CBP Faculty - Claudette M. St. Croix, Ph.D.

Claudette M. St. Croix, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Primary Appointment: Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health
Tel: 412-624-8470
Fax:
cls13@pitt.edu
PubMed pub. listing
St. Croix Webpage
CBP Research Group(s):
CBMP Grad. Program Group: Cell Communication and Imaging

Research Interest

The general focus of our research activities is the identification of post-translational protein modifications induced by nitric oxide (NO) related species in pulmonary endothelium, and determination of the physiological consequences of these events in vivo. Current studies concentrate on the zinc-binding protein metallothionein, which is an important target for trans-S-nitrosation, with resulting effects on intracellular zinc homeostasis, gene expression, and cellular sensitivity to toxic stressors. Specifically, we use advanced fluorescent microscopy techniques and direct gene transfer of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-modified metallothionein to study the effects of NO on metallothionein structure and intracellular zinc concentrations in living cells. We also use a variety of molecular and cell biology techniques, including Northern and Western blotting, electrophoretic mobility shift assays and live cell imaging of GFP-modified transcription factors to study the effects of NO and changes in intracellular zinc on the expression of protective genes like metallothionein.

Graduate Students

Paula J. Bernal

Publications

St. Croix, CM, Leelavanichkul, K, Cao, R, Wilson, A, Tang, Z, Wasserloos, KJ, Watkins, SC and Pitt, BR.Nitric oxide mediated zinc release contributes to hypoxic regulation of pulmonary vascular tone. In preparation.
Chengelis, DA, Shade, CM, Yingling, AM, Oxley, DS, Badger, P, Watkins, SC, St Croix, CM and Petoud, S. Semiconductor CdSe Nanocrystals Emit Near-infrared Light. Journal of the American Chemical Society. Submitted March, 2006.
St Croix CM, Leelavanichkul K, Watkins SC. Intravital fluorescence microscopy in pulmonary research.Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2006 Sep 15;58(7):834-40. Epub 2006 Aug 11.
Stitt, M.S., Wasserloos, K.J. Tang, Z., Liu, X., Pitt, B.R. and St. Croix, C.M. Nitric Oxide-Induced Nuclear Translocation of the Metal Responsive Transcription Factor, MTF-1 is Mediated by Zinc Release from Metallothionein. Vascular Pharmacology. 44(3):149-55, 2006.
Zhang L, St. Croix CM, Cao R, Wasserloos K, Watkins SC, Stevens T, Li S, Tyurin V, Kagan VE and Pitt BR.Cell-surface protein disulfide isomerase is required for transnitrosation of metallothionein by S-nitroso-albumin in intact rat pulmonary vascular endothelial cells.Experimental Biology and Medicine. 231: 1507-1515, 2006.
St. Croix, C.M. , Stitt, M.S., Watkins, S.C. and Pitt, B.R. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer based assays for real time detection of nitric oxide signaling. Methods Enzymol. 396: 317-326, 2005.
St. Croix, C.M., Leelavinchkul, K., Watkins, S.C., Kagan, V.E. and Pitt, B.R. Nitric oxide and zinc homeostasis in acute lung injury. Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. 2:236-242, 2005.
St Croix CM, Stitt MS, Leelavanichkul K, Wasserloos KJ, Pitt BR, Watkins SC.Nitric oxide-induced modification of protein thiolate clusters as determined by spectral fluorescence resonance energy transfer in live endothelial cells.Free Radic Biol Med. 2004 Sep 15;37(6):785-92.
St. Croix, C.M., Stitt, M.S., Leelavanichkul, K.,Wasserloos, K.J., Pitt, B.R. and Watkins, S.C. Nitric oxide mediated signaling in endothelial cells as determined by spectral fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine.37(6): 785-92, 2004.