Anna Zolkiewska
Associate Professor of Biochemistry
ADAM Proteins, Notch Signaling, and Cancer
M.S. 1984, University of Warsaw, Poland
Ph.D. 1988, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Poland
Phone: 785-532-3082
Fax: 785-532-7278
Email: zolkiea@ksu.edu
Office: 177 Chalmers Hall
ADAMs are a family of modular proteins containing metalloprotease and disintegrin domains. Our studies have been focused on ADAM12 and its role in maintaining a population of satellite cells in skeletal muscle tissue. Satellite cells show many characteristics of adult stem cells and there is a great interest in understanding how these cells are formed, why their potential declines during aging, and how their function is changed in disease states. We have recently demonstrated that ADAM12, together with other ADAM family members, modulates the Notch signaling pathway, a critical regulator of many stem cell types and of muscle satellite cells as well.
In an apparently unrelated venue, ADAM12 has recently emerged as a Candidate Cancer Gene in a wide genome analysis of human breast cancers. We have initiated efforts to understand the molecular mechanisms of ADAM12 action during tumor development and to examine the effects of breast cancer-associated mutations in the ADAM12 gene on the structure and function of ADAM12 protein. Since aberrant Notch signaling is frequently observed in breast cancers, we are also investigating a possible link between ADAM12 and Notch in tumorigenesis.
Selected Publications
Sun, D., Li, H., and Zolkiewska, A. (2008) The role of Delta-like 1 shedding in muscle cell self-renewal and differentiation. J. Cell Sci., in press
Dyczynska, E., Syta, E., Sun, D., and Zolkiewska, A. (2008) Breast cancer-associated mutations in metalloprotease disintegrin ADAM12 interfere with the intracellular trafficking and processing of the protein. Int. J. Cancer 122, 2634-2640
Zolkiewska, A. (2008) ADAM proteases: ligand processing and modulation of the Notch pathway. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 65, 2056-2068
Dyczynska, E., Sun, D., Yi, H., Sehara-Fujisawa, A., Blobel, C. P., and Zolkiewska, A. (2007) Proteolytic processing of Delta-like 1 by ADAM proteases. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 436-444