Dr. Ernest Walker, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor Anatomy and Pathology
Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University
walkere@marshall.edu (304) 696-7346
Office: MEB123
Projects currently ongoing in my lab:
Project #1 It is estimated that in excess of two million individuals in the United States and up to one hundred million humans worldwide acquire some degree of iron overload and tissue accumulation of the metal [1, 2]. Iron-induced cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in iron-overloaded patients. ExjadeR (ICL670, deferasirox) appears to be a very promising, orally effective iron chelating agent, however information regarding the ability of ICL670 to prevent iron induced cardiovascular disease is lacking. It is thought that increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) operate as the underlying mechanism of iron-induced cardiac dysfunction. The objective of this study is to determine if ICL670 is efficacious in reversing iron overload-induced cardiac dysfunction through its ability to diminish cardiovascular iron load and iron induced ROS. The primary objective of this project is to determine if chronic administration of ExjadeR (deferasirox, ICL 670) is capable of removing excess iron from heart and other tissues, while reversing or reducing the severity of iron-induced cardiovascular alterations. We hypothesize that ICL670 administration, through reduction of excess cardiac iron content; will be associated with decreases in ROS that will, in turn, be strongly associated with the reversal or reduction of iron-induced changes in cardiovascular structure and function.
Select journal publications (from 104 published peer reviewed papers and 8 book chapters)
Walker EM Jr, Epling CP, Parris C, Cansino S, Ghosh P, Desai DH, Morrison RG, Wright GL, Wehner P, Mangiarua EI, Walker SM, Blough ER. Acetaminophen protects against iron-induced cardiac damage in gerbils.Ann Clin Lab Sci. 2007 Winter;37(1):22-33.
Walker EM Jr, Nillas MS, Mangiarua EI, Cansino S, Morrison RG, Perdue RR, Triest WE, Wright GL, Studeny M, Wehner P, Rice KM, Blough ER. Age-associated changes in hearts of male Fischer 344/Brown Norway F1 rats. Ann Clin Lab Sci. 2006 Autumn;36(4):427-38.
Rice KM, Preston DL, Walker EM, Blough ER. Aging influences multiple incidices of oxidative stress in the aortic media of the Fischer 344/NNiaxBrown Norway/BiNia rat. Free Radic Res. 2006 Feb;40(2):185-97.