Ram Nagaraj, PhD
Professor, Ophthalmology

Publications

• Panja S, Nahomi RB, Rankenberg J, Michel CR, Gaikwad H, Nam MH, Nagaraj RH. Aggrelyte-2 promotes protein solubility and decreases lens stiffness through lysine acetylation and disulfide reduction: Implications for treating presbyopia. Aging Cell. 2023 Apr;22(4):e13797. PubMed PMID: 36823285
• Panja S, Gaikwad H, Rankenberg J, Nam MH, Nagaraj RH. Promotion of Protein Solubility and Reduction in Stiffness in Human Lenses by Aggrelyte-1: Implications for Reversing Presbyopia. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 22;24(3). PubMed PMID: 36768517
• S. Panja, M. Nam, H. Gaikwad, RJ. Rankenberg and R.H. Nagaraj. Topical ocular application of aggrelyte-2A reduces lens stiffness in mice. Front. Ophthalmol. DOI 10.3389/fopht.2023.1274825, 2023.
• Nam MH, Stankowska DL, Johnson GA, Nahomi RB, Pantcheva MB, Nagaraj RH. Peptains block retinal ganglion cell death in animal models of ocular hypertension: implications for neuroprotection in glaucoma. Cell Death Dis. 2022 Nov 15;13(11):958. PubMed PMID: 36379926
• Nam MH, Nahomi RB, Pantcheva MB, Dhillon A, Chiodo VA, Smith WC, Nagaraj RH. AAV2-Mediated Expression of HspB1 in RGCs Prevents Somal Damage and Axonal Transport Deficits in a Mouse Model of Ocular Hypertension. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2022 Nov 1;11(11):8. PubMed PMID: 36355386
• Rajeswaren V, Wong JO, Yabroudi D, Nahomi RB, Rankenberg J, Nam MH, Nagaraj RH. Small Heat Shock Proteins in Retinal Diseases. Front Mol Biosci. 2022;9:860375. PubMed PMID: 35480891
• 109. S.K. Nandi, J. Rankenberg, S. Rakete, R.B. Nahomi, M. A. Glomb, M.D. Linetsky and R.H. Nagaraj. Glycation-mediated protein crosslinking and stiffening in mouse lenses are inhibited by carboxitin in vitro. Glycoconj. J. 38: 347–359, 2021
• 110. M. Nam, M. Pantcheva and R.H. Nagaraj. Transforming growth factor-ß2-mediated mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells is repressed in the absence of RAGE Biochem. J. 478: 2285-2296, 2021
• 111. J. Rankenberg, B. D. Wagner, J. Patnaik, S. Rakete, M. A. Glomb, A, C. Henning, A. Lynch and R. H. Nagaraj. Advanced glycation endproducts in human diabetic lens capsules Exp. Eye Res. 210: 108704, 2021
• Nam MH, Smith AJO, Pantcheva MB, Park KU, Brzezinski JA, Galligan JJ, Fritz K, Wormstone IM, Nagaraj RH. Aspirin inhibits TGFß2-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells: selective acetylation of K56 and K122 in histone H3. Biochem J. 2020 Jan 17;477(1):75-97. PubMed PMID: 31815277
• Nahomi RB, Nandi SK, Rakete S, Michel C, Fritz KS, Nagaraj RH. Lysine malonylation and propionylation are prevalent in human lens proteins. Exp Eye Res. 2020 Jan;190:107864. PubMed PMID: 31678036
• R.B. Nahomi, S. K. Nandi, S. Rakete, C. Michel, K.S. Fritz and R. H. Nagaraj. Lysine malonylation and propionylation are prevalent in human lens protein. Exp. Eye Res. 190: Article 107864, 2020.PMID: 31678036, PMCID: PMC6957740
• M. Nam, K. A.J.O Smit, M.B. Pantcheva, K.U. Park, J.A. Brzezinski, J.J. Galligan, K.S. Fritz, I.M. Wormstone and R.H. Nagaraj. Aspirin inhibits TGF-ß2 mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells: selective acetylation of K56 and K122 in histone H3. Biochem. J. 477, 75-97, 2020. PMID: 31815277
• R.B. Nahomi, M. Nam, J. Rankenberg, S. Rakete, J. Houck, G.C. Johnson, D. Stankowska, M.P. Pantcheva, P.S. McLean and R.H. Nagaraj. Kynurenic acid protects against ischemia-reperfusion-induced retinal ganglion cell death in mice Int. J. Mol. Sci. 21, 1795, 2020.PMID: 32151061 PMCID: PMC7084183
• S.K. Nandi, R. Nahomi, J. Rankenberg, M. A. Glomb and R.H. Nagaraj. Glycation-mediated inter-protein cross-linking is promoted by chaperone-client complexes of a-crystallin: Implications for lens aging and presbyopia. J. Biol. Chem. 295, 5701–5716, 2020. PMID: 32184356 PMCID: PMC7186181
• S. K. Nandi, J. Rankenberg, M.A. Glomb and R.H. Nagaraj. Transient elevation of temperature promotes cross-linking of a-crystallin-client proteins through AGE formation: A potential role in presbyopia and cataracts. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 533: 1352-1358, 2020.PMID: 33081971 PMCID: PMC7744422
• S.K. Nandi, J. Rankenberg, S. Rakete, R.B. Nahomi, M. A. Glomb, M.D. Linetsky and R.H. Nagaraj. Carboxitin inhibits glycation-mediated protein crosslinking and stiffening in mouse lenses (In press, Glycoconj. J.). PMID: 33245448
• Stankowska DL, Nam MH, Nahomi RB, Chaphalkar RM, Nandi SK, Fudala R, Krishnamoorthy RR, Nagaraj RH. Correction: Systemically administered peptain-1 inhibits retinal ganglion cell death in animal models: implications for neuroprotection in glaucoma. Cell Death Discov. 2019;5:122. PubMed PMID: 31372242
• Nandi SK, Nahomi RB, Harris PS, Michel CR, Fritz KS, Nagaraj RH. The absence of SIRT3 and SIRT5 promotes the acetylation of lens proteins and improves the chaperone activity of a-crystallin in mouse lenses. Exp Eye Res. 2019 May;182:1-9. PubMed PMID: 30849386
• Nandi SK, Rakete S, Nahomi RB, Michel C, Dunbar A, Fritz KS, Nagaraj RH. Succinylation Is a Gain-of-Function Modification in Human Lens aB-Crystallin. Biochemistry. 2019 Mar 5;58(9):1260-1274. PubMed PMID: 30758948
• Nahomi RB, Nandi SK, Nagaraj RH. A monoclonal antibody targeted to the functional peptide of aB-crystallin inhibits the chaperone and anti-apoptotic activities. J Immunol Methods. 2019 Apr;467:37-47. PubMed PMID: 30738041
• Flückiger R, Cocuzzi E, Nagaraj RH, Shoham M, Kern TS, Medof ME. DAF in diabetic patients is subject to glycation/inactivation at its active site residues. Mol Immunol. 2018 Jan;93:246-252. PubMed PMID: 28886871
• Rakete S, Nagaraj RH. UVA Light-mediated Ascorbate Oxidation in Human Lenses. Photochem Photobiol. 2017 Jul;93(4):1091-1095. PubMed PMID: 28084012
• Raghavan CT, Nagaraj RH. AGE-RAGE interaction in the TGFß2-mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition of human lens epithelial cells. Glycoconj J. 2016 Aug;33(4):631-43. PubMed PMID: 27263094
• Nahomi RB, Pantcheva MB, Nagaraj RH. aB-crystallin is essential for the TGF-ß2-mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells. Biochem J. 2016 May 15;473(10):1455-69. PubMed PMID: 26987815
• Rakete S, Nagaraj RH. Identification of Kynoxazine, a Novel Fluorescent Product of the Reaction between 3-Hydroxykynurenine and Erythrulose in the Human Lens, and Its Role in Protein Modification. J Biol Chem. 2016 Apr 29;291(18):9596-609. PubMed PMID: 26941078
• Holm T, Raghavan CT, Nahomi R, Nagaraj RH, Kessel L. Effects of photobleaching on selected advanced glycation end products in the human lens. BMC Res Notes. 2015 Jan 16;8(1):5. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 25592966
• Nahomi RB, DiMauro MA, Wang B, Nagaraj RH. Identification of peptides in human Hsp20 and Hsp27 that possess molecular chaperone and anti-apoptotic activities. Biochem J. 2015 Jan 1;465(1):115-25. PubMed PMID: 25332102
• DiMauro MA, Nandi SK, Raghavan CT, Kar RK, Wang B, Bhunia A, Nagaraj RH, Biswas A. Acetylation of Gly1 and Lys2 promotes aggregation of human ?D-crystallin. Biochemistry. 2014 Nov 25;53(46):7269-82. PubMed PMID: 25393041
• Linetsky M, Raghavan CT, Johar K, Fan X, Monnier VM, Vasavada AR, Nagaraj RH. UVA light-excited kynurenines oxidize ascorbate and modify lens proteins through the formation of advanced glycation end products: implications for human lens aging and cataract formation. J Biol Chem. 2014 Jun 13;289(24):17111-23. PubMed PMID: 24798334
• Nahomi RB, Palmer A, Green KM, Fort PE, Nagaraj RH. Pro-inflammatory cytokines downregulate Hsp27 and cause apoptosis of human retinal capillary endothelial cells. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2014 Feb;1842(2):164-74. PubMed PMID: 24252613
• S. Panja, H. Gaikwad, J. Rankenberg, M. Nam and R.H. Nagaraj. Promotion of Protein Solubility and Reduction of Stiffness in Human Lenses by Aggrelyte-1: Implications for Reversing Presbyopia. (In Press, IJMS)