Research Interests:
Molecular mechanisms used by Fcg receptors to trigger physiological responses.
Differential gene expression profiling of human mast cells following IgE/antigen stimulation: Functional genomics analysis of selected novel genes.
Complement-anaphylatoxin (C5a) signaling in neutrophils and macrophages.
Phospholipid signaling pathways initiated by the human high affinity receptor for immunoglobulin E in mast cells.
Academic Background:
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Pfizer Global Research & Development, Fresnes Laboratories, France, 1999-2001
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals, Fresnes, France, 1998-1999
Ph.D., Molecular Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK, 1998
B.Sc., Biochemistry Honours, University of Glasgow, UK, 1995
M.B.B.S., University of Moscow, Russia, 1992
Selected Publications:
Melendez AJ , Harnett MM, Pushparaj PN, Wong WSF, Tay HK, McSharry CP, Harnett W. (2007) Inhibition of FceRI-mediated mast cell responses by ES-62, a product of parasitic filarial nematodes . Nature Medicine, (in press)
Melendez AJ . (2007) Sphingosine kinase signalling in immune cells: potential as novel therapeutic targets. Special Issue: Inhibitors of Protein Kin BBA Section: BBA - Prot. Proteomics (in press)
Newman JPA, Banerjee B, Fang W, Poonepalli A, Balakrishnan L, Low GKM, Bhattacharjee, Akira S, JayapalM, Melendez AJ, Baskar R, Lee H-W, Hande MP. (2007) Short dysfunctional telomeres impair the repair of arsenite-induced oxidative damage in mouse cell. J. Cell. Physiol. (Sep 11; [Epub ahead of print]).
Vlasenko LP and Melendez AJ. (2005). A Critical Role for Sphingosine Kinase in Anaphylatoxin Induced Neutropenia, Peritonitis, and Cytokine Production in vivo. J. Immunol. 174: 6456-61
Tay HK and Melendez AJ (2004) FcgRI-triggered generation of arachidonic acid and eicosanoids requires iPLA2 but not cPLA2 in human monocytic cells. J. Biol. Chem. 279: 22505-22513.
Ibrahim FB, Pang SJ, Melendez AJ. (2004). Anaphylatoxin signaling in human neutrophils: A key role for sphingosine kinase. J. Biol. Chem. 279: 44802-44811
Melendez AJ and Ibrahim FBM (2004) Antisense knockdown of Sphingosine kinase 1 in human macrophages inhibits C5a receptor-dependent signal transduction, Ca2+ signals, enzyme release, cytokine production and chemotaxis. J. Immunol. 173: 1596-1603.
Melendez AJ, Aik Kia Khaw. 2002. Dichotomy of Ca2+ signals triggered by different phospholipid pathways in antigen stimulation of human mast cells. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 17255-17262.
Melendez AJ, Bruetschy L, Floto RA, Harnett MM, Allen JM. 2001. Functional coupling of FcgRI to the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form) oxidative burst and immune complex trafficking requires the activation of phospholipase D1. Blood 98:3421-3428.
Melendez AJ, Harnett MM, Allen JM. 2001. Crosstalk between ARF6 and protein kinase Ca in FcgRI-mediated activation of phospholipase D. Curr. Biol. 11:869-874.
Patents:
Human Sphingosine Kinase Gene (WO 01/31029 A2) Janet Allen, Mark Gosink, Alirio J Melendez, Laszlo Takacs. 3 May 2001
Methods and Compositions for Screening Modulations of Lipid Kinases (WO 02/27318 A1) Emmanuel Normant, Alirio J Melendez, Olivier Casamitjana, Francois Moreau. 4 April 2002
ES-62 for Asthma (0322186.8) William Harnett, Margaret M. Harnett, Ian B McInnes, Charles McSharry, Alirio J Melendez. Filed on 23 September 2003
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