Dawn Lowe

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Credentials

PhD

Bio

Expertise

Skeletal muscle biology in aging, health and disease

Professional Associations

• Fellow, American College of Sports Medicine
• Member, American Physiological Society
• Member, Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism (iBAM), UMN
• Member, Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, UMN

Research Summary

Dr. Lowe's laboratory investigates cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle deterioration that occur with age, injury, and disease. We are particularly interested in how the loss of estradiol causes muscle weakness and impaired regeneration of injured muscles. Our studies point toward the deterioration of myosin function and satellite cells as two of the culprits. We are highly collaborative in muscular dystrophy research having published with eight other UMN muscle biologists. Our studies often have a flavor of exercise science and preventative medicine as well as rehabilitation. Trainee research experiences are enriched by the collaborative nature of our work that intersects muscle research from fields of biochemistry, physiology, biophysics, engineering, molecular and stem cell biology, pathology, endocrinology, immunology, and bone biology.

Research Funding Grants

• NIH, T32 AS007612-21 (MPI with Ervasti and Thomas)
  Minnesota Muscle Training Program
  05/01/2022-04/30/2027
• NIH, T32 AG029767-14 (MPI with Arriaga and Niedernhofer)
  Functional proteomics of aging training grant
  05/01/2019-04/30/2023
• NIH, R01 AG031743-12
  Interaction of Estrogen, Age and Activity on Musculoskeletal Strength in Females
  02/01/2009 - 01/31/2024
• NIH, R01 AG062899-2 (MPI with Michael Kyba)
  Dissecting Effects of Estrogen Deficiency on Satellite Cells on Muscle Regeneration in Females and Males
  10/01/2019 - 09/30/2024

Publications

2023:

Le G, Baumann CW, Warren GL, and Lowe DA (2023). In vivo potentiation of muscle torque is enhanced in female mice through estradiol-estrogen receptor signaling. J Appl Physiol (1985) 134(3):722-730. PMID: 36735234. PMC10027088.

2022:

Peyton MP, Tzu-Yi Y, Higgins L, Markowski TW, Vue C, Parker LL, Lowe DA (2022). Global phosphoproteomic profiling of skeletal muscle in ovarian-hormone deficient mice. Physiol Genomics 54(11):417-432. PMID 36062884. PMC9639773.

Norton A, Thieu K, Baumann CW, Lowe DA, Mansky KC (2022). Estrogen regulation of myokines that enhance osteoclast differentiation and activity. Scientific Reports 12:15900. PMID 36151243. PMC9508086.

Larson AA, Shams AS, McMillin SL, Sullivan BP, Vue C, Roloff ZA, Batchelor E, Kyba M, Lowe DA (2022). Estradiol deficiency reduces the satellite cell pool by impairing cell cycle progression. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 322:C1123-C1137. PMID 35442828. PMC9169829.

Baumann CW, Ingalls CP, Lowe DA (2022). Mechanisms of weakness in mdx muscle following in vivo eccentric contractions. J Muscle Res 43(2):63-72. PMID 35445349.

Lin Y, Nhieu J, Liu P, Le G, Lee DJ, Wei C, Lin Y, Oh S, Lowe DA, Wei L (2022). CRABP1-CaMKII-Agrn regulates the maintenance of neuromuscular junction in spinal motor neuron. Cell Death Differ 29:1744-1756. PMID 35217789. PMC9433400.

McMillin SL, Minchew EC, Lowe DA, Spangenburg EE (2022). Skeletal muscle wasting: the estrogen side of sexual dimorphism. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 322:C24-C37. PMID 34788147. PMC8721895.

Sidky SR, Ingalls CP, Lowe DA, Baumann CW (2022). Membrane proteins increase with the repeated bout effect. Med Sci Sports Exerc 54(1):57-66. PMID 34334717. PMC8678180.

2021:

Baumann CW, Lindsay A, Sidky SR, Ervasti JM, Warren GL, Lowe DA (2021). Contraction-Induced Loss of plasmalemmal electrophysiological function is dependent on the dystrophin glycoprotein complex. Front Physiol 12:757121. PMID 34764884. PMC8576390

Arpke RW, Shams AS, Collins BC, Larson AA, Lu N, Lowe DA, Kyba M (2021). Preservation of satellite cell number and regenerative potential with age reveals locomotory muscle bias. Skeletal Muscle 11:22. PMID 34481522. PMC8418011.

Trost JP, Chen M, Stark MM, Hodges JS, Richter S, Lindsay A, Warren GL, Lowe DA, Kimberley TJ (2021). Voluntary and magnetically evoked muscle contraction protocol in males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Safety, feasibility, reliability, and validity. Muscle Nerve 64:190-198. PMID 33974714.

Vang P, Baumann CW, Barok R, Larson AA, Dougherty BJ, Lowe DA (2021). Impact of estrogen deficiency on diaphragm and leg muscle contractile function in female mdx mice. PLoS ONE 16(3):e0249472. PMID 33788896. PMC8011782.

Lindsay A, Holm J, Razzoli M, Bartolomucci A, Ervasti JM, Lowe DA (2021). Some dystrophy phenotypes of dystrophin-deficient mdx mice are exacerbated by mild, repetitive daily stress. FASEB J 35(4):e21489. PMID 33734502.

Lindsay A, Kemp B, Larson AA, Baumann CW, McCourt PM, Holm J, Karachunski P, Lowe DA, Ervasti JM (2021). Tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis and metabolism is impaired in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice and humans. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 231(4):e13627. PMID 33580591.

Karvinen S, Juppi HK, Le G, Cabelka CA, Mader TL, Lowe DA, Laakkonen EK (2021). Estradiol deficiency and skeletal muscle apoptosis: Possible contribution of microRNAs. Exp Gero 147:111267. PMID 33548486.

Teaching Summary

Grant Writing: RSC 8206