Gabriella Papale
Graduate Student
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
B.S., Drexel University
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dasiy Sahoo
Email: gpapale@mcw.edu
Phone: (414) 456-8005
Research Interest
Epidemiological studies show that the risk for cardiovascular disease is inversely correlated with plasma concentrations of high-density lipoproteins (HDL). HDL is considered to be “atheroprotective” through its role in reverse cholesterol transport, whereby cholesterol is transferred from peripheral tissues to HDL and then transported to the liver for bile acid synthesis and secretion of cholesterol into bile, or to steroidogenic tissues for steroid hormone synthesis.
Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) is an 82-kDa glycosylated cell surface receptor cloned by homology to CD36 and is the most physiologically relevant HDL receptor. SR-BI mediates the selective uptake of HDL-CE into cells, mainly those of the liver, adrenals, ovaries, and testes. Selective uptake of CE occurs through a two-step process: (i) HDL binds to the extracellular domain of SR-BI and (ii) CE is transferred from HDL to the plasma membrane without subsequent endocytosis of the HDL particle. The predicted topology of SR-BI suggests that the receptor is composed largely of an extracellular “loop” anchored by two transmembrane domains. While little is known about the structural organization of the extracellular domain, it is well established that this domain of SR-BI is critical for function.
Determining the mechanisms of the cholesterol transport functions of SR-BI is crucial in understanding its protective role against atherosclerosis. My research is focused on defining the structural organization of SR-BI within the plasma membrane using bimolecular fluorescence complementation coupled to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (BiFC-FRET) in addition to standard biochemical techniques.
Positions and Honors
Current funding:
American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship, Award ID: 10PRE2790023 — The influence of the structural organization of SR-BI on selective uptake of HDL-CE
· Priority score: 1.37, 2.27th percentile
· $26,000/year, 01/01/2010 – 12/31/2011
Awards:
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB) Conference Merit Award for Young Investigators (05/2009)
Memberships:
American Heart Association, ATVB Council
Graduate Student Association, Pharmacology Representative and Social Chair
SaveGraduate Outreach Program
Publications
Gabriella A. Papale, Kay Nicholson, Paul J. Hanson, Mitja Pavlovic, Victor A. Drover, Daisy Sahoo (2010) Extracellular hydrophobic regions in scavenger receptor BI play a key role in mediating HDL-cholesterol transport. Arch Biochem Biophys 496:132-9.