Susan Sergeant

Instructor in Biochemistry

B.S., Washington College, 1981
Ph.D. (Pharmacology), University of Missouri-Columbia, 1987

Telephone: (336) 716-2586
Fax: (336) 716-7671

E-mail: ssergean@wfubmc.edu

“… no one with an unbiased mind can study any living creature, however humble, without being struck with enthusiasm at its marvelous structure and properties.” Charles Darwin, 1874

Cells inspire the same awe. Our research is focused on understanding how cells interpret signals from their environment and translate that information into signaling pathways that then orchestrate the cellular response to a particular stimulus.

We are focused on understanding cellular signaling pathways in the human neutrophil. This type of white blood cell is an important participant in innate immunity. When activated, neutrophils generate a variety of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) that kill invading microorganisms and unfortunately, can damage surrounding tissues. Thus, it is important that the enzyme complex (NADPH oxidase) primarily responsible for generating these ROS be tightly regulated. It is our goal to understand the intracellular signaling pathways that turn on and turn off NADPH oxidase such that therapeutic approaches to control inappropriate activity of the enzyme could be designed. In our studies, we use primary neutrophils, cultured cell models and a variety of cell-free biochemical systems to unravel the mysteries of how information moves through cells.

Recent publications:

O'Flaherty JT, Chadwell BA, Kearns MW, Sergeant S, Daniel LW. Protein kinase C translocation responses to low concentrations of arachidonic acid. J Biol Chem. (2001) 276:24743-24750.

Sergeant S, Waite KA, Heravi J, McPhail LC. Phosphatidic acid regulates tyrosine phosphorylating activity in human neutrophils: Enhancement of Fgr activity. J Biol Chem (2001) 276:4737-4746.

Reiger DS, Green DG, Sergeant S, Jesaitis A, McPhail LC. Phosphorylation of p22 phox is mediated by phospholipase D-dependent and –independent mechanisms: correlation of NADPH oxidase activity and p22 phox phosphorylation. J Biol Chem (2000) 275:28406-12.

McPhail LC, Waite K A, Regier DS, Nixon JB, Qualliotine-Mann D, Zhang W-X, Wallin R, and Sergeant S: A novel protein kinase target for the lipid second messenger phosphatidic acid. Biochim Biophys Acta (1999) 1439:277‑290.

Sergeant S, McPhail LC. Opsonized zymosan stimulates the redistribution of protein kinase C isoforms in human neutrophils. J Immunol (1997) 159:2877-2885.

Kent JD, Sergeant S, Burns, DJ, McPhail LC. Identification and regulation of protein kinase C-δ in human neutrophils. J Immunol (1996) 157:4641-4647.

Sergeant S, Johnson WT. Iron and copper requirements for proliferation and differentiation in a human promyelocytic leukemia cell line (HL-60). J Cell Physiol (1995) 163:477-485.