Magnuson, Nancy
Mail

Courses Taught

MBioS 440/540 Immunology

Research Interests
We are interested how a proto-oncogene called Pim-1, a serine/threonine kinase, is involved in the molecular mechanisms of proliferation and differentiation of lymphoid, myeloid and epithelial cells. In the adult, Pim-1 expression is limited to these cell types and to germ cells. Recently, the first target of Pim-1 was identified as a transcriptional co-activator of c-myb. We have now identified a second target, a phosphatase, which is involved in differentiation. During the course of our studies, we have also discovered that Pim-1 expression is highly regulated at multiple levels: transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational. This high degree of regulation suggests that Pim-1 kinase levels need to be precisely regulated for normal cellular activity. Thus, we are also interested in understanding how Pim-1 expression is regulated. With regards to cancer, Pim-1 is best described as a weak oncogene. By itself, it does not induce cancer, but when it is continuously over expressed along with a second oncogene such as c-myc, cancer is rapidly induced. Therefore, besides determining the normal function of Pim-1 in the immune system and in epithelial cells, we are also interested in determining how Pim-1 and other oncogenes such as c-Myc synergize cause cancer.

Publications
Park, J.-S., B. P. Chew, T.S. Wong, J. Zhang and N.S. Magnuson. 1999. The dietary carotenoid, lutein, is associated with expression of pim-1 in activated murine lymphocytes. Nutirtion and Cancer 33:206-212.

Krumenacker, J.S., Buckley, D.J., M.A. Leff, D. J. Buckley, J.T. McCormick, G. de Jong, P. Grout, J.C. Reed, , G. de Jong, Toshiyuki Miyashita, N.S. Magnuson and A.R. Buckley. 1998. Inhibition by prolactin of dexamethasone-activated apoptosis in Nb2 lymphoma cells: Role for proto-oncogenes, pim-1 and bcl-2. Endocrine. 9:163-170.

Hoover, D.S.,D.G. Wingett, J. Zhang, R. Reeves and N. S. Magnuson, 1997. Pim-1 protein expression is regulated by its 5'-untraslated region and translation initiation factor eIF-4E. Cell Growth & Development 8:1372-1380.