University of Manitoba

U of M - Dentistry - Department of Oral Biology

Department of Oral Biology

Department Research Profiles

N. Fleming
B.Sc. (Belf.), Ph.D. (E. Anglia).
Professor

nfleming@ms.umanitoba.ca

Dr. Fleming's group is working on the mechanisms of signal transduction pathways that regulate mucin secretion in salivary glands in response to stimulation with a range of agonist classes.

Enzymatically-dispersed acinar cells of rat submandibular gland provide an experimental model for studies on membrane phospholipids and their metabolic products in receptor-coupled generation of second messengers.

Current interests are in the central role of the enzyme, phospholipase D, which hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine in the initial step of a series of reactions that release such regulatory molecules as phosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol and arachidonic acid.

The possible role of phospholipase D in the intracellular transport and fusion of secretory granule membranes in the secretory response is also under investigation.

Relevant publications

  • Fleming-N; Mellow-L Distribution and translocation of isoforms of protein kinase C in rat submandibular acinar cells. (1995) Life-Sci. 57(22): 2003-10.
  • Chung-HC; Fleming-N Regulation of phosphatidylinositol kinases by arachidonic acid in rat submandibular gland cells. (1995) Pflugers Arch. 429(6): 789-96.
  • Fleming, N., Mellow, L. Arachidonic acid stimulates intracellular calcium mobilization and regulates protein synthesis, ATP levels and mucin secretion in submandibular gland cells. (1995) J. Dent. Res. 74(6): 1295-1302.
  • Li, L., Mellow, L., Bhullar, R.P., Fleming, N. Activation of phospholipase D by ADP-ribosylation factor in rat submandibular acinar cells. (1998) Archs. Oral Biology 43: 211-219.