One focus is the mechanism for suppression of this gene by steroid hormones. Another aspect explores our finding that breast and colon tumors express high levels of this enzyme and that prostaglandins stimulate tumor growth. We are examining whether changes in this pathway are among the early events in the genetic pathway to breast and colon cancer. In another project, we study the metabolism of diglyceride. This lipid is a key intracellular messenger activating protein kinases and leading to a variety of responses including cell growth.
Most tumor cells have high levels of diglyceride.
Our studies focus on understanding the basis for, and consequences of, this change. We are also interested in the mechanisms that underlie cell-cell adhesion. We've focused on the adhesion of blood leukocytes to vascular endothelial cells because this response has several interesting biological properties. However, the results have proven relevant to adhesion in many circumstances. Blood cells contact endothelial cells almost constantly but do not adhere since this occludes blood flow.