Research Interest

The Neidigh laboratory studies the biochemistry of reactive chemicals and the consequences to human health.  Reactive chemicals such as hypochlorous acid, found in household bleach as sodium hypochlorite, are produced by immune cells and can damage normal tissues. Many other reactive oxygen or nitrogen compounds are normally produced endogenously in human cells or formed because of toxins from the environment such as the carcinogenic metal ions. These reactive chemicals damage the proteins and DNA in cells and contribute to the risk of acquiring cancer and neurodegenerative diseases if the damage is not repaired successfully. Researchers in the Neidigh laboratory use powerful chemical techniques such as NMR and mass spectrometry to characterize the chemical damage that occurs when reactive chemicals damage cellular proteins and DNA. The effect of these toxins on cellular biology is then correlated with the formation and/or repair of the resulting cellular damage. These studies allow scientists to understand the mechanisms of toxicity and increased disease risk as well as suggest lifestyle changes to minimize disease risk or improve disease treatment.

Selected Publications

“Kinetics of 3-Chlorotyrosine Formation and Loss due to Hypochlorous Acid and Chloramines” M. P. Curtis, A. J. Hicks, and J. W. Neidigh. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 24, 418 – 428 (2011).

“A Modified “Cross-Talk” between Histone H2B Lys-120 Ubiquitination and H3 Lys-70 Methylation” A. Darwanto, M. P. Curtis, M. Schrag, W. Kirsch, P. Liu, G. L. Xu, J. W. Neidigh, and K. L. Zhang. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 285, 21868 – 21876 (2010).

“Cloning and Characterization of Rhodotorula glutinis Thymine Hydroxylase” J. W. Neidigh, A. Darwanto, A. A. Williams, N. R. Wall, and L. C. Sowers. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 22, 885 – 893 (2009).

“Hypochlorous acid damages histone proteins forming 3-chlorotyrosine and 3,5-dichlorotyrosine” Joey. I. Kang, Jr. and Jonathan W. Neidigh. Chemical Research in Toxicology, in press (2008).

“Measurement of the Incorporation and Repair of Exogenous 5-Hydroxymethyl-2’-deoxyuridine in Human Cells in Culture using Gas Chromatography-Negative Chemical Ionization-Mass Spectrometry” D. Rogstad, A. Darwanto, J. Herring, K. Rogstad, A. Burdzy, S. Hadley, J. W. Neidigh, and L. C. Sowers. Chemical Research in Toxicology, in press (2007).