Anthony J. Donato M.S. Ph.D.

Department of Integrative Physiology
University of Colorado

Carlson 1B06, 354 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
Phone: (303) 492-4568
FAX: (303) 492-6778
E-mail: donatoa@colorado.edu

Personal Interests

Research Interests

• Determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which aging leads to blunted peripheral arterial function
  
• Understanding the mechanisms of the beneficial effects of lifestyle interventions such as, caloric  restriction and habitual exercise on the vascular system
  
• Elucidating the effect of older age of cerebrovascular function and responsiveness and its relation to neural inflammation
  

Current Research Projects

• Role of microRNA in age related development of arterial oxidative stress and inflammation
• Age-related changes in human endothelial cell sirT-1 expression and its association with endothelial function
• Role of circulating leukocytes in older arteries endothelial function
  
• Role of NFkB, FoxO, and p53  prevention of arterial dysfunction by caloric restriction
  

Education

Professional Experience

Teaching Experience

2006-08   University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Integrative Physiology

•          Co-instructor, IPHY 6830 Professional Skills for the Research Scientist (1 semester)
•        Co-instructor, IPHY 6010 Physiology of Aging (2 semesters)
•          Co-instructor, MCBD 4100 Role of Science in Medicine (Lecture: Vascular measurements and  consequences of vascular aging. 2 semesters)

Honors and Awards

Invited Presentations

2009 “Prevention of Vascular Aging by Caloric Restriction is sirT-1 responsible?” Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Utah, Seminar

2009 “Cellular Mechanisms of Vascular Aging: Role of NFkB” Vascular Aging and Disease: from Cells to Human, International Symposium , Daegu, South Korea.

2009 “Prevention of Vascular Aging by Caloric Restriction is sirT-1 responsible?” Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Seminar

2009 “Role of Oxidative Stress in Age-Related Endothelial Dysfunction: Is Eating Less the Answer?” University of Exeter, United Kingdom, Department of Medicine, Seminar

2009 “Can Caloric Restriction Prevent Vascular Endothelial Aging?” University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Integrative Physiology, Seminar

2008 “Role of Oxidative Stress in Age-Related Endothelial Dysfunction” Mayo Clinic Arizona, Department of Medicine, Seminar

2008 “Cellular Mechanisms of Vascular Aging: The Small Things Add Up!” Colorado State University, Department of Exercise Science, Seminar

2007 “Vascular Aging: A Roadblock to the Fountain of Youth” University of Arizona, Department of Medicine, Division of Physiology, Seminar

2007 “Age-Associated Reductions in Endothelium-Dependent Dilation in Humans are Related to Increases in Vascular Endothelial Protein Expression of Endothelin-1” Vascular Supply During Aging Symposia, Experimental Biology 2007

2006 “Endothelial Adrenoreceptor Function: The Effects of Aging and Exercise Training” University of Florida, Division of Physiology, Symposium on Vascular Biology 

2004 “Aging and Arteriolar Vascular Reactivity: Effects of Exercise Training” University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, Division of Physiology, Seminar

Professional Memberships

Publications

Walker AE, Seibert SM, Donato AJ, Lawson BR, Seals DR. Peripheral vasodilatory function is related to total white blood cell count among healthy middle-aged and older adults. AM. J. HYPERTENSION (In Revision)

 Donato AJ, Uberoi A, Bailey DM, Wray DW, Richardson RS. Exercise-induced brachial artery vasodilation: Effects of age, antioxidants and exercise training. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. (In Revision) 

Donato AJ, Papadopoulos A, Dominguez JM, Lesniewski LA, Delp MD. Aging, exercise training and advance glycation endproducts: Effects on arterial structure and stiffness. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. (In Revision)

Pierce GL and Donato AJ. Commentary on viewpoint : Will standardization of brachial artery shear stimulus make FMD ready for clinical “primetime” ? . J. APPL. PHYSIOL. (In Press) 

Donato AJ,  Pierce GL, Lesniewski LA, Seals DR. Role of NFkB in age-related vascular endothelial dysfunction in humans.  AGING  1: 678-680, 2009.

Silver AE, Christou DD, Donato AJ, Beske SD, Moreau KL, Seals DR. Arterial and venous endothelial cell protein expression are related in humans. J. VASC. RES. 47: 1-8, 2009. 

Donato AJ, Gano LB, Eskurza I, Silver AE, Gates PE, Jablonski KL, Seals DR. Age-associated vascular endothelial dysfunction is related to increased endothelial expression of endothelin-1 in healthy humans. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. 297: H425-H432, 2009.

Durrant JR, Seals DR, Connell ML, Russell MJ, Folian BJ, Donato AJ, Lesniewski LA. Voluntary wheel running restores endothelial function in old mice: evidence for reduced oxidative stress, increased superoxide dismutase activity and down-regulation of NADPH oxidase. J. PHYSIOL. (London) 587: 3271-3285, 2009.

Lesniewski, LA, Connell ML, Durrant JR, Folian BJ, Donato AJ, Seals DR. B6D2F1 mice are a suitable model of oxidative stress-mediated impaired endothelium-dependent dilation with aging. J. GERONTOL. A BIOL. SCI. MED. SCI. J.64: 9-20, 2009. 

Donato AJ, Black AD, Jablonski KL, Gano LB, Seals DR. Aging is associated with greater nuclear NFkB, reduced IkBa and increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines in vascular endothelial cells of healthy humans. AGING CELL 7: 805-812, 2008.

Donato AJ,  Eskurza I,  Jablonski KL, Gano LB, Pierce GL, and Seals DR. Cytochrome P450 2C9 signaling does not contribute to vascular endothelial dysfunction in healthy older adults. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 105: 1359-1363, 2008. 

Seals DR, DeSouza CA, Donato AJ, Tanaka H. Habitual exercise and arterial aging. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 105: 1323-1332, 2008.

Lesniewski LA, Donato AJ, Behnke BJ, Woodman CR, Laughlin MH, Ray CR, and Delp MD. Decreased NO signaling leads to enhanced vasoconstrictor responsiveness in skeletal muscle arterioles of the ZDF rat prior to overt diabetes and hypertension. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. 294: H1840 - H1850, 2008. 

Colleran P, Behnke BJ, Wilkerson KM, Donato AJ,  Delp MD. Simulated microgravity alters rat mesenteric artery vasoconstrictor dynamics through an intracellular Ca2+ release mechanism. AM. J. PHYSIOL. INT. REG. and COMP. 294: R1577 - R1585, 2008.

Pierce GL, Beske SD, Lawson BR, Southall KL, Benay FJ, Donato AJ, Seals DR.  Energy restricted weight loss improves conduit and resistance artery endothelial function in overweight/obese adults: relation to abdominal visceral fat, nitric oxide bioavailability and age. HYPERTENSION 52: 72 - 79. 2008.

Jablonski KL, Seals DR, Eskurza I, Monahan KD, Donato AJ. High-dose ascorbic acid infusion abolishes chronic vasoconstriction and restores resting leg blood flow in healthy older men. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 103: 1715-1721, 2007.

Wray DW, Nishiyama S, Donato AJ, Sander M, Wagner PD, Richardson RS. Endothelin-1-mediated vasoconstriction at rest and during dynamic exercise in healthy humans. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. 293: 2550 – 2556, 2007. 

Donato AJ, Eskurza I, Silver AE, Levy AS, Pierce GL, Gates PE, Seals DR. Direct evidence of endothelial oxidative stress with aging in humans: relation to impaired endothelium-dependent dilation and upregulation of nuclear factor k B. CIRCULATION RES. 100: 1659-1666, 2007.

Seals DR, Donato AJ, Pierce GL, Walker AE. Commentary on viewpoint: Human experimentation: no accurate, quantitative data?.  J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 102: 1294, 2007.

Donato AJ. Ageing and vascular adrenoceptor desensitization: Too little, too late?. J. PHYSIOL. (London) 582: 9-10, 2007.

Prisby RD, Ramsey MW, Behnke BJ, Dominguez JM, Donato AJ, Allen MR, Delp MD. Aging reduces skeletal blood flow, endothelium-dependent vasodilation, and NO bioavailability in rats.
J. BONE MINER. RES. 22: 1280-1288, 2007.

Wray DW, Donato AJ, Nishiyama S, Richardson RS. Differential sympathetic control of limb blood flow at rest and during exercise in cyclists and sedentary adults. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 102: 704 – 712 2007.

Silver AE, Beske  SD, Christou DD, Donato AJ, Moreau KL, Eskurza I, Gates PE, Seals DR. Overweight and obese humans demonstrate increased vascular endothelial NAD(P)H oxidase-p47^phox expression and evidence of endothelial oxidative stress. CIRCULATION 115: 627 – 637, 2007.

Richardson RS, Donato AJ, Uberoi A, Wray DW, Lawerenson L, Nishiyama S, Bailey, D. Exercise-induced brachial artery vasodilation: The role of free radicals. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. 292: 1516 – 1522, 2007.

Donato AJ, Lesniewski LA, Delp MD. Aging and exercise training alter adrenergic vasomotor responses of rat skeletal muscle arterioles. J. PHYSIOL. (London) 579: 115 – 125, 2007.

Donato AJ, Uberoi A, Wray DW, Nishiyama S, Lawerenson L, Richardson RS. Differential effects of aging on peripheral limb blood flow. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. 290: H272-H278, 2006.

Behnke BJ, Prisby RD, Lesniewski LA, Donato AJ, Olin HM, Delp, MD. Effect of aging on physical activity and vascular morphology and shear-stress in rat skeletal muscle. J. PHYSIOL.  (London) 575: 617 – 626, 2006.

Donato AJ, Lesniewski LA, Delp MD. The effects of aging and exercise training on endothelin-1 vasoconstrictor responses in rat skeletal muscle arterioles. CARDIOVASC. RES. 66(2): 393-401, 2005.

Wray DW, Donato AJ, Uberoi A, Merlone JP, Richardson RS. Onset exercise hyperemia in humans: partitioning the contributors J. PHYSIOL. (London) 565: 1053 - 1060. 2005.

Spier S, Delp MD, Meininger CJ, Donato AJ, Ramsey MW, Muller-Delp J. Effects of ageing and exercise training on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and structure of rat skeletal muscle arterioles. J. PHYSIOL. (London) 556: 947 - 958. 2004.

Bell C, Monahan KD, Donato AJ, Hunt BE, Seals DR, Beck KC. Use of acetylene breathing to determine cardiac output in young and older adults. MED. SCI. SPORT EX. 35 (1): 58-64, 2003.

Miyachi M, Donato AJ, Yamamoto K, Takahashi K, Gates PE, Moreau KL, Tanaka H. Greater age-related reductions in central arterial compliance in resistance-trained men. HYPERTENSION 41 (1): 130-135, 2003.

Donato AJ, Tench K, Glueck DH, Seals DR, Eskurza I, Tanaka H. Declines in physiological functional capacity with age: a longitudinal study in peak swimming performance. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 94 (2): 764-769 2003.

Moreau KL, Donato AJ, Tanaka H, Jones PP, Gates PE, Seals DR. Basal leg blood flow in healthy women is related to age and hormone replacement therapy status. J. PHYSIOL. (London) 15; 547(Pt 1): 309-16, 2003.  

Moreau KL, Donato AJ, Seals DR, DeSouza CA, Tanaka H. Regular exercise, hormone replacement therapy and the age-related decline in carotid arterial compliance in healthy women. CARDIOVASC. RES. 57(3): 861-8, 2003.

Eskurza I, Donato AJ, Moreau KL, Seals DR, Tanaka H. Changes in maximal aerobic capacity with age in endurance-trained women: 7-yr follow-up. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 92 (6): 2303-2308, 2002.

Moreau KL, Donato AJ, Seals DR, Dinenno FA, Blackett SD, Hoetzer GL, Desouza CA, Tanaka H. Arterial intima-media thickness: site-specific associations with HRT and habitual exercise. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. 283 (4): H1409-H1417, 2002.

Research Support