Research Interest

Cardiovascular pathophysiology with focus on nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species signaling in models of hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetic vascular diseases and therapeutic angiogenesis.

Representative Publications

Oak JH, Cai H. Attenuation of angiotensin II signaling recouples eNOS and inhibits non-endothelial NOX activity in diabetic mice. Diabetes 2007Jan;56(1): 118-126

Zhang G, Zhang F, Muh, R, Yi F, Chalupsky K, Cai H, Li PL. Autocrine/paracrine pattern of superoxide production through NAD(P)H oxidase in coronary arterial myocytes. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 2007Jan;292(1): H483-95

Nguyen A, Cai H. Netrin-1 induces angiogenesis via a DCC-dependent ERK1/2-eNOS feed-forward mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006Apr;103(17):6530-5

Cai H. A new mechanism for flow-mediated vasoprotection? Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. Editorial Focus on “Lung endothelial cell proliferation with decreased shear stress is mediated by reactive oxygen species”. 2006 Jan;290(1):C35-6

Menshikov M, Plekhanova O, Cai H, Chalupsky K, Parfyonova Y, Bashtrikov P, Tkachuk V, Berk BC. Urokinase stimulates vascular smooth muscle proliferation via redox-sensitive pathways. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2006April;26(4):801-7

Cai H. Hydrogen peroxide regulation of endothelial function: Origins, mechanisms and consequences. Cardiovasc. Res. 2005Oct;68(1):26-36.

Chalupsky K and Cai H. Endothelial dihydrofolate reductase: critical for nitric oxide bioavailability and role in angiotensin II uncoupling of eNOS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005June;102(25):9056-61.

Cai H NAD(P)H oxidase-dependent self-propagation of hydrogen peroxide and vascular disease. Cir. Res. 2005April;96(8):818-822.

Nakagawa K, Oak JH, Higuchi O, Tsuzuki T, Oikawa S, Otani H, Mune M, Cai H, Miyazawa T. Ion trap tandem mass spectrometric evidence for the presence of Amadori-glycated phosphatidulethanolamine, a lipid-linked glycation compound, in plasma of humans with or without diabetes. J Lipid Res. 2005Nov;46(11)2514-24

Nguyen A, Chen P, Cai H. Role of CaMKII in hydrogen peroxide activation of ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, HSP27 and actin reorganization in endothelial cells. FEBS Lett. 2004Aug;572(1-3):307-13

Cai H, McNally JS, Weber M, Harrison DG. Oscillatory shear stress regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase requires intracellular hydrogen peroxide and CaMKII. J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 2004Jul;37(1):121-5

McNally JS, Saxena A, Cai H, Dikalov S, Harrison DG. Regulation of xanthine oxidoreductase protein expression by hydrogen peroxide and calcium. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2005Aug;25(8):1623-8.

Laude K, Cai H, Fink B, Hoch N, Weber DS, McCann L, Kojda G, Fukai T, Dikalov S, Ramasamy S, Gamez G, Griendling KK, Harrison DG. Hemodynamic and biochemical adaptations to vascular smooth muscle overexpression of p22phox in mice. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 2005Jan;288(1):H7-H12

Searles CD, Ide L, Davis, ME, Cai H, Weber M. Actin cytoskeleton organization and post-transcriptional regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase during cell growth. Cir. Res. 2004Sept;95(5):488-95

Cai H, Griendling KK, Harrison DG. Angiotensin II induced vascular NAD(P)H oxidases as therapeutic targets in cardiovascular disease. Trends in Pharmacological Science 2003Sep;24(9):471-8

Harrison DG, Cai H, Landmesser U, Griendling KK. Interaction of angiotensin II with NAD(P)H oxidase, oxidant stress and cardiovascular disease. The Journal of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System 2003Jun;4(2):51-61

Harrison DG, Cai H. Endothelium control of vascomotion and nitric oxide production. Cardiology Clinics 2003Aug;21(3):289-302

Cai H, Li Z, Davis ME, Kanner W, Harrison DG, Dudley SC. Akt-dependent phosphorylation of serine 1179 and MEK/ERK 1/2 cooperatively mediates activation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase by hydrogen peroxide. Molecular Pharmacology 2003Feb;63(2): 325-331

Davis ME, Cai H, McCann L, Fukai T, Harrison DG. Role of c-Src in regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression during exercise training. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 2003Apr;284(4):H1449-53.

Cai H, Li Z, Goette A, Mera F, Honeycutt C, Feterik K, Dudley SC, Harrison DG, Langberg JJ. Downregulation of endocardial nitric oxide synthase expression and nitric oxide production in atrial fibrillation. Potential mechanisms for atrial thrombosis and stroke. Circulation 2002Nov;106(22):2854-2858.

Cai H, Li Z, Dikalov S, Holland SM, Hwang J, Jo H, Dudley SC, Harrison D. NAD(P)H oxidase-derived hydrogen peroxide mediates endothelial nitric oxide production of in response to angiotensin II. J. Biol. Chem. 2002Dec;277(50):48311-48317.

Landmesser U, Cai H, Dikalov S, McCann L, Hwang J, Jo H, Holland SM, Harrison DG. Role of p47phox in vascular oxidative stress and hypertension caused by angiotensin II. Hypertension 2002Oct;40(4): 511-515.

Davis ME, Cai H, Drummond GR, Harrison DG. Shear stress regulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression through c-Src by divergent signaling pathways. Cir. Res. 2001Nov;89(11): 1073-80.

Cai H, Davis ME, Drummond GR, Harrison DG. Induction of endothelial NO synthase by hydrogen peroxide via a Ca2+/camodulin-dependent protein kinase II/janus kinase 2-dependent pathway. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2001Oct;21(10): 1571-6.
Cai H, Harrison DG. Endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases. The role of oxidant stress. Cir. Res. 2000Nov;87(10): 840-4.

Drummond GR, Cai H, Davis ME, Ramasamy S, Harrison DG. Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression by hydrogen peroxide. Cir. Res. 2000Feb;86(3): 347-354.