RESEARCH Group Cancer Signalling

1)     It has been known for more than one hundred years that there is a link between chronic inflammation and cancer development. Inflammatory bowel disease, especially ulcerative colitis is a risk factor for development of colorectal cancer. Chronic liver damage and liver cirrhosis caused by viral hepatitis B and C lead to development of hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC). More than 50 percent of all hepatocellular carcinomas develop as a result of chronic tissue damage caused by chronic inflammation.

In our research group we use transgenic, knock-out and chemical induced cancer mouse models

·         to develop new strategies for treatment of liver cancer by inhibition of critical pathways by small molecule inhibitors or adenoviral shRNAs

·         to investigate and find possibilities to overcome chemotherapy resistance of HCC

·         to validate imaging techniques like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to follow the growth of murine HCC

·         to elucidate critical regulators of inflammatory pathways for cancer development in the liver and the gut

2)     As the diagnosis of hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) in the cirrhotic liver is still a challenge and only early detection of cancer can result in effective treatment like resection or liver transplantation we aim to investigate and validate new biomarkers for early HCC detection.

3)     G_s protein-coupled receptors are known to signal via the second messenger 3'-5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) regulates diverse cell functions, e. g. cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction and migration,. Classical effectors of cAMP are protein kinase A (PKA) and Epac1 and Epac2 (Exchange factor directly activated by cAMP). We are currently investigating alternative signaling mechanisms of cAMP.

Group members:

Dipl.-Biol. Verena Bihrer                                            Email: bihrer@med.uni-frankfurt.de

Ursula Karey                                                             Email: ursula.karey@kgu.de

Priv.-Doz. Dr. phil. nat. Dr. med. Albrecht Piiper      Email: piiper@med.uni-frankfurt.de

Dipl.-Biol. Thomas Pleli                                             Email: pleli@med.uni-frankfurt.de

Dr. med. Oliver Waidmann                                       Email: waidmann@biochem2.de

Funding

• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
• Else-Kröner-Fresenius Foundation
• Klein-Stiftung

E-Mail: piiper@med.uni-frankfurt.de

Contact: Dr. Oliver Waidmann +49 69 6301 87664

E-Mail: waidmann@biochem2.de