Cellular and Molecular Neuroendocrinology

Dr. Dipak Sarkar's long-term research goal is to understand how stress promotes infection, cancers and alcohol related diseases. Currently, his research focuses on learning the process that leads to growth and differentiation of neuroendocrine cells that control body stress, immune, and reproductive functions. Two particular cell types we are interested in are beta-endorphin-secreting cells in the hypothalamus and prolactin-secreting cells in the pituitary gland. His laboratory is investigating how fetal exposure to alcohol: 1) alters beta-endorphin neurons differentiation; 2) causes alteration of opioid neuron functions; and 3) induces immune incompetence and increased susceptibility to cancer. His lab is also investigating how excess exposure to estradiol alters the pituitary regulatory processes and induces prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors. Dr. Sarkar's research is supported by three major grants from the National Institute of Health.

Research Highlights

Dr. Sarkar's laboratory has demonstrated that fetal exposure to alcohol alters beta-endorphin neuron's differentiation and causes opioid neuron dysfunctions and induces hyperresponse to stress. His research group recently established a novel method to in vitro differentiates neuronal stem cells into beta-endorphin neurons for the development of cell therapy for immune diseases and cancer prevention. Using these cell therapy they have recently demonstrated that beta-endorphin cell transplants reduces stress and activates immune functions and reduces prostate cancer growth. His laboratory also found that excess exposure to estradiol alters the pituitary regulatory processes and induces prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors. The laboratory found that in various endocrine tissues, alcohol has actions similar to those of estrogen, and that these molecules interact on the cell membrane to activate the MAP kinase pathway and to affect the growth and function of these tissues. The natural killer (NK) cell functions that help the body fight tumors, viruses and bacteria are governed by the body’s clock machinery via the beta-endorphin system. Alcohol drinking affects these clock machineries as well as the function of NK cells. Dr. Sarkar's group discovered that NK cell functions are tightly governed by the feedback control of two types (mu and delta) of opioid receptors that form homodimers or heterodimers. Chronic administration of an antagonist of a specific opioid receptor upregulates other receptors. The laboratory identified alcohol actions on clock-governing genes in the brain and lymphoid tissues. This work increased our understanding of some of the pathologies caused by alcohol addiction.

Other Highlights

• Gave lectures at three major international and national meetings.
• Reviewer for NIH, NSF, and 20 journals
• Fellow, AAAS, 1997-present

More Info

• Dipak Sarkar's Website