Physicians

Department / Division
Medicine / Medicine-Pulmonary

Address
DUMC 103003
Durham, NC 27710

106 Research Drive
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone
Not accepting new patients

Office Telephone
919-668-7762 (Duke), 919-286-6946 (Durham VA)

Fax Telephone
919-416-5847, 919-684-5266

Training

• MD, Tulane University School of Medicine (Louisiana), 1993

Residency

• Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 1993-1996
• Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 1996-1999

Other Training

• PhD, Pharmacology, Tulane University (Louisiana), 1992

Clinical Interests
Pulmonary and critical care medicine

Research Interests
The McMahon Lab at Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center is investigating novel roles of the red blood cell (RBC) in the circulation. The regulated release of the vasodilator SNO (a form of NO, nitric oxide) by RBCs within the respiratory cycle in mammals optimizes nutrient delivery at multiple levels: in the lung (gas exchange), in the microcirculation (O₂ transport to tissues), and in the brain (O₂ sensing for control of breathing). We have shown deficiency of RBC (S)NO bioactivity in human RBCs banked for transfusion, and similar deficiency in other human diseases; this deficiency appears to contribute to the serious lung and circulatory problems associated with RBC transfusion in some settings. We have also demonstrated benefit in the use of treatments that exploit RBCs as a vehicle for delivery of SNOs, in both human patients and in model animals.

RBCs also release ATP in response to stimuli including deformation and hypoxia, and the exported ATP also participates in the maintenance of a healthy circulation, according to mechanisms that we are now unraveling.

We use basic and translational approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms by which these RBC-derived signals effect circulatory changes in human health and disease, particularly in the lung. Disease states driving this research include acute and chronic lung diseases such as transfusion-related respiratory problems, sickle cell disease, and pulmonary hypertension of adults and newborns.

Funding: VA and NIH.

Industry Relationships and Collaborations (What's this?)

This physician has no reported relationships with industry.

Representative Publications
McMahon TJ, Bonaventura J. The main players: Hemoglobin and myoglobin; nitric oxide and oxygen. In press, 2011. (2011)

Zhu H, Zennadi R, Xu BX, Eu JP, MD; Torok JA, Telen MJ, McMahon TJ. Impaired ATP release from red blood cells promotes their adhesion to endothelial cells: A mechanism of hypoxemia after transfusion. In press. Critical Care Medicine, 2011. (2011)

Bennett-Guerrero E, Veldman TH, Doctor A, Telen MJ, Ortel TL, Reid TS, Mulherin MA, Zhu H, Buck RD, Califf RM, McMahon TJ. Evolution of adverse changes in stored RBCs.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.  2007 Oct 23;104(43):17063-17068. (2007) Abstract

Sonveaux P, Lobysheva II, Feron O, McMahon TJ. Transport and peripheral bioactivities of nitrogen oxides carried by red blood cell hemoglobin: role in oxygen delivery. Physiology (Bethesda). 2007 Apr;22:97-112. (2007) Abstract

Du W, McMahon TJ, Zhang ZS, Stiber JA, Meissner G, Eu JP. Excitation-contraction coupling in airway smooth muscle. J Biol Chem. 2006 Oct 6;281(40):30143-51. (2006) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Doctor A. Extrapulmonary effects of inhaled nitric oxide: role of reversible S-nitrosylation of erythrocytic hemoglobin. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2006 Apr;3(2):153-60. (2006) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Ahearn GS, Moya MP, Gow AJ, Huang YC, Luchsinger BP, Nudelman R, Yan Y, Krichman AD, Bashore TM, Califf RM, Singel DJ, Piantadosi CA, Tapson VF, Stamler JS. A nitric oxide processing defect of red blood cells created by hypoxia: deficiency of S-nitrosohemoglobin in pulmonary hypertension. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Oct 11;102(41):14801-6. (2005) Abstract

Foster MW, McMahon TJ, Stamler JS. S-nitrosylation in health and disease. Trends Mol Med. 2003 Apr;9(4):160-8. (2003) Abstract

McMahon TJ. Hemoglobin and nitric oxide. N Engl J Med. 2003 Jul 24;349(4):402-5; author reply 402-5. (2003) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Moon RE, Luschinger BP, Carraway MS, Stone AE, Stolp BW, Gow AJ, Pawloski JR, Watke P, Singel DJ, Piantadosi CA, Stamler JS. Nitric oxide in the human respiratory cycle. Nat Med. 2002 Jul;8(7):711-7. (2002) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Stone AE, Bonaventura J, Singel DJ, Stamler JS. Functional coupling of oxygen binding and vasoactivity in S-nitrosohemoglobin.  J Biol Chem.  2000 Jun 2;275(22):16738-45. (2000) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Stamler JS. Concerted nitric oxide/oxygen delivery by hemoglobin. Methods Enzymol. 1999;301:99-114. (1999) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Ignarro LJ, Kadowitz PJ. Influence of Zaprinast on vascular tone and vasodilator responses in the cat pulmonary vascular bed. J Appl Physiol. 1993 Apr;74(4):1704-11. (1993) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Hood JS, Kadowitz PJ. Pulmonary vasodilator response to vagal stimulation is blocked by N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in the cat. Circ Res. 1992 Feb;70(2):364-9. (1992) Abstract

McMahon TJ, Hood JS, Bellan JA, Kadowitz PJ. N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester selectively inhibits pulmonary vasodilator responses to acetylcholine and bradykinin. J Appl Physiol. 1991 Nov;71(5):2026-31. (1991) Abstract