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Gunapala Shetty

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Research Interests

Disease Site(s): Effects of radiation on male reproduction and testicular cancer-- Dr. Shetty is investigating hormonal manipulations to minimize the sterilizing effects of cancer therapeutic agents. He discovered that testosterone is inhibiting the differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells after cytotoxic treatment and is elucidating the mechanisms in rodent and non-human primate model using different hormone treatments, molecular targeting of testosterone responsive genes, genetic analysis and transplantation of stem spermatogonial cells. Another area of his interest is studying the mechanism of the radiation induction of testicular cancer during fetal life. Recently he had a surprising breakthrough that in a genetically susceptible mouse model radiation exposure at a specific period of fetal germ cell development dramatically induces testicular teratoma.

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1993 University of Mysore, Mysore, India, PHD, Reproductive Biology
1980 University of Mysore, Mysore, India, MS, Zoology
1978 University of Mysore, Mysore, India, BS, Chemistry/Botany/Zoology

Postgraduate Training

9/1997-10/2002 Postdoctoral Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Marvin L. Meistrich
3/1993-7/1997 Research Associate, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, Dr. N. R. Moudgal

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Instructor, Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Houston, TX, 11/2002-9/2006
Post Doc, Department of Radiation Oncology - Research, Division of Radiation Oncology, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Houston, TX, 1/1997-1/2002
Research Associate, Center for Reproductive Biology and Molecular Endocrinology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, 1/1993-1/1997
Senior Research Assistant, Center for Reproductive Biology and Molecular Endocrinology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, 1/1992-1/1993
Lecturer, Department of Zoology, University of Mysore, Mysore, India, 1/1989-1/1992

Honors and Awards

2002 H. Rodney Withers Lecture Award, RADONC, U. T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1984-1987 Senior Research Fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
1981-1984 Junior Research Fellowship, University Grants Commission

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Zhou W, Bolden-Tiller OU, Shetty G, Shao SH, Weng CC, Pakarinen P, Liu Z, Stivers DN, Meistrich ML. Changes in Gene Expression in Somatic Cells of Rat Testes Resulting from Hormonal Modulation and Radiation-Induced Germ Cell Depletion. Biol Reprod 82(1):54-65, 1/2010. e-Pub 8/14/2009. PMCID: PMC2802113.
2. Dakhova O, O'Day D, Kinet N, Yucer N, Wiese M, Shetty G, Ducy P. Dickkopf-like1 regulates postpubertal spermatocyte apoptosis and testosterone production. Endocrinology 150(1):404-12, 2009. PMID: 18818293.
3. Porter KL, Shetty G, Shuttlesworth GA, Weng CC, Huhtaniemi I, Pakarinen P, Meistrich ML. Estrogen enhances recovery from radiation-induced spermatogonial arrest in rat testes. J Androl 30(4):440-51, Jul-Aug, 2009. PMID: 19136390.
4. Zhang Z, Shao S, Shetty G, Meistrich ML. Donor Sertoli cells transplanted into irradiated rat testes stimulate partial recovery of endogenous spermatogenesis. Reproduction 137(3):497-508, 2008. PMID: 19036951.
5. Shetty G, Shao SH, Weng CC. p53-dependent apoptosis in the inhibition of spermatogonial differentiation in juvenile spermatogonial depletion (Utp14bjsd) mice. Endocrinology 149(6):2773-81, 2008. PMID: 18356279.
6. Bolden-Tiller OU, Chiarini-Garcia H, Poirier C, Alves-Freitas D, Weng CC, Shetty G, Meistrich ML. Genetic factors contributing to defective spermatogonial differentiation in juvenile spermatogonial depletion (Utp14bjsd) mice. Biol Reprod 77(2):237-46, 2007. PMID: 17475932.
7. Shetty G, Weng CC, Meachem SJ, Bolden-Tiller OU, Zhang Z, Pakarinen P, Huhtaniemi I, Meistrich ML. Both testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone independently inhibit spermatogonial differentiation in irradiated rats. Endocrinology 147(1):472-82, 2006. PMID: 16210366.
8. Shetty G, Weng CC, Porter KL, Zhang Z, Pakarinen P, Kumar TR, Meistrich ML. Spermatogonial differentiation in juvenile spermatogonial depletion (jsd) mice with androgen receptor or follicle-stimulating hormone mutations. Endocrinology 147(7):3563-70, 2006. PMID: 16627582.
9. Porter KL, Shetty G, Meistrich ML. Testicular edema is associated with spermatogonial arrest in irradiated rats. Endocrinology 147(3):1297-305, 2006. PMID: 16306082.
10. Boekelheide K, Schoenfeld HA, Hall SJ, Weng CC, Shetty G, Leith J, Harper J, Sigman M, Hess DL, Meistrich ML. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (Cetrorelix) therapy fails to protect nonhuman primates (Macaca arctoides) from radiation-induced spermatogenic failure. J Androl 26(2):222-34, 2005. PMID: 15713828.
11. Shetty G, Weng CC. Cryptorchidism rescues spermatogonial differentiation in juvenile spermatogonial depletion (jsd) mice. Endocrinology 145(1):126-33, 2004. PMID: 14500567.
12. Shetty G, Weng CC, Bolden-Tiller OU, Huhtaniemi I, Handelsman DJ, Meistrich ML. Effects of medroxyprogesterone and estradiol on the recovery of spermatogenesis in irradiated rats. Endocrinology 145(10):4461-9, 2004. PMID: 15205377.

Invited Articles
1. Meistrich M, Shetty G. Hormonal Suppression for Fertility Preservation in Males and Females. Reproduction, 2008. PMID: 18515310.
2. Shetty G, Meistrich ML. The missing niche for spermatogonial stem cells: do blood vessels point the way? Cell Stem Cell 1(4):361-3, 2007. PMID: 18371373.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Optimizing Spermatogonial transplantation for fertility preservation
Funding Source: NIH/NICHD
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 9/3/2009 - 8/31/2011
 
Title: Reversal of Spermatogonial Arrest in Mice
Funding Source: NIH/NICHD
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 3/1/2008 - 1/31/2013
 
Title: Activation of Spermatogenic Recovery after Toxic Insult
Funding Source: NIH/NIEHS
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 6/1/2007 - 3/31/2012

Last updated: 2/19/2013