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Laxmansa C. Katwa, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Physiology Department

Associate Professor

Cardiovascular Center

1985		Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Mysore, India
1979		M.S., Biochemistry, Karnatak University, Dharwar, India
1977		B.S., Chemistry, Karnatak University, Dharwar, India

Address

   Dr. Laxmansa C. Katwa
   East Carolina University
   Brody School of Medicine
   Physiology Department
   600 Moye Blvd.
   6E-E73C Brody Bldg.
   Greenville, NC  27858-4354

Research Interests

Physiology Research Program summary

Tissue-generated peptides and their role in cardiovascular disease; Biochemical, pharmacological and molecular mechanisms leading to tissue angiotensin II (AngII)/endothelin (ET) generation and their regulation in health and disease, including pharmacologic intervention using specific enzyme inhibitors/receptor antagonists, using both in vitro and in vivo approaches.

Role of endothelins in mineralocorticoid (Aldosterone) induced regulation of cardiovascular structural remodeling and exploring the receptor-mediated signal transduction mechanisms.
To investigate gene expression and molecular signaling mechanisms of proteases, peptides and cytokines involved in vascular angiogenesis and pathologic remodeling of heart, vessels, kidney and liver.

Click here for additional research details.

Current Peer-Reviewed Grants

As Principal Investigator

NIH R01
Title: Endothelin Induced Cardiac Collagen Expression
Grant Period: July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2004
Description: Click here for a description of the grant

American Heart Association, Grant-In-Aid, National
Title: Endothelins in Mineralocorticoid Induced Vascular Remodeling
Grant Period: July 1, 1996 to June 30, 2000

As Co-Investigator

NIH R01
Title: Excerise, Diabetes, Smooth Muscle Ca⁺⁺
Grant Period: April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2004

NIH R01 RFA
Title: Th1 to Th2 Shifts of HSP-65 Responses and Atherosclerosis
Grant Period: October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2006 (PI-Shibata)

NIH R21
Title: Exercise, Nutritive Muscle Blood Flow and eNOS in Aging
Grant Period: August 1, 2003 to July 31, 2004 (PI-Hickner)

Mentor/Sponsor - American Heart Association Post-doctoral Fellowship
Title: Cardiac Myofibroblasts: Novel Source of VEGF and its Receptors Flt-1 and KDR
Grant Period: July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2004 (PI-Chintalgattu

Educational Grant from North Carolina Biotechnology Center
For the Development of a Graduate Course in Physiological Proteogenomics
Grant Period: One year, expected strat date: March 2003 to February 2004 (PI-Lust)

Recent Publications

Katwa LC, Guarda E and Weber KT.
Endothelin receptors in cultured adult rat cardiac fibroblasts.
Cardiovasc Res 27:2124-2129, 1993.
Guarda E, Katwa LC, Myers PR, Tyagi SC, Weber KT.
Effects of endothelins on cardiac fibroblast collagen turnover.
Cardiovasc Res 27:2130-2134, 1993.
Myers PR, Katwa LC, Tanner M, Marrow C, Guarda E, Parker JL.
Effects of angiotensin II on canine and porcine coronary epicardial and resistance arteries.
J Vasc Res 31(6):338-346, 1994.
Katwa LC, Ratajska A, Cluetjens JP, Sun Y, Zhou G, Lee SJ, Weber KT.
Angiotensin converting enzyme and kininase II-like activities in cultured valvular interstitial cells of the rat heart.
Cardiovasc Res 29:57-64, 1995.
Weber KT, Sun Y, Katwa LC, Cleutjens JPM and Zhou G.
Connective tissue and repair in the heart: potential regulatory mechanisms.
Annls N Y Acad of Scis 752:286-299, 1995.
Sigusch HH, Ou R, Katwa LC, Campbell SE, Ganjam VK, Reddy HK and Weber KT.
Angiotensin II-induced increase in transcoronary protein clearance: Role of hypertension vs nitric oxide or cyclooxygenase products.
Cardiovascu Res 30:291-298, 1995.
Katwa LC and Weber KT.
Connective Tissue ACE. In: Wound Healing Responses in Cardiovascular Disease.
K.T. Weber, ed. Futura Publishing Co. Inc., Armonk, NY. pages 233-239, 1995.
Zhou G, Kandala JC, Tyagi SC, Katwa LC, Weber KT.
Effects of angiotensin II and aldosterone on collagen gene expression and protein turnover in cardiac fibroblasts.
Mole Cell Biochem 154:171-178, 1996.
Rizvi MAD, Katwa LC, Spadone DP and Myeres PR.
The effects of endothelin-1 on collagen type I and III synthesis in cultured coronary artery vascular smooth muscle cells.
J Mol Cell Cardiol 28:243-252, 1996.
Guarda E, Katwa LC, Campbell SE, Tanner MA, Webel R, Laughlin H, Jenkins S, Myers PR.
Extracellular matrix collagen synthesis and degradation following coronary balloon angioplasty.
J Mole Cell Cardiol 28:699-706, 1996.
Katwa LC, Tyagi SC, Campbell SC, Lee SJ, Cicila GT and Weber KT.
Valvular interstitial cells express angiotensinogen, cathepsin D and generate angiotensin peptides.
Intl J Biochem Cell Biol 28:807-821, 1996.
Tyagi SC, Kumar SK, Katwa LC.
Differential regulation of extracellular matrix metalloprotein and tissue inhibitor by heparin and cholesterol in fibroblast cells.
J Mole Cell Cardiol 29:391-404, 1997.
Katwa LC, Campbell SC, Tyagi SC, Lee SJ, Cicila GT, and Weber KT.
Cultured myofibroblasts generate angiotensin II de novo.
J Mole Cell Cardiol 29:1375-1386, 1997.
Campbell SE, Katwa LC.
Angiotensin II stimulated expression of transforming growth factor-ß production by cardiac fibroblasts and myofibroblasts.
J Mole Cell Cardiol 29:1947-1958, 1997.
Weber KT, Sun Y and Katwa LC.
Cellular mechanisms involved intissue repair at and remote to the site of infarction.
In: Left Ventricular Remodeling After Acute Myocardial Infarction. (Ed: St. John Sutton MG) Science Press, London, pages 100-114, 1997.
Johnson PJ, Tyagi SC, Katwa LC, Ganjam VK, Moore LA, Kreeger JM, Messer NT.
Activation of extracellular matrix metalloproteinases in equine laminitis.
The Veterinary Record 141:392-396, 1998.
Katwa LC, Sun Y, Campbell SE, Tyagi SC, Dhalla AK, Kandala JC, Weber KT.
Pouch tissue and angiotensin peptide generation.
J Mole Cell Cardiol 30:1401-1413, 1998.
Katwa LC, Johnson PJ, Ganjam VK, Kreeger JM, Messer NT.
Expression of endothelin in equine laminitis.
Equine Vet J 31:243-247, 1999.
Katwa LC, Campbell SE, Tanner A, Myers PR.
Upregulation of endothelin and its receptors in restenosis during porcine coronary arteries.
Basic Res Cardiol 94:445-453, 1999.
Subbiah V, Katwa LC.
Discovery of endothelin receptor antagonists from natural products.
The Investigational Drugs Journal; I Drugs 3:190-197, 2000.
Hill BJ, Katwa LC, Wamhoff BR, Sturek M.
Enhanced Endothelin_A receptor-mediated calcium mobilization and contraction in organ cultured porcine coronary arteries.
J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 295(2):484-91, 2000.
Katwa LC.
Role of endothelins in cardiovascular disease.
In: Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the New Millennium
(Ed: S.K. Gupta) Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, India, pages 25-36, 2001.
Chintalgattu V, Nair DM, Katwa LC.
Cardiac Myofibroblasts: A novel source of VEGF and its receptors.
J. Mol. Cell Cardiol. 35(3):277-286, 2003.
Islamov RR, Hendricks WA, Katwa LC, McMurray RJ, Pak ES, Spanier NS and Murashov AK.
Effect of 17-estradiol on gene expression in the lumbar spinal cord following sciatic nerve crush injury in ovariectomized mice.
J Brain Research 966(1):65-75, 2003.
Katwa LC.
Cardiac myofibroblasts isolated from the site of myocardial infarction express endothelin de novo.
J Am. J. Physiol. Heart & Circulatory Physiology. 1003 (in press).
Lee DL, Wamhoff BR, Katwa LC, Reddy HK, Voelker DJ, Dixon JL and Sturek MS.
Increased endothelin-induced Ca²⁺ signaling, tyrosine phosphorylation, and coronary artery disease in diabetic dyslipidemic swine are prevented by atorvastatin.
J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 (in press).
Lalikos J and Katwa LC.
Altered VEGF and CTGF gene expression in keloid tissue as compared to controls.
J Wound Healing 2003 (in press).
Islamov RR, Chintalgattu V, McMurray RJ, Pak ES, Murashov AK and Katwa LC.
Differential expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors in regenerating spinal motor neurons in mice.
J Mol. Brain Res. 2003 (in press).

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