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Deborah Ferrington, Ph.D.
 Ophthalmic Research Deborah Ferrington, Ph.D., Associate Professor,
Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry,
Molecular Biology and Biophysics
Office Phone (612) 624-8267,
Lab Phone (612) 626-7640
Fax (612) 626-0781
ferri013@umn.edu Dr. Ferrington received her B.S. degree in Biological Sciences in 1978 and her M.Ed degree in Secondary Science Education in 1980 from the University of Pittsburgh. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1997. Dr. Ferrington did her post-doctoral studies at the University of Kansas. This research was focused on understanding how aging affects the degradation of oxidized proteins. Dr. Ferrington joined the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota in 1999. She also holds graduate faculty appointments in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and in the Gerontology Minor Program.
Areas of specialization/Research Interest: One of Dr. Ferrington’s research foci is defining the molecular changes in proteins (expression and oxidation state) and mitochondrial DNA that occur at early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The investigations utilize human donor eyes that have been graded for their level of AMD using the Minnesota Grading System (Olsen and Feng, IOVS, 2003). A proteomics (i.e., 2D gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry) approach is being used to identify early protein changes. A newly initiated investigation using quantitative polymerase chain reaction with primers designed to amplify specific regions of the mitochondrial genome will identify mitochondrial DNA lesions in donor maculas. Information garnered from these investigations will supply important molecular details about the disease mechanism, which is requisite for development of the most efficacious treatments for AMD. A second area of research is focused on the proteasome, specifically investigating how proteasome structure and function change with aging and disease. Recent studies have suggested a specialized form of the proteasome, the immunoproteasome, may play a key role in protecting cells from stress. Experimental systems used to determine the consequences of inhibiting immunoproteasome expression include immunoproteasome-deficient mice lacking two (lmp7-/- /mecl-1-/- ) catalytic subunits of immunoproteasome and cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells generated from these mice. Results from this work will add to our basic understanding of cellular survival mechanisms.
Publications Select publications on AMD: Nordgaard, C.L., Karunadharma, P.R., Feng, X., Olsen, T.W., Ferrington, D.A. Mitochondrial Proteomics of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium at Progressive Stages of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., 49: 2848-55, 2008. Ethen, C.M., Reilly, C., Feng, X., Olsen, T.W., Ferrington, D.A., Age-related Macular Degeneration and Retinal Protein Modification by 4-hydroxy-2-noneal. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., 48(8): 3469-79, 2007. Decanini, A.M., Nordgaard, C.L., Feng, X., Ferrington, D.A., Olsen, T.W., Changes in Select Redox Proteins of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Am. J. Ophthalmol, 143(4): 607-15, 2007. Ethen, C.M., Hussong, S.A., Reilly, C., Feng, X., Olsen, T.W., Ferrington, D.A., Transformation of the Proteasome with Age-Related Macular Degeneration, FEBS Lett, 581(5): 885-90, 2007. Ethen, C.M., Reilly C., Feng, X., Olsen T.W., Ferrington D.A., The Proteome of Central and Peripheral Retina with Progression of Age-related Macular Degeneration. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., 47: 2280-90, 2006. Nordgaard, C.L., Berg, K.M, Kapphahn, R.J., Reilly, C., Feng, X., Olsen, T.W., Ferrington, D.A., Proteomics of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium Reveals Altered Protein Expression at Progressive Stages of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 47: 815-22, 2006. Select publications on Proteasome: Ferrington, D.A., Hussong, S.A., Roehrich, H., Kapphahn, R.J., Kavanaugh, S.M., Heuss, N.D., Gregerson, D.S., Immunoproteasome Responds to Injury in the Retina and Brain. J Neurochem, 106:158-69, 2008. Kapphahn, R.J., Bigelow, E.J., and Ferrington, D.A., Age-dependent Inhibition of Proteasome Chymotrypsin-like Activity in the Retina. Exp. Eye Res., 84(4): 646-54, 2007. Ferrington, D.A. , Kapphahn, R.J., Catalytic Site-specific Inhibition of the 20S Proteasome by 4-Hydroxynonenal. FEBS Lett. 578(3):217-23, 2004. Louie, J.L., Kapphahn, R.J. and Ferrington, D.A., Proteasome Function and Protein Oxidation in the Aged Retina. Exp. Eye Res. 75: 271-84, 2002.
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