Andrea I. Doseff, PhD

Assistant Professor

201 Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute

473 West 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
Lab: (614) 292-8987

Office:  (614) 292-9507

e-mail: andrea.doseff@osumc.edu

Webpage:  www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/dosefflab/

Focus

Molecular and biochemical mechanisms that regulate cell death during cell differentiation, innate immunity and cancer.  Signal transduction pathways and natural compounds that control apoptosis as potential therapeutic targets for cancer and inflammation.

Research Interests

My laboratory investigates the mechanisms involved in cell death during the innate immune response and oncogenic transformation. We combine molecular, biochemical, cellular biology and bioinformatic approaches to understand the regulation of the apoptotic pathways. Our studies are focused on the signaling pathways that contribute to the activation and deactivation of caspases, essentials proteases required for apoptosis. The main purpose of our research is that by understanding the mechanisms that regulate the caspases we will be able to manipulate cell death of unwanted cells as a treatment for cancer, inflammation and formation of the atherosclerotic plaque.

One major project in my lab is to identify the proteins that regulate the activation and activity of the inflammatory and killing caspases during monocyte-macrophage-dendritic cell differentiation. This includes, the isolation of regulatory proteins and the dissection of the signaling pathways that modulate apoptosis. We showed that some PKC isoforms act as pro-apoptotic factors phosphorylating caspase-3 and promoting its activity. These pathways may change during differentiation thus allowing the cells to regulate their apoptotic commitment differently depending on their differentiation’s stage. We have demonstrated a differential role of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the control of the apoptotic machinery of leukocytes. Furthermore, plant flavonoids are being investigated due to their potential to induce apoptosis in cancer cells and decrease inflammation.  These findings may provide a new approach to regulate the number of unwanted cells during inflammation. In this context, one of our main interests is to understand the role of kinases, phosphatases and reactive oxygen species in the regulation of caspases and the contribution of the mitochondria during activation and monocyte apoptosis. These results should contribute to a better understanding of basic mechanisms during sepsis, cancer and the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque.

A second area of research involves the characterization of signals produced by dying cells to recruit and promote the clearance of apoptotic bodies by phagocytic cells like the macrophages.  We are using biochemical and a proteomic approaches to characterize a compounds produced by dying cells that are chemotactic for macrophages.  In addition, using a bioinformatic approach and with the availability of the human proteome, we are trying to characterize new substrates of caspases.  These in ‘silico experiments’ should allow us to identify additional targets of caspases that once validated molecularly can be used to mark unwanted cells for removal by phagocytic cells. 

Recent Publications

1.   Malavez, Y., Gonzalez-Mejia, M.E., and Doseff, A.I. (2008).  PKCd. Atlas Genet Cytogenet Oncol Haematol.  (accepted ).  URL:http://AtlasGeneticsOncology.org/Genes/

2.   Nicholas, C., Batra, S., Vargo, M.A., Voss, O.H., Gavrilin, M. A., Wewers, M.D., Guttdrige, D., Grotewold, E., Doseff, A.I. (2007).  Apigenin blocks lipopolysaccharide-induced lethality in vivo and proinflammatory cytokines expression by inactivating NFkB through the suppression of p65 phosphorylation.  J. Immunol.  179:7121-7127

3.   Voss, O.H., Batra, S., Kolattukudy, S.J., Gonzalez-Mejia, M.E., Smith, J., and Doseff, A.I. (2007). Binding of caspase-3 prodomain to heat shock protein 27 regulates monocyte apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-3 proteolytic activation.  J. Biol. Chem. 282: 25088-25099.

4.   Vargo, M.A., Voss, O.H., Poustka, F., Cardounel, A.J., Grotewold, E., and Doseff, A.I.  (2006). Apigenin-induced-apoptosis is mediated by the activation of PKCd and caspases in leukemia cells.  Biochem. Pharmacol. 72: 681-692.

5.   Voss, O.H., Kim, S., Wewers, M.D. and Doseff, A.I.  (2005). Caspase-3 is a phosphoprotein and associates with PKCd during spontaneous monocyte apoptosis.  J. Biol. Chem. 280: 17371-17379.

6.   Bao, S., Wang, Y., Sweeney, P., Chaudhuri, A., Doseff, A.I., Marsh, C.B., and Knoell, D.L. (2005).  Keratynocyte growth factor induces Akt kinase activity and inhibits Fas-mediated apoptosis in A549 lung epithelial cells. A.J.P. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol.  288 (1): L36-42.

7.   Wei G, Guo, J, Doseff, AI, Kusewitt, DF, Man, AK, Oshima, RG, and Ostrowski, MC. (2004). Activated Ets2 is required for persistent inflammatory responses in the motheaten viable model. J. Immunol.
173:1374-1379.

8.   Elssner, A., Doseff, A.I., Duncan, M., Kotur, M., and Wewers, M.D. (2004).  Interleukin-16 is constitutively present in peripheral blood monocytes and spontaneoulsy released during apoptosis. J. Immunol. 172:
7721-7725.

9.   Doseff, A.I., Baker Jr., J.H., Bourgeois, T.A., and Wewers, M.D. (2003). L-4-induced apoptosis entails caspase activation and dephosphorylation of ERK. Am. J. Resp. Cell and Mol. Biol. 29: 367-374.

10. Zeigler, M.M., Doseff, A.I., Galloway, M.F., Opalek,J.M., Nowicki, P.T., Zweier, J.L., Sen, C.K., and Marsh, C.B.  (2003).  The presentation of nitric oxide regulates monocyte life and death through effects on caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation. J. Biol. Chem. 278: 12894-129.

11. Rovin, B.H., Wilmer, W.A., Lu, L., Doseff, A.I., Dixon, C., Kotur, M., and Hilbelink, T.  (2002).  The cyclopentenone prostaglandin 15-deoxy-D12,14-prostaglandin J2 regulates mesangial cell proliferation and death. Kidney Intern. 61:1293-302.

12. Coulter, K.R., Sweeney, P., Doseff, A.I., Wang, Y., Marsh, C.B, Wewers, M.D., Knoell, D.L. (2002).  Opposing effect by cytokines on Fas-mediated apoptosis in A549 lung epithelial cells. Am. J. Resp. Cell and Mol. Biol. 26: 58-66.

13. Goyal, A., Wang, Y., Graham, M.M., Doseff, A.I., Bhatt, N.Y., and Marsh, C.B. (2002).  Monocyte survival factors induce Akt activation and suppress caspase-3. Am. J. Resp. Cell and Mol. Biol.  26: 224-230.

14. Fahy, R.J.*, Doseff, A.I.*, and Wewers, M.D. (1999).  Spontaneous human monocyte apoptosis utilizes a caspase-3 dependent pathway which is blocked by endotoxin and is independent of caspase-1.  J. Immunol. 163: 1755-1762.

15. Kirsch, D.G., Doseff, A.I., Chau, B.N., Lim, D., Souza-Pinto, N.C., Hansford, R., Kastan, M.B., Lazebnik, Y.A., and Hardwick, J.M. (1999). Caspase-3-dependent cleavage of Bcl-2 promotes release of cytochrome c.  J. Biol. Chem. 274: 21155-21161.

16. Kelley, T.W., Graham, M.M., Doseff, A.I., Pommerantz, R.W., Lau, S.M., Ostrowski, M.C., Franke, T.M., and Marsh, C. B. (1999).  Macrophage colony-stimulating factor promotes cell survival through Akt/protein kinase B.  J. Biol. Chem. 274: 26393-26398.

17. Nestler. H.P., and Doseff, A.I.  (1997).  A two dimensional, diagonal SDS-PAGE technique to screen for proteases substrates in protein mixtures. Anal. Biochem. 251: 122-124.

18. Doseff, A.I., and Arndt, K.T.  (1995).  Las1 is an essential nuclear protein involved in morphogenesis and cell surface growth.  Genetics 141: 857-871.

Doseff Lab Members:

Postdocs: Arti Parihar, Leonardo Porchia, Martha Elba Gonzalez Mejia
Graduate students: Oliver Voss, Yadira Malavez, Courtney Nicholas, Daniel Arango
Undergraduate students: Eric Murnan, Hassan Kamran

Please inquire about openings available

Doseff Lab Members 2008-2009 

Related Links:

http://heartlung.osu.edu

http://www.internalmedicine.osu.edu/pulmonary

http://www.osumolgen.org