Centre staff
Dr Neil Mckay
Head of learning, teaching and assessment
Phone 0114 225 2371
Email n.mckay@shu.ac.uk
Research interests
Smooth muscle function, with particular focus on the expression, function and regulation of potassium channels.
The expression and function of BK channels in disease
Using a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular biology, biochemistry and electrophysiology, the expression and function of calcium sensitive (K Ca) and ATP-sensitive (K ATP ) potassium channels is being investigated. Models of disease using native tissue, primary cell lines and transfected cell lines expressing specific channel variants and accessory proteins are being studied to determine if the disease state is associated with a change in the level of expression or functional activity of calcium sensitive (K Ca ) and/or ATP-sensitive (K ATP ) potassium channels. This work is carried out conjunction with Dr Kim Lawson and Dr Donna Sellers (Bond University, Australia) and with Professor Christopher Chapple at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.
Modelling the pharmacophore of the BK Ca channel
Efflux and electrophysiological studies to investigate the pharmacophore of the BK Ca channel are being carried out using novel BK Ca openers and transgenic cell lines. This project will provide information for the identification of novel therapeutics and lead to a better understanding of the role of BK Ca channels in cellular physiology. This work is in collaboration with Professor I Giorgi and Dr V Calderone of the Università delgli Studi di Pisa, Italy and Dr Kim Lawson, Dr Donna Sellers (Bond University, Australia) and Dr Anne-Marie Harrison.
Recent publications
Collins VM, Chapple CR, McKay NG, Sellers DJ, Grundy D Working Title - Attenuation of sensory afferent nerve firing by brefeldin-A in an ex vivo mouse bladder model (data collected, manuscript in preparation)
RW Kirby, DJ Sellers, A-M Harrison, K Lawson and NG McKay. Development of a non-radioactive rubidium efflux assay for the identification of BKCa channel modulators (data collected, manuscript in preparation)
Vahabi B, McKay NG, Lawson K, Sellers DJ. (2010) The role of c-kit-positive interstitial cells in mediating phasic contractions of bladder strips from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. BJU Int. 2010 Aug 24
Masunaga K, Chapple CR, McKay NG, Yoshida M, Sellers DJ. (2010) The beta(3)-adrenoceptor mediates the inhibitory effects of beta-adrenoceptor agonists via the urothelium in pig bladder dome. Neurourol Urodyn. Feb 11
Akino H, Chapple CR, Sellers DJ, McKay NG, Cross RL, Murakami S, Yokoyama O and Chess-Williams R (2008) Spontaneous contractions of the pig urinary bladder: the effect of ATP-sensitive potassium channels and the role of the mucosa. Br. J. Urol. Int. 102(9):1168-1174
Sellers DJ and McKay NG (2007) Developments in the pharmacotherapy of the overactive bladder. Current Opinion in Urology 17: 223-230
Stevens LA, Sellers DJ, McKay NG, and Chess-Williams R. (2006). Muscarinic Receptor Function, Density And G-Protein Coupling In The Overactive Diabetic Rat Bladder. Autonomic and Autocoid Pharmacology. 26 (3): 303-309.
Lawson K and McKay NG (2006). Are potassium channels realistic therapeutic targets? Curr. Pharm. Design, 12(4): 459-470.
Sellers DJ, Khanna M and McKay NG (2005). Investigation of muscarinic receptor modulation of K+ channel activity using a non-radioactive Rb+ efflux assay. Proceedings of the British Pharmacological Society.
Kirby RW, Sellers DJ, Harrison A-M, Lawson K and McKay NG (2005) A non-radioactive rubidium efflux assay for the identification of BKCa channel modulators. Proceedings of the British Pharmacological Society
Anavi-Goffer S, McKay NG, Ashford MLJ and Coutts AA (2002). Vanilloid receptor type 1-immunoreactivity is expressed by intrinsic afferent neurones in the guinea-pig myenteric plexus. Letters to Neuroscience 8, 309(1): 53-57.
Book Chapters
McKay NG Kirby RW and Lawson K (2008) Rubidium efflux as a tool for the pharmacological characterisation of compounds with BK channel opening properties in 'Potassium Channels: Methods and Protocols' Methods Mol Biol. 491:267-77
Conference presentations
H. Nyamwaro, N.G. McKay, K. Lawson, C.R. Chapple, D.J. Sellers (2010) Phasic contractions of the pig bladder: Functional heterogeneity between bladder regions and the role of the mucosa 25th Annual European Association of Urology Congress
V.M. Collins, C.R. Chapple, N.G. Mc Kay, D.J. Sellers, D. Grundy (2010) Attenuation of sensory afferent nerve firing by brefeldin-A in an ex vivo mouse bladder model 25th Annual European Association of Urology Congress
Vahabi, B. McKay NG, Lawson K, and Sellers D (2009) Cholinergic modulation of spontaneous activity in bladder strips from the diabetic rat; effect of the mucosa 24th Annual European Association of Urology Congress
B. Vahabi, N.G. Mckay, K. Lawson, D.J. Sellers (2008) Identification of c-kit positive cells in rat urinary bladder and characterisation of their functional role in spontaneous activity in control and diabetic bladders 23rd Annual European Association of Urology Congress
K. Masunaga, C.R. Chapple, R. Chess-Williams, N. Mckay, M. Yoshida, D.J. Sellers (2008) Inhibitory effects of β-adrenoceptor agonists on detrusor contraction via the urothelium involve the β3-adrenoceptor in pig bladder trigone and proximal urethra 23rd Annual European Association of Urology Congress
Akino H, Chapple CR, Chess-Williams R, McKay NG, Yokoama O, Murakami S, Sellers DJ. (2007). Spontaneous bladder contraction: what is responsible for the difference in the inhibitory effect of cromakalim in bladder strips with and without urothelium/suburothelium? 22nd Annual European Association of Urology Congress
Masunaga K, Chapple CR, Chess-Williams R, Murakami S, Akino H, McKay NG, Yoshida M, Sellers DJ. (2007). Which receptor subtype mediates the effects of ß-adrenoreceptor agonists on the urothelium of pig bladder dome? 22nd Annual European Association of Urology Congress
Vahabi B, Lawson K, McKay NG, Sellers DJ. (2007) Spontaneous activity in the diabetic rat bladder. 22nd Annual European Association of Urology Congress
Kirby RW, Sellers DJ, Harrison A-M, Lawson K and McKay NG (2005) A non-radioactive rubidium efflux assay for the identification of BKCa channel modulators. Proceedings of the British Pharmacological Society
Sellers DJ, Khanna M and McKay NG (2005) Investigation of muscarinic receptor modulation of K+ channel activity using a non-radioactive Rb+ efflux assay. Proceedings of the British Pharmacological Society
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