Dr. Venkat Gopalakrishnan (Gopal) BSc, MSc, PhD
Professor Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology

Professor

Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology
College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan

Academic Credentials

B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Madras, India
M.Sc., University of Madras, India
Ph.D., University of Madras, India, (JIPMER)

Research Interest

Cellular and Subcellular Basis for the Vascular and Cardiac Actions of Peptides (arginine vasopressin, angiotensin II, endothelin and ghrelin). Studies involve characterization of Ca2+ signal transduction events regulated by peptides using: i) functional measurement of changes in tension responses of cardiac and vascular tissues, perfused vascular bed preparations (ii) receptor binding and receptor expression studies using primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, minimally passaged cultured rat vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells and endothelial cells (EC), iii) agonist(s)-evoked changes in effector systems (measurement of IP3, cAMP, cGMP, cysteinyl leukotrienes and [Ca2+]i levels and protein kinase C activity), (iv) quantification of [Ca2+]i, changes in single cardiomyocyte, VSM cells and EC using imaging technique. The major focus is to examine the role of these peptides in both normal as well as experimental models of hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

Professional Affiliations

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

Past President, Canadian Hypertension Society
http://www.hypertension.ca

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

Jadhav A, Gopalakrishnan V, Shoker A.  Comparative in vitro effects of calcineurin inhibitors on functional vascular relaxations of both rat thoracic and abdominal aorta.  Adv Pharmacol Sci. 2013;2013:718313.

Jadhav A, Liang W, Papageorgiou PC, Shoker A, Kanthan SC, Balsevich J, Levy AS, Heximer S, Backx PH, Gopalakrishnan V.  Catharanthine dilates small mesenteric arteries and decreases heart rate and cardiac contractility by inhibition of voltage-operated calcium channels on vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes.  J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2013 Jun;345(3):383-92.

Jadhav A, Liang W, Balsevich J, Bastin G, Kroetsch J, Heximer S, Backx PH, Gopalakrishnan V.  L-tryptophan ethyl ester dilates small mesenteric arteries by inhibition of voltage-operated calcium channels in smooth muscle.  Br J Pharmacol. 2012 May;166(1):232-42.

Mishra RC, Tripathy S, Gandhi JD, Balsevich J, Akhtar J, Desai KM, Gopalakrishnan V.  Decreases in splanchnic vascular resistance contribute to hypotensive effects of L-serine in hypertensive rats.  Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2010 Jun;298(6):H1789-96.

Mishra RC, Tripathy S, Quest D, Desai KM, Akhtar J, Dattani ID, Gopalakrishnan V.  L-Serine lowers while glycine increases blood pressure in chronic L-NAME-treated and spontaneously hypertensive rats.  J Hypertens. 2008 Dec;26(12):2339-48.

Moazed B, Quest D, Gopalakrishnan V.  Des-acyl ghrelin fragments evoke endothelium-dependent vasodilatation of rat mesenteric vascular bed via activation of potassium channels.  Eur J Pharmacol. 2009 Feb 14;604(1-3):79-86.

Mishra RC, Tripathy S, Desai KM, Quest D, Lu Y, Akhtar J, Gopalakrishnan V.  Nitric oxide synthase inhibition promotes endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and the antihypertensive effect of L-serine.  Hypertension. 2008 Mar;51(3):791-6.

K. Desai, V. Gopalakrishnan, L. Hiebert, J. R. McNeill, T.W. Wilson. EDHF-mediated rapid restoration of hypotensive response to acetylcholine after chronic, but not acute, nitric oxide synthase inhibition in rats. 2006. Eur J Pharmacol. Sep 28;546(1-3):120-6.

U.A. Shinde, K.M. Desai, C. Yu and V. Gopalakrishnan. Nitric oxide synthase inhibition exaggerates the hypotensive response to ghrelin: role of calcium-activated potassium channels. 2005. J. Hypertens. 23: 779-784.
Note: This paper was highlighted by an Editorial Commentary on pages 713-715.

P. Liu, D. Misurski and V. Gopalakrishnan. Cysteinyl Leukotrienes Dependent [Ca2+]i responses to Angiotensin II in Cardiomyocytes. 2003. Am J Phsiol. Heart & Circ. Physiol. 284: H1269-H1276.

S. S. Shastri, V. Gopalakrishnan, R. Poduri and H.D. Wang. Tempol selectively attenuates angiotensin II evoked vasoconstrictor responses in spontaneously hypertensive rats. 2002. J Hypertens. ; 20: 1381-1391.

D.A. Misurski, S.Q. Wu, J.R. McNeill, T.W. Wilson and V. Gopalakrishnan. 2001. Insulin-induced biphasic responses in rat mesenteric vascular bed: role of endothelin. Hypertension. 37: 1298-1302.