Javier E. Stern
Distinguished University Professor, Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Director Neuroscience- Education
M.D. 1991 University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ph.D. 1996 University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Postdoctoral Fellow 1996-2000 University of Tennessee, Memphis
- Specializations
Neuroscience, Neuroendocrinology, Physiology
- Biography
Dr. Stern is a neuroscientist with special interests in central neuronal circuits involved in autonomic and neuroendocrine regulation. Dr. Stern obtained his M.D. and PH.D training at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then did postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. William E. Armstrong, at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. Before joining GSU, Dr. Stern was Assistant Professor at Wright State University (1999-2003), Associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati (2003-2008), and full Professor at Augusta University (2008-2017). Dr. Stern research program has been continuously supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and by the American Heart Association. He has served in study sections of both of these institutions, and currently serves in the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Physiology, Molecular & Metabolism, the Journal of Neuroendocrinology and the American Journal of Physiology. Dr. Stern received numerous national and international awards, including the award for Meritorious Research by a Young Investigator, The American Physiological Society (2001), the Young Investigator Award of the International Society of Hypertension Meeting (2006), and the Distinguished Research award from the Georgia Regents Research Institute (2014).
Research Interests
Bodily homeostasis is known to be dependent upon the coordinated activity of two major information-processing systems: the autonomic and the endocrine/neuroendocrine systems. Moreover, disruption of homeostasis can lead to various forms of disease states, including hypertension, congestive heart failure and diabetes. A long-term goal in the Stern’s laboratory is to understand the cellular mechanisms underlying neuronal excitability, synaptic connectivity, and plasticity in hypothalamic neuronal circuits. The lab is also interested in elucidating fundamental mechanisms underlying intercellular signaling among neurons, astrocytes and microglial cells. In addition, a major aim is to elucidate how structural and functional remodeling within these key neuronal networks contribute as pathophysiological mechanisms in hypertension, heart failure, diabetes and obesity, with a particular emphasis on neuro-inflammatory processes. Major techniques used in the Stern’s lab include patch-clamp electrophysiology, live confocal imaging, immunohistochemistry and molecular biology, among others.
- Publications
1- Intrinsic ion channels and their contribution to regulation of hypothalamic neuronal activity in health and disease conditions.
Sonner PM, Lee S, Ryu PD, Lee SY, STERN JE. Imbalanced K+ And Ca2+ Subthreshold Interactions Contribute To Increased Hypothalamic Presympathetic Neuronal Excitability In Hypertensive Rats. J Physiol. Feb 1;589(Pt 3):667-83, 2011. PMID: 21149460
STERN JE, Sonner PM, Son S, Silva FCP, Jackson K and Michelini LC. Exercise-training Normalizes an Increased Neuronal Excitability of NTS-projecting neurons of the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus in Hypertensive rats. J Neurophysiol. May;107(10):2912-21, 2012. PMID: 22357793
Pitra S and STERN JE, An A-Type potassium channels mediate prorenin increase of firing activity in vasopressin neurosecrectory neurons, American Journal of Physiology, 2017, In Press.
Ferreira-Neto HC, Biancardi VC, Stern JE. A reduction in SK channels contributes to increased activity of hypothalamic magnocellular neurons during heart failure. J Physiol. 2017 Jul 17. doi: 10.1113/JP274730. [Epub ahead of print]
2- Role of gas neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus.
Biancardi VC, Son SJ, Sonner PM, Zheng H, Patel KP, STERN JE. Contribution of central nervous system endothelial nitric oxide synthase to neurohumoral activation in heart failure rats. Hypertension. Sep;58(3):454-63, 2011. PMID: 21825233
Reis WL, Biancardi VC, Son S, Antunes-Rodrigues J and STERN JE. Enhanced Expression of Heme-Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide Excitatory Effects in Oxytocin and Vasopressin Neurons during Water Deprivation. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, Apr;24(4):653-63, 2012. PMID: 22060896
Reis WL, Biancardi VC, Son S, Antunes-Rodrigues J, STERN JE. Carbon monoxide and nitric oxide interactions in magnocellular neurosecretory neurones during water deprivation. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 27 (2): 111-22, 2015. PMID: 25494574.
Reis WL, Biancardi VC, Zhou Y, STERN JE. A functional coupling between carbon monoxide and nitric oxide contributes to increased vasopressin neuronal activity in heart failure rats. Endocrinology, 157 (5): 2052-66, 2016. PMID: 26982634.
3- Neuro-inflammation and consequences on neuronal activity and neurohumoral outflows.
Biancardi VC, Son SJ, Ahmadi S, Filosa JA, STERN JE Circulating Angiotensin II gains access to the hypothalamus and brain stem during hypertension via breakdown of the blood brain barrier. Hypertension, 63 (3): 572-9, 2014. Selected as a Faculty 1000 Prime article. PMID: 24343120
Wagner L. Reis, Chun-Xia Yi, Yuanqing Gao, Mathias H. Tschöp and STERN JE Brain innate immunity regulates hypothalamic arcuate neuronal activity and feeding behavior. Endocrinology, 156 (4): 1303-15, 2015. PMID: 25646713.
Biancardi VC, Stranahan AM, Krause EG, de Kloet AD, STERN JE. Cross talk between AT1 receptors and Toll-like receptor 4 in microglia contributes to angiotensin II-derived ROS production in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 310 (3): H404-15, 2016. PMID 26637556.
STERN JE; Son, SJ; Biancardi VC; Zheng, H; Sharma, NM and Patel, KP Astrocytes Contribute to Angiotensin II Stimulatory Actions on Hypothalamic Presympathetic Neuronal Activity and Sympathetic Outflow, Hypertension, 68 (6): 1483-1493, 2016. PMID: 27698069
de Kloet A, Wang L, Pitra S, Hiller H, Smith J, Tan Y, Nguyen D, , Cahill KM, Sumners C, STERN JE, Krause E. A unique angiotensin sensitive neuronal population coordinates neuroendocrine, cardiovascular and behavioral responses to stress. Journal of Neuroscience, 2017, Feb 20 In press.Yi CX, Walter M, Gao Y, Pitra S, Legutko B, Kälin S, Layritz C, García-Cáceres C, Bielohuby M, Bidlingmaier M, Woods SC, Ghanem A, Conzelmann KK, Stern JE, Jastroch M, Tschöp MH. TNFα drives mitochondrial stress in POMC neurons in obesity. Nat Commun. 2017 May 10;8:15143. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15143.
4- Neuroplasticity of Excitatory and inhibitory synaptic function during cardiovascular diseases.
Biancardi, VC, Campos, RR and STERN JE “Altered balance of GABAergic and glutamatercig afferent inputs in PVN-RVLM neurons of renovascular hypertensive rats”, J Comp Neurol, 518 (5): 567-585, 2010. PMID: 20034060.
Potapenko ES, Biancardi VC, Florschutz RM, Ryu PD, STERN JE. Inhibitory-excitatory synaptic balance is shifted toward increased excitation in magnocellular neurosecretory cells of heart failure rats. J Neurophysiol. Sep;106(3):1545-57, 2011. PMID: 21697450
STERN JE and Potapenko ES Enhanced NMDA receptor-mediated intracellular calcium signaling in magnocellular neurosecretory neurons in heart failure rats. American Journal of Physiology 305 (4): R414-22, 2013. PMID: 23785079
5- Neuro-glial communication and regulation of neurohumoral outflows.
Potapenko ES, Biancardi VC, Zhou Y, STERN JE. Altered Astrocyte Glutamate Transporter Regulation in Hypothalamic Neurosecretory Neurons in Heart Failure Rats. American Journal of Physiology 03(3): R291-300 2012. PMID: 22696576
STERN JE, Filosa JA. Bidirectional neuro-glial signaling modalities in the hypothalamus: role in neurohumoral regulation. Auton Neurosci. Apr;175(1-2):51-60, 2013. PMID: 23375650
Potapenko ES, Biancardi VC, Zhou Y, STERN JE. Astrocytes Modulate a Postsynaptic NMDA-GABAA Receptor Crosstalk in Hypothalamic Neurosecretory Neurons. Journal of Neuroscience, 33 (2): 631-640, 2013.
Naskar, K and STERN JE. A bidirectional coupling between extrasynaptic NMDA receptors and A-type K+ channels under astrocyte control regulates hypothalamic neuronal Activity. Journal of Physiology, 592 (13) 2813-27, 2014. PMID: 24835172