by MMP-2 leading to contractile dysfunction.  J Cell Mol Med. 2011 May;15(5):1136-47. 

Doroszko A, Polewicz D, Cadete VJ, Sawicka J, Jones M, Szczesna-Cordary D, Cheung PY, Sawicki G. Neonatal asphyxia induces the nitration of cardiac myosin light chain 2 that is associated with cardiac systolic dysfunction.  Shock. 2010 Dec;34(6):592-600. 

Doroszko A, Hurst TS, Polewicz D, Sawicka J, Fert-Bober J, Johnson DH, Sawicki G.  Effects of MMP-9 inhibition by doxycycline on proteome of lungs in high tidal volume mechanical ventilation-induced acute lung injury.  Proteome Sci. 2010 Jan 29;8:3. 

Zhao X, Town JR, Yang A, Zhang X, Paur N, Sawicki G, Gordon JR.  A novel ELR-CXC chemokine antagonist reduces intestinal ischemia reperfusion-induced mortality, and local and remote organ injury.  J Surg Res. 2010 Aug;162(2):264-73

Doroszko A, Polewicz D, Sawicka J, Richardson JS, Cheung PY, Sawicki G.  Cardiac dysfunction in an animal model of neonatal asphyxia is associated with increased degradation of MLC1 by MMP-2.  Basic Res Cardiol. 2009 Nov;104(6):669-79.

Robichaud S, Lalu M, Udenberg T, Schulz R, Sawicki G.  Proteomics analysis of changes in myocardial proteins during endotoxemia.  J Proteomics. 2009 May 2;72(4):648-55.

M. Emara, P-Y. Cheung, K. Grabowski , G. Sawicki, M. Wozniak. Serum Levels of Matrix Metalloproteinase -2 and -9 and Conventional Tumor Markers (CEA and CA 19-9) in Patients with Colorectal and Gastric Cancers. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. 47::993-1000, 2009.

S. Viappiani, A.C. Nicolescu, A. Holt, G. Sawicki, B.D. Crawford, H. León, T. Van Mulligan, Richard SchulzActivation and modulation of 72 kDa matrix metalloproteinase-2 by peroxynitrite and glutathione. Biochemical Pharmacology, 77:826-834, 2009

J. Fert-Bober, G. Sawicki, G. D. Lopaschuk, P-Y Cheung. Proteomic Analysis of Cardiac Metabolic Enzymes in Asphyxiated Newborn Piglets. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 318:13-21, 2008.

J. Fert-Bober, H. Leon, J. Sawicka, R. S. Basran, R.M. Devon, R. Schulz, G. Sawicki. Inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase-2 reduces protein release into coronary effluent from isolated rat hearts during ischemia-reperfusion. Basic Res Cardiol. 103:431-443, 2008.

J. Fert-Bober, R.S. Basran, J. Sawicka, G. Sawicki. Effect of duration of ischemia on myocardial proteome in ischemia/reperfusion injury. Proteomics, 8:2543-2555, 2008.

A.A. Olkowski, C. Wojnarowicz, M. Chirino-Trejo, B. Laarveld, G.Sawicki. Sub-clinical necrotic enteritis in broiler chicken: Novel ethiological consideration based on ultra-structural and molecular changes in the intestinal tissue. Res. Vet. Sci, 85:543-553, 2008.

H. León, I. Baczkó, G. Sawicki, P.E. Light, R. Schulz. Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases prevents peroxynitrite-induced contractile dysfunction in the isolated cardiac myocyte. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 153:676-683, 2008.

M-L. Baudet, Z. Hassanali, G. Sawicki, E.O. List, J. J. Kopchick, S. Harvey. Growth hormone (GH) actions in the developing neural retina: A proteomic analysis. Proteomics, 8, 389-401, 2008.

M.M. Sung, C.G. Schulz, W. Wang, G. Sawicki, R. Schulz. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 degrades the cytoskeletal protein alpha-actinin in peroxynitrite mediated myocardial injury. J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 43:429-36, 2007.

G. Sawicki and B.I. Jugdutt. Valsartan reverses post-translational modifications of the delta-subunit of ATP synthase during in vivo canine reperfused myocardial infarction. Proteomics, 7:2100-2110. 2007.

M. Sariahmetoglu, B.D. Crawford, H. Leon, J. Sawicka, L. Li, B.J. Ballermann, C. Holmes, L.G. Berthiaume, A. Holt, G. Sawicki, R. Schulz. Regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity by phosphorylation. FASEB J 21:2486-95, 2007

J.A. Beyea, G. Sawicki, D.M. Olson, J.J. Kopchick, S. Harvey. Growth hormone (GH)- receptor knockout mice reveal actions of GH in lung development.Proteomics, 6: 341-348, 2006.

G. Sawicki, H. Leon, J. Sawicka, M. Sariahmetoglu, C.J. Schulze, P.G. Scott D. Szczesna-Cordary, R. Schulz. Degradation of Myosin Light Chain In Isolated Rat Hearts Subjected To Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury: A New Intracellular Target for Matrix Metalloproteinase-2. Circulation, 112: 544-552, 2005.

G. Sawicki, Y. Marcoux, K. Sarkhosh E.E. Traget, A. Gahary. Interaction of Keratinocyte and Fibroblast Modulates the Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinases-2 and -9 and Their Inhibitors. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 269: 209-216, 2005.

G. Sawicki, V. Menon, B. I. Jugdutt. Improved balance between TIMP-3 and MMP-9 after regional myocardial ischemia-reperfusion during AT1 receptor blockade. J Cardiac Failure, 10: 42-449, 2004.

J.A. Kwan, C.J. Schulze, W. Wang, H. Leon, M. Sariahmetoglu, M. Sung, J. Sawicka, D. E. Sims, G. Sawicki, R. Schulz Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is present in the nucleus of cardiac myocytes and is capable of cleaving poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in vitro. FASEB J. 18: 690-692, 2004.

G. Sawicki and B.I. Jugdutt. Detection of Regional Changes in Protein Levels in the in vivo Canine Model of Acute Heart Failure Following Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury - Functional Proteomics Studies. Proteomics, 4: 2195-2202, 2004.