Pedro Jose, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Vice Chair, Pediatric Research

• M.D. University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, 1965
• Ph.D. Georgetown University, 1976, Physiology

Contact Information:

Georgetown University Medical Center F2004, PHC Building 3800 Reservoir Road, NW Washington, DC 20057 T: 202-444-8675 Contact Information

The most important research of Dr. Jose and coworkers is the demonstration of a crucial role of renal dopamine receptors in the pathogenesis of hypertension, especially salt-sensitive hypertension. Dr. Jose and co-workers found that G protein-coupled receptor kinase type 4 (GRK4) gene polymorphisms, by regulating the dopaminergic and renin-angiotensin system, play an important role in the pathogenesis of human essential hypertension in several ethnic groups studied. GRK4 polymorphisms interacting with angiotensin converting enzyme can predict the hypertensive phenotype in humans. In mice, hyperexpression of GRK4γ variants causes hypertension that is either salt dependent or independent, depending upon the GRK4γ variant. These findings provide a novel mechanism for the D1 receptor coupling defect in the kidney and may explain the inability of the kidney to properly excrete sodium in genetic hypertension. These findings may also open novel means to treat hypertension. For this research Dr. Jose received the Lewis K. Dahl Memorial Lecture Award from the Council for High Blood Pressure Research of the American Heart Association in 2003.

Representative Publications:

• Shen Y, Monsma FJ Jr, Metcalf MA, Jose PA, Hamblin MW, Sibley DR. Molecular cloning and expression of a 5-HT7 serotonin receptor subtype. J Biol Chem 268: 18200-18204, 1993.
• Accili D, Drago J, Lee EJ, Johnson MD, Cool MH, Salvatore P, Asico L, Jose PA, Taylor SI, and Westphal H. Early neonatal death in mice homozygous for a null allele of the insulin receptor gene. Nat Genet 12: 106-9, 1996.
• Felder RA, Sanada H, Xu J, Yu P-Y, Wang Z, Watanabe H, Asico LD, Wang W, Zheng S, Yamaguchi I, Williams S, Gainer J, Brown NJ, Hazen-Martin D, Wong L-J, Robillard JE, Carey RM, Eisner GM, Jose PA. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 4 gene variants in human essential hypertension. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99:3872-7, 2002.

More Publications at PubMed