Kathleen Sluka, Ph.D. (Full Member)
Professor, Physical Therapy/Rehab Science, University of Iowa

http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/physicaltherapy/faculty/sluka.htm

Research Interest    

Experiments in the Sluka laboratory are aimed at deciphering the mechanisms that underlie musculoskeletal pain in the central and peripheral nervous systems. With respect to the central nervous system, the group is examining the role of glutamate and glutamate receptors, both supraspinally and spinally, in the modulation of chronic inflammatory and non-inflammatory pain. Specifically, the group is manipulating receptor subunit expression by gene therapy - testing the effects of over-expression, down-regulation and site selective deletion within specific brain regions - and then assessing the roles of the subunits and their phosphorylation in muscle pain models in rats and mice. Peripheral studies focus on an examination of the roles of ion channels, particularly acid-sensing ion channels and TRPV1, in the generation and maintenance of musculoskeletal pain. When pharmacological tools are unavailable, site-selective (muscle or skin) over-expression in transgenic mice, and down regulation in vivo by shRNA (expressed from a viral vector) are being used to modulate specific ion channels at particular sites. These studies are aimed at understanding the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal pain in the central and peripheral nervous systems, while also developing potential therapies.

Selected Publications:

Sluka, K.A., Skyba, D.A., Radhakrishnan, R., Leeper, B.J., and Wright, A. 2006. Joint mobilization reduces hyperalgesia associated with chronic muscle and joint inflammation in rats. J Pain 7:602-607.

Maeda, Y., Lisi, T.L., Vance, C.G., and Sluka, K.A. 2007. Release of GABA and activation of GABA(A) in the spinal cord mediates the effects of TENS in rats. Brain Res 1136:43-50.

Ikeuchi, M., Kolker, S.J., Burnes, L.A., Walder, R.Y., and Sluka, K.A. 2008. Role of ASIC3 in the primary and secondary hyperalgesia produced by joint inflammation in mice. Pain. (In press)

Hingne, P.M., and Sluka, K.A. 2008. Blockade of NMDA Receptors Prevents Analgesic Tolerance to Repeated Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Rats. J Pain 9:217-225.

Publications from PubMed