O. Lynne Nelson DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM (Internal Medicine, Cardiology)
Associate Professor
Cardiology
olnelson@vetmed.wsu.edu
Clinical Interests
Heart failure therapy and interventional cardiology
Research Interests
Dr. Nelson's interests are cardiac adaptations to hemodynamic stressors,
naturally occurring and heart failure.
Current investigations include: Differential regulation of cardiac
β-adrenergic receptors in the atria versus ventricle of
hibernating
grizzly bears (collaboration with WSU Bear Conservation and Education
Research Facility) and, regulation of cardiac β3-adrenergic receptors in
congestive heart failure in dogs.
It has been well established that the autonomic nervous system mediates
expression and functional responses of cardiac β-adrenergic receptors in
heart disease. The autonomic nervous system also regulates many homeostatic
functions that are altered during hibernation, including cardiac function.
Decreased sympathetic nervous system tone during hibernation may regulate
expression of β-receptors on atrial myocytes differently than ventricular
myocytes and this expression may correlate to the depressed atrial chamber
contractile function observed during the bradycardic period. This adaptation
may help bears modify cardiac chamber contractile functions to minimize
stress related dilation.
Use of β -receptor blocking drugs in dogs with heart failure has been
disappointing as compared to results in people. Dogs with overt congestive
failure do not tolerate the hemodynamic drug effects and clinical trials in
subclinical heart disease have not shown clear benefit in survival or
disease progression. It is therefore logical to hypothesize that the canine
species may express β-adrenergic receptors in different quantities and
proportions than humans, and these receptor proportions may regulate
differently in canine heart disease.
Washington Center for Muscle Biology (WCMB)
Echocardiography in Hibernating Bears Jan 2007
Animal Planet: Bear Hibernation Research Video November 2005
Help for Honus' Heart
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/features/Honus.asp
May 2003
Sleeping Bears Help
Heart Study: Spokesman Review, Dec. 28, 2003
Selected Publications
Barrows N, Nelson OL, Robbins CT, Rourke B. Increased
cardiac alpha myosin heavy-chain in left atria and decreased myocardial
IGF-I expression accompanies hibernation-induced bradycardia in grizzly
bears. In press.
Nelson OL, Robbins CT. Cardiac function adaptations in
hibernating grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis). J Comp Physiol B 2009
Nov 26. Epub ahead of print.
Rodgers BD, Interlichia JP, Garikipati DK, Mamidi R, Chandra M,
Nelson OL, Murry CE, Santana LF. Myostatin represses physiological
hypertrophy of the heart and excitation-contraction coupling. J Physiol.
2009 Oct 15;587(Pt 20):4873-86.
McGee-Lawrence ME, Wojda SJ, Barlow LN, Drummer TD, Castillo AB, Kennedy O,
Condon KW, Auger J, Black HL, Nelson OL, Robbins CT,
Donahue SW. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and black bears (Ursus
americanus) prevent trabecular bone loss during disuse (hibernation). Bone.
2009 Dec;45(6):1186-91
Granzier HL, Radke MH, Peng J, Westermann D, Nelson OL,
Rost K, King NM, Yu Q, Tschpe C, McNabb M, Larson DF, Labeit S, Gotthardt M.
Truncation of titin's elastic PEVK region leads to cardiomyopathy with
diastolic dysfunction.Circ Res. 2009 Sep 11;105(6):557-64.
Nelson OL, Robbins CT, Wu Y, Granzier H. Titin isoform
switching is a major adaptive response in hibernating grizzly bears. Am J
Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2008 Jul;295(1):H336-71.
Hershey JD, Robbins CT, Nelson OL, Lin DC. Minimal seasonal
alterations in the skeletal muscle of captive brown bears. Physiol Biochem
Zool. 2008 March/April;81(2):138-147.
Davidson BJ, Paling AC, Lahmers SM, Nelson OL. Disease
Association and Clinical Assessment of Feline Pericardial Effusion. J Am
Anim Hosp Assoc 2008 44: 5-9.
McGee ME, Maki AJ, Johnson SE, Nelson OL, Robbins CT,
Donahue SW. Decreased bone turnover with balanced resorption and formation
prevent cortical bone loss during disuse (hibernation) in grizzly bears.
Bone. 2008 Feb;42(2):396-404.
Radke M, Peng J, Wu Y, McNabb M, Nelson OL, Granzier H,
Gotthardt M. Targeted deletion of Titin's N2B region leads to diastolic
dysfunction and cardiac atrophy. PNAS 2007;104(9):3444-3449.
Nelson OL, Lahmers S, Schneider T, Thompson P. The use of
an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in a boxer dog to control clinical
signs of Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. J Vet Intern Med
2006;20:1232-1237.
Nelson OL, McEwen MM, Robbins CT, et al. Cardiac function
in active and hibernating grizzly bears. J Am Vet Med Assoc
2003;223:1170-1175.
