Research Program: Carcinogenesis & Chemoprevention
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

watte004@umn.edu
612-626-0184 — office
612-626-1970 — lab
Preferred method of contact: e-mail

Research Interests

The research in my laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms by which different types of carcinogenic agents interfere with the signaling pathways that control cell fate and function. Our recent work has investigated how both genotoxic and nongenotoxic carcinogens modulate signaling pathways that are mediated by members of the mitogen activated protein kinase family. Understanding how carcinogenic agents take advantage of the signaling pathways that regulate cell fate and function may help us predict how environmental chemicals affect carcinogenesis and may ultimately help us to develop effective methods to prevent and treat cancer.

Selected Publications

Ellerbroek, S. M., Halbleib, J. M. Benavidez, M., Warmka, J. K., Wattenberg, E. V., Stack, M. S., Hudson, L. G. Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Activity in Epidermal Growth Factor-Stimulated Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Production and Cell Surface Association. Cancer Res. 61:1855-1861 (2001).

Cross, D.P., Ramachandran, G., and Wattenberg, E.V. Mixtures of Nickel and Cobalt Chlorides Induce Synergistic Cytotoxic Effects: Implications for Inhalation Exposure Modeling. Ann. Occupational. Hyg. 45:409-481 (2001).

Warmka JK, Winston SE, Zeliadt NA, and Wattenberg EV. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase transmits palytoxin-stimulated signals leading to altered gene expression in mouse keratinocytes. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 185:8-17 (2002).

Wichmann AE, Thomson NM, Peterson LA, and Wattenberg EV. Genotoxic methylating agents modulate extracellular signal regulated kinase activity through MEK-dependent, gluthatione-, and DNA methylation-independent mechanisms in lung epithelial cells. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 16:87-94 (2003).

Zeliadt NA, Warmka JK, and Wattenberg EV. Mitogen activated protein kinases selectively regulate palytoxin-stimulated gene expression in mouse keratinocytes. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 192:212-221 (2003).

Zeliadt NA, Warmka JK, Winston SE, Kahler R, Westendorf JJ, Mauro LJ, and Wattenberg EV. Tumor promoter-induced MMP-13 gene expression in a model of initiated epidermis. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 317:570-577 (2004).

Warmka JK, Mauro LJ, and Wattenberg EV. Mitogen activated protein kinase phosphatase-3 is a tumor promoter target in initiated cells that express oncogenic ras. J. Biol. Chem. 279:33805-33902 (2004).

Wattenberg EV. Palytoxin: Exploiting a novel skin tumor promoter to explore signal transduction and carcinogenesis. Am. J. Physiol. Cell. Physiol. In press (2006).