Ana Cárdenas Díaz

Profesora Titular Instituto de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso.
Investigadora Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso.
Químico Farmacéutico, Universidad de Chile, 1984
Doctora en Farmacología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1988
Formación postdoctoral en National Institutes of Health, USA, 1992-1994

Contact information:

Correo electrónico: ana.cardenas@uv.cl
Pasaje Harrington 287, Playa Ancha. Valparaíso
Teléfono: (56)-(32)-2508040

Our group studies the molecular mechanisms that control vesicle trafficking and exocytosis in neurons, neuroendocrine cells and myocytes, with a special focused in pathogenic mechanisms involved in neuropathies, myopathies and Down syndrome. To this aim, we use techniques such as amperometry and total internal reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM) that enable us to monitor single exocytosis events in real time, in three different types of cells: (1) adrenal chromaffin cells, which release adrenaline, neuropeptides and other chemicals in response to stress, (2) cell lines derived from hippocampus and cerebral cortex of trisomy 16 mice, an animal model of Down syndrome, and (3) a human skeletal muscle cell line.

• Jara O, Maripillán J, Momboisse F, Cárdenas AM, García IE, Martínez AD. (2024) Differential Regulation of Hemichannels and Gap Junction Channels by RhoA GTPase and Actin Cytoskeleton: A Comparative Analysis of Cx43 and Cx26. Int J Mol Sci. 25(13):7246. doi: 10.3390/ijms25137246
• Maldifassi MC, Guerra-Fernández MJ, Ponce D, Alfonso-Bueno S, Maripillán J, Vielma AH, Báez-Matus X, Marengo FD, Acuña-Castillo C, Sáez JC, Martínez AD, Cárdenas AM. (2024) Autocrine activation of P2X7 receptors mediates catecholamine secretion in chromaffin cells. Br J Pharmacol. 181(16):2905-2922. doi: 10.1111/bph.16371
• Arriagada-Diaz J, Flores-Muñoz C, Gómez-Soto B, Labraña-Allende M, Mattar-Araos M, Prado-Vega L, Hinostroza F, Gajardo I, Guerra-Fernández MJ, Bevilacqua JA, Cárdenas AM, Bitoun M, Ardiles AO, Gonzalez-Jamett AM. (2023) A centronuclear myopathy-causing mutation in dynamin-2 disrupts neuronal morphology and excitatory synaptic transmission in a murine model of the disease. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 49(4):e12918. doi: 10.1111/nan.12918
• Arriagada-Diaz J, Prado-Vega L, Cárdenas Díaz AM, Ardiles AO, Gonzalez-Jamett AM. (2022) Dynamin Superfamily at Pre- and Postsynapses: Master Regulators of Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity in Health and Disease. Neuroscientist. 28(1):41-58. doi: 10.1177/1073858420974313
• Bayonés L, Guerra-Fernández MJ, Hinostroza F, Báez-Matus X, Vásquez-Navarrete J, Gallo LI, Parra S, Martínez AD, González-Jamett A, Marengo FD, Cárdenas AM (2022) Gain-of-Function Dynamin-2 Mutations Linked to Centronuclear Myopathy Impair Ca2+-Induced Exocytosis in Human Myoblasts. Int J Mol Sci 23, 10363. doi: 10.3390/ijms231810363
• Flores-Muñoz C, Maripillán J, Vásquez-Navarrete J, Novoa-Molina J, Ceriani R, Sánchez HA, Abbott AC, Weinstein-Oppenheimer C, Brown DI, Cárdenas AM, García IE, Martínez AD. (2021) Restraint of Human Skin Fibroblast Motility, Migration, and Cell Surface Actin Dynamics, by Pannexin 1 and P2X7 Receptor Signaling. Int J Mol Sci. 22(3):1069. doi: 10.3390/ijms22031069.
• López X, Palacios-Prado N, Güiza J, Escamilla R, Fernández P, Vega JL, Rojas M, Marquez-Miranda V, Chamorro E, Cárdenas AM, Maldifassi MC, Martínez AD, Duarte Y, González-Nilo FD, Sáez JC. (2021) A physiologic rise in cytoplasmic calcium ion signal increases pannexin1 channel activity via a C-terminus phosphorylation by CaMKII. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 118(32):e2108967118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2108967118
• Báez-Matus X, Figueroa-Cares C, Gónzalez-Jamett AM, Almarza-Salazar H, Arriagada C, Maldifassi MC, Guerra MJ, Mouly V, Bigot A, Caviedes P, Cárdenas AM. (2019) Defects in G-Actin Incorporation into Filaments in Myoblasts Derived from Dysferlinopathy Patients Are Restored by Dysferlin C2 Domains. Int J Mol Sci. 21(1). pii: E37. doi: 10.3390/ijms21010037.
• García-Campos P, Báez-Matus X, Jara-Gutiérrez C, Paz-Araos M, Astorga C, Cea LA, Rodríguez V, Bevilacqua JA, Caviedes P, Cárdenas AM. (2020) N-Acetylcysteine Reduces Skeletal Muscles Oxidative Stress and Improves Grip Strength in Dysferlin-Deficient Bla/J Mice. Int J Mol Sci. 21(12):E4293. doi: 10.3390/ijms21124293.
• Moya-Díaz J, Bayonés L, Montenegro M, Cárdenas AM, Koch H, Doi A, Marengo FD. (2019) Ca2+ -Independent and Voltage-Dependent Exocytosis in Mouse Chromaffin Cells. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 228(4):e13417. doi: 10.1111/apha.13417.

Collaborations:

• 2012- : With P. Caviedes and Jorge Bevilacqua  (I.C.B.M., Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile): Molecular and cellular mechanisms of muscular dystrophy related to mutations of dysferlin. Proyecto Anillo ACT1121.
• 2016- : With Dr. Fernando Marengo (Universidad de Buenos Aires).
• 1995- : With Dr. P. Caviedes (I.C.B.M., Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile): Intracellular calcium homeostasis in neuronal cell lines derived from trisomy 16 mouse, a model of human trisomy 21 (Dow Syndrome) Granted by DIPUV 2896 y 0398 and Fondecyt 1980906, 1040862, 1090160.

• 2025 – 2027 Plataforma de servicios para evaluar capacidades bioactivas de nutracéuticos: enfoque en propiedades antiinflamatorias y neuroprotectoras. Fondo Regional para la Productividad y el Desarrollo (FRPD). Coinvestigadora, Agustín Martínez Investigador principal, Juan Carlos Sáez coinvestigador.
• 2024-2024. Adquisición de un Microscopio Confocal de última generación para la investigación biomédica de excelencia en la Universidad y Región de Valparaíso. FONDEQUIP EQM230155. Coordinadora.
• 2024-2026. Tratamiento complementario de origen natural para mejorar el estado inflamatorio, antioxidante y convulsivante en perros epilépticos. Fondef IDEA I+D, ID24I10165. Directora.
• 2024 – 2026 Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), CIDI Regular, CIDI-8. Investigadora
• 2022-2026. Dysferlin’ S Role In Ca2+-Dependent Exocytosis Processes In Skeletal Muscle Cells And Structural Requirements For Its Function. Fondecyt Regular n° 1220825. Investigadora responsable.

• Walter Vásquez, investigador postdoctoral
• Sissi Fuentealba, estudiante de Magíster
• María José Guerra, asistente de Investigación