Fievos L. Christofi, PhD

Current OSU Appointments

Vice Chair, Anesthesiology

Professor, Physiology and Cell Biology

Continuing Education, Extension, or Other Courses Taught

Degrees

1983	B.S.(Honors), University of Western Ontario, Pharmacology and Toxicology

1988	Ph.D., University of Western Ontario, Adenosinergic neuroregulation in the ENS

Fellowship, Internship or Residency

1988 - 1991

Postdoctoral MRC Fellowship/Visiting Scholar, Electrophysiological studies on synaptic transmission in the ENS, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, Columbus, OH, United States.

Honors

2003	Janssen Award in Gastroenterology. Janssen Pharmaceutica & EISAI. Subject: Physiology and Cell Biology

Memberships

Member. International Brain-Gut Society

Member. The American Physiological Society

Member. The International Purine Society

2008	Member. Functional Brain-Gut Research Group (FBGRG)

Member. American Association for the Advancement of Science

Member. American Gastroenterological Association Organization

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Christofi, F, L; Cook, M A. 1985. Antagonism by theophylline of the adenosine receptor agonist 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine at the guinea pig ileum. Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology. Vol. 63, no. 9.

Christofi, F, L; Cook, M A. 1986. Affinity of various purine nucleosides for adenosine receptors on purified myenteric varicosities compared to their efficacy as presynaptic inhibitors of acetylcholine release. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. Vol. 237, no. 1.

Christofi, F, L; Cook, M A. 1987. Possible heterogeneity of adenosine receptors present on myenteric nerve endings. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. Vol. 243, no. 1.

McDonald, T, J; Christofi, F, L; Brooks, B, D; Barnett, W; Cook, M A. 1988. Characterization of content and chromatographic forms of neuropeptides in purified nerve varicosities prepared from guinea pig myenteric plexus. Regulatory peptides. Vol. 21, no. 1-2.

Christofi, F, L; McDonald, T, J; Cook, M A. 1990. Adenosine receptors are coupled negatively to release of tachykinin(s) from enteric nerve endings. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. Vol. 253, no. 1.

Christofi, F, L; McDonald, T, J; Cook, M A. 1990. Neuropeptide release from isolated myenteric nerve endings derived from the guinea pig myenteric plexus. Regulatory peptides. Vol. 30, no. 2.

Christofi, F, L; Palmer, J, M; Wood, J D. 1991. Neuropharmacology of the muscarinic antagonist telenzepine in myenteric ganglia of the guinea-pig small intestine. European journal of pharmacology. Vol. 195, no. 3.

Christofi, F, L; Tack, J; Wood, J D. 1992. Suppression of nicotinic synaptic transmission by adenosine in myenteric ganglia of the guinea-pig gastric antrum. European journal of pharmacology. Vol. 216, no. 1.

Christofi, F, L; Hanani, M; Maudlej, N; Wood, J D. 1993. Enteric glial cells are major contributors to formation of cyclic AMP in myenteric plexus cultures from adult guinea-pig small intestine. Neuroscience letters. Vol. 159, no. 1-2.

Christofi, F, L; Wood, J D. 1993. Effects of PACAP on morphologically identified myenteric neurons in guinea pig small bowel. The American journal of physiology. Vol. 264, no. 3 Pt 1.

Christofi, F, L; Wood, J D. 1993. Presynaptic inhibition by adenosine A1 receptors on guinea pig small intestinal myenteric neurons. Gastroenterology. Vol. 104, no. 5.

Christofi, F, L; Wood, J D. 1994. Electrophysiological subtypes of inhibitory P1 purinoceptors on myenteric neurones of guinea-pig small bowel. British journal of pharmacology. Vol. 113, no. 3.

Christofi, F, L; Guan, Z; Lucas, J, H; Rosenberg-Schaffer, L, J; Stokes, B T. 1996. Responsiveness to ATP with an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ is not a distinctive feature of calbindin-D28 immunoreactive neurons in myenteric ganglia. Brain research. Vol. 725, no. 2.

Christofi, F, L; Guan, Z; Wood, J, D; Baidan, L, V; Stokes, B T. 1997. Purinergic Ca2+ signaling in myenteric neurons via P2 purinoceptors. The American journal of physiology. Vol. 272, no. 3 Pt 1.

Liu, C, Y; Zhang, H; Christofi, F L. 1998. Adenylyl cyclase co-distribution with the CaBPs, calbindin-D28 and calretinin, varies with cell type: assessment with the fluorescent dye, BODIPY forskolin, in enteric ganglia. Cell and tissue research. Vol. 293, no. 1.

Cooke, H, J; Wang, Y; Liu, C, Y; Zhang, H; Christofi, F L. 1999. Activation of neuronal adenosine A1 receptors suppresses secretory reflexes in the guinea pig colon. The American journal of physiology. Vol. 276, no. 2 Pt 1.

Liu, C, Y; Jamaleddin, A, J; Zhang, H; Christofi, F L. 1999. FlCRhR/cyclic AMP signaling in myenteric ganglia and calbindin-D28 intrinsic primary afferent neurons involves adenylyl cyclases I, III and IV. Brain research. Vol. 826, no. 2.

Barajas-Lopez, C; Espinosa-Luna, R; Christofi, F L. 2000. Changes in intracellular Ca2+ by activation of P2 receptors in submucosal neurons in short-term cultures. European journal of pharmacology. Vol. 409, no. 3.

Zuo, L; Christofi, F, L; Wright, V, P; Liu, C, Y; Merola, A, J; Berliner, L, J; Clanton, T L. 2000. Intra- and extracellular measurement of reactive oxygen species produced during heat stress in diaphragm muscle. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology. Vol. 279, no. 4.

Christofi, F L. 2001. Unlocking mysteries of gut sensory transmission: is adenosine the key?. News in physiological sciences : an international journal of physiology produced jointly by the International Union of Physiological Sciences and the American Physiological Society. Vol. 16.

Christofi, F, L; Zhang, H; Yu, J, G; Guzman, J; Xue, J; Kim, M; Wang, Y, Z; Cooke, H J. 2001. Differential gene expression of adenosine A1, A2a, A2b, and A3 receptors in the human enteric nervous system. The Journal of comparative neurology. Vol. 439, no. 1.

Cooke, Helen, J; Wang, Yu-Zhong; Wray, Dawn; O'Dorisio, M Sue; Woltering, Eugene, A; Coy, David, H; Murphy, William, A; Christofi, Fievos, L; Gosh, Pradip; O'Dorisio, Thomas M. 2003. A multi-tyrosinated sst1/2 receptor preferring somatostatin agonist inhibits reflex and immune-mediated secretion in the guinea pig colon. Regulatory peptides. Vol. 114, no. 1.

Cooke, Helen, J; Wunderlich, Jacqueline; Christofi, Fievos L. 2003. "The force be with you": ATP in gut mechanosensory transduction. News in physiological sciences : an international journal of physiology produced jointly by the International Union of Physiological Sciences and the American Physiological Society. Vol. 18.

Sundaram, Uma; Hassanain, Hamdy; Suntres, Zacharias; Yu, Jun Ge; Cooke, Helen, J; Guzman, Jorge; Christofi, Fievos L. 2003. Rabbit chronic ileitis leads to up-regulation of adenosine A1/A3 gene products, oxidative stress, and immune modulation. Biochemical pharmacology. Vol. 65, no. 9.

Christofi, Fievos, L; Kim, Minsoo; Wunderlich, Jacqueline, E; Xue, Jianjing; Suntres, Zach; Cardounel, Arturo; Javed, Najma, H; Yu, Jun Ge; Grants, Iveta; Cooke, Helen J. 2004. Endogenous adenosine differentially modulates 5-hydroxytryptamine release from a human enterochromaffin cell model. Gastroenterology. Vol. 127, no. 1.

Christofi, Fievos, L; Wunderlich, Jacqueline; Yu, Jun Ge; Wang, Y-Z; Xue, Jianjing; Guzman, Jorge; Javed, Najma; Cooke, Helen. 2004. Mechanically evoked reflex electrogenic chloride secretion in rat distal colon is triggered by endogenous nucleotides acting at P2Y1, P2Y2, and P2Y4 receptors. The Journal of comparative neurology. Vol. 469, no. 1.

Cooke, Helen, J; Xue, Jianjing; Yu, Jun Ge; Wunderlich, Jacqueline; Wang, Y-Z; Guzman, Jorge; Javed, Najma; Christofi, Fievos L. 2004. Mechanical stimulation releases nucleotides that activate P2Y1 receptors to trigger neural reflex chloride secretion in guinea pig distal colon. The Journal of comparative neurology. Vol. 469, no. 1.

Raybould, H, E; Cooke, H, J; Christofi, F L. 2004. Sensory mechanisms: transmitters, modulators and reflexes. Neurogastroenterology and motility : the official journal of the European Gastrointestinal Motility Society. Vol. 16 Suppl 1.

Zuo, Li; Christofi, Fievos, L; Wright, Valerie, P; Bao, Shengying; Clanton, Thomas L. 2004. Lipoxygenase-dependent superoxide release in skeletal muscle. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). Vol. 97, no. 2.

Guzman, Jorge; Yu, Jun Ge; Suntres, Zacharias; Bozarov, Andrey; Cooke, Helen; Javed, Najma; Auer, Herbert; Palatini, Jeff; Hassanain, Hamdy, H; Cardounel, Arturo, J; Javed, Asad; Grants, Iveta; Wunderlich, Jacqueline, E; Christofi, Fievos L. 2006. ADOA3R as a therapeutic target in experimental colitis: proof by validated high-density oligonucleotide microarray analysis. Inflammatory bowel diseases. Vol. 12, no. 8.

Chen, Zhixiong; Suntres, Zach; Palmer, Jeffrey; Guzman, Jorge; Javed, Asad; Xue, Jianjing; Yu, Jun-Ge; Cooke, Helen; Awad, Hamdy; Hassanain, Hamdy, H; Cardounel, Arturo, J; Christofi, Fievos L. 2007. Cyclic AMP signaling contributes to neural plasticity and hyperexcitability in AH sensory neurons following intestinal Trichinella spiralis-induced inflammation. International journal for parasitology. Vol. 37, no. 7.

Emery, Charles, F; Fondow, Meghan D, M; Schneider, Carol, M; Christofi, Fievos, L; Hunt, Chantal; Busby, Andrea, K; Needleman, Bradley, J; Melvin, W Scott; Elsayed-Awad, Hamdy M. 2007. Gastric bypass surgery is associated with reduced inflammation and less depression: a preliminary investigation. Obesity surgery. Vol. 17, no. 6.

Kim, M; Christofi, F, L; Xue, J; Robinson, J, M; Cooke, H J. 2007. Mechanically evoked 5-hydroxytryptamine release is mediated by caveolin-associated cholesterol rich membrane domains. Neurogastroenterology and motility : the official journal of the European Gastrointestinal Motility Society. Vol. 19, no. 4.

Wunderlich, J, E; Needleman, B, J; Chen, Z; Yu, J, G; Wang, Y; Grants, I; Mikami, D, J; Melvin, W, S; Cooke, H, J; Christofi, F L. 2008. Dual purinergic synaptic transmission in the human enteric nervous system. American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology. Vol. 294, no. 2.

Awad H, Suntres Z, Heijmans J, Smeak D, Bergdall-Costell V, Christofi FL, Magro C, Oglesbee M. 2008. Intracellular and extracellular expression of the major inducible 70kDa heat shock protein in experimental ischemia-reperfusion injury of the spinal cord. Experimental Neurology. Vol. 212, no. 2. (August): 275-284.

Christofi FL. 2008. Purinergic receptors and gastrointestinal secretomotor function. Purinergic Signalling. Vol. 4, no. 3. (September): 213-236.

Rybaczyk L, Rozmiarek A, Circle K, Grants I, Needleman B, Wunderlich JE, Huang K, Christofi FL. New bioinformatics approach to analyze gene expressions and signaling pathways reveals unique purine gene dysregulation profiles that distinguish between CD and UC. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. (In press)

Positions

1984 - 1988

Graduate Teaching Assistant/lecturer, University of Western Ontario, University of Western Ontario, Pharmacology and Toxicology. London, ON, Canada.

1992 - 1995

Term Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, Physiology. Columbus, OH, United States.

1995 - 1998

Assistant Professor (tenure-track), The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology. Columbus, OH, United States.

1996 - 2003

Director of Laser Scanning Confocal Imaging Facility, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology. Columbus, OH, United States.

1999 - 2003

Associate Professor (tenured), The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology. Columbus, OH, United States.

1999 - 2003

Associate Professor (tenured), The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, Physiology and Cell Biology. Columbus, OH, United States.

2001 - 2002

Vice Chair of Basic Science Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology. Columbus, OH, United States.

2006 - present

Vice Chair of Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology. Columbus, OH, United States.

Professional Activities

Education

2001 - 2004

Hamdy Hassanain - Young Faculty. Research Advisor. The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Columbus, OH.

2001 - 2005

Hamdy Awad - Young Faculty. Research Advisor. The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Columbus, OH.

2001 - 2005

Mark Gerhardt - Young Faculty. Research Advisor. The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Columbus, OH.

Research Interests

Role of purines in the regulation of enteric neutral reflexes

Mechanosensory signaling in mucosal reflexes

Coordination of motility and secretion

Purinergic enteric neural reflexes in acute and chronic inflammation / IBD, colitis

Signal transduction in the enteric nervous system (ROS, Ca+2, cAMP)

Neurotransmission

Applications of video and Laser scanning confocal imaging to study purinergic and other enteric neural circuitry in intact animal and human - gut

Development of knock-out/knock-in transgenic models, and use of various inflammation models to study in detail the function and dusregulation of adenosine A1, A2a, A2b and A3 receptors, P2X and P2Y receptors in the gastrointestinal tract

Placiity of purine receptors in GI diseases

Therapeutic potential of purines in GI diseases

Alterations in neural-immune mechanisms during ischemia / reperfusion injury during repair of TAAAs

Therapeutic potential of purines in ischemia / reperfusion injury of the spinal cord leading to paraplegia

Roles of purines in peripheral vascular disease and the formation of atherosclerotic plaque

As director of LSM imaging facility, acting as consultant to faculty, students and research associates in the College of Medicine (to date, over 20 ndifferent laboratories have benefited from the facility in their research).

New / Active Clinical IRBs (2004 - 2005)

2004H0165 - Neural Gene Dysregulation and Dysfunction in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

2004H0024 - Purine receptors in atherosclerotic plaque: insights form carotid artery atheroma and a transgenic mouse model of peripheral vascular disease

New - Role of atorvastatin in reducing C-reactive protein and improving perioperative and late clinical outcome for patients undergoing peripheral vascular surgery

New - Development fo assays for the analysis of immune-neural markers in human cerebral spinal fluid and plasma from patients with TAAs

1999H1095 - Correlation between cerebral apinal fluid and plasma biochemical markers with the clinical outcome due to spinal cord ischemia during thoracoabdominal left arotic aneursym repair: a prospective study

2002H0195 - Adipose tissue, gut, immune access and bariatric surgery: outcome study

Undergrad., Grad. and Prof. Courses Taught

1985. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Pharm/Tox 480

1986. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Pharm/Tox 480

1987. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Pharm/Tox 480

1988. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Pharm/Tox 480

1992. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

1993. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 793

1993. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 693

1993. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 312

1993. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 311

1994. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 605

1994. The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Physiology 312

1994. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 911

1996. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 793

1996. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 911

1996. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 312

1996. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course

1997. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course

1997. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 312

1997. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

1998. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

1998. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course

1998. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 911.5

1999. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course

1999. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

2000. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

2000. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course 793. 5 credit hours

2000. The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2001. The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2001. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course 793. 5 credit hours

2001. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

2002. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

2002. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course 793. 5 credit hours

2002. The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2003. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course 793. 5 credit hours

2003. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Physiology 619

2003. The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2004. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Gastrointestinal Neuroscience, Independent Study Course 793. 5 credit hours

2004. The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2005. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2006. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2007. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

2008. The Ohio State University College of Medicine, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 8. , 90% Taught

Winter 2009. The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, ISP Gastrointestinal Physiology Module 12. , 90% Taught