Assistant Research Professor of Ophthalmology

Education

PhD Molecular Biology

Phone

919.681.4085

Fax

919.684.8983

Email

liton001@mc.duke.edu

Research Interests

Paloma Liton's, PhD, research interests include elucidating the homeostatic regulatory mechanism of aqueous humor outflow modulation associated to mechanical stress in the outflow pathway, as well as the role of lysosomal function in the pathophysiology of the outflow pathway in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). In collaboration with Pedro Gonzalez, PhD, and David L. Epstein, MD. Liton is also exploring the potential use of stem cells as a therapeutic approach for POAG. 

Representative Publications

1. Gonzalez P, Epstein DL, Luna C, Liton PB. Characterization of free-floating spheres from human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cell culture in vitro. Exp. Eye. Res. In press. Nov 23 [Epub ahead of print].
2. Liton PB, Luna C, Bodman M, Hong A, Epstein DL, Gonzalez P. (2005). Induction of IL-6 expression by mechanical stress in the trabecular meshwork. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. Dec 2;337(4):1229-36 (2005)
3. Liton PB, Challa P, Stinnett S, Luna C, Epstein DL, Gonzalez P. Cellular senescence in the glaucomatous outflow pathway. Exp. Geront. 40 (8-9):745-48 (2005).
4. Challa P, Luna C, Liton PB, Chamblin B, Wakefield J, Ramabhadran R, Epstein DL, Gonzalez P. Lentiviral-mediated gene delivery to the anterior chamber of rodent eyes. Mol Vis 11: 425-30. (2005).
5. Liton PB, Liu X, Challa P, Epstein DL, Gonzalez P. Induction of TGF-beta1 in the trabecular meshwork under cyclic mechanical stress. J Cell Physiol. 205(3):364-71. (2005)
6. Liton PB, Liu X, Stamer WD, Challa P, Epstein DL, Gonzalez P. Specific targeting of gene expression to a subset of human trabecular meshwork cells using the chitinase 3-like 1 promoter. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 46(1):183-90. (2005). 
7. Caballero M, Liton PB, Challa P, Epstein DL, Gonzalez P. Effects of donor age on proteasome activity and senescence in trabecular meshwork cells. Biochem. Biophys Res. Commun. 323(3):1048-1054. (2004).
8. Gonzalez P, Caballero M, Liton PB,  Stamer WD, Epstein DL. Expression analysis of the matrix GLA protein (MGP) and VE-cadherin (VE-cad) gene promoters in the outflow pathway. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. May;45(5):1389-95. (2004).
9. Caballero M, Liton PB, Epstein DL, Gonzalez P. Proteasome inhibition by chronic oxidative stress in human trabecular meshwork cells. Biochem. Biophys Res. Commun. 308(2):346-52. (2003).