Cardiology

Christopher Dale Kontos, MD

Professor of Medicine
Director, Medical Scientist Training Program
Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
Campus mail 180A CARL Bldg, 213 Research Dr., Durham, NC 27710
Phone (919) 684-2119
Email address cdkontos@duke.edu

The Kontos Lab studies the molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis and vascular remodeling. Studies are directed toward understanding how signal transduction by endothelial receptor tyrosine kinase (RTKs) regulates vascular growth in both physiological and pathological processes, including exercise, peripheral artery disease (PAD), atherosclerosis, and cancer.

Current projects include:

1. Signal transduction, mechanisms of activation, and downregulation of endothelial RTKs (mainly Tie1, Tie2, VEGFR-1, and VEGFR-2)

2. Differential effects of the Angiopoietins

3. Role of the inositol phosphatase PTEN in the regulation of vascular cell growth and remodeling

4. PTEN gene therapy for prevention of vein graft disease

5. Angiogenic signaling in skeletal muscle, including mechanisms of exercise-induced angiogenesis

6. Proteolytic cleavage and shedding of endothelial RTKs

7. Angiogenic proteins as biomarkers in peripheral artery disease

Education and Training

  • Fellow in Cardiology, Medicine, Duke University, 1993 - 1997
  • M.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, 1989

Grants

Publications

Zhang, Yu, Christopher D. Kontos, Brian H. Annex, and Aleksander S. Popel. “Angiopoietin-Tie Signaling Pathway in Endothelial Cells: A Computational Model.” Iscience 20 (October 25, 2019): 497–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2019.10.006.

PMID
31655061
Full Text

Myers, Valerie D., Dhanendra Tomar, Muniswamy Madesh, JuFang Wang, Jianliang Song, Xue-Qian Zhang, Manish K. Gupta, et al. “Haplo-insufficiency of Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 in mice results in progressive left ventricular dysfunction, β-adrenergic insensitivity, and increased apoptosis.” J Cell Physiol 233, no. 9 (September 2018): 6319–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.26482.

PMID
29323723
Full Text

Tahrir, Farzaneh G., Santhanam Shanmughapriya, Taha Mohseni Ahooyi, Tijana Knezevic, Manish K. Gupta, Christopher D. Kontos, Joseph M. McClung, et al. “Dysregulation of mitochondrial bioenergetics and quality control by HIV-1 Tat in cardiomyocytes.” J Cell Physiol 233, no. 2 (February 2018): 748–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.26002.

PMID
28493473
Full Text

Myers, Valerie D., Joseph M. McClung, JuFang Wang, Farzaneh G. Tahrir, Manish K. Gupta, Jennifer Gordon, Christopher H. Kontos, Kamel Khalili, Joseph Y. Cheung, and Arthur M. Feldman. “The Multifunctional Protein BAG3: A Novel Therapeutic Target in Cardiovascular Disease.” Jacc Basic Transl Sci 3, no. 1 (February 2018): 122–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacbts.2017.09.009.

PMID
29938246
Full Text

McClung, Joseph M., Timothy J. McCord, Terence E. Ryan, Cameron A. Schmidt, Tom D. Green, Kevin W. Southerland, Jessica L. Reinardy, et al. “BAG3 (Bcl-2-Associated Athanogene-3) Coding Variant in Mice Determines Susceptibility to Ischemic Limb Muscle Myopathy by Directing Autophagy.” Circulation 136, no. 3 (July 18, 2017): 281–96. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.024873.

PMID
28442482
Full Text

Feldman, Arthur M., Christopher D. Kontos, Joseph M. McClung, Glenn S. Gerhard, Kamel Khalili, and Joseph Y. Cheung. “Precision Medicine for Heart Failure: Lessons From Oncology.” Circ Heart Fail 10, no. 6 (June 2017). https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.117.004202.

PMID
28611130
Full Text

Oehlers, Stefan H., Mark R. Cronan, Rebecca W. Beerman, Matthew G. Johnson, Jianhua Huang, Christopher D. Kontos, Jason E. Stout, and David M. Tobin. “Infection-Induced Vascular Permeability Aids Mycobacterial Growth.” J Infect Dis 215, no. 5 (March 1, 2017): 813–17. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiw355.

PMID
27496976
Full Text

Fujisawa, Takeshi, Keqing Wang, Xi-Lin Niu, Stuart Egginton, Shakil Ahmad, Peter Hewett, Christopher D. Kontos, and Asif Ahmed. “Angiopoietin-1 promotes atherosclerosis by increasing the proportion of circulating Gr1+ monocytes.” Cardiovasc Res 113, no. 1 (January 2017): 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvw223.

PMID
28069704
Full Text

McClung, Joseph M., Timothy J. McCord, Kevin Southerland, Cameron A. Schmidt, Michael E. Padgett, Terence E. Ryan, and Christopher D. Kontos. “Subacute limb ischemia induces skeletal muscle injury in genetically susceptible mice independent of vascular density.” J Vasc Surg 64, no. 4 (October 2016): 1101-1111.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2015.06.139.

PMID
26254821
Full Text

Mueller, Sarah B., and Christopher D. Kontos. “Tie1: an orphan receptor provides context for angiopoietin-2/Tie2 signaling.” J Clin Invest 126, no. 9 (September 1, 2016): 3188–91. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI89963.

PMID
27548526
Full Text

Pages