Overall Research Interests.

Environment-gene interactions are the central theme for projects related to aquatic organisms.  A systems biology approach is used which includes toxicogenomics and proteomics technologies to understand how exposure to environmental estrogens and androgens alters gene expression patterns in the hypothalamus, pituitary, gonad and liver in fish models.  Dr. Denslow’s work includes molecular characterization of the three estrogen receptors in fish including their transactivation potential, their response elements in genes that are responsive to estrogens, and modulation of steroidogenesis, specifically looking at steroidogenic acute regulatory protein.   Environmental stressors include hypoxia, changes in ambient temperature and exposure to pharmaceuticals and other xenobiotics released into the environment.  In addition, Dr. Denslow is interested in the mechanisms by which aquatic organisms respond to nanomaterials including determining their toxicity and targeting of specific tissues.

Representative Publications

Barber DS, McNally AJ, Garcia-Reyero N, Denslow ND.  Exposure to p,p'-DDE or dieldrin during the reproductive season alters hepatic CYP expression in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Aquat Toxicol. 81:27-35 (2007).

Sabo-Attwood, T., Blum, J.L., Kroll, K.J., Patel, V., Birkholz, D., Szabo, N.J., Fisher, S.Z., McKenna, R., Campbell-Thompson, M and Denslow, N.D.  Distinct expression and activity profiles of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) estrogen receptors in response to estradiol and nonylphenol.  Journal Molecular Endocrinology, 39: 223-237  (2007).

Denslow, ND, Garcia-Reyero, N., and Barber, D.S.  Fish ‘N’ chips: the use of microarrays for aquatic toxicology. Mol. BioSyst., 3: 172-177 (2007).

Griffitt, R.J., Weil, R. W., Denslow, N. D., Powers, K., Taylor, D., Barber, D. S., Copper nanoparticles induce gill injury and acute lethality in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Environmental Science and Technology, 41: 8178-8186 (2007)

Das, C., Zhang, J., Denslow, N. D., Fan, Z. H.  Integration of isoelectric focusing with multi-channel gel electrophoresis by using microfluidic pseudo-valves.  Lab on a Chip, 7: 1806-1812 (2007).

Larkin, P., Villeneuve, D. L., Knoebl, I., Miracle, A. L, Carter, B. J., Liu, L., Denslow, N. D., Ankley, G. T.  Development and validation of a 2,000-gene microarray for the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).  Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 26: 1497-1506 (2007).

Sabo-Attwood, T., Blum, J. L., Kroll, K. J., Patel, V., Birkholz, D., Szabo, N. J., Fisher, S. Z., McKenna, R., Campbell-Thompson, M., Denslow, N. D.  Distinct expression and activity profiles of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) estrogen receptors in response to estradiol and nonylphenol.  Journal Molecular Endocrinology, 39:223-237 (2007).

Wasdo, S.C., Barber, D.S., Denslow, N.D., Powers, K.W., Jorganes, M.P., Stevens Jr., S.M., Moudgil., B., and Roberts, S. M.  Differential binding of serum proteins to nanoparticles. International Journal of Nanotechnology.  5:92-115 (2008).

Blum, J. L., Stuchal, L. D., James, M. O., Denslow, N. D. Stimulation of transactivation of the largemouth bass estrogen receptors alpha, beta-α and beta-β by methoxychlor and its mono-and bis-demethylated metabolites in HepG2 cells. Journal Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 108:55-63 (2008).

Blum, J. L., Nyagode, B.A., James, M. O, Denslow, N. D. Effects of the pesticide methoxychlor on gene expression in the liver and testes of the male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), Aquatic Toxicology 86:459-69 (2008).

Garcia-Reyero, N., Griffitt, R. J., Liu, L., Kroll, K. J., Farmerie, W. G., Barber, D. S., Denslow, N. D. Construction of a robust microarray from a non-model species (largemouth bass) using pyrosequencing technology.  J. Fish Biology, 72: 2354-2376 (2008).