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Arnold B. Rabson
Professor
UMDNJ
Depts. of Molecular Genetics. Microbiology
and Immunology and Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine
The Child Health Institute of NJ
89 French Street, Room 3210
New Brunswick. NJ 08903
(732) 235-9523
FAX - 8612
rabsonab@umdnj.edu |
Gene regulation in cancer. human retroviral infections
Our laboratory is interested in the roles of altered gene
expression in human cancer and in human retroviral infections. One set of
projects focuses on the controls of gene expression of HIV and of the human T
cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) in infected T cells. We have previously
demonstrated the important roles of the NF-kappaB
transcription factors in the activation of latent HIV infection.
More recently. we identified models of latent HTLV-1 infection and have
shown that immune activation stimuli will induce HTLV gene expression. This suggests important models for the activation of HTLV during
disease pathogenesis. Other experiments in the laboratory
have focused on the roles of the NF-kappaB transcription
factors in human cancer. We have identified mutations of
the NF-kB-2 gene that occur in 5-30% of human cutaneous T cell lymphomas
and are associated with altered transcriptional regulation leading to increased
T cell activation. proliferation. and survival. that may contribute to
T cell lymphomagenesis. We have also observed very high levels of constitutive
NF-kB activation in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell
lines and are studying the responsible mechanisms as well as the consequences
for prostate cancer progression.
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