Henry J. Pownall

Henry J. Pownall, PhD

Sanford I. Weill and Antonio M. Gotto, Jr., MD Centennial Chair in Translational Biomedical Sciences Education, Academic Institute
Professor of Biochemistry in Medicine, Academic Institute
Full Member, Research Institute
Houston Methodist
Weill Cornell Medical College


hjpownall@houstonmethodist.org
Biography

Dr. Pownall’s doctoral training was in physical chemistry with postdoctoral fellowships in molecular spectroscopy at the University of Houston, and biochemistry at Baylor College of Medicine with an emphasis on lipid metabolism. Over time he moved his studies from molecules to in vivo models, studying biophysics, peptide design, lipid synthesis and enzymology, and cell and molecular biology. His work is centered on high density lipoprotein therapeutics, and energy metabolism as it relates to obesity-linked diabetes and human lipid metabolism. A major goal of his research is to determine how alcohol ingestion contributes to enhanced postprandial lipemia, attendant pancreatitis, or alcohol-induced reduction of cardiovascular disease, an effect mediated by increased HDL-cholesterol.

His research is multidisciplinary, with extensive collaboration with structural biologists, endocrinologists, and x-ray crystallographers. Structural biologists provide expertise in lipid and lipoprotein structure by electron cryo microscopy. Endocrinologists have synergistic interests in the lipid disorders found in HIV-positive patients on highly active anti retroviral therapies. X-ray crystallographers help discern the total structure of Streptococcal serum opacity factor (SOF) for determination of structure function relationships.

Dr. Pownall maintains an active academic program. He is a member of three graduate programs at Baylor College of Medicine (Structural Computational Biology and Molecular Biophysics, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Cardiovascular Sciences) in which he teaches classes and serves on graduate advisory and qualifying exams committees. He is also active in community education, giving lectures on molecular ethics to local groups including several churches, home owner associations and garden clubs.

Description of Research

Dr. Pownall’s studies encompass multiple aspects of lipid metabolism, particularly HDL structure, properties and function in the context of obesity-linked diabetes and atherogenesis. His research goals are as follows:

-To determine if Streptococcal serum opacity factor (SOF) can enhance cholesterol disposal and reverse atherosclerosis
-To obtain a high resolution X-ray structure of SOF for the identification of active sites and design of SOF analogs
-To compare the energy storage potential of central and femoral gluteal depots, as they relate to obesity-linked diabetes
-To assess the effects of acetate, as an alcohol metabolite and in the food supply, on HDL levels and the onset of pancreatitis

Areas Of Expertise

Physical chemistry Obesity-linked diabetes Cholesterol transport Atherogenesis Fluorescence
Education & Training

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Baylor College of Medicine
PhD, Northeastern University
Postdoctoral Fellowship, The University of Houston
MS, Wilkes College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Publications

The pathophysiology of excess plasma-free cholesterol
Gillard, BK, Rosales, C, Gotto, AM & Pownall, HJ 2023, , Current opinion in lipidology, vol. 34, no. 6, PMID: 37732779, pp. 278-286. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOL.0000000000000899, https://doi.org/10.1097/MOL.0000000000000899

The pathophysiology of excess plasma-free cholesterol
Gillard, BK, Rosales, C, Gotto, AM & Pownall, HJ 2023, , Current opinion in lipidology, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 278-286. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOL.0000000000000899

Serum Opacity Factor Normalizes Erythrocyte Morphology in Scarb1-/- Mice in an HDL-Free Cholesterol-Dependent Way.
Wang, Z, Yelamanchili, D, Liu, J, Gotto, AM, Rosales, C, Gillard, BK & Pownall, HJ 2023, , Journal of lipid research, vol. 64, no. 11, 100456, pp. 100456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlr.2023.100456, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JLR.2023.100456

An ERK5-NRF2 Axis Mediates Senescence-Associated Stemness and Atherosclerosis
Abe, J-I, Imanishi, M, Li, S, Zhang, A, Ko, KA, Samanthapudi, VSK, Lee, L-L, Bojorges, AP, Gi, YJ, Hobbs, BP, Deswal, A, Herrmann, J, Lin, SH, Chini, EN, Shen, YH, Schadler, KL, Nguyen, T-H-M, Gupte, AA, Reyes-Gibby, C, Yeung, S-CJ, Abe, RJ, Olmsted-Davis, EA, Krishnan, S, Dantzer, R, Palaskas, NL, Cooke, JP, Pownall, HJ, Yoshimoto, M, Fujiwara, K, Hamilton, DJ, Burks, JK, Wang, G, Le, N-T & Kotla, S 2023, , Circulation Research, vol. 133, no. 1, pp. 25-44. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.122.322017

Normalization of Erythrocyte Morphology in Scarb1-/- Mice by Bacterial Serum Opacity Factor is HDL-Free Cholesterol Dependent
Rosales, C, Wang, Z, Yelamanchili, D, Gotto, A, Gillard, BK & Pownall, HJ 2023, , ASBMB Deuel Conference on Lipids, Dana Point, CA, 3/7/23 - 3/10/23.

Serum opacity factor rescues fertility among female Scarb1-/- mice by reducing HDL-free cholesterol bioavailability
Rosales, C, Yelamanchili, D, Gillard, BK, Liu, J, Gotto, AM & Pownall, HJ 2023, , Journal of lipid research, vol. 64, no. 2, 100327, pp. 100327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlr.2022.100327

The pathophysiology of excess plasma-free cholesterol.
Gillard, BK, Rosales, C, Gotto, A & Pownall, HJ 2023, , Current opinion in lipidology, vol. 34, PMID: 37732779, pp. 278-286.

Serum Opacity Factor Normalizes Erythrocyte Morphology in Scarb1-/- Mice in an HDL-Free Cholesterol-Dependent Way.
Wang, Z, Yelamanchili, D, Liu, J, Gotto, A, Rosales, C, Gillard, BK & Pownall, HJ 2023, , Journal of lipid research.

Serum opacity factor normalizes erythrocyte morphology in Scarb1-/- mice in an HDL-free cholesterol-dependent way
Wang, Z, Yelamanchili, D, Liu, J, Gotto, AM, Rosales, C, Gillard, BK & Pownall, HJ 2023, , Journal of lipid research, vol. 64, no. 11, 100456. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JLR.2023.100456

Serum Opacity Factor Rescues Fertility among Female Scarb1-/- Mice by Reducing HDL-Free Cholesterol Bioavailability
Rosales, C, Yelamanchili, D, Gillard, BK, Liu, J, Gotto, A & Pownall, HJ 2022, , Journal of lipid research, vol. 64, no. 2, PMID: 36596339.

The Role of Apolipoprotein A1 in Cholesterol Transport
Brenner, D, Chandra, M, Abe, R, Yelamanchili, D, Gillard, BK, Rosales, C & Pownall, HJ 2022, , 5th Annual Summer Science Symposium, Houston, United States, 8/4/22 - 8/5/22.

Poloxamer 407 Induces Hypertriglyceridemia but Decreases Atherosclerosis in Ldlr-/- Mice
Peng, X, Lian, Z, Perrard, XYD, Xiao, Y, Ni, J, O’brien, V, Dong, H, Pownall, HJ, Ballantyne, CM & Wu, H 2022, , Cells, vol. 11, no. 11, 1795. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11111795

Poloxamer 407 Induces Hypertriglyceridemia but Decreases Atherosclerosis in Ldlr -/- Mice.
Peng, X, Lian, Z, Perrard, X-YD, Xiao, Y, Ni, J, OBrien, V, Dong, H, Pownall, HJ, Ballantyne, CM & Wu, H 2022, , Cells, vol. 11, no. 11, 1795. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11111795

Excess HDL Free Cholesterol Bioavailability Drives Free Cholesterol Accretion into Macrophages and Erythrocytes in SCRAB1-/- mice
Gillard, BK, Wang, Z, Liu, J, Yelamanchili, D, Gotto, A, Rosales, C & Pownall, HJ 2022, , AHA Vascular Discovery: From Genes to Medicine 2022 Scientific Sessions, Seattle, United States, 5/12/22 - 5/14/22.

Serum Opacity Factor Normalizes Dysfunctionnal High Density Lipoproteins in SRBI-/- Female Mice and Rescues Fertility.
Yelamanchili, D, Gillard, BK, Pownall, HJ, Gotto, A & Rosales, C 2022, , AHA Vascular Discovery: From Genes to Medicine 2022 Scientific Sessions, Seattle, United States, 5/12/22 - 5/14/22.

Weight Change During the Postintervention Follow-up of Look AHEAD
Look AHEAD Research Group 2022, , Diabetes care, vol. 45, no. 6, pp. 1306-1314. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc21-1990

Excess HDL Free Cholesterol Bioavailability Drives Free Cholesterol Accretion into Macrophages and Erythrocytes in SCRAB1-/- mice.
Gillard, BK, Wang, Z, Liu, J, Yelamanchili, D, Gotto, A, Rosales, C & Pownall, HJ 2022, , ASBMB Deuel Conference on Lipids, Monterey, United States, 3/1/22 - 3/4/22.

Association Between Change in Accelerometer-Measured and Self-Reported Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Disease in the Look AHEAD Trial
Look AHEAD Study Group 2022, , Diabetes care, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 742-749. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc21-1206

Serum Opacity Factor Normalizes Dysfunctionnal High Density Lipoproteins in SRBI-/- Female Mice and Rescues Fertility.
Yelamanchili, D, Gillard, BK, Pownall, HJ, Gotto, A & Rosales, C 2022, , ASBMB Deuel Conference on Lipids, Monterey, United States, 3/1/22 - 3/4/22.

Free Cholesterol Bioavailability and Atherosclerosis
Abe, RJ, Abe, JI, Nguyen, MTH, Olmsted-Davis, EA, Mamun, A, Banerjee, P, Cooke, JP, Fang, L, Pownall, H & Le, NT 2022, , Current Atherosclerosis Reports, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 323-336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-022-01011-z