Anthony John Donato

    Assistant Professor, Department     of Internal Medicine, Division of     Geriatrics

    Adjunct Assistant Professor,     Department of Physiology

Click here for Dr. Donato's CV

Office Address:

                        VA Med.Center, SLC
                        GRECC Bldg 2 Rm 1D30
                        500 Foothill Drive
                        Salt Lake City, UT 84148
                        Office  801-582-1565 Ext 4237
                        Lab      801-582-1565 Ext 4331
                        Cell     619-701-1744                                                    

Research Interests

My primary research focus is vascular aging, in particular the cellular, molecular and tissue specific events that induce reductions in muscle blood flow during exercise, impair arterial endothelial function and stiffen large elastic arteries in older rodents/adults. These vascular phenotypes contribute to the age related decline in functional capacity and the development of cardiovascular disease, and can be ameliorated by lifestyle interventions such as habitual exercise and caloric restriction. My secondary focus, is to elucidate the cellular pathways which confer the vaso-protective effects of these lifestyle interventions and try to activate these pathways pharmacologically to see if this will confer some of the same benefits. I have used human, rodent, and cell models to address these questions and utilized a wide range of contemporary translational experimental techniques from microRNA gene expression to ultrasonography to investigate the aforementioned interests.

Recent Publications

   * Donato AJ, Magerko KA, Lawson BR, Durrant JR, Lesniewski LA, Seals DR. SIRT-1 and Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction with Aging in Mice and Humans. J. PHYSIOL. (London) (in press)

   * Gano LB, Donato AJ, Pierce GL, Hamza M, Magerko KA, Roeca C, Seals DR. Increased proinflammatory and oxidant gene expression in circulating mononuclear cells in older adults: amelioration by habitual exercise. PHYSIOL. GENOMICS (in press)

   * Lesniewski LA, Durrant JR, Zigler ML, Henson GD, Black AD, Donato AJ, Seals DR. Aerobic Exercise Reverses Arterial Inflammation with Aging in Mice. American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circ. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. (in press)

   * Lesniewski LA, Connell ML, Durrant JR, Folian BJ, Donato AJ, Seals DR. I kappa B kinase contributes to endothelial dysfunction with aging: relation to nuclear factor ĸ B and forkhead box O phosphorylation. J. GERONTOL. BIOL. MED. SCI.66A: 409-18. 2011

   * Seals DR, Jablonski KL, Donato AJ. Aging and Vascular Endothelial Function in Humans. CLINICAL SCIENCE 120: 357-75. 2011

   * Wray DW, Nishiyama SK, Donato AJ, Carlier P, Bailey DM, Uberoi A, Richardson RS. The paradox of oxidative stress and exercise with advancing age. EXERC SPORT SCI REV 39: 68-76. 2011

   * Edwards AG, Donato AJ, Lesniewski LA, Gioscia RA, Seals DR, and Moore RL. Life-long caloric restriction elicits pronounced protection of the aged myocardium: a role for AMPK. MECH. AGING and DEV. 131: 739-42, 2010

   * Wray DW, Nishiyama SK, Donato AJ, Richardson RS. Human vascular aging: limb-specific lessons. EXERC SPORT SCI REV 38: 177-85. 2010

   * Rippe C, Lesniewski LA, Connell ML, Larocca T, Donato AJ, Seals DR. Short-term Calorie Restriction Reverses Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Old Mice by Increasing Nitric Oxide and Reducing Oxidative Stress. AGING CELL 9: 304-12, 2010

   * Walker AE, Seibert SM, Donato AJ, Pierce GL, Seals DR. Peripheral vasodilatory function is related to total white blood cell count among healthy middle-aged and older adults. HYPERTENSION 55: 363-369, 2010

   * Donato AJ, Uberoi A, Bailey DM, Wray DW, Richardson RS. Exercise-induced brachial artery vasodilation: Effects of age, antioxidants and exercise training. AM. J. PHYSIOL. HEART and CIRC. 298: H671-H678, 2010