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Catherine Lee May

Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Department: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Graduate Group Affiliations

Cell and Molecular Biology

Contact information

3615 Civic Center Boulevard
Abramson Research Center
Room 516E
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office: 267-426-0116
Fax: 215-590-3709

Email:
catheril@mail.med.upenn.edu

Education:
B.A. (Biology)
The Johns Hopkins University, 1995.
Ph.D. (Department of Biology)
The Johns Hopkins University, 2000.

Links
Developmental Biology Program for Pediatric Disorders at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
May Lab
Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group

Post-Graduate Training
Postdoc, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Department of Genetics, 2000-2006.

Permanent link

Description of Research Expertise

Research Interests:

Transcriptional regulation of pancreatic and gastrointestinal development and function using mouse models.

Key words: Diabetes, beta cell, alpha cell, pancreas development, gastrointestinal differentiation, transcription, Islet-1, LIM-HD proteins.

Description of Research:

Transcriptional control of pancreatic development and pancreatic β-cell function and growth by Isl-1

We are investigating the role of Isl-1 in the development of the pancreas as well as in maintaining proper pancreatic β-cell function. Isl-1 expression is detected in the developing pancreas and is later restricted to all pancreatic endocrine cells in the adult islets. This expression analysis, along with the fact that Isl-1 mutations have been identified in individuals with type II diabetes, suggests that Isl-1 may be involved in endocrine cell differentiation as well as in maintaining pancreatic β-cell function and/or growth in the adult. We have now generated pancreas-specific as well as β-cell specific deletions of Isl-1 in the mouse. These mouse models will be used to analyze the phenotypic consequences of these mutations for pancreas development, function and growth. We are also interesting in identifying the cofactor(s) (ie Ldb1) that are required to mediate the actions of Isl-1 in the developing endocrine and mature β-cell.

Transcriptional control of enteroendocrine cell differentiation by Isl-1:
Enteroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal epithelium regulate many aspects of gastrointestinal activity including glucose metabolism, delivery of bile and pancreatic secretions, and gut epithelial renewal. Isl-1 expression is detected in subsets of enteroendocrine cells in the gastric epithelium of the rat. To better understand the role of Isl-1 during the development of gastric epithelium, we are planning to characterize the expression pattern of Isl-1 in mice as well as generate various stomach/endoderm specific deletions of Isl-1 mouse models.

Rotation Projects:

Investigate the role of Isl-1 and Arx during pancreas development and function using mouse models.
Identify direct downstream targets of Isl-1 in the developing and mature β-cell using ChIP-Seq technology and microarray analysis.
Investigate the role of Ldb1 during pancreas development and function using mouse models.
Characterize Isl-1 expression in the developing gastrointestinal tract.
Investigation of Isl-1 function during gastrointestinal development using mouse models.

Lab personnel:
Christine Reid, Ph.D. (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Natalie Terry, M.D. Ph.D (Pediatric GI Fellow)
Crystal Wilcox (CAMB Graduate Student)
Benjamin Ediger (CAMB Graduate Student)
Mark Ferreira (CAMB Combined degree: M.D/Ph.D Student)
Erik Walp (Research Technician/Lab Manager)

Selected Publications

Teresa L. Mastracci, Crystal Wilcox, Luis Arnes, Casandra Panea, Jeffrey A. Golden, Catherine Lee May* and Lori Sussel* : Nkx2.2 and Arx genetically interact to regulate pancreatic endocrine cell development and endocrine hormone expression. Developmental Biology 359(1): 1-11, 2011 Notes: *Co-corresponding authors.

Jingxuan Liu, Chad Hunter, Aiping Du, Benjamin Ediger, Erik Walp, Johanna Murray, Roland Stein and Catherine Lee May: Islet-1 regulates Arx transcription during pancreatic islet alpha-cell development. Journal of Biological Chemistry April 2011.

Pragnya Das and Catherine Lee May: Expression analysis of the Islet-1 gene in the developing and adult gastrointestinal tract Gene Expression Patterns 11(3-4): 244-54, March 2011.

Aidan S. Hancock, Aiping Du, Jingxuan Liu, Mayumi Miller, Catherine Lee May: Glucagon deficiency reduce hepatic glucose production and improve glucose tolerance in adult mice. Molecular Endocrinology 24(8): 1605-14, 2010.

Aiping Du, Chad S. Hunter, Johanna Murray, Daniel Noble, Chen-Leng Cai, Sylvia M. Evans, Roland Stein and Catherine Lee May: Islet-1 is required for the maturation, proliferation and survival of the endocrine pancreas. Diabetes 58(1-2): 2059-2069, September 2009.

Catherine Lee May: The role of Islet-1 in the endocrine pancreas Lessons from pancreas specific Islet-1 deficient mice Islets 2(2), March 2010.

White, P., May, C.L., Lamounier, R.N., Brestelli, J.E., Kaestner, K.H. : Defining pancreatic endocrine precursors and their descendants. Diabetes 57: 654-668, 2008.

*Lee, C.S., De Leon, D.D., Kaestner, K.H., Stoffers, D.A. : Regeneration of pancreatic islets after partial pancreatectomy in mice does not involve the reactivation of neurogenin 3. Diabetes 55: 269-272, 2006 Notes: *Name change: Lee, C.S. used for all publications prior to 2007.

*Lee, C.S., Sund, N.J., Behr, R., Herrera, P.L. and Kaestner, K.H. : Foxa2 is required for the differentiation of pancreatic α-cells. Developmental Biology 278(2): 484-495, 2005 Notes: *Name change: Lee, C.S. used for all publications prior to 2007.

*Lee, C.S., Friedman, J.R., Fulmer, J.T., and Kaestner, K.H. : The initiation of liver development is dependent of Foxa transcription factors. Nature 435: 944-947, 2005 Notes: *Name change: Lee, C.S. used for all publications prior to 2007.