Christopher Reyes

Faculty Mentor: Sruti Shiva

Research: 

Mr. Reyes’s research focuses on understanding regulation of mitochondrial function within the vasculature by molecular and biomechanical cues of the vessel wall. Specifically, he is investigating nitrite: a molecule previously thought to be biologically inert but is now known to be a stable reservoir that may be reduced to nitric oxide and mediate physiological effects in vivo. His PhD research demonstrates that nitrite modulates mitochondrial function to inhibit smooth muscle proliferation during restenosis following balloon angioplasty. Furthermore, this work has identified Mitofusin-1 (Mfn1) as a regulator of smooth muscle cell proliferation and is currently uncovering the mechanism by which nitrite regulates Mfn1 expression in vitro. More recent studies attempt to define the role of Mfn1 in vivo in the regulation of smooth muscle phenotype and vessel tone through generation of a smooth muscle specific-Mfn1 knockout mouse. 

Publications:

• Reyes C, Mo L, Guimaraes D, Braganza A, Wang Y, Shiva S. Nitrite regulates mitochondrial dynamics to inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. In preparation.
• Braganza A, Quesnelle K, Bickta, J, Reyes C, Wang Y, Jessup M, St. Croix C, Scott J, Singh S, and Shiva S. Myoglobin induces mitochondrial fusion to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation. Submitted for publication.
• Guimaraes D, Reyes C, and Shiva S. The Mitochondrion: A Physiological Target of Nitrite. In: Bryan N, Loscalzo J, editors. Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease. 2^nd ed. New York (NY): Springer, 2017 (Chapter 7).

Conferences: 

• Reyes C. 10^th Annual Nitric Oxide Meeting. 2018.
• Reyes C, Mo L, Guimaraes D, Braganza A, Quesnelle K, Wang Y, Shiva S. Nitrite Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation. Oral presentation. 10^th Annual Nitric Oxide Society Meeting; 2018 September 16-20; Oxford, UK.
• Reyes C, Mo L, Guimaraes D, Quesnelle K, Wang Y, Shiva S. Nitrite Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation. Poster presented at: Trainee Poster Session. McGowan Institute 2018 Scientific Retreat; 2018 March 5-6; Pittsburgh, PA.
• Reyes C, Mo L, Guimaraes D, Quesnelle K, Wang Y, Shiva S. Nitrite Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Restenosis. Poster presented at: Cardiovascular Formal Poster Session. 24^th Annual Conference of the Society for Redox Biology & Medicine (SfRBM); 2017 November 29 – December 2, 2017; Baltimore, MD.
• Reyes C, Mo L, Guimaraes D, Quesnelle K, Wang Y, Shiva S. Nitrite Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Restenosis. Poster presented at: Cardiovascular Formal Poster Session. 32^nd Annual Meeting of the Ohio Physiological Society (OPS); October 27, 2017; Rootstown, OH.
• Reyes C, Mo L, Guimaraes D, Quesnelle K, Wang Y, Shiva S. Nitrite Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation & Restenosis. Poster presented at: Formal Poster Session. 7^th Regional Translational Research on Mitochondria, Metabolism, Aging, and Disease Symposium (TRiMAD); October 5 – October 6, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA.

Mr. Reyes’s research focuses on understanding regulation of mitochondrial function within the vasculature by molecular and biomechanical cues of the vessel wall.