James A. DeCaprio, M.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Discovery Leader, Center for Applied Cancer Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Active Staff and Clinical Associate in Medicine, Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Senior Director, DF/HCC Monoclonal Antibody Core, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Associate Professor of Medicine, Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Active Staff and Associate Physician, Medicine, Brigham And Women's Hospital

Contact Info

James DeCaprio
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
44 Binney Street
Boston, MA, 02115
Mailstop: Mayer 457
Phone: 617-632-3825
Fax: 617-582-8601
james_decaprio@dfci.harvard.edu

Assistant

Tracy Baker
Medical Oncology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Mailstop: DFCI MA440
Phone: 617-582-8605
Fax: 617-582-8601
tracy_baker@dfci.harvard.edu

DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Cancer Cell Biology
Cancer Genetics

DF/HCC Associations

Director, Monoclonal Antibody
Member, Center Scientific Council

Research Abstract

This laboratory is focused on understanding the mechanisms of cellular transformation. In particular, we study how SV40 large T antigen (T Ag) is capable of inducing all of the cellular changes associated with oncogenic transformation. Cellular transformation by T Ag is dependent, at least in part, on inactivation of cellular tumor suppressers. Genetic analysis has led to identification of three transforming domains of T Ag: a C-terminal domain that binds the p53 tumor suppresser and the p300/CBP transcription coactivators; the LxCxE domain that binds the retinoblastoma (pRB) family of tumor suppressers, including pRB, p107 and p130 and an N-terminal domain that resembles the J domain found in the DnaJ/hsp40 family of molecular chaperones. The laboratory seeks to identify novel cellular targets of SV40 T Ag. We have identified a novel E3 ubiquitin ligase, CUL7/FBXW8, that binds to T Ag and appears to contribute to viral oncogenesis.

Publications

Skaar JR, Florens L, Tsutsumi T, Arai T, Tron A, Swanson SK, Washburn MP, DeCaprio JA.PARC and CUL7 form atypical cullin RING ligase complexes.Cancer Res 2007 Mar 1;67(5):2006-14.
17332328
Poulin DL, DeCaprio JA.Is there a role for SV40 in human cancer?.J Clin Oncol 2006 Sep 10;24(26):4356-65.
16963733
Kasper JS, Arai T, Decaprio JA.A novel p53-binding domain in CUL7.Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2006 Jul 13.
16875676
Poulin DL, DeCaprio JA.The carboxyl-terminal domain of large T antigen rescues SV40 host range activity in trans independent of acetylation.Virology 2006 May 25;349(1):212-21.
16510165
Kasper JS, Kuwabara H, Arai T, Ali SH, DeCaprio JA.Simian virus 40 large T antigen's association with the CUL7 SCF complex contributes to cellular transformation.J Virol 2005 Sep;79(18):11685-92.
16140746
Skaar JR, Arai T, DeCaprio JA.Dimerization of CUL7 and PARC is not required for all CUL7 functions and mouse development.Mol Cell Biol 2005 Jul;25(13):5579-89.
15964813
Litovchick L, Chestukhin A, DeCaprio JA.Glycogen synthase kinase 3 phosphorylates RBL2/p130 during quiescence.Mol Cell Biol 2004 Oct;24(20):8970-80.
15456871
Buchmann AM, Skaar JR, DeCaprio JA.Activation of a DNA damage checkpoint response in a TAF1-defective cell line.Mol Cell Biol 2004 Jun;24(12):5332-9.
15169897
Arai T, Kasper JS, Skaar JR, Ali SH, Takahashi C, DeCaprio JA.Targeted disruption of p185/Cul7 gene results in abnormal vascular morphogenesis.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003 Aug 19;100(17):9855-60.
12904573