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Syed F. Ali, Ph.D.

Syed F. Ali, Ph.D.

Senior Biomedical Research Scientist
Head, Neurochemistry Laboratory
Division of Neurotoxicology, HFT-132
National Center for Toxicological Research/FDA, Jefferson, AR 72079
Adjunct Professor - Depts. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neurology; and
    Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little
    Rock, AR, and Dept. of Pharmacology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

Education:
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, B.Sc. (Hons), Chemistry (1973)
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, M.Sc., Chemistry (Organic) (1975)
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, M. Phil, Chemistry (Neurochemistry) (1977)
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, Ph.D., Neurochemistry/Neurotoxicology (1980)
Junior/Senior Research Fellow, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University (1975-1979)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University (1980-1981)
Fogarty International Fellow, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC (1981-1982)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Associate, UAMS, Little Rock, AR (1982-1984)
Staff Fellow, NCTR/FDA (1984-1986)

Research Interests:

Dr. Ali’s primary research focus is the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress and free radical-induced neurodegeneration and potential neuroprotective mechanisms of antioxidants. Dr. Ali has demonstrated that selective CNS-acting drugs, drugs of abuse, dietary supplements, environmental agents, pesticides, and organometals induce neurotoxicity by generating free radicals. Using different pharmacological and genetic approaches Dr. Ali’s laboratory has demonstrated that peroxynitrite is responsible in methamphetamine (METH)-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. His laboratory utilizes the MPTP-mouse model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to examine the neuroprotective role of nitric oxide inhibitors, protease inhibitors and selective dopaminergic agonists and antagonists. Dr. Ali’s laboratory uses a non-human primate model of PD in examining the use of a wireless sensor, to stimulate the subthalamic area to activate the dopamine system, as a potential treatment of PD.

The use of silver, gold, copper, manganese and aluminum nanoparticles (NP) and other nanomaterials, such as single- or double-wall carbon nanotubes and titanium oxide, is becoming more widespread in commercial applications, such as the computer industry and drug delivery systems. Because of their nanosize the properties of NP differ significantly from those of bulk materials and their interaction with biological systems is still unknown. Dr. Ali’s laboratory is studying the effects of nanomaterials on the central nervous system. Dr. Ali’s laboratory has demonstrated that NP are capable of generating oxidative stress and free radials, which may in turn produce neurotoxicity. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered to have revolutionized the field of nanotechnology because of their light weight. However, this property can be potentially hazardous if it allows CNTs to reach the lung and blood stream after environmental exposure. Using in vitro and in vivo approaches, Dr. Ali’s laboratory plans to investigate the potential of CNTs to produce any adverse effects on cellular systems due to their ability to cross the blood brain barrier.

Recent Relevant Publications:

  1. Zou, X., Sadovova, N., Patterson, T.A., Divine, R.L., Hotchkiss, C.E., Ali, S.F., Hanig, J.P., Paule, M.G., Slikker, W., Jr., and Wang, C. The effects of L-Carnitine on the combination of inhalation anesthetic-induced developmental, neuronal apoptosis in the rat frontal cortex. Neurosci. 151:1053-1065, 2008.
  2. Wang, J,  H. M. Duhart, Z. Xu, T. A. Patterson, G. D. Newport and S. F. Ali.  Comparison of the time courses of selective gene expression and dopaminergic depletion induced by MPP+ in MN9D cells. Neurochem.  Internat. 52:1037-1043, 2008.
  3. Wang, C., Sadovova, N., Patterson, T.A., Zou, X., Fu, X., Hanig, J.P., Paule, M.G., Ali,    S.F., Zhang, X. and Slikker, W., Jr. Protective effects of 7-nitroindazole on ketamine-induced neurotoxicity in rat forebrain culture. NeuroToxicol. 29:613-620, 2008.
  4. Perez-De La Cruze, Veronica, Konigsberg, M., Pedraza-Chaverri, J., Herrera-Mundo, N., Diaz-Munoz, M., Moran, J., Fortoul-van der Goes, T., Rondan-Zarate, A., Maldonando, P.D., Ali, S.F., Santamaria, A. Cytoplasmic calcium mediates oxidative stress damage in an excitotoxic/energetic deficient synergic model in rats.  Eur. J. Neurosci. 27:1075-1085, 2008.
  5. Silva-Adaya, Daniela, Perez-De La Cruz, Veronica, Herrera-Mundo, Maria Nieves, Mendoza-Macedo, Karina, Villeda-Hernandez, Juana, Binienda, Zbigniew, Ali, Syed F. and Santamaria, Abel. Excitotoxic damage, disrupted energy metabolism and neuroprotective effects of L-carnitine. J. Neurochem. 105:677-689, 2008.
  6. Wang, C.W., Sadova, N., Ali, H.K., Duhart, H., Fu, X., Zou, X., Patterson, T., Binienda, Z.,   Virmani, A., Paule, M. Slikker, W., Jr. and Ali, S.F.  L-Carnitine protects neurons from 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridium (MPP+)-induced neuronal apoptosis in rat forebrain culture.  Neuroscience 144:46-55, 2007.
  7. Piper, Brian J., Fraiman, Joseph B., Owens, Cullen, B., Ali, S.F., and Meyer, Jerrold S., Dissociation of the Neurochemical and Behavioral Consequences of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) by Citalopram. Neuropsychopharm 1-14, 2007.
  8. Wang, J., Xu, Z., Fang, H., Duhart, H. M., Patterson, T.A. and Ali, S.F. Gene expression profiling of MPP+-treated MN9D cells: A mechanism of toxicity study. NeuroToxicol. 28:979-987 2007.
  9. Hussain, Saber M, Javorina, Amanda K., Schrand, Amanda M., Duhart, Helen M., Ali, S.F. and Schlager, John J. The interaction of manganese nanoparticles with PC-12 cells induces dopamine depletion. Toxicol. Sci. 92:456-463, 2006.
  10. Binienda , Zbigniew K., Ali, S. F., Virmani, Ashraf, Amato, Antonino, Salem,Nadia and Przybyla, Beata D.   Co-regulation of dopamine D1 receptor and uncoupling protein-2 expression in 3-nitropropionic acid-induced neurotoxicity: Neuroprotective role of l-carnitine. Neurosci. Lett. 410:62-65, 2006.
  11. Itzhak, Y. and Ali, S.F., Role of nitrergic system in behavioral and neurotoxic effects of amphetamine analogs. Pharmacol. & Therapeuatics 109:246-262, 2006.
  12. Pereira, F.C., Lourenco, E.S., Borges, F., Morgadinho, T., Ribeiro, C.F., Macedo, T.R., Ali,S.F., Single or multiple injections of methamphetamine increased dopamine turnover but did not decrease tyrosine hydroxylase levels or cleave caspase-3 in caudate-putamen. Synapse. 60(3):185-193, 2006.
  13. Shepherd, K. R., Lee, La Eun-Sook Y., Schmued,L., Jiao,Y., Ali,S.F., Oriaku, E.T.,  Lamango, N.S., Soliman, K. F.A., and  Charlton, C.G.,  The potentiating effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) on paraquat-induced neurochemical and behavioral changes in mice.  Pharmacol Biochem Behav 83:349-59, 2006.
  14. Achat-Mendes, C., Ali, S.F., Itzhak, Y., Differential Effects of Amphetamines-Induced Neurotoxicity on Appetitive and Aversive Pavlovian Conditioning in Mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 10:1-10, 2005.
  15. Xu, Z., Patterson, T.A., Wren, J.D., Han, T., Shi, L., Duhart, H., Ali, S.F., and Slikker Jr., W. A microarray study of MPP+-treated PC12 cells: Mechanisms of toxicity (MOT) analysis using bioinformatics tools. BMC Bioinformatics 6(Suppl 2):S8, 2005.
  16. Xu, Z., Cawthon, D., McCastlain, K.A., Slikker, W. Jr. and Ali, S.F.  Selective alterations of gene expression in mice induced by MPTP.  Synapse 55:45-51, 2005.
  17. Przybyla-Zawislak, Beata D., Kim, Chung S., Ali, Syed F., Slikker, Jr., William, Binienda,    Zbigniew , The differential JunB responses to inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase in rat hippocampus and liver. Neurosci Letts 381:354-357, 2005.
  18. Z. Xu, Cawthon, D., McCastlain, K.A., Duhart, H.M., Newport, G.D., Fang, H., Patterson,    T.A., Slikker, Jr., W., Ali, S.F., Selective Alterations of transcription factors in MPP+-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. Neurotoxicol 26: 729-737, 2005.
  19. Soderblom, E.J., Cawthon, D., Duhart, H., Xu, Z. A., Slikker, Jr., Ali, S. and Goshe, M. An improved labeling method using Phosphor-Protein isotope-coded Solid-phase tags for neuronal cell applications. Int J Neuroprotec Neuroregen 1:91-97, 2005.
  20. Cawthon, D., Soderblom, E.J., Z. Xu, Duhart, H.M., Slikker, Jr., W., Ali, S.F. and Goshe, M. Quantitative analysis of Phosphoproteins in a Parkinson’s Disease model using Phosphoprotein isotope-coded solid-phase tags. Int J Neuroprotec Neuroregen 1:98-106, 2005.
  21. Przybyla-Zawislak BD, Thorn BT, Ali SF, Dennis RA, Amato A, Virmani A, Binienda ZK.   Identification of rat hippocampal mRNAs altered by the mitochondrial toxicant, 3-NPA.  Ann N Y Acad Sci 1053:162-73, 2005.
  22. Santamaria, A., Vazquez-Roman, B., Perez-Dela Cruz, V., Gonzalez-Cortes, Trejo-Solis, C., Galvan-Arzate, S., Jara-Prado, Guevare-Fonseca, J., and Ali, S.F., Selenium reduces the pro-apoptotic signaling associated to NF-КB pathway and stimulates glutathione peroxidase activity during excitotoxic damage produced by quinolinate in rat corpus striatum. 1: Synapse 58:258-66, 2005.

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