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Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
School of Medicine  :  Anatomy and Cell Biology  :  Faculty

Robert C. De Lisle, PhD

Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology


Ph.D.: 1984, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Postdoctoral: University of California, San Francisco

email: rdelisle@kumc.edu

The focus of my research is investigation of pathobiology of cystic fibrosis (CF) in the gastrointestinal (GI) system.

CF is one of the most common life-shortening genetic diseases in Caucasians and is caused by mutations in the CFTR gene. CFTR is a cAMP-regulated chloride channel expressed in many epithelial cells. In the absence of functional CFTR, exocrine secretions are poorly-hydrated and viscous mucus covers affected epithelial surfaces. In the GI system accumulation of mucus can lead to obstruction of the lumen. Accumulated mucus also provides a niche for abnormal bacterial colonization and overgrowth. In the healthy gut, gastrointestinal motility is an important control for bacterial load, especially in the proximal small intestine. GI motility has been reported to be impaired in about ½ of CF patients, and this may contribute to bacterial overgrowth. These effects of CF interfere with proper nutrition, are detrimental to overall health, and lower the quality of life in CF patients.

Using the Cftr knockout mouse (Cftr tm1UNC) model of CF we are investigating the inter-related roles of excessive mucus, abnormal bacterial growth, and impaired motility in the pathophysiology of CF in the intestine. Pharmacological and dietary approaches are being used to determine the mechanisms of intestinal dysfunction in CF. The long term goal is to provide new therapeutic interventions to improve intestinal function in CF. This work includes in vivo and in vitro studies; morphological and immunocytochemical techniques; and measurement of mRNA and protein levels for various inflammatory markers and signaling molecules.

abnormal bacterial growth

Current Postdoctoral Fellows

  • none

Former trainees (Postdoc & Graduate Students)

  • Oxana Norkina, M.D., postdoctoral fellow Univ Mass School of Medicine, Worcester, MA
  • Igor Boulatnikov, PhD., Senior Scientist Univ Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS
  • Subramanian Venkateswaran, PhD; Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Abdulbaki (Baki) Agbas, PhD; Research Assistant Professor, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS; aagbas@hbc.ukans.edu
  • Simran Kaur, Ph.D., homemaker; tandonsimran@yahoo.com
  • Chanderdeep Tandon, Ph.D., Instructor, Jaypee University of Information Technology, India; tandonchanderdeep@yahoo.com

Recent Publications

Click here for Complete List of Publications from PubMed

  1. De Lisle RC, Xu W, Roe BA and Ziemer D. Effects of Muclin (Dmbt1) Deficiency on the Gastrointestinal System. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol  In Press, 2008.
  2. De Lisle RC. Altered Transit and Bacterial Overgrowth in the Cystic Fibrosis Mouse Small Intestine. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 293: G104-G111, 2007.
  3. De Lisle RC, Roach E and Jansson K. Effects of laxative and N-acetylcysteine on mucus accumulation, bacterial load, transit, and inflammation in the cystic fibrosis mouse small intestine. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 293: G577-G584, 2007.
  4. Tandon C, De Lisle RC, Boulatnikov I and Naik PK. Interaction of carboxyl-terminal peptides of cytosolic-tail of apactin with PDZ domains of NHERF/EBP50 and PDZK-1/CAP70. Mol Cell Biochem 302: 157-167, 2007.
  5. Magenheimer BS, St John PL, Isom KS, Abrahamson DR, De Lisle RC, Wallace DP, Maser RL, Grantham JJ and Calvet JP. Early embryonic renal tubules of wild-type and polycystic kidney disease kidneys respond to cAMP stimulation with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator/Na(+),K(+),2Cl(-) Co-transporter-dependent cystic dilation. J Am Soc Nephrol 17: 3424-3437, 2006.
  6. Norkina O, Graf R, Appenzeller P and De Lisle RC. Caerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis in Mice that Constitutively Overexpress Reg/PAP Genes. BMC Gastroenterol 6: 16 , 2006.
  7. De Lisle RC, Roach EA and Norkina O. Eradication of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in the cystic fibrosis mouse reduces mucus accumulation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 42: 46-52, 2006.
  8. De Lisle RC, Norkina O, Roach E and Ziemer D. Expression of pro-Muclin in pancreatic AR42J cells induces functional regulated secretory granules. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 289: C1169-C1178, 2005.
  9. Norkina O and De Lisle RC. Potential genetic modifiers of the cystic fibrosis intestinal inflammatory phenotype on mouse chromosomes 1, 9, and 10. BMC Genet 6: 29, 2005.
  10. De Lisle RC. Altered posttranslational processing of glycoproteins in cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Exp Cell Res 308: 101-113, 2005. 
  11. Borowitz D, Durie PR, Clarke LL, Werlin SL, Taylor CJ, Semler J, De Lisle RC, Lewindon PJ, Lichtman SM, Sinaasappel M, Baker RD, Baker SS, Verkade HJ, Lowe ME, Stallings VA, Janghorbani M and Heubi J. Gastrointestinal outcomes and confounders in cystic fibrosis. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 41: 273-285, 2005. 


Lab Staff

Robert DeLisle
Bob De Lisle (PI), Racquel Sewell (Res.Asst.), Lauren Meldi (Res.Asst.), Maureen Flynn (Res.Asst.)

The University of Kansas Medical Center
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
2008 Wahl Hall East
Mail Stop 3038
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160

Phone: (913) 588-2742
Fax: (913) 588-2710
email: rdelisle@kumc.edu