Marcelo Gabriel Kazanietz, Ph.D.

faculty photo
Professor of Pharmacology
Department: Pharmacology
Graduate Group Affiliations

Contact information
Institute for Translational Medicine & Therapeutics
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
1256 Biomedical Building II/III
421 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6160
Office: (215) 898-0253
Fax: (215) 746-8941
Education:
MSc. (Pharmacy)
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1983.
MSc. (Biochemistry)
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1987.
Ph.D. (Pharmacology)
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1989.
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Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Kazanietz studies the receptors for the phorbol ester tumor promoters and the second messenger diacylglycerol (DAG), an important intracellular mediator of proliferation and malignant transformation. His lab is exploring the role of PKC isozymes (the main phorbol ester/DAG receptors) in prostate carcinogenesis,and the signal transduction pathways regulated by each PKC isozyme, including the MAPK cascades and Akt/PKB. The second area of research involves the "chimaerins", novel phorbol ester/DAG receptors with Rac-GAP activity. Rac is a small GTP-binding protein that regulates actin cytoskeleton organization, cell cycle progression, gene expression, adhesion and migration. He is currently focusing on the cellular functions of chimaerin isoforms and we are isolating interacting proteins that control their subcellular localization and activity.

Selected Publications

Gutierrez-Uzquiza Alvaro, Colon-Gonzalez Francheska, Leonard Thomas A, Canagarajah Bertram J, Wang HongBin, Mayer Bruce J, Hurley James H, Kazanietz Marcelo G: Coordinated activation of the Rac-GAP β2-chimaerin by an atypical proline-rich domain and diacylglycerol. Nature communications 4: 1849, 2013.

Barrio-Real Laura, Kazanietz Marcelo G: Rho GEFs and cancer: linking gene expression and metastatic dissemination. Science signaling 5(244): pe43, Oct 2012.

Garg Rachana, Blando Jorge, Perez Carlos J, Wang HongBin, Benavides Fernando J, Kazanietz Marcelo G: Activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in prostate cancer is mediated by protein kinase C epsilon (PKCepsilon). The Journal of biological chemistry 287(44): 37570-82, Oct 2012.

Riccomagno Martin M, Hurtado Andrés, Wang HongBin, Macopson Joshua G J, Griner Erin M, Betz Andrea, Brose Nils, Kazanietz Marcelo G, Kolodkin Alex L: The RacGAP β2-Chimaerin selectively mediates axonal pruning in the hippocampus. Cell 149(7): 1594-606, Jun 2012.

Sosa Maria Soledad, Lopez-Haber Cynthia, Yang Chengfeng, Wang Hongbin, Lemmon Mark A, Busillo John M, Luo Jiansong, Benovic Jeffrey L, Klein-Szanto Andres, Yagi Hiroshi, Gutkind J Silvio, Parsons Ramon E, Kazanietz Marcelo G: Identification of the Rac-GEF P-Rex1 as an essential mediator of ErbB signaling in breast cancer. Molecular cell 40(6): 877-92, Dec 2010.

von Burstin Vivian A, Xiao Liqing, Kazanietz Marcelo G: Bryostatin 1 inhibits phorbol ester-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells by differentially modulating protein kinase C (PKC) delta translocation and preventing PKCdelta-mediated release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Molecular pharmacology 78(3): 325-32, Sep 2010.

Meshki John, Caino M Cecilia, von Burstin Vivian A, Griner Erin, Kazanietz Marcelo G: Regulation of prostate cancer cell survival by protein kinase Cepsilon involves bad phosphorylation and modulation of the TNFalpha/JNK pathway. The Journal of biological chemistry 285(34): 26033-40, Aug 2010.

Griner Erin M, Caino M Cecilia, Soledad Sosa Maria, Colón-González Francheska, Chalmers Michael J, Mischak Harald, Kazanietz Marcelo G: A novel cross-talk in diacylglycerol signaling: the Rac-GAP beta2-chimaerin is negatively regulated by protein kinase Cdelta-mediated phosphorylation. The Journal of biological chemistry 285(22): 16931-41, May 2010.

Wang Hongbin, Kazanietz Marcelo G: p23/Tmp21 differentially targets the Rac-GAP beta2-chimaerin and protein kinase C via their C1 domains. Molecular biology of the cell 21(8): 1398-408, Apr 2010.

Grossoni Valeria C, Todaro Laura B, Kazanietz Marcelo G, de Kier Joffé Elisa D Bal, Urtreger Alejandro J: Opposite effects of protein kinase C beta1 (PKCbeta1) and PKCepsilon in the metastatic potential of a breast cancer murine model. Breast cancer research and treatment 118(3): 469-80, Dec 2009.

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Last updated: 07/19/2011
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