Professor

Faculty Director, UNC Charlotte ADVANCE-NSF Program ~ Coordinator, CLAS Faculty Development ~ Reproductive and developmental biology.

Academic Degrees

• B.A. Human Biology; Microbiology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas (1984)
• Ph.D. Physiology (with Honors), University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas (1989)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Monsanto Company, Chesterfield, Missouri (1989-1990)

Courses Taught

• Human Anatomy and Physiology (and labs)
• Endocrinology
• Animal Physiology (with lab)
• Advanced Human Physiology (offered for Masters of Nursing credit)
• Integrated Systems Physiology, Biology 6104/8104
• Pathophysiology (offered for Masters of Nursing credit)
• Graduate Topics in Physiology (offered for graduate credit)

Research Interests

The research being conducted in the laboratory focuses on understanding steroid hormone action and the processes regulating embryo implantation in the uterus. The goals of the research are to a) gain understandings of these processes and thus allow for the development of methods to determine the likelihood of success of specific embryos to produce a baby during in vitro fertilization b) find ways to increase fertility in both humans as well as agriculturally important species c) determine the effects of environmental estrogens on early pregnancy and d) manipulate responses to endotoxins and other compounds that can induce shock based on our understanding of how steroid hormones confer protection or increase susceptibility to this process e) understand the role of sex steroids in liver disease. Currently these are the main projects ongoing in the laboratory.

1. A major project is the role of nitric oxide in early pregnancy. Nitric oxide appears to play a role in early pregnancy both in embryonic development as well as in uterine responses to estrogen. If the production of nitric oxide is inhibited embryos will not divide normally. Thus we are interested in understanding the role that nitric oxide plays in embryo development. In addition, we plan to study the normal pattern of nitric oxide production in the uterus and hopefully determine if altered production results in decreased fertility.
2. The other major project ongoing in the lab is being conducted in collaboration with Ian Marriott. The project is designed to sort out the immune mechanisms that regulate how the immune systems between men and women differ leading to different responses to bacterial shock or increased incidence of autoimmune diseases in women. We have demonstrated that estrogen makes women less susceptible to endotoxic shock but more research needs to be done to identify how this occurs.
3. Another project involves a collaboration with Larry Leamy. We are investigating the effects of neonatal exposure to the estrogenic compound 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin. This project looks at a variety of endpoints including tooth development, bone development, changes in gene expression in liver and kidney etc.
4. A fourth project being conducted with Laura Schrum and Nury Steuerwald will look at the role of sex steroids on liver fibrosis. It is known that progression from fibrosis to cirrhosis occurs to a greater extent in males than in females. We are interested in understanding the role of estrogen and testosterone in liver susceptibility to fibrosis and progression to cirrhosis.

Selected Publications

• Huet, Y.M. and Dey, S.K. (1987). Role of Early and Late Oestrogenic Effects on Implantation in the Mouse. J. Reprod. Fert. 81, 453-458.
• Huet, Y.M. and Dey, S.K. (1988). A Paradoxical Effect of an Antiestrogen, CI-628 on Implantation in the Mouse. Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 189, 61-78.
• Gupta, A., Huet, Y.M. and Dey, S.K. (1989). Evidence for Prostaglandins and Leukotrienes as Mediators of Phase I of Estrogen Action in Implantation in the Mouse. Endocrinology 124, 546-548.
• Huet-Hudson, Y.M., Andrews, G.K. and Dey, S.K. (1989). Cell Type-Specific Localization c-Myc Protein in the Mouse Uterus: Modulation by Steroid Hormones and Analysis of the Peri-Implantation Period. Endocrinology 125, 1683-1690.
• Chakraborty, C., Huet-Hudson, Y.M., and Dey, S.K. (1990). Catechol Metabolism in the Rabbit Uterus During the Periimplantation Period. J. Steroid Biochem. 35, 39-46.
• Huet-Hudson, Y.M. and Dey, S.K. (1990) Requirement for Progesterone-Priming and its Long-Lasting Effect on Implantation in the Mouse. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 193, 259-263.
• Huet-Hudson, Y.M. and Dey, S.K. (1990) Differential Effects of Ovarian Steroid and Triphenylethylene Compounds on Macromolecular Uptake and Thymidine Incorporation in the Mouse Uterus. J. Steroid Biochem. 35, 23-27.
• Paria, B.C., Huet-Hudson, Y.M., and Dey, S.K.. (1993) Blastocyst's State of Activity Determines the Window of Implantation in the Mouse. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 90, 10159-10162.
• Paria, B.C., Das, S.K., Huet-Hudson, Y.M., and Dey, S.K.. (1994) Distribution of Transforming Growth Factor-alpha Precursors in the Mouse Uterus during the Periimplantation Period and after Steroid Hormone Treatments. Biology of Reproduction 50,481.
• Hall, D., and Y. Huet-Hudson, (1997) The Effects of Methoxychlor on Pre-implantation Embryonic Development and Implantation in the Mouse, Reproductive Toxicology 11:703-708.
• Gouge, R., Marshburn, P. , Gordon, B. E., and Y. Huet-Hudson, (1998) Nitric Oxide as a Regulator of Embryonic Development, in preparation for Biology of Reproduction. Biology of Reproduction 58:875-879.
• Leamy, L. J., Doster, M.J. and Y.M. Huet Hudson. (1999) Effects of methoxychlor on directional and fluctuating asymmetry of mandible characters in mice. Ecotoxicology 8(2): 63-71
• Merkel, S.M., Alexander, S. Zufall, E, Oliver, J.O., and Huet-Hudson, Y.M. (2001). Essential Role for Estrogen in Protection against Vibrio vulnificus induced Endotoxic Shock. Journal of Infection and Immunity 69:6119-22.
• Tranguch, S. and Huet-Hudson, Y.M. (2003) Decreased Viability of NOS Double Knockout Mice. Molecular Reproduction and Development 65:175-9
• Tranguch, S., Steuerwald, N., and Huet-Hudson, Y.M. (2003) Nitric Oxide Regulation of Preimplantation Embryo Development Biology of Reproduction 68:1538-1544
• Jablonski, E.M., McConnell, N.A., Hughes, F.M.Jr., and Huet-Hudson, Y.M. (2003) Estrogen Regulation of Aquaporins in the Mouse Uterus: Potential Roles in Uterine Water Movement Biology of Reproduction 69:1481-7
• Motameni, A-R.T., Juncadella, I.J., Ananthanarayanan, S.K., Hedrick, M.N., Huet-Hudson, Y. and Anguita, J. (2004) Delivery of Immunosupppressive Antigen Salpl15 to Antigen-Presenting Cells by Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium aroA Mutants Infection and Immunity 72;2628-2642
• Marriott, I Bost, K and Huet-Hudson, YM. (2006) Sexual dimorphism in expression of receptors for bacterial lipopolysaccharides in murine macrophages: a possible mechanism for gender-based differences in endotoxic shock susceptibility. J. Reprod Immunol 2006 Mar 27; [Epub ahead of print]
• Marriott, I. and Huet-Hudson, Y.M. (2006) Sexual dimorphism in innate immune response to infectious organisms. Immunologic Research, 4(3):177-92
• Huet-Hudson, Y.M. (2007) Nitric oxide regulation of the embryo In: Human Embryo Evaluation & Selection (eds. J. Cohen and K. Elder), Taylor & Francis Medical Books, Oxfordshire, UK.
• Keller, J.M., Huet-Hudson, Y.M., and Leamy, L.J. (2007) Qualitative Effects of Dioxin on Molars Vary Among Inbred Mouse Strains Archives of Oral Biology 52: 450-454
• Keller J.M., Huang J.C., Huet-Hudson Y., and L.J. Leamy. (2007) The effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on molar and mandible traits in congenic mice: A test of the role of the Ahr locus. Toxicology 242: 52-62
• Rettew, J. Huet-Hudson, Y.M. and Marriott, I (2007) Testosterone reduces macrophage expression of Toll-like receptor-4, a trigger for inflammation and innate immunity Biology of Reproduction Biol Reprod. 2008 Mar;78(3):432-7.
• Gaither K.H., Huber L.R., Thompson M.E. and Huet-Hudson Y.M. (2008) Does the Use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy During Pregnancy Affect Pregnancy Outcomes? Matern Child Health J. May 14. [Epub ahead of print]
• Keller JM, Huet-Hudson Y, Leamy LJ. 2008. Effects of 2,3,7,8,-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on molar development among non-resistant inbred strains of mice: a geometric morphometric analysis. Growth Development & Aging 71: 3-16
• Keller JM, Huet-Hudson Y, Leamy LJ. 2008. Genetic Differences in Sensitivity to Alterations of Mandible Structure Caused by the Teratogen 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin Toxicologic Pathology (accepted)

Current Graduate Students

• Dahlia Besmer
• Jennifer Rettew (with Dr. Marriott)
• Nicole Schwartz

Past Graduate Students

• Wendy Chen. MS 1996. Was working in research at Carolinas Medical Center.
• Rhonda Gouge. MS 1996. Works for the FBI, Laboratory Division.
• Sharon Roseman. MS 1998. Currently teaching.
• Gilgent Peng. MS 2001. Finished MPA and working in accounting in California (biotechnology).
• Anna Konidari. MS 2002. Currently working in reproductive research at Duke
• Susanne Tranguch. MS 2002. Dr. Tranguch recently finished her Ph.D and is now Content Development Editor at Cell Press
• Jennifer Seegers. MS 2004. Currently working as an embryologist at REACH, Charlotte, NC
• Simone Hendrickson - MS 2005 Currently working at Carolinas Medical Center
• Chelsea Landon (with Dr. Leamy) - MS 2007 Currently at Duke
• James Keller (with Dr. Leamy) - Ph.D. 2008 Currently a Post-doctoral Fellow at NIH