Contact

• workRoom E34d The University of Nottingham Medical School
  Queen's Medical Centre
  Nottingham
  NG7 2UH
  UK
• work0115 82 30183
• fax0115 82 30142
• vera.ralevic@nottingham.ac.uk

Research Summary

Interests

• Regulation of blood vessel contractile and vasorelaxant function in health and disease.
• Perivascular sympathetic and sensory nerves.
• Endothelium; purines (P1 and P2 receptors); cannabinoids; vanilloids.

Techniques

• Pharmacological measurement of vasocontractile and vasorelaxant function in isolated vascular beds (eg, mesenteric, renal) and isolated blood vessels (eg, coronary, aorta).
• Pharmacological measurement of sympathetic and sensory nerve vasomotor function and neurotransmitter release (by HPLC and ELISA) mRNA extraction, RT-PCR.

Projects

• Molecular and pharmacological characterisation of P2Y1 receptors in porcine coronary artery (British Heart Foundation).
• P2 receptors in blood vessels (The Royal Society).
• Cannabinoid modulation of perivascular sensory neurotransmission (Servier, Paris & The University of Nottingham).
• Cannabinoid modulation of perivascular sympathetic neurotransmission (The Royal Society).

Centre Collaborators

• Dr. William Dunn

UK Collaborators

• Darren Smart (GlaxoSmithKline).
• Dr C Hoyle (UCL).

Recent Publications

• RAZAK AA, LEACH L and RALEVIC V, 2018. Impaired vasocontractile responses to adenosine in chorionic vessels of human term placenta from pregnant women with pre-existing and gestational diabetes. Diabetes & vascular disease research. 15(6), 528-540
• ABBAS, ZAINAB S. B., LATIF, M. LIAQUE, DOVLATOVA, NATALIA, FOX, SUE C., HEPTINSTALL, STAN, DUNN, WILLIAM R. and RALEVIC, VERA, 2018. UDP-sugars activate P2Y(14) receptors to mediate vasoconstriction of the porcine coronary artery VASCULAR PHARMACOLOGY. 103, 36-46
• DONOVAN J, WONG PS, GARLE MJ, ALEXANDER SPH, DUNN WR and RALEVIC V, 2018. Coronary artery hypoxic vasorelaxation is augmented by perivascular adipose tissue through a mechanism involving hydrogen sulphide and cystathionine-β-synthase. Acta physiologica (Oxford, England). 224(4), e13126
• ABU BAKAR H, DUNN WR, DALY C and RALEVIC V, 2017. Sensory innervation of perivascular adipose tissue: a crucial role in artery vasodilatation and leptin release. Cardiovascular research. 113(8), 962-972

• View all publications

Future Research

I carry out research into mechanisms of local control of vascular tone by perivascular nerves and endothelial cells. Current research interests include receptors for purines, cannabinoids and vanilloids, sensory nerves, and mechanisms underlying impaired vascular contractility in endotoxaemia.

• RAZAK AA, LEACH L and RALEVIC V, 2018. Impaired vasocontractile responses to adenosine in chorionic vessels of human term placenta from pregnant women with pre-existing and gestational diabetes. Diabetes & vascular disease research. 15(6), 528-540
• ABBAS, ZAINAB S. B., LATIF, M. LIAQUE, DOVLATOVA, NATALIA, FOX, SUE C., HEPTINSTALL, STAN, DUNN, WILLIAM R. and RALEVIC, VERA, 2018. UDP-sugars activate P2Y(14) receptors to mediate vasoconstriction of the porcine coronary artery VASCULAR PHARMACOLOGY. 103, 36-46
• DONOVAN J, WONG PS, GARLE MJ, ALEXANDER SPH, DUNN WR and RALEVIC V, 2018. Coronary artery hypoxic vasorelaxation is augmented by perivascular adipose tissue through a mechanism involving hydrogen sulphide and cystathionine-β-synthase. Acta physiologica (Oxford, England). 224(4), e13126
• ABU BAKAR H, DUNN WR, DALY C and RALEVIC V, 2017. Sensory innervation of perivascular adipose tissue: a crucial role in artery vasodilatation and leptin release. Cardiovascular research. 113(8), 962-972
• DONOVAN J, WONG PS, ROBERTS RE, GARLE MJ, ALEXANDER SPH, DUNN WR, RALEVIC V, 2017. A critical role for cystathionine-beta-synthase in hydrogen sulfide-mediated hypoxic relaxation of the coronary artery Vascular Pharmacology. 93-95, 20-32
• ALEFISHAT E, ALEXANDER SPH and RALEVIC V, 2015. Effects of NAD at purine receptors in isolated blood vessels. Purinergic signalling. 11(1), 47-57
• RALEVIC V and DUNN WR, 2015. Purinergic transmission in blood vessels. Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical. 191, 48-66
• DUNN WR, ALEXANDER SP, RALEVIC V and ROBERTS RE, 2015. Effects of hydrogen sulphide in smooth muscle. Pharmacology & therapeutics. 158, 101-13
• DONOVAN, JEMMA, GARLE, MICHAEL J., ALEXANDER, STEPHEN P. H., DUNN, WILLIAM R. and RALEVIC, VERA, 2015. Perivascular adipose tissue derived hydrogen sulphide contributes to hypoxic relaxation of the porcine coronary artery Nitric Oxide-Biology and Chemistry. 47, S27-S27
• SHATARAT A, DUNN WR and RALEVIC V, 2014. Raised tone reveals ATP as a sympathetic neurotransmitter in the porcine mesenteric arterial bed. Purinergic signalling. 10(4), 639-49
• BURNSTOCK G and RALEVIC V, 2014. Purinergic signaling and blood vessels in health and disease. Pharmacological reviews. 66(1), 102-92
• ALSAQATI M, CHAN SLF and RALEVIC V, 2014. Investigation of the functional expression of purine and pyrimidine receptors in porcine isolated pancreatic arteries. Purinergic signalling. 10(2), 241-9
• ALSAQATI M, LATIF ML, CHAN SLF and RALEVIC V, 2014. Novel vasocontractile role of the P2Y₁₄ receptor: characterization of its signalling in porcine isolated pancreatic arteries. British journal of pharmacology. 171(3), 701-13
• RALEVIC V, 2014. P2X receptors in the cardiovascular system and their potential as therapeutic targets in disease. Current medicinal chemistry. 22(7), 851-65
• GOONETILLEKE, L., RALEVIC, V. and DUNN, W.R., 2013. Influence of pressure on adenosine triphosphate function as a sympathetic neurotransmitter in small mesenteric arteries from the spontaneously hypertensive rat Journal of Hypertension. 31(2), 312-320
• ALEFISHAT, E., ALEXANDER, S.P.H. and RALEVIC, V., 2013. Antagonism of P2Y₁-induced vasorelaxation by acyl CoA: a critical role for palmitate and 3'-phosphate British Journal of Pharmacology. 168(8), 1911-1922
• DONOVAN, JEMMA, STANLEY, CHRIS, ANDERSON, SUSAN, MCINTYRE, CHRIS, O'SULLIVAN, SAOIRSE and RALEVIC, VERA, 2013. Effect of ageing on responses to hydrogen sulfide in rat thoracic aorta and carotid artery Nitric Oxide-Biology and Chemistry. 31, S60-S60
• STANLEY, CHRISTOPHER, DONOVAN, JEMMA, ANDERSON, SUSAN, MCINTYRE, CHRIS, O'SULLIVAN, SAOIRSE and RALEVIC, VERA, 2013. Effect of ageing on responses to hydrogen sulfide and L-cysteine in rat mesenteric and femoral arteries Nitric Oxide-Biology and Chemistry. 31, S57-S57
• DOVLATOVA, N., WIJEYERATNE, Y.D., FOX, S.C., MANOLOPOULOS, P., JOHNSON, A.J., WHITE, A.E., LATIF, L., RALEVIC, V. and HEPTINSTALL, S., 2009. Detection of P2Y14 receptor protein on platelets and investigation of the role of P2Y14 in platelet function. J Thromb Haemostas. Supplement 2, WE-045
• MANOLOPOULOS, P., GLENN, J.R., FOX, S.C., MAY, J.A., DOVLATOVA, N.L., TANG, S.-W., THOMAS, N.R., RALEVIC, V. and HEPTINSTALL, S., 2008. Acyl derivatives of coenzyme A inhibit platelet function via antagonism at P2Y₁ and P2Y₁₂ receptors: a new finding that may influence the design of anti-thrombotic agents Platelets. 19(2), 134-145
• DOVLATOVA, N., WIJEYERATNE, Y.D., FOX, S.C., MANOLOPOULOS, P., JOHNSON, A.J., WHITE, A.E., LATIF, M.L., RALEVIC, V. and HEPTINSTALL, S., 2008. Detection of P2Y14 protein in platelets and investigation of the role of P2Y14 in platelet function in comparison with the EP3 receptor Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 100(2), 261-270
• WHITE AE, GLENN JR, FOX SC, JOHNSON A, MYERS B and HEPTINSTALL S, 2007. Reduced platelet aggregation to ADP and ATP in patients with leucocytosis is due to enhanced rates of adenine nucleotide metabolism mediated by the NTPDase CD39 Platelets. 18(1), 100
• WILKINSON, J D, KENDALL, D A and RALEVIC, V, 2007. Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol inhibits electrically-evoked CGRP release and capsaicin-sensitive sensory neurogenic vasodilatation in the rat mesenteric arterial bed. British Journal of Pharmacology. 152(5), 709-16
• RAYMENT, S.J., RALEVIC, V., BARRETT, D.A., CORDELL, R. and ALEXANDER, S.P.H, 2007. A novel mechanism of vasoregulation: ADP-induced relaxation of the porcine isolated coronary artery is mediated via adenosine release. The FASEB Journal. 21(2), 577-85
• RAYMENT, S.J., LATIF, M.L., RALEVIC, V. and ALEXANDER, S.P.H, 2007. Evidence for the expression of multiple uracil nucleotide-stimulated P2 receptors coupled to smooth muscle contraction in porcine isolated arteries. British Journal of Pharmacology. 150(5), 604-612
• RUMMERY, N.M, BROCK, J.A, PAKDEECHOTE, P., RALEVIC, V. and DUNN, W.R, 2007. ATP is the predominant sympathetic neurotransmitter in rat mesenteric arteries at high pressure. Journal of Physiology. 582(2), 745-754
• PAKDEECHOTE, POUNGRAT, RUMMERY, NICOLE M, RALEVIC, VERA and DUNN, WILLIAM R, 2007. Raised tone reveals purinergic-mediated responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation in the rat perfused mesenteric vascular bed. European Journal of Pharmacology. 563(1-3), 180-6
• PAKDEECHOTE, P, DUNN, W R and RALEVIC, V, 2007. Cannabinoids inhibit noradrenergic and purinergic sympathetic cotransmission in the rat isolated mesenteric arterial bed. British Journal of Pharmacology. 152(5), 725-33
• HEPTINSTALL,S., TANG,S., MANOLOPOULOS,P., FOX,S., MAY,J., GLENN,J. and RALEVIC,V., 2005. Derivatives of coenzymes A inhibit platelet aggregation via efects at P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors. In: 20th Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis & Haemostasis. OR334
• DUNCAN, M., KENDALL, D.A. and RALEVIC, V, 2004. Characterization of cannabinoid modulation of sensory neurotransmission in the rat isolated mesenteric arterial bed. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 311(1), 411-419
• DUNCAN, MARNIE, MILLNS, PAUL, SMART, DARREN, WRIGHT, JAMES E, KENDALL, DAVID A and RALEVIC, VERA, 2004. Noladin ether, a putative endocannabinoid, attenuates sensory neurotransmission in the rat isolated mesenteric arterial bed via a non-CB1/CB2 G(i/o) linked receptor. British Journal of Pharmacology. 142(3), 509-18
• FARMER, M.R., ROBERTS, R.E., GARDINER, S.M. and RALEVIC, V, 2003. Effects of in vivo lipopolysaccharide infusion on vasoconstrictor function of rat isolated mesentery, kidney, and aorta. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 306(2), 538-545
• RALEVIC, V., JERMAN, J.C., BROUGH, S.J., DAVIS, J.B., EGERTON, J. and SMART, D, 2003. Pharmacology of vanilloids at recombinant and endogenous rat vanilloid receptors. Biochemical Pharmacology. 65(1), 143-151
• FARMER, MATTHEW R, GARDINER, SHEILA M and RALEVIC, VERA, 2003. The effects of acute and chronic lipopolysaccharide infusion in rats on the efferent function of sensory nerves in the isolated mesenteric arterial bed. Autonomic Neuroscience. 107(2), 105-10
• RALEVIC, VERA, FARMER, MATTHEW R and GARDINER, SHEILA M, 2003. Vasoconstrictor responsiveness of tail arteries from endotoxaemic rats. European Journal of Pharmacology. 460(2-3), 145-53
• RALEVIC, VERA, 2003. Cannabinoid modulation of peripheral autonomic and sensory neurotransmission. European Journal of Pharmacology. 472(1-2), 1-21
• RALEVIC, VERA and BURNSTOCK, GEOFFREY, 2003. Involvement of purinergic signaling in cardiovascular diseases. Drug News & Perspectives. 16(3), 133-40
• RALEVIC, VERA and KENDALL, DAVID A, 2002. Cannabinoids inhibit pre- and postjunctionally sympathetic neurotransmission in rat mesenteric arteries. European Journal of Pharmacology. 444(3), 171-81
• RANDALL, M. D., HARRIS, D., KENDALL, D. A. and RALEVIC, V., 2002. Cardiovascular effects of cannabinoids Pharmacology and Therapeutics. VOL 95(NUMBER 2), 191-202
• RALEVIC, VERA, KENDALL, DAVID A, RANDALL, MICHAEL D and SMART, DARREN, 2002. Cannabinoid modulation of sensory neurotransmission via cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors: roles in regulation of cardiovascular function. Life Sciences. 71(22), 2577-94
• RALEVIC, VERA, 2002. Endothelial nitric oxide modulates perivascular sensory neurotransmission in the rat isolated mesenteric arterial bed. British Journal of Pharmacology. 137(1), 19-28
• RALEVIC, V, 2002. The involvement of smooth muscle P2X receptors in the prolonged vasorelaxation response to purine nucleotides in the rat mesenteric arterial bed. British Journal of Pharmacology. 135(8), 1988-94
• RALEVIC, VERA, 2002. Hypoxic vasodilatation: is an adenosine-prostaglandins- NO signalling cascade involved? Journal of Physiology. 544(Pt 1), 2
• RALEVIC, V and KENDALL, D A, 2001. Cannabinoid inhibition of capsaicin-sensitive sensory neurotransmission in the rat mesenteric arterial bed. European Journal of Pharmacology. 418(1-2), 117-25
• RALEVIC, V, KENDALL, D A, JERMAN, J C, MIDDLEMISS, D N and SMART, D, 2001. Cannabinoid activation of recombinant and endogenous vanilloid receptors. European Journal of Pharmacology. 424(3), 211-9
• RALEVIC, V, KENDALL, D A, JERMAN, J C, DAVIS, J B, MIDDLEMISS, D N and SMART, D, 2001. Low pH modulation of recombinant vanilloid receptors and perivascular capsaicin-sensitive sensory neurotransmission. Autonomic Neuroscience. 88(1-2), 36-44
• RALEVIC, V, JANKOWSKI, J and SCHLÜTER, H, 2001. Structure-activity relationships of diadenosine polyphosphates (Ap(n)As), adenosine polyphospho guanosines (Ap(n)Gs) and guanosine polyphospho guanosines (Gp(n)Gs) at P2 receptors in the rat mesenteric arterial bed. British Journal of Pharmacology. 134(5), 1073-1083
• RALEVIC, V, 2001. Mechanism of prolonged vasorelaxation to ATP in the rat isolated mesenteric arterial bed. British Journal of Pharmacology. 132(3), 685-92
• THOMAS, T, RALEVIC, V, BARDINI, M, BURNSTOCK, G and SPYER, K M, 2001. Evidence for the involvement of purinergic signalling in the control of respiration. Neuroscience. 107(3), 481-90