DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Breast Cancer
Cancer Cell Biology
Angiogenesis, Invasion, and Metastasis

Research Abstract

The research focus of the lab is on vascular biology. We investigate the mechanisms used in normal development of the vasculature, and how these mechanisms are similar or different in a pathological neovascularization. The cancer model that we focus on is breast cancer. Current projects in this area include the role of Akt signaling in the abnormalities associated with tumor blood vessels and the contribution of this pathway to angiogenesis in mouse models of mammary tumor progression. Another focal point in the lab is the molecular regulation of lymphatic development. These studies have the potential to aid in both decreasing metastasis and repairing post surgical lymphedema, a common complication in breast cancer.

Publications

• Sun JF, Phung T, Shiojima I, Felske T, Upalakalin JN, Feng D, Kornaga T, Dor T, Dvorak AM, Walsh K, Benjamin LE.Microvascular patterning is controlled by fine-tuning the Akt signal.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005 Jan 4;102(1):128-33.
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• Adini I, Rabinovitz I, Sun JF, Prendergast GC, Benjamin LE.RhoB controls Akt trafficking and stage-specific survival of endothelial cells during vascular development.Genes Dev 2003 Nov 1;17(21):2721-32.
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• Sussman LK, Upalakalin JN, Roberts MJ, Kocher O, Benjamin LE.Blood markers for vasculogenesis increase with tumor progression in patients with breast carcinoma.Cancer Biol Ther 2003 May-Jun;2(3):255-6.
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• Adini A, Kornaga T, Firoozbakht F, Benjamin LE.Placental growth factor is a survival factor for tumor endothelial cells and macrophages.Cancer Res 2002 May 15;62(10):2749-52.
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• Benjamin LE, Golijanin D, Itin A, Pode D, Keshet E.Selective ablation of immature blood vessels in established human tumors follows vascular endothelial growth factor withdrawal.J Clin Invest 1999 Jan;103(2):159-65.
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• Benjamin LE, Hemo I, Keshet E.A plasticity window for blood vessel remodelling is defined by pericyte coverage of the preformed endothelial network and is regulated by PDGF-B and VEGF.Development 1998 May;125(9):1591-8.
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