Dr Aven Lee
Postdoctoral Research Fellow & Senior Research Technician
UQ Centre for Clinical Research
+61 7 334 66010
My research spans areas of molecular biology of membrane transport and regulation of ion channels in kidney and brain. I have made progress in understanding how renal ion transporters/channels function and defining the mechanisms of their regulation. My current focus is in homeostasis of neurotransmitter (such as glutamate) in normal and pathological brain. I am interested in the roles of glial and neuronal transporters in determining outcomes at the cellular level and whole brain level after hypoxic insults. I have been active in cloning new glutamate transporter splice variants and determining how expression of such variants changes in various disease states.
Book Chapters
Lee, Aven, Beasley, Shannon and Pow, David V. (2022). Glutamate neurotoxicity, transport and alternate splicing of transporters. Handbook of neurotoxicity. (pp. 817-837) edited by Kostrzewa, Richard M.. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-15080-7_129
Lee, Aven, Beasley, Shannon and Pow, David V. (2014). Glutamate neurotoxicity, transport and alternate splicing of transporters. Handbook of Neurotoxicity. (pp. 1093-1113) edited by Richard M. Kostrzewa. New York, NY, USA: Elsevier. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-5836-4_129
Journal Articles
Lee, Aven, Henderson, Robert, Aylward, James and McCombe, Pamela (2024). Gut symptoms, gut dysbiosis and gut-derived toxins in ALS. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25 (3) 1871, 1-25. doi: 10.3390/ijms25031871
Lee, Aven, Henderson, Robert, Jayakody Arachchige, Buddhika, Robertson, Thomas and McCombe, Pamela Ann (2023). Proteomic investigation of ALS motor cortex identifies known and novel pathogenetic mechanisms. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 452 120753, 120753. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.120753
Lee, A., Klinkradt, S., McCombe, P. A. and Pow, D. V. (2022). Cloning of a new form of EAAT2/GLT-1 from human and rodent brains. Neuroscience Letters, 780 136637, 136637. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136637
Lee, Aven, Arachchige, Buddhika Jayakody, Henderson, Robert, Aylward, James and McCombe, Pamela Ann (2021). Elevated levels of homocysteinesulfinic acid in the plasma of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a potential source of excitotoxicity?. Neurodegenerative Diseases, 20 (5-6), 200-206. doi: 10.1159/000517964
Lee, Aven, Arachchige, Buddhika Jayakody, Henderson, Robert, Pow, David, Reed, Sarah, Aylward, James and McCombe, Pamela Ann (2020). Elevated plasma levels of D-serine in some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 22 (3-4), 206-210. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1832120
Mohanty, Lipsa, Henderson, Robert D., McCombe, Pamela A. and Lee, Aven (2020). Levels of clusterin, CD5L, ficolin-3, and gelsolin in ALS patients and controls. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration, 21 (7-8), 1-4. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1779303
Lee, Aven, Arachchige, Buddhika Jayakody, Reed, Sarah, Henderson, Robert, Aylward, James and McCombe, Pamela Ann (2020). Plasma from some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis exhibits elevated formaldehyde levels. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 409 116589, 116589. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2019.116589
Lee, Aven, Balcar, Vladimir J., McCombe, Pamela and Pow, David V. (2020). Human brain neurons express a novel splice variant of excitatory amino acid transporter 5 (hEAAT5v). Journal of Comparative Neurology, 528 (17) cne.24907, 3134-3142. doi: 10.1002/cne.24907
McCombe, Pamela A., Henderson, Robert D., Lee, Aven, Lee, John D., Woodruff, Trent M., Restuadi, Restuadi, McRae, Allan, Wray, Naomi R., Ngo, Shyuan and Steyn, Frederik J. (2019). Gut microbiota in ALS: possible role in pathogenesis?. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 19 (9), 1-21. doi: 10.1080/14737175.2019.1623026
Xu, Zhouwei, Lee, Aven, Nouwens, Amanda, David Henderson, Robert and Mccombe, Pamela Ann (2018). Mass spectrometry analysis of plasma from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and control subjects. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 19 (5-6), 1-15. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2018.1433689
Miller, Stephanie M, Pelly, Samuel, Kalanjati, Viskasari P, Lee, Aven, Colditz, Paul B and Bjorkman, S Tracey (2017). Identification and expression of a unique neonatal variant of the GABAA receptor α3 subunit. Brain structure & function, 223 (2), 1025-1033. doi: 10.1007/s00429-017-1597-6
Kashem, Mohammed Abul, Lee, Aven, Pow, David V., Sery, Omar and Balcar, Vladimir J. (2017). Could ethanol-induced alterations in the expression of glutamate transporters in testes contribute to the effect of paternal drinking on the risk of abnormalities in the offspring?. Medical Hypotheses, 98, 57-59. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2016.11.015
Lee, A., Stevens, M. G., Anderson, A. R., Kwan, A., Balcar, V. J. and Pow, D. V. (2016). A novel splice variant of the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 5: cloning, immunolocalization and functional characterization of hEAAT5v in human retina. Neurochemistry International, 101, 76-82. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.10.013
Lee, Aven, Slattery, Craig, Nikolic-Paterson, David J, Hryciw, Deanne H, Wilk, Sherwin, Wilk, Elizabeth, Zhang, Yuan, Valova, Valentina A, Robinson, Phillip J, Kelly, Darren J and Poronnik, Philip (2015). Chloride channel CLC-5 binds to aspartyl aminopeptidase to regulate renal albumin endocytosis. American Journal of Physiology - Renal Physiology, 308 (7), F784-F792. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00322.2014
Friedrich, Oliver, Yi, Bing, Edwards, Joshua N., Reischl, Barbara, Wirth-Hucking, Anette, Buttgereit, Andreas, Lang, Roland, Weber, Cornelia, Polyak, Fabian, Liu, Ilon, von Wegner, Frederic, Cully, Tanya R., Lee, Aven, Most, Patrick and Volkers, Mirko (2014). IL-1α reversibly inhibits skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor. A novel mechanism for critical illness myopathy?. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, 50 (6), 1096-1106. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2013-0059OC
Slattery, C., Jang, Y., Kruger, W. A., Hryciw, D. H., Lee, A. and Poronnik, P. (2013). gamma-Secretase inhibition promotes fibrotic effects of albumin in proximal tubular epithelial cells. British Journal of Pharmacology, 169 (6), 1239-1251. doi: 10.1111/bph.12214
Lee, A., Anderson, A. R., Stevens, M. G., Beasley, S., Barnett, N. L. and Pow, D. V. (2013). Excitatory amino acid transporter 5 is widely expressed in peripheral tissues. European Journal of Histochemistry, 57 (1), 66-71. doi: 10.4081/ejh.2013.e11
Hryciw, Deanne H., Kruger, Wade A., Briffa, Jessica F., Slattery, Craig, Bolithon, Adelyn, Lee, Aven and Poronnik, Philip (2013). Sgk-1 is a positive regulator of constitutive albumin uptake in renal proximal tubule cells. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, 30 (5), 1215-1226. doi: 10.1159/000343313
Lee, Aven, Anderson, Ashley R., Barnett, Nigel L., Stevens, Melissa G. and Pow, David V. (2012). Alternate splicing and expression of the glutamate transporter EAAT5 in the rat retina. Gene, 506 (2), 283-288. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.07.010
Meabon, James S., Lee, Aven, Meeker, Kole D., Bekris, Lynn M., Fujimura, Robert K., Yu, Chang- En, Watson, G. Stennis, Pow, David V., Sweet, Ian R. and Cook, David G. (2012). Differential expression of the glutamate transporter GLT-1 in pancreas. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, 60 (2), 139-151. doi: 10.1369/0022155411430095
Lee, Aven, Anderson, Ashley R., Beasley, Shannon J., Barnett, Nigel L., Poronnik, Philip and Pow, David V. (2012). A new splice variant of the glutamate-aspartate transporter: Cloning and immunolocalization of GLAST1c in rat, pig and human brains. Journal Of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 43 (1), 52-63. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2011.10.005
Lee, Aven, Anderson, Ashley R., Rayfield, Andrew J., Stevens, Melissa G., Poronnik, Philip, Meabon, James S., Cook, David G. and Pow, David V. (2012). Localisation of novel forms of glutamate transporters and the cystine-glutamate antiporter in the choroid plexus: Implications for CSF glutamate homeostasis. Journal Of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 43 (1), 64-75. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2011.09.006
Lee, Aven, Anderson, Ashley R., Stevens, Melissa G. and Pow, David V. (2011). Exon 4-skipping GLT-1: A new form of an abundantly expressed glutamate transporter. Neuroscience Letters, 504 (3), 228-231. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.09.029
Lee, Aven, Anderson, Ashley R., Barnett, Amanda C., Chan, Anthony and Pow, David V. (2011). Expression of multiple glutamate transporter splice variants in the rodent testis. Asian Journal of Andrology, 13 (2), 254-265. doi: 10.1038/aja.2010.99
Slattery, Craig, Jenkin, Kayte A., Lee, Aven, Simcocks, Anna C., McAinch, Andrew J., Poronnik, Philip and Hryciw, Deanne H. (2011). Na+-H+ exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) PDZ scaffold binds an internal binding site in the scavenger receptor megalin. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, 27 (2), 171-178. doi: 10.1159/000325219
Lee, A and Pow, DV (2010). Astrocytes: Glutamate transport and alternate splicing of transporters. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 42 (12), 1901-1906. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2010.09.016
Lee, Aven, Lingwood, Barbara E., Bjorkman, S. Tracey, Miller, Stephanie M., Poronnik, Philip, Barnett, Nigel L., Colditz, Paul and Pow, David V. (2010). Rapid loss of glutamine synthetase from astrocytes in response to hypoxia: implications for excitotoxicity. Journal Of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 39 (3), 211-220. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2009.12.002
Slattery, Craig, Lee, Aven, Zhang, Yuan, Kelly, Darren J., Thorn, Peter, Nikolic-Paterson, David J., Tesch, Greg H. and Poronnik, Philip (2008). In vivo visualization of albumin degradation in the proximal tubule. Kidney International, 74 (11), 1480-1486. doi: 10.1038/ki.2008.463
Sullivan, Susan M., Lee, Aven, Björkman, S. Tracey, Miller, Stephanie M., Sullivan, Robert K. P., Poronnik, Philip, Colditz, Paul B. and Pow, David V. (2007). Cytoskeletal anchoring of GLAST determines susceptibility to brain damage: An identified role for GFAP. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 282 (40), 29414-29423. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M704152200
Lee, Aven, Rayfield, Andrew, Hryciw, Deanne H., Ma, Theingi Aung, Wang, Dongsheng, Pow, David, Broer, Stefan, Yun, Chris and Poronnik, Philip (2007). Na+-H+ exchanger regulatory factor 1 is a PDZ scaffold for the astroglial glutamate transporter GLAST. Glia, 55 (2), 119-129. doi: 10.1002/glia.20439
Hryciw, Deanne H., Ekberg, Jenny, Ferguson, Charles, Lee, Aven, Wang, Dongsheng, Parton, Robert G., Pollock, Carol A., Yun, Chris C. and Poronnik, Philip (2006). Regulation of albumin endocytosis by PSD95/Dlg/ZO-1 (PDZ) scaffolds - Interaction of Na+-H+ exchange regulatory factor-2 with ClC-5. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 281 (23), 16068-16077. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M512559200
Lee, A., Dawson, P. A. and Markovich, D. (2005). NaSi-1 and Sat-1: structure, function and transcriptional regulation of two genes encoding renal proximal tubular sulfate transporters. International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 37 (7), 1350-1356. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2005.02.013
Fischer, H., Liu, D. M., Lee, A., Harries, J. C. and Adams, D. J. (2005). Selective modulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor channel subunits by G(o)-protein subunits. Journal of Neuroscience, 25 (14), 3571-3577. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4971-04.2005
Lee, Aven and Markovich, Daniel (2004). Characterization of the human renal Na+-sulphate cotransporter gene ( NAS1) promoter. Pflügers Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 448 (5), 490-499. doi: 10.1007/s00424-004-1251-z
Hryciw, Deanne H., Ekberg, Jenny, Lee, Aven, Lensink, Ingrid L., Kumar, Sharad, Guggino, William B., Cook, David I., Pollock, Carol A. and Poronnik, Philip (2004). Nedd4-2 functionally interacts with ClC-5 - Involvement in constitutive albumin endocytosis in proximal tubule cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279 (53), 54996-55007. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M411491200
Rauen, T., Wiessner, M., Sullivan, R., Lee, A. and Pow, D. V. (2004). A new GLT1 splice variant: cloning and immunolocalization of GLT1c in the mammalian retina and brain. Neurochemistry International, 45 (7), 1095-1106. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2004.04.006
Regeer, Ralf R., Lee, Aven and Markovich, Daniel (2003). Characterization of the human sulfate anion transporter (hsat-1) protein and gene (SAT1; SLC26A1). Dna And Cell Biology, 22 (2), 107-117. doi: 10.1089/104454903321515913
Lee, Aven, Beck, Laurent and Markovich, Markovich (2003). The mouse sulfate anion transporter gene Sat1 (Slc26a1): Cloning, tissue distribution, gene structure, functional characterization, and transcriptional regulation by thyroid hormone. DNA and Cell Biology, 22 (1), 19-31. doi: 10.1089/104454903321112460
Lee, A., Beck, L. P. and Markovich, D. (2000). The Human Renal Sodium Sulfate Cotransporter (SLC13A1;hNaSi-1) cDNA and Gene: Organization, Chromosomal Localization, and Fundtional Characterization. Genomics, 70 (3), 354-363. doi: 10.1006/geno.2000.6404
Lee, Aven, Beck, Laurent, Brown, Richard J. and Markovich, Daniel (1999). Identification of a mammalian brain sulfate transporter. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 263 (1), 123-129. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1999.0947
Conference Papers
Xu, Zhouwei, Lee, Aven, Henderson, Robert and McCombe, Pamela (2017). Gelsolin, clusterin and Cd5L are the potential plasma biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with and without cognitive impairment. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian-and-New-Zealand-Association-of-Neurologists (ANZAN), Gold Coast, Australia, 9-12 May 2017. London, United Kingdom: B M J Group. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2017-316074.34
Klinkradt, S., Lee, A., Camera, D. and Pow, D. (2015). Developmental expression of GLT1D: a newly discovered and highly abundant glutamate transporter. 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, Cairns Australia, Aug 23-27, 2015. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL.
Kusumastuti, R., Lee, A., Dressel, U., Poronnik, P. and Thier, Ricarda (2009). Regulation of human GSTT1-1 by indole-3-carbinol and beta-naphthoflavone. 46th Congress of the European-Societies-of-Toxicology, Dreden Germany, Sep 13-16, 2009. CLARE: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.06.368
Pow, D. V., Lee, A., Sullivan, S. M. and Poronnik, P. (2009). Excitotoxicity and the glial cytoskeleton. 22nd Biennial Meeting of the International-Society of Neurochemistry/Asian Pacific Society for Neurochemistry, Busan, South Korea, 23-28 August, 2009. United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06243.x
Sullivan, S. M., Lee, A., Macnab, L. T., Poronnik, P., Björkman, S. T., Colditz, P. B. and Pow, D. V. (2007). The glial cytoskeleton and glutamate homeostasis. Glutamate in the Vineyards: An International Conference on the Neuropharmacology of Glutamate, Hunter Valley, Australia, 8-10 July, 2007.
Thesis
Lee, Aven (2003). Molecular biology of the human NaSi-1 and murine Sat-1 transporters. PhD Thesis, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/251973