EDUCATION

— B.Sc., Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Univ. Istanbul, Istanbul

— M.Sc., Microbiology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Univ. Istanbul, Istanbul

— Ph.D., Immunology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Univ. Istanbul (visiting student, Bogazici Univ.), Istanbul

— Research Fellowship, — Molecular Immunology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia

— Cancer Immunology, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia

— Renal Immunology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

— Auditing studentship, Business Administration, Wharton Evening School, Univ. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

RESEARCH INTERESTS

— Mechanism of endothelial protection, novel approaches in developing therapeutics for vascular diseases

— Evolution of immune system, use of conserved domain in drug design

PROJECT SUMMARY

Effect of Bradykinin and High Concentration of D- glucose and/or Insulin on Endothelial Cell Protective Gene Expression In Vitro

(LINKS @ @ )

Endothelial dysfunction has been shown as an accompanying factor to diabetes starting from early stages, suggesting endothelial dysfunction in glomeruli plays a role in developing of diabetic glomerulonephritis. A-20, A-1, HO-1, bcl-XL, and bcl-2 have been reported as endothelial cell protective genes. We study expression pattern of these genes in endothelial cells exposed to high concentration of D- glucose and/or insulin in the presence and absence of bradykinin using an in vitro artificial vessel model. This experimental model had been developed by our group by isolating a homogeneous mouse glomerular endothelial cell line, and was used to study functional status of endothelial cells in various conditions. We have treated various human and mouse cells with the conditions described above in the presence and absence of natural killer cells, collected their total RNA, and prepared culture slides. Northern profiling and fluorescent microscopy of the expressed gene products are under study.

Nese Akis, Zeynep Aydin, Tugsan Tezil, Fuat Yagci, Sevim Kahraman. Endothelial Cell Protective Gene Expression. 2nd Modern Drug Discovery & Development Summit Abstract Book, 3, Philadelphia, 2006

Structural Analysis of Ikaros Molecules Which Have Played Role in Transition to Adaptive Immunity

Evolutionary history of adaptive immunity is in debate. Zinc finger Ikaros molecules play role in commitment of hematopoietic cells to lymphoid lineage suggested it played important role in transition to adaptive immunity. Protein sequences of Ikaros molecules belong to primitive agnathas, agnathas and gnathostomas through amphibians have been retrieved from databases; primary and predicted secondary structure of the proteins, and predicted 3D of N-terminal zinc finger domains were compared using proteomics server tools. Position specific motifs in different domains were searched against database using PSI-blast. The study revealed that molecules have conserved their secondary structure rather than their primary structure ; 3D structure of N-terminal zinc finger domain gradually shrinked in higher organisms; and specific motifs within domains were found in lower organisms down to prokaryotes. The results suggested that the molecule has an evolutionary history. The strategy used by evolution in generation of the original molecule can help us in zinc finger pharmaceutical design against some forms of leukemias.

Yurdakul S, Akis N, Findik S. Transition to Adaptive Immunity. Turkish Journal of Immunology. 2006 Dec;11:17-26
Nese Akis, Nihal Buyukuslu, Seyda Yurdakul. Structural Biases in Evolution of Ikaros. World Immune Regulation Meeting Abstract Book, 188, Davos, 2007

PUBLICATIONS (past 5 years)

(PMID6723981) Ninichuk V, Gross O, Segerer S, Hoffmann R, Radomska E, Buchstaller A, Huss R, Akis N, Schlondorff D, Anders HJ. Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells reduce interstitial fibrosis but do not delay progression of chronic kidney disease in collagen4A3-deficient mice. Kidney Int. 2006 Jul;70(1):121-9

Times Cited: 8

(PMID6164642) Feliers D, Chen X, Akis N, Choudhury GG, Madaio M, Kasinath BS. VEGF regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in glomerular endothelial cells. Kidney Int. 2005 Oct;68(4):1648-59

Times Cited: 7

(ISBN9750078209)Akis N, Aydogan NH, Baker M, Madaio MP. A combinational study to understand transmembrane entry of nuclear localizing anti-DNA antibodies into cells. In: QSAR and Molecular Modelling in Rational Drug Design of Bioactive Molecules- Proceedings of Euro QSAR 2004, Aki-Sener E (ed). Baskent Klise ve Matbaacilik, Ankara, pp. 236, 2005

(PMID5149335) Akis N, Madaio MP. Isolation, culture, and characterization of endothelial cells from mouse glomeruli. Kidney Int. 2004 Jun;65(6):2223-7

Times Cited: 6

(PMID5338751) Herlyn D, Birebent B, Akis N, Purev E, Somasundaram R, Mitchell E, Maguire H, Staib L, Mastrangelo M. Colon cancer antigen and anti-idiotype vaccines. Cancer Chemother Biol Response Modif. 2003;21:287-98

(PMID2639481) Birebent B, Mitchell E, Akis N, Li W, Somasundaram R, Purev E, Hoey D, Mastrangelo M, Maguire H, Harris DT, Nair S, Cai D, Zhang T, Herlyn DM. Monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody mimicking the gastrointestinal carcinoma-associated epitope CO17-1A elicits antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in colorectal cancer patients. Vaccine 2003; 21(15):1601-12

PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

— Research Fellowship, Budapest Institute of Enzymolog, 1990

— Research Fellowship, French Government, 1992

— Research Fellowship, NATO & TUBITAK, 1996-1997

— Member, Turkish Society of Microbiology (LINK @ ), Turkish Society of Immunology (LINK @ )

POSTGRADUATE / FACULTY APPOINTMENTS

Industry

— Laboratory Engineer, Organic Coatings Chemistry, C.B.S. Coatings & Paints Co.; O.R. Stationary & Inks Co.

Academia

— Laboratory Specialist, Clin. Virol.&Immunol Sub. Div., University of Istanbul

— Postdoctoral Associate, Office for Postdoctoral Programs in Immunology, University of Pennsylvania

— Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology, Dept. Mol. Biol&Gen., Halic University

Associated Professor (teaching Human Physiology, and Bioinformatics), Dept. Mol. Biol&Gen., Bogazici University

— Associate Professor of Immunology, Microbiology&Clin. Microbiol. Div., Trakya University

Head, Immunology Graduate Group, Trakya University (LINK @)