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Jones B. Graceli

Jones B. Graceli, Assistant Professor

Animal Science

Dr. Graceli has a PhD in reproductive and metabolic endocrinology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The main focus of the Dr. Graceli study is to determine the environmental factors and nutritional factors that affect the metabolic and reproductive system. Specifically, the research in his laboratory is designed to address the following major questions: (1) Which genes and hormones regulate the normal development and function of the adipose tissue and ovary? (2) What are the effects of environmental toxicants on the development and function of the HPG axis? (3) What are the mechanisms that underlie the effects of reproductive toxicants on the HPG axis? (4) Are environmental exposures associated with metabolic and reproductive abnormalities in animal models?

My laboratory has had a long-standing interest in the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as organotins and heavy metals, and nutritional factors (high sugar and fat diet) on the control of reproductive, uterine, placental and metabolic function. We used cell culture, mammalian and non-mammalian models with targeted disruptions to study the effects of EDCs on cell-specific gene expression and reproductive and metabolic function. My work has focused on the study of signaling pathways that show pathophysiology consequences as a result of organotin (OT), phthalates, and/or heavy metal (mercury, cadmium, etc) or diet-induced obesity (DIO) exposure. Specifically, my laboratory has made contributions on many fronts including regulation of reproduction, metabolism, endocrine, neuroendocrine and other physiological functions. These contributions can be divided into four major themes:

  1. EDCs effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis;
  2. DIO and other obesity models effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis;
  3. Development of mammalian models to study the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis;
  4. OT, EDCs, microplastics, heavy metal, environmental toxins and DIO effects on the metabolic, inflammatory, uterine, placental, endocrine, neuroendocrine and other physiology functions.

Species: Mouse, rat.

Jones B. Graceli

Agriculture Building 131
618-453-6537
jbgraceli@siu.edu 

Undergraduate Courses:

  • ANS 331-Growth and Developmental Physiology of Animals
  • ANS 426-Comparative Endocrinology

Positions

  • 2024- current Assistant Prof. of Physiology and Endocrinology, ANS Program, SIU, Carbondale, IL
  • 2009-Associate Prof. of Cellular Biology and Histology, FUES, Brazil (8hs/week).
  • 2011-Associate Prof. of Endocrine Physiology, Science Physiology Program, Brazil (45hs/year).
  • 2013 - 2014 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (Postdoc).
  • 2014 - 2017 Vice Coordinator of PhD and Ms Science Physiology Program, FUES, Brazil.
  • 2017 - 2017 Researcher in the Environ. Tox. Department, UC Davis, CA.

Honors/Awards

  • 2022 Abstract Awards - SSR Virtual, Best International Abstract, EDCs.
  • 2020 Abstract Awards - SSR Virtual, Best International Abstract, EDCs.
  • 2017 Abstract Awards - Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, The Endocrine Society (IES).
  • 2014 Abstract Awards - GnRH & Gonadotrope Biology & Signaling Basic/Transl. The Endocrine Society.
  • 2013 Abstract Awards - Biology of Endocrine and Reproductive System, FESBE.

Publications

Selected manuscripts

1- My laboratory has conducted several studies on the effects of pesticides and diet-induced obesity (DIO) on the reproduction, metabolism, endocrine, neuroendocrine and other physiological function. Thus, I have the expertise to study the EDCs effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Representative papers are listed below:

  1. da Costa CS, Oliveira TF, Freitas-Lima LC, Padilha AS, Krause M, Carneiro MTWD, Salgado BS, Graceli JB. Subacute cadmium exposure disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, leading to polycystic ovarian syndrome and premature ovarian failure features in female rats. Environ Pollut. 2021 Jan 15;269:116154. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116154.
  2. Merlo E, Schereider IRG, Simões MR, Vassallo DV, Graceli JB. Mercury leads to features of polycystic ovary syndrome in rats. Toxicol Lett. 2019 Sep 15;312:45-54. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.05.006.
  3. Sena GC, Freitas-Lima LC, Merlo E, Podratz PL, de Araújo JF, Brandão PA, Carneiro MT, Zicker MC, Ferreira AV, Takiya CM, de Lemos Barbosa CM, Morales MM, Santos-Silva AP, Miranda-Alves L, Silva IV, Graceli JB. Environmental obesogen tributyltin chloride leads to abnormal hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function by disruption in kisspeptin/leptin signaling in female rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2017 Mar 15;319:22-38. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2017.01.021.
  4. Dos Santos FCF, Lima GFC, Merlo E, Januario CF, Miranda-Alves L, Miranda RA, Lisboa PC, Graceli JB. Single microcystin exposure impairs the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis at different levels in female rats. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2024 May 15:586:112203. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112203.
  5. de Araújo JFP, Podratz PL, Sena GC, Merlo E, Freitas-Lima LC, Ayub JGM, Pereira AFZ, Santos-Silva AP, Miranda-Alves L, Silva IV, Graceli JB. The obesogen tributyltin induces abnormal ovarian adipogenesis in adult female rats. Toxicol Lett. 2018 Oct 1;295:99-114. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2018.06.1068.

2-I have the expertise to study the DIO and other obesity models effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Representative papers are listed below:

  1. Zimerman J, Niño OMS, da Costa CS, Zanol JF, Comério M, da Gama de Souza LN, Miranda-Alves L, Miranda RA, Lisboa PC, Camilo TA, Rorato R, Alves GA, Frazão R, Zomer HD, Freitas-Lima LC, Graceli JB. Subacute high-refined carbohydrate diet leads to abnormal reproductive control of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in female rats. Reprod Toxicol. 2023 May 20;119:108410. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2023.108410
  2. Zanol JF, Niño OMS, da Costa CS, Zimerman J, Silva NP, Oliveira TM, Maas EMSWD, Dos Santos FCF, Miranda-Alves L, Graceli JB. High-refined carbohydrate diet alters different metabolic functions in female rats. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2022 Sep 9;558:111774. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2022.111774.
  3. Zanol JF, Niño O, da Costa CS, Freitas-Lima, LC, Miranda-Alves L, Graceli JB. Tributyltin and high‐refined carbohydrate diet lead to metabolic and reproductive abnormalities, exacerbating premature ovary failure features in the female rats. Reprod Toxicol. 2021 Aug;103:108-123. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.06.004.
  4. Niño OMS, da Costa CS, Torres KM, Zanol JF, Freitas-Lima LC, Miranda-Alves L, Graceli JB. High-refined carbohydrate diet leads to polycystic ovary syndrome-like features and reduced ovarian reserve in female rats. Toxicol Lett. 2020 Oct 10;332:42-55. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.07.002.

 

 

3- I have the expertise to study the Development of mammalian models to study the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Representative papers are listed below:

  1. Novaira HJ, Negron AL, Graceli JB, Capellino S, Schoeffield A, Hoffman GE, Levine JE, Wolfe A, Wondisford FE, Radovick S. Impairments in the reproductive axis of female mice lacking estrogen receptor β in GnRH neurons. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Nov 1;315(5):E1019-E1033.
  2. Novaira HJ, Graceli JB, Capellino S, Schoeffield A, Hoffman GE, Wolfe A, Wondisford F, Radovick S. Development and Characterization of Novel Rat Anti-mERβ Sera. Endocrinology. 2016 Jul;157(7):2844-52. doi: 10.1210/en.2016-1122.
  3. Graceli JB, Zomer HD, Medrano TI, Hess RA, Korach KS, Cooke PS.Role for Nongenomic Estrogen Signaling in Male Fertility. Endocrinology. 2024 Jan 16;165(3):bqad180. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqad180

4- I have the expertise to study the OT, EDCs, microplastics, heavy metal, environmental toxins and DIO effects on the metabolic, inflammatory, uterine, placental, endocrine, neuroendocrine and other physiological functions. Representative papers are listed below:

  1. Graceli JB, da Costa CS, Laws MJ, Deviney ARK, Meling D, Flaws JA. Chronic exposure to a mixture of phthalates shifts the white and brown adipose tissue phenotypes in female mice. Toxicol Sci. 2023 May 31;193(2):204-218. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad032.
  2. Costa MBD, Otegui MBP, Zamprogno GC, Caniçali FB, Dos Reis Cozer C, Pelletier E, Graceli JB. Abundance, composition, and distribution of microplastics in intertidal sediment and soft tissues of four species of Bivalvia from Southeast Brazilian urban beaches. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jan 20;857(Pt 3):159352. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159352.
  3. Merlo E, Podratz PL, Sena GC, de Araújo JF, Lima LC, Alves IS, Gama-de-Souza LN, Pelição R, Rodrigues LC, Brandão PA, Carneiro MT, Pires RG, Martins-Silva C, Alarcon TA, Miranda-Alves L, Silva IV, Graceli JB. The Environmental Pollutant Tributyltin Chloride Disrupts the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis at Different Levels in Female Rats. Endocrinology. 2016 Aug;157(8):2978-95. doi: 10.1210/en.2015-1896.
  4. Podratz PL, Merlo E, de Araújo JFP, Ayub JGM, Pereira AFZ, Freitas-Lima LC, da Costa MB, Miranda-Alves L, Cassa SGS, Carneiro MTWD, Fillmann G, Graceli JB. Disruption of fertility, placenta, pregnancy outcome, and multigenerational inheritance of hepatic steatosis by organotin exposure from contaminated seafood in rats. Sci Total Environ. 2020 Jun 25;723:138000. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138000.
  5. da Costa CS, Miranda-Alves L, La Merrill MA, Silva IV, Graceli JB. The tributyltin leads to obesogenic mammary gland abnormalities in adult female rats. Toxicol Lett. 2019 Jun 1;307:59-71. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.02.016

Check the full list

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Graceli+jb&sort=date