Johannes von Lintig Joins Department of Pharmacology
Dr. von Lintig will join the faculty at Case in spring 2008 as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology. Dr. von Lintig received his M.Sc. in Biology at the Albert Ludwig University in Freiburg, Germany. In 1993, he received his Ph.D. at Freiburg, where he worked on gene regulation in plant-microbe interactions in the tumorigenesis of crown galls in Dr. Joachim Schröder’s laboratory in the Dept. of Plant Biochemistry. He then joined Dr. Peter Beyer’s laboratory in the Cell Biology Dept. as a post-doc to work on the carotenoid pathway in plants. Within an European network project, addressing basic scientific and biotechnological aspects of plant carotenoids, he also worked abroad, e.g., in Dr. Guiliano’s laboratory at ENEA, Rome. Since 1998, he has led his own group in Freiburg, working on carotenoid/retinoid metabolism in animals. His groundbreaking identification and characterization of novel genes in this pathway, including the first animal carotenoid oxygenase converting pro-vitamin A carotenoids into vitamin A and carotenoid transporters, have won internationql recognition, culminating years of research devoted to this problem.
Research Interests
Retinoids (vitamin A and its derivatives) are essential for processes ranging from development to vision, cell proliferation and metabolic control. All vitamin A stems from carotenoids with pro-vitamin A activity, such as b,b-carotene. These compounds are the natural precursors for critical metabolites, such as 11-cis-retinal - the unique chromophore of visual G-protein coupled receptors (rhodopsins) - and retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is a hormone-like substance that regulates gene expression via nuclear receptors. The metabolism of carotenoids and their retinoid derivatives involves a complex framework of gene activities, including numerous signaling receptors, binding proteins, transporters, and metabolizing enzymes. The activities of these genes need to be closely coordinated since different tissues have quantitatively and qualitatively different requirements for retinoids. This raises important questions as to what mechanisms govern these pathways.Specifically, what are the features of communication between these lipid derivatives and their receptors, binding proteins, transporters, and metabolizing enzymes that link them physiologically and integrate them into a higher level of metabolic control?
Additionally, he works on questions concerning the visual cycle and the role of retinoids in retinal damage. Following along this path, his research contributes to the understanding of the etiology of human diseases related to vitamin A metabolism, such as neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. This understanding is essential for formulating concepts for prevention and therapy of such diseases, including the development of drugs adjusting disturbances in vitamin A metabolism and functions.