Aleksander Hinek

Research Synopsis

My research evolved around genetic diseases of connective tissues and pathology of extracellular matrix.  I have pioneered bioengineering of human articular and ear cartilages and addressed pathomorphology and therapy of cardiac and vascular diseases. I also aim at induction of new elastic fibers formation and aleviation of collagenous fibroses.

Studies executed in my laboratory are aimed at elucidation of the biological roles of the elastin receptor in normal production of elastic fibers and in the pathomechanism of occlusive arterial diseases characterized by SMC migration and proliferation. We also explore mechanisms controlling production of extracellular matrix in post-infarct heart and in hypertension.

Our research also contributes to better understanding of cardiovascular involvement in numerous genetic diseases in children. The list of experimental techniques used in my laboratory includes; histological assessments  of biopsies derived from patients with genetic diseases, organ cultures and pharmacological treatments of biopsies derived from human skin, isolation of living cells from human and animal tissues, cell transplantation, bioengineering of cartilages, 2D and 3D cell cultures of fibroblasts, chondrocytes smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes, genotyping, modifications of genetic expression, cellular transfections, protein characterization and sequencing, immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, immunoflurescence, microscopies,electron microscopy and many others.

Recent Publications

Pan X, Wang Y, Lübke T, Hinek A, Pshezhetsky AV. Mice, double deficient in lysosomal serine carboxypeptidases Scpep1 and Cathepsin A develop the hyperproliferative vesicular corneal dystrophy and hypertrophic skin thickenings. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 24;12(2):e0172854. (CSA)

Mao S, Wang L, Ouyang W, Zhou Y, Qi J, Guo L, Zhang M, Hinek A. Traditional Chinese medicine, Danlou tablets alleviate adverse left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot study. nBMC Complement Altern Med. 2016 Nov 8;16(1):447. (SA)

Mao S, Li W, Qa'aty N, Vincent M, Zhang M, Hinek A.
Tanshinone IIA inhibits angiotensin II induced extracellular matrix remodeling in human cardiac fibroblasts--Implications for treatment of pathologic cardiac remodeling. Int J Cardiol. 2016 Jan 1;202:110-7. (SA)

Qa'aty N, Vincent M, Wang Y, Wang A, Mitts TF, Hinek A.
Synthetic ligands of the elastin receptor induce elastogenesis in human dermal fibroblasts via activation of their IGF-1 receptors. J Dermatol Sci. 2015 Dec;80(3):175-85.  (SA)

Qa'aty N, Wang Y, Wang A, Mao S, Vincent M, Husain M, Hinek A. The anti-diabetic hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 induces formation of new elastic fibers in human cardiac fibroblasts after cross-activation of IGF-1R. Endocrinology. 2015 Jan;1(1):90-102. (SA)

Reich A, Bae AS, Barnes AM, Cabral WA, Hinek A, Stimec J, Hill SC, Chitayat D and Marini JC.Type V OI primary osteoblasts display increased mineralization despite decreased COL1A1 expression J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Jan1; 2015 Published on line. (C)

Mao S, Wang L, Zhao X, Shang H, Zhang M, Hinek A.
Int J Cardiol. 2015 Jan 3;182C: 329-333 (SA)

Hinek A, Kim HJ, Wang Y, Wang A, Mitts TF.
Sodium L-ascorbate enhances elastic fibers deposition by fibroblasts from normal and pathologic human skin. J Dermatol Sci. 2014 Sep;75(3):173-82. (PA)

Chung BH, Bradley T, Grosse-Wortmann L, Blaser S, Dirks P, Hinek A, Chitayat D. Hand and fibrillin-1 deposition abnormalities in Loeys-Dietz syndrome-expanding the clinical spectrum. Am J Med Genet A. 2014 Feb;164(2):461-6. (C)

Mao,S., Wang,Y., Zhang,M., and Hinek,A. Phytoestrogen, tanshinone IIA diminishes collagen deposition and stimulates new elastogenesis in cultures of human cardiac fibroblasts. Exp.Cell Res. 2014, 15 April; 323, (1),189–197, (SA)